Concerned about contracting Covid, especially with severe asthma.

[Mellypad]

Anyone as concerned about contracting Covid, especially with severe asthma. My husband is very concerned as to how my body will cope. Haven't heard of any other asthma suffers to how they managed if they contracted Covid. My husband is so worried, we don't do any shops, social interaction, keeping our son home from school. I worry that we are overreacting, but then I think of the damage it can cause to the lungs afterwards. I already struggle to control my asthma, this is my best year yet due to better medication. In Ireland where the cases aren't too bad at present, but I do worry as to what the winter will bring.. would love to hear from others feeling this way.

[mixmix]

Hey Mellypad,

Yep I’m in the same boat as you! I’m terrified. I live alone and have isolated for 6 months it has been hard to say the least. I’m having to go back to work in the next week which is scary!

I’m hearing that asthmatics aren’t doing to badly with asthma but it all depends on your individual circumstances. When was you last admitted? Is your asthma controlled? Are you ok oral steroids things like that make your situation a bit worse (my asthma consultants words)

Join asthma uk on here as well as a few asthmatics has Covid and survived which made me feel more at ease.

[Mellypad in reply to mixmix]

Hi Mixmix

Thank you for your response, yes been a very tough few months must be harder for you on your own. I have been lucky I have my two boys and husband. Mind yourself when you go back to work, is it an office job? hopefully they will take precautions and look after you. My boss is okay with me working from home, so I'm lucky but to be honest I would have probably gave up my job rather than go in. My husband is the one that is more nervous that me, he says he has seen me having the attacks and that's bad enough.. my asthma isn't fully under control, but since I'm on Relvar and Incruse I am doing better. I don't really end up in hospital, it's just more daily symptoms. Had two courses of steriods this year with the bad weather, I can get fairly knocked down when I am unwell.. Nice to hear I'm not the only one, you see so many making light hearted comments about how it's only a flu, no one knows what the full damage would be on our bodies after Covid.

[Mellypad in reply to mixmix]

PS. feel free to Pm if you need someone to talk too.

[AirIsUnderrated]

Hi! I had a long talk with a lovely nurse, Claire, at Asthma UK last week. She said that the better controlled our asthma is, the better our chances are of having no worse Covid symptoms than anyone else. She also gave me a very different idea of what "controlled" means in her eyes to how my respiratory nurse told me. She said the meds should keep me feeling fine always and not being triggered at all, not just OK some of the time and avoiding my triggers. So as my current inhaler is coming to an end anyway, I got back to the doctor, and I started a new inhaler today that should keep me better controlled than the previous ones.

Why don't you speak to the Asthma UK nurse and chat over your worries? They are so good.

[Mellypad in reply to AirIsUnderrated]

Thank you for your response, not sure how controlled I could say my asthma is really but yes hoping that I will get through this should I be unfortunate. I am in Ireland so not sure if Asthma UK applies to me, but we have the Asthma society here that I can talk to. The advise from the start has been to make sure your asthma is controlled. Best of luck with your new inhalers, mind me asking what have they started you on?

[AirIsUnderrated in reply to Mellypad]

I've been put on asthma meds but the doctors are still saying I'm post-viral after possible Covid back in March before testing, so I'm a bit left field as far as diagnosis is concerned. I'm definitely not severe, it's just that the breathing troubles don't go away.

I've been put on Fostair, to replace Qvar and more salbutamol than I should have needed. I started it last night. It made me feel very trembly and almost drunk. I got the giggles watching myself trying to poke a piece of curly paper into an envelope and missing the hole again and again! But within 2 hours I can honestly say I had no symptoms for the first time since... actually I can't remember when. Maybe a short time in July? I've just taken this morning's dose and I'm not as trembly today, so hopefully that will improve the longer I take it. Right now I'm just so happy!

I think that trying not to let ourselves get too stressed about Covid goes a long way towards the strength of our own immune systems, difficult as it is. We each have to do the best we can with what we've got, to keep ourselves safe from Covid. I'm glad you have your own society. Try giving them a call?

[LL46 in reply to AirIsUnderrated]

I'm happy to hear your new medication has helped with breathing. You make a great point about controlling stress levels as too much stress can lower immunity. Even as the weather cools, spending a little time enjoying the outdoors each day helps me to relax. Take care.

[hilary39]

A bunch of us on here have had it and fared ok! I have severe asthma and adrenal insufficiency and I had it very early on (April) so I was pretty panicked at the time but during the worst few days, it felt like a bad asthma flare up to me and was managable with inhalers. What caught me off guard was how it attacked my heart. I was very weak and had tachycardia and inflammation in my heart for months and am still recovering from that.

I was so-so controlled going into it, I hadn't been on steroids for a few months but I had been symptomatic during the winter.

I understand your anxiety and it's completely valid--just know that many of us on here have severe asthma and contracted it and were ok!!

[Mellypad in reply to hilary39]

Sorry to hear that you contracted Covid, I hope you are recovering. Yes I understand that some will get it and be okay, but it's the after effects that worry me the most. Does it have further impact on our health for years down the road. Think asthma is enough to be dealing with.. the most worrying part of it is we dont know how we will get through it as its different for everyone.. hope your back to full health.

[wiserlady]

I have found changing my diet is the best way to help with it, it helps far more than the drugs which had side effects and which just mask symptoms.

[Willow7733]

I am scared. When this all started, I worried constantly. Where I live, there is currently only one active case. But it is still out there. I try not to go out if I don’t have too because people here have become very desensitized and are not following the social distancing or wearing masks where they are mandatory. It is only time that a second wave hits. We are certainly living in stressful times.

[Mellypad in reply to Willow7733]

Hi Willow 7733 thank you for your response. Yes it is a very worrying time at the moment. And I think a second wave has already started in Europe.. we are the same we just limit our interaction with people. Do loads of walking and other exercise as a family.. mind yourself and stay safe..

[mixmix]

Hey 👋,

How are you getting on?

[Mellypad in reply to mixmix]

Hi Mixmix, I'm good except for a flare up yesterday. Struggling in bed all day. Hope your well and had a lovely Christmas.