My Journey to Discovering the Benefits of Biologics for Asthma

In the ever-changing, topsy-turvy sea of moderate to severe asthma comes the frustrating process of finding a medication regimen. One might find a maintenance inhaler that works well, only for insurance to stop covering it. Or to seemingly stop working after an asthma exacerbation.

I’m sure many of us have experienced something similar—especially the uncertainty that comes when a medication loses its effectiveness. When that happens, it’s natural to start wondering what else is out there, including whether a biologic treatment for asthma could help.

How my asthma changed over time

In my younger years, I dealt with undiagnosed exercise-induced asthma. This stayed about the same into adulthood, but changed drastically after my first COVID infection. At that point, my issues were beyond my primary doctor’s understanding, and I needed a pulmonologist.

I had other conditions that were complicating my asthma, so my pulmonologist came up with an action plan. I was already on the biologic Xolair for chronic hives and food allergies, but it didn’t seem to be helping with my asthma. My pulmonologist decided it was time to pull out the big guns.

Starting the process for an asthma biologic

After a trial of another maintenance inhaler and a new rescue inhaler, I had no noticeable change in my symptoms. My pulmo decided it was time to try the biologic Dupixent. I signed the paperwork at my appointment and waited patiently for news of insurance approval or denial.

Before I knew it, a few months had passed, and it was time to see my pulmonologist again. It seemed nobody had submitted the paperwork after my appointment, so we had to start over.

Navigating insurance approval and specialty pharmacy delivery

This time, I heard back from my doctor’s office after only a week: my insurance approved Dupixent! After working through which specialty pharmacy worked with my insurance and how to inject myself at home every 2 weeks, the next step was to set up home delivery with the specialty pharmacy. This step probably took the longest. Eventually, though, I had a delivery date and tried my best to wait patiently.

Weighing hope and cynicism about biologic treatment

I truly didn’t know whether to hang all my hopes on Dupixent or to feel a healthy dose of cynicism that this medication wouldn’t be my cure-all. In reading about others’ experiences with asthma biologics, I felt optimistic. But I also knew that I was unique in my co-morbidities and failure to respond positively to first-line treatments.

I also knew that I needed to mentally prepare to give myself injections every 2 weeks. I did have experience doing this, as I’d had to use EpiPens on myself relatively frequently. But a bit of the needle-phobic little girl was still in me, so I watched videos and educated myself as a form of desensitization.

Preparing for my first self-injection

When the day came and my Dupixent arrived, I knew there was also the possibility of having a negative reaction to the medication, considering my history of allergies and anaphylactic reactions. I decided to do the treatment while someone was at home and I had an EpiPen sitting close by.

Thankfully, all my preparations were unnecessary, as my first self-injection went exactly as it should. I was glad I was prepared, and grateful I’d be able to continue with this treatment for as long as it proved beneficial.

The benefits of biologics for my asthma

After a month of treatment, I began noticing a stabilizing effect on my asthma overall, with fewer exacerbations and less of a need for regular use of my nebulizer. With a stabilization of my asthma, my other inflammatory conditions benefited. It’s so hard to fully grasp how much our chronic conditions are linked until we see how the stabilization of one impacts the other(s).

The combination of maintenance inhalers, rescue inhalers, daily oral medications, and now biologics has all enabled me to live life with fewer limitations. Biologics have had the biggest impact on improving my quality of life.

Deciding if a biologic is right for you

I understand the hesitation to self-inject when there is a fear of needles, and the fear of the unknown when trying a new medication. Each person needs to weigh the pros and cons of trying a biologic treatment and talk with their doctor before changing their treatment plan. For me, biologic treatment for asthma was a game-changer, and I’m not sure where I’d be without the use of biologics in my asthma treatment plan.