The Reality of Asthma Burnout (and How To Handle It)

There are many days when I am just tired of being an asthmatic. I am tired of taking medication for it every day. I am tired of worrying about whether I remembered to grab my inhaler before I went out the door. I am tired of the constant doctor appointments required to make sure my lungs are doing okay. There are times when I feel like my asthma is relentless, and all I can do is just remember to breathe. I am tired.

I take my maintenance inhaler every morning after I put in my contacts. I find that having a routine helps me better remember to take it. But the other morning, after putting in my contacts, my thought was, "I don't want to take my inhaler today. I’m tired of taking it every day. I hate the way it tastes. I’m tired of looking for a cup of water to rinse my mouth out. I just don't want to use my inhaler this morning."

Recognizing asthma burnout

These thoughts are what I call "asthma burnout." Asthma can be exhausting. There are days when it dominates every waking thought—days when it is all I can do to just breathe. There are days when I worry about the medication burden and the life-altering consequences of long-term medication use. There are days when I just don't want to deal with my asthma.

I don't know why using my inhaler is so difficult some days. It literally takes two seconds to do, and I’m currently on a maintenance inhaler that is used just once a day. There have been times when I was on multiple maintenance meds two or more times a day, and of course, I went through asthma burnout with those meds, too.

But why now, when I'm down to only one inhaler once a day? I honestly don't have an answer to that question. I sometimes wonder if it's just a part of feeling "different" and having to cope with medical issues that healthy people do not have to face. There are times when I am jealous of people who do not have to rely on expensive drugs just to be able to breathe.

Shifting from tired to thankful

Attitude goes a long way in coping with asthma burnout and a chronic illness. On the days that I struggle with taking my meds, I remind myself to be thankful for the things I do have. Instead of feeling burdened by having to take my inhaler every day, I focus on being thankful that someone went to the trouble to invent medicines that make it possible for me to function. I think about how lucky I am to have insurance that covers most of my medications. I consider how lucky I am to have such good doctors who help me manage my disease.

Keeping your asthma burnout under control

As much as I want to just scrap all of my asthma medications and the routines that keep my lungs healthy, I have to admit that my lungs are in a really good place right now. After having some serious trouble over the summer, a switch in meds has really improved my lung function. In fact, there are days that go by—albeit rarely—that I do not think about my asthma, its symptoms, or taking my meds. These are days when going through the routine of using my maintenance medication doesn't seem burdensome. Those are the days I look forward to.

Have you ever experienced asthma burnout? What part of your asthma routine seems the most burdensome to you? How do you cope with asthma burnout? Let us know in the comments!