University

Hey

I've just accepted my university offer, and aslong as I get my grades in my a-levels I'm hopping to start in september :)

For the last year and a half my asthma has gone from being very well controlled just on a brown and blue inhaler to what is now being called brittle asthma by my consultant. I tend to need emergancy treatment in a&e about every 6-8 weeks and about 2/3rds of them end up in me being addmitted. I have a neb at home which I use roughly once every other day.

My question really is does anyone have any advice about going to uni with mad asthma? and does anyone know about DSLA and if you can claim it for asthma?

Also I'm unsure what to do about GP's and consulatants, Cardiff uni's about 2 hours drive from where i live now so I would need someone around that area i guess? I'm quite a confident person and love making new friends but i hate telling people about my asthma.... especially new people... so any tips?

Thank you! ally :)

4 Replies

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  • Hi,

    Firstly, congratulations on getting a uni offer and accepting it.

    I'm at uni in wolverhampton and they leave a booklet with information in, including about local doctor's. However, if you want to know about local doctor's and where the A&E is, go the the NHS direct website and click on 'find a local health service'.

    Good Luck for your grades!

    Oh and make sure you tell the university straight away about your asthma and if you're living in the Halls of Residence, let them know as well. Here they have a list of people who may need assistance in the event of a fire alarm or just have long term health problems.

    take care

    Christine

  • Thank you!

    Thank you ever so much for your reply and all the PM's!

    oops... i wrote DSLA but I ment Disabled Students Allowance.. sorry!

    All the advice has been fab!! - Thank you!

    Ally xx

    ps. I hope I actually replied to the PM's... not sure if I pressed the right buttons!!

  • Hey Ally

    I am in my first year of uni, you need to let your uni know about your asthma, I don't knw what you are going to study but they may need to do risk assessments and make arrangements.

    Also make sure you let the halls of resisdence people know when you are applying, when I applied they classed my application on par of that with any other disabled person, I was able to get an alarmed room, on the ground floor in new residences that were low allergy, with en-suite, and near the mentors and where my lectures would be, they knew that I had brittle asthma, that climbing stairs was a problem, walking distances, also about the O2, NIV and neb that I needed in my room. (I have since transferred to a uni back home and moved back home, but originally I had planned to stay away at Bath). Also the uni got advice from my cons and drew up care plans and what to do if i got ill and gave copies to first aiders etc and my cons refered me to a local hosp to see whilst I was there

    As for DSA I do get it for both brittle asthma and another condition, they paid for the difference in my accomodation as it was considered I needed a higher level of accomodation because of my asthma, also I have a portable laptop to work on that I can take with me as it was recognised I was likely to spend significant amounts of time in hospial and off ill, they loaded voice recognition software as I have quite bad tremors which affct my writing, they are partly as a result of my asthma meds, I have extra time in exams, I have them in a seperate room with access to a scribe if I need to, so if I get tired I can take a break. I have a note taker or a voice recorder for lectures so when Im ill, tired or struggling to keep up I don't fall behind. I also have some other things relating to my other condition, but DSA is really good and well worth applying for, you will need medical notes and evidence but your cons should help you with that. oh and a book and photocopying allowance

    Sorry this is such a long message, but if you want anymore info jus ask or PM me

    Hope that helps

    Libby x

  • hey ally,

    Are you going to Cardiff uni? Cause i am there atm in my 1st year studyin physio!!

    In regards to the DSLA yeah they help asthmatics and they are under the disability and dyslexia service. My asthma is akward at times and can require lengthy hosp admissions, anyway for me they have got me parking permit for the hospital so I can drive to uni and are paying the car park fees. They have cancelled any libary fines I may incur from being in hospital, paid for mobile broadband so I can access internet in hosp and have generally been really helpful!!!

    In regards to residences cardiff uni was really good and they made sure that I was on ground floor/1st floor residences and changed my residneces so that I could go to one with a car parking space, which was no problem to them. Just make sure that it is accessible to you!!

    There has been no problem with me having and using neb at uni and at residences, also they are good as they will let in the lil green men to your room should you need them, which suprised me a bit lol!!

    In regards to GP get ypurself registered with one ASAP, at cardiff you have to do this when movingin to halls. WIth cons, well RBH recommended that I find one and were going to referre me under joint carwe but I actualy got in threre first before they really got a chance and found my own through being admitted and well he was/is brill. He dosnt do much but knows of me and my case so if i ever go in wheni am away from home i do have someone who knows me, but he leabe prmary care up to RBH and i see him every couple of months just as routine.

    I think in regard to uni as long as you are open with them then they dont have a problem and are generally really helpful, do let me know if you are comin to cardiff and I can give you more specific info also if you have any other question please feel free

    Katie xxx

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