Kristen (not her real name) was diagnosed with severe asthma as a child after she started wheezing halfway up a mountain during a school trip.
Her mother had also had mild asthma when she was young, but her condition seemed to have improved with age.
During an asthma attack, Kristen feels like someone is sitting on her chest and constricting her lungs. It is like she is breathing through a pinched straw and has to concentrate 100% just to breathe.
She tries to yawn to get more air in, but her chest literally stops the yawn from happening because it’s so tight and inflamed.
Fortunately, Kristen has been referred to a respiratory physician, also called a lung or chest specialist, who was able to provide her with an asthma action plan that both she and her mother were able to follow.
Gradually, the frequency of her asthma attacks lessened and she was able to take part in sporting activities at her school again without any fear.
Living with asthma
Is asthma something people just have to live with? The answer is no, as evidenced by Kristen’s recovery.
She is sharing her experience as there are steps one can take to lessen the impact of severe asthma.
Take your medication as prescribed, and if it doesn’t control the asthma well enough, see your doctor as the dose might need to be adjusted or a different medication might be required.
Avoid contact with known asthma or allergy trigger factors, such as change in weather, physical exertion, smoke, mould, mildew, dust, cold air or pet dander.
When these triggers are part of the environment, it might not be easy to avoid. Try to stay indoors when pollen counts are high, and take precaution when there is pollution such as haze or dust particles in the air.
Always bring your inhaler along when you go out.
Ask your doctor for an action plan because it spells out what medication you need to take and when. It also helps you understand and identify what level of asthma control you are at, as well as steps to take when your control starts to slip.
Most importantly, it helps you to know when to seek emergency care.
Kristen is now living a healthy life just like anyone her age. Asthma does not rule her life. Looking after her overall wellbeing benefits her respiratory health, and when she feels healthy, she also has more energy.
She advises everyone to stay active, get as much sleep as possible, drink plenty of water, and make healthy lifestyle choices.
TELEME Healing Life Stories is a collection of inspirational stories of how ordinary people triumph over their health conditions and recover to lead a healthier life after that. Feel free to email [email protected] to share your story.
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