Found this article on the british lung foundation website, can't remember if it was on AUK or not.
""Scientists have found the cold-fighting protein that asthmatics lack — and this new knowledge could save many lives.
Common cold viruses trigger about 85 per cent of asthma attacks in children, and 60 per cent of those in adults, so picking up a winter bug isn’t just annoying, it can be life-threatening.
Professor Sebastian Johnson, one of the UK’s leading asthma specialists, has identified the virus fighting protein that astmatics lack and is working with drug companies to find a way of replacing it in asthmatics and making them as good at fighting off infection as the rest of the population.
Asthma UK, which supported the research, says Johnson’s research is a “break-through in understanding†and the British Lung Foundation says it will be “invaluable in improving the treatment of people with asthmaâ€.
18 Replies
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wow, that's really interesting. Hopefully they will be able to do something useful with that. Thanks TKS.
Hurry up Professor Sebastian Johnson, have had two good weeks all winter, and can't believe how insensitive people are with sharing their colds with me - I stand there having to hear all about it, but don't get the same support back, as when I have a tiny cold, I'm coughing in the most unladylike manner - and everyone runs a mile.
So it's not just my imagination - thought I seem to get more colds than anyone else! Hope they develop this fast!
I not only get every cold going (twice) but I react really badly to them, and no one sympathises with me, they just give me that look of 'stop moaning, you've only got a cold', when I feel I'm only just hanging on in there. Then when I end up really chesty, I have to put on a real drama to get some antibiotics from the Dc. I know I need them, I just can't shake that stuff off. sometimes my chest has 'gone quiet' and the Dc can't hear anything, no matter what I say it feels like, it's quiet - so it's fine, someone believe me! am spending a few weeks on an island in the summer. am fine at the moment
Hi Zebra
All asthmatics suffer when they have a cold but people who don't have asthma don't and can't undersand what is like for us because they have never experienced having asthma with a cold, unless they have an asthmatic child, patner etc and why do you need their sympthay or anyone elses anyway? maybe the best thing would be to rest until you feel better rather then expecting people to feel sorry for you, and when you have a a bacterial chest infection you will normally have either a wheezy or crackly sounding chest. but doctors sometimes give asthmatics antibiotics to prevent them from occuring in the first place.
And a silent chest is only dangerous if you are having a severe asthma attack
this explains alot. when i have a cold i just lay low for a few days, oddly i was told by an a and e doctor that unless your wheezing like mad, your not having an asthma attack, healthcare here is really bad
Wendy, you sound like you have had some bad experiences with healthcare professionals recently. I'm sorry to hear that you feel you haven't received good care.
However, please don't tar all healthcare professionals with the same brush - there are lots of us out there who can give very good care and advice, given the chance to
CathBear
x
Ditto cath xxxx
Its a shame that its the same with everything you can have ten goods and one bad but you always remember the bad more so.
sorry its very hard not to considering that i was almost killed due to nhs blunders (if i had that appendix another week, and that scares me), i find it very hard to trust a fair few doctors, but the ones who helped when it counted, those are the ones i put my faith in, them and all the nurses who stood by me and helped me.
so forgive me if i am extreemly sceptical when it comes to healthcare, especially in Redditch. So please dont judge me too harshly when I feel scared to go to the doctor and be told theres nothing wrong. Ok this has happened once with my asthma, but it ended up in me being on strong pred for a week and time off college losing my ema which at the time i relyed on desparately.
There is a good doctor at my surgery and i see her when i need to. Sorry to rant but with all my friends and family nagging at me about going to the doctors, i feel really cautious and dont want to end up in that position again where i was told repeatedly ""theres nothing we can do"" or ""its a virus let it pass"" or even ""we know your in constant pain and cant stop vomiting, but we cant find anything wrong with you, you will just have to live with it"".
Sounds like you had a really nasty experience, Wendy. I understand that will have shaken your faith in doctors considerably, and it can be a long time until you feel confident to trust them again.
The difficulty is that most of the people on here aren't medically qualified and aren't in a place to look at you, listen to your chest and assess your symptoms etc. Granted we have a lot of experienced members of the board, but we can't be a substitute for medical care. Did you think about changing your doctors, or going to a different doctor in the same practice? Often doctors within a practice will have very differing approaches, styles of consultation and areas of interest. It may be worth finding a doctor with a special interest in respiratory/asthma, in order to fully express your concerns and get your symptoms under control.
How's your cough/cold now? It's been a few days and I was wondering how you were getting on.
P.S. I get nagged to go to the doctors' too, sometimes
thanks for being so understanding.
cold/cough still there so i'm taking it a little easier and slower. i've seen nearly every doctor at the surgery and doctor cooper is probably the best one to see, shes very understanding and knows that i dont trust easy.
I think a lot of this was probably brought on after being under a lot of stress from finding a job, finding a new place to live and 2 weeks ago having to fight for the relationship between me and my boyfriend (2/3 solved and the last on its way)
wendy
xx
Feel for you Wendy, sometimes we just have so much at once to cope with
I think a lot of this was probably brought on after being under a lot of stress from finding a job, finding a new place to live and 2 weeks ago having to fight for the relationship between me and my boyfriend (2/3 solved and the last on its way)
all the best with working through everything
Hi Zebra
All asthmatics suffer when they have a cold""
Cheers for your thoughtful reply, have been chipping away at my college work, so not looking at forum.
that's the tough one for me, working on my studies to get in a position where I can get a job I can handle, though working alongside, + placements, so 3 sources of cold germs. but the best way I've found to get over a cold is to rest at home, so no time for that at the moment.
well, lifes a gamble, might fluff the course due to asthma, asthma might get worse due to course, or might even get through the course in reasonable shape, and find my self able to choose my next job more carefully.
Hi Zebra
well right now I have a chest infection, pleurisy and larangitis and I can't even talk!! I get ill all the time so often need time off work which is always getting me in trouble, cause like I said alot of people don't understand, my point is that you shouldn't need other people's sympathy, you should just concentrate on making yourself better.
Hi lejaya
Gutted to hear how difficult things are at the moment, - wondering what your work is?
well right now I have a chest infection, pleurisy and larangitis and I can't even talk!! I get ill all the time so often need time off work which is always getting me in trouble, cause like I said alot of people don't understand,
Sometimes it's the only way, just concentrate all your energy on yourself, you know what will help most.
my point is that you shouldn't need other people's sympathy, you should just concentrate on making yourself better.
Hope your feeling stronger soon
Hi Zebra
I work in a day nursery so I'm exposed to alot of germs! but I really love working with children, the only problem is that the staff and managers don't seem to care or understand and when I come back to work from having time off sick I usually get ignored or people have a go at me. but you what I'm kinda used to it now, I'm actually taking my old work to court cause they fired me for taking to many sick days!
What kind of work do you do?
Hi lejaya
I can relate to your love of working in a day nursery, though the problems with the staff and managers sounds the worst - how can people be like that (ignoring you or having a go at you)? And people who work in a caring profession? All the best with the court case, they are shamefull bullies for treating someone like that.
am just working in a cafe for tots and carers at the moment, while studying, it's a bit of a nightmare, I don't have any friends there, the pressures on with a constant que, and no real support if I need time of if sick. I worked all the way through a chest infection, even crawling up to work after going to the Dr's for so antibiotics.
Is it me, do I just keep 'coping', pretending everythings fine? When I had the cough, I couldn't speak for long without coughing, I still got left with the que - while the boss made the sandwedges.
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