Getting frustrated by my asthma

]Hello!

I've had asthma all my life. It was really bad when I was younger but got better, but now it all seems to be getting worse since going to uni. Over the last 2 years I keep getting more and increasingly more serious asthma attacks and even ended up in hospital 2 weeks ago for a few days. In the last 12 months I've had 3 chest infections and been on a course of Prednisolone about 6 times. I'm on symbicort 400mcg 4 times day, zarfirlukast 20mg twice a day and certizine 10mg a day (and obviously ventilation as and when I require it). I was on bambuterol 10mg but this got discontinued 2 weeks ago.

It just I'm getting rather fed up now. I did have a respiratory referral however ended up in hospital a day before my appointment, so it became more about treating my exacerbation rather than long-term management. Now I have to wait for my asthma nurse appointment at the hospital for another 4 weeks as this was her soonest appointment. I'm been advised against working, going out to the pub, nightclubs etc. (which is hard because my flatmates go out all the time and now I just get depressed because I feel like I'm missing out) and also doing exercise including swimming (which, again, is hard for me because I'm a rather active person when my asthma is good). I just feel really frustrated because I don't feel like anyone is doing anything and they're just waiting for another exacerbation to treat instead. Its not helped by the fact I can't even do simple things like go swimming and have to sit bored at home instead, which is just adding to my frustration.

Does anyone have advice?

[juliesharp]

Patience.

Easy to type hard to actually do.

Try putting your mind in to your bodies position. Breathing is hard work. It requires lots of energy. Without air none of your others organs can work. Allow your body to rest. Be kind to your body. When your breathing is bad you can really begin to appreciate how important air actually is. Think through and concentrate on how many muscles are used to breath in and out. When you are struggling to breathe think hun ow much more your muscles are having to work. They are getting a keep fit class just sat trying to breathe.

Hope this occupies your mind a bit while you wait patiently for your appointment.

[Hidden]

Hi!

What I normally do is study anything. Catch up on missed uni work (as I am also a student) and read other books as well like Dan Brown or John Grisham or Stephen King basically most American writers are good. Thats if I have ebough energy to read. If not then pile up the pillows and watch the most childest cartoons on the internet I can find like Madagascar or tangled or shrek anything that is funny really.

If I am not upto any of these than its usually playing games on iphone or pc games. I like to play temple run 2 as it exercises my wrist after the abgs so its actually good. Pc games i like are master of orion 2 caesar 2 and age of empires 2 and you can also get the conquerors. They are rather building games oh and my favourite was a version of sim city to build the city -cant remember which version and just lost it.

Also listening to an audio book or audio lecture is a good way of entertaining yourself.

Hope you like one of these ideas and that you get better