Getting the Right Care

Living life as an asthma patient is a way of life. It is all I have ever known. I was diagnosed at around 2 years old. Good management and care is absolutely essential, and this includes finding the right doctor too.

Finding the right care for my asthma

Trust and communication

Putting your health in the hands of another person, even if it is a medical professional, can be a really stressful experience. Get it wrong and someone can potentially make your life difficult forever! There needs to be a 2-way line of communication and trust. Both parties have to feel like they can suggest things without fear of damaging the relationship.

Was I put on preventative medication too early?

When I was a baby I did not have the choice of seeking out the very best medical care. My parents just wanted to know why I was breaking out into red, weepy rashes and why my breathing was labored. It would have been the late 70s or early 80s. Fortunately, the medical team quickly deduced that I was allergic to dairy. My parents acted fast and took the relevant action. I was taken off all things that would cause me an allergic reaction. However, strangely, my eczema, asthma, and hay fever started to get worse in the subsequent years.

A tiny part of me wonders if I was put on preventative meds a bit too early. Who am I to question the medical experts, I hear you all shout, but I do wonder. I cannot live without my steroid inhalers and let us be honest, that is what these preventative inhalers are. They keep us alive. Of course, I understand the benefits of being on these inhalers. They manage your asthma really well if used correctly and frequently monitored. But I wonder if there is an argument to hold off within a certain time frame in the early days of diagnosis?

Getting the right care with the help of my asthma nurse

Every 6 months or so, I have regular asthma reviews with my nurse at my local surgery and we have a great patient/medical relationship. At this appointment I share my peak flow results, run through my daily medicines, and have a general chat about my well-being. It used to be done face-to-face, but now, and primarily due to Covid, all our appointments are over the telephone which I think suits us both.

I mentioned trust near the top of the article, and this is crucial in this relationship. There is an understanding between us that if my peak-flow results drop too low I can increase my Seretide doses. It is essentially just good general maintenance. Not sure if it it works the other way around.

Taking care of my overall health

I am eating mainly fresh vegetables, fish, and plenty of plants and drink either water or black coffee and herbal teas. I have noticed that my asthma improved when I cut carbs and most forms of sugar. Now, I have not taken my preventative inhaler for a good few days now, and amazingly my peak flow has remained where it should be.

I do not know if my asthma nurse will be okay with this. I have another review in a few weeks' time. I must say, I do not recommend anyone do this without the proper medical advice. I am sharing from my experience only and am keeping a keen eye on my peak flow readings.

What is your experience?

Do you feel that you are getting the right care? What does the right care look like for you? Has your care evolved or changed throughout your asthma journey? Share your story with the community by clicking the button below.