Asthma Funk, When Long Term Medication Use Gets You Down

Today is one of those days, I am in a bit of an asthma funk. While taking my morning asthma medication, I let my attitude slip into that grumpy "Negative Nelly" place. "Why do I have to start my day with six medications? Why does this eat up of so much of morning (it really doesn't but I I was grumpy)? It had me thinking of the usual, grumpy things, why do I have this? I want my old lung function (FEV1) back, this sucks!"

Steroids for Asthma Treatment

I am sure many of you are familiar with steroids that are used in asthma treatment. There is definitely a whole menu of them that are used in asthma treatment from ICS, combinations, and if you are me, (my frenemy) oral prednisone. They are necessary for many for improved health and quality of life, sometimes, I just can't help but think that I am inhaling them, taking them orally, dropping them in my eye constantly! I have had a recent bout of Uveitis, while not exactly linked to my asthma, it is linked to inflammation and the doctors have made loose correlations between my eosinophilia issues and it.

Root of my Grumpiness

I needed to snap out of my funk (insert some stellar dancing here!) and I went on a fact-finding mission, were more about the importance of medication use and patients' attitudes towards medication usage. I was hoping to find were more people like me, have had a love-hate relationship with needing long-term medication use. What I discovered is that medication usage and attitudes correlate with a patient's knowledge of their disease, which helps them manage symptoms. Discovering number two: attitude about their illness, (clearly today, I needed to work on my attitude) and their willingness to work with their care team to manage their illness. The third point, really hit the nail on the head, patients’ self-efficacy or confidence in their ability to contribute to the management of illness. Bingo! The root of my grumpiness, I wasn't feeling very confident in my ability to contribute to the management of illness. I was feeling a bit defeated by it. This attitude only last a short while thank goodness. I used some Jedi mind trick, actually some mindfulness approaches, I was able to have my moment and move forward from this.

Positives

I needed to remind myself of the positives. I am back in a much better state than I have previously had been, thanks to the meds keeping me afloat. If I think back to what my quality of life was like when I was in severe exacerbation and uncontrolled. It was pretty miserable and I really appreciate having better health now. One of the things that goes hand in hand with better health (love it or hate it), in this circumstance is medication usage, to maintain that state. I am truly thankful that I am able to enjoy all my usual activities and I have been able to increase my physical activity which makes me super happy. One day soon, I will go on go on a cycling tour of Northern Japan. I will certainly need medication to get me there.