Inhale
My doctor gave me an inhaler today. I’ve had a few random asthma attacks this year and though I’ve been able to get through them by remaining calm and relaxed, I was worried that if I had an asthma attack that was just slightly worse, I’d might not be able to handle it. I had one the other night at Brian’s that really wiped me out.
I met up with a friend of mine this evening who used to live in London, but moved back to Canada about 6 years ago. She said when she lived here she had asthma attacks, but hasn’t had one since she moved away. She said she thought it was the pollution. I thought it was pollution combined with growing up in another country and not having immunity to the pollens here.
It’s all a bit rubbish to be honest. Maybe I’ll have to move out of London.
I’ve felt that the trigger has been allergens – pollen, dust or cats, but I’ve never really been sure which – but one time I got myself out of an attack by just drinking a lot of water with a pinch of seasalt in it. I emailed Nick Butler, who is asthmatic, and asked him if he’d ever heard of asthma attacks stopping from drinking water… He said that it sounded like my asthma attack may have been stress induced (he gave me a long explanation why he said that. Maybe he’ll repeat it here!)…
So… who knows what the cause is… All I know is that I’ve got to get my lungs tested next week. Fun fun fun.
I have always admired your lungs.
@john, now thats a comment im going to have to reuse when next I see Gia.
@Gia, hmm Asthma eh ? Okay here is the skinny.
Just about everyone I meet has not heard about intrinsic Asthma. They usually sit on the allergens side of the conversation , they only know about extrinsic Asthmatics whose allergies promote attacks.
The instrinsic is more likely to have attacks related to stress levels. This doesnt have to be related to Anger it can be related to Depression, Excitement or Worry.
I learnt that much of my own attack triggers were stress related to tension and worry. In learning to manage my emotional triggers ( no start trek or hippie malarky here ) I was managing the attacks.
Not being stressed or allowing long term worry to create anxiety greatly reduced the attacks to almost nil.
Yes I still get wheezy if I get a cold or the flu or ill but my attacks are not brought on my pollution, pollen or other airbourne infectants.
bearing in mind that some of the side effects of Asthma treatments are increased anxiety, palpitations and an increase in adrenaline these would actually make managing intrinsic asthma harder not easier.
meanwhile enjoy your inhaler with thought it can be a fun friend for all to enjoy ! ahem !
http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=8&sub=17
Nick, I *do* think my asthma attacks have been allergen induced though in the middle of an attack I can *definitely* feel it getting worse if even the *hint* of stress comes up – like if Brian asks me for a decision about something whilst I’m concentrating on breathing I can IMMEDIATELY feel my lungs getting tighter. And I squeak out breathlessly ‘Not now…*wheeze*…. please… *wheeze*’
The only way I’ve been able to get through them is by serious mental control and a weird ability to both slow my heart rate and move my brain wave patterns towards Alpha state (yes, this was tested once) purely by thinking about it. That way my lungs don’t constrict any further and I just ride it out on minimal oxygen.
But doing that for the hour or two it takes to get through the attack completely is extremely, extremely exhausting and takes me a couple days afterwards to really get back to normal.
Should I ever have serious attacks two nights in a row, I’d probably die the second night as I’d not have any mental strength left.
So, I’m glad I’ve got an inhaler.
I’m impressed by research that links asthma to the amount of people were exposed to as children – i.e. the more antibacterial products used in the home, the more likely their kids are to develop asthma (at least the allergen based kind) and other allergies. (Which makes sense, as one would not have developed antibodies for things one has not been exposed to.) Not that that helps WRT stress-based conditions.
Still, not fun. My commiserations.
FWIW, I suffered from awful breathing problems and nasal drip when I lived in NYC, which completely disappeared when I moved back to the UK. Even dirty London air feels like sunshine by comparison!
HA HA HA – amount of DIRT that people were exposed to. Not people that people were exposed to. Though it may amount to the same thing…
Hi Gia,
I developed Asthma when I was in my early teens but it only really effected my after playing sports. When I moved into my twenties I could play most sports most of the time without using my inhaler.
After spending 4 months in Hong Kong with work I came back to Edinburgh and had such a bad asthma attack that it put me in hospital. I’ve never had such a bad attack again but I think it was definitely related to the environment changes.
Hopefully it won’t impact your life too much
Some scary stories I’m reading here! Asthma is not really something I’ve ever given much thought to before, but it sounds bloody miserable.
Can’t say I’m jealous of your situation Gia. Here’s hoping it improves.
Me too actually. I got an inhaler a few years ago and it mysteriously clears up when I go out of town. I went jogging in Cornwall on holiday and it was the easiest run I’ve ever done! I came back and the first jog I went on I had an asthma attack and couldn’t manage the same length of time. Boo to London air!
Hmmm, I always find running in the countryside easier too. But I always thought it was because the scenery was nicer and it’s just open, run where you want. I think I’d like to live in the countrywide one day, but then again, I’m really missing London. Bah! I like coming from the north and all, but London is properly international and all that.
City dwellers everywhere have a higher incidence of asthma. Environmental pollutants are said to be the biggest cause.
There are actually more types of pollen and plant matter in the country, but asthma just isn’t as big a problem.
But what do I know? :D
phil-hoping you’re doing well
Sorry to hear you’ve got asthma.
I’ve had it all my life (43 years), and it hasn’t stopped me from doing anything I really wanted to, even though I have been very ill at times. If you work with your doctor it CAN be controlled- the little blue inhaler is fantastic- literally a lifesaver. You might also need a ‘preventer’ inhaler if you are getting lots of attacks- check with your doctor. For me the preventer really changed my life, I very rarely get bad attacks now.
I also have a Bionaire air purifier & ioniser which helps get rid of allergens and pollutants. Aromatherapy massage can help (especially with stress) and you smell fab afterwards too!
Alot of research has been done on breathing techniques- I have a friend who swears that yoga breathing exercises have really helped her.
Anyway there are lots of ways of managing asthma, I am sure you will find your own way, and good luck with it.
busylizzie xx.