We Aren’t Superman After a Flare-up!
An asthma flare-up is no joke. It takes A LOT out of anyone. When we are struggling to breathe, every inch of our bodies go into overdrive. We literally feel like we have run a marathon when we haven’t even lifted our feet off of the ground. Naturally, after we are starting to breathe a bit easier we aren’t ready to spring back into action. It is going to take some time.
Give yourself time to REST!
It is not uncommon to feel absolutely exhausted after an asthma flare-up. Your body has worked hard without a break to keep breathing when it was difficult to do so. Now that you are breathing easier, that fatigue catches up and you feel like you could sleep for days. It is important to take time to rest and allow your body to heal. Don’t rush back into daily life if possible and if you do have to jump back to work etc, be sure to take extra breaks and get plenty of sleep at night.
Stay hydrated
Keep on top of your water intake. When you are dehydrated, the mucous membranes of your lungs also become dry and causes the body to produce histamine. Asthmatics are known to have excess histamine levels in the lungs and this can cause bronchoconstriction and increased mucus production. Cue the coughing! Staying hydrated will also help keep your electrolytes balanced and you will feel so much better!
Ask for help!
When possible ask for some help with daily tasks until you are really back on your feet. Don’t feel bad or embarrassed about asking either. Friends and family are there to help! Ask for some help with cooking and cleaning or picking up groceries for you. A trip to the store can be absolutely exhausting after a pretty bad asthma flare-up.
Don’t forget to eat!
I know for me, after I have had an asthma flare I don’t feel much like eating. That is, until the steroids kick in! But at first, I generally don’t have much of an appetite. What I try to do is eat small meals that are pretty bland. I know everyone will be different when it comes to appetite post-attack. If you are starving, keeping with several spaced-out smaller meals could also be a good idea and just be careful not to give in to the “steroid munchies!”
Stay on top of your medications
If your doctor has added any additional medications (such as oral steroids like prednisone) or is recommending round-the-clock scheduled nebulizer treatments, be sure to stay on top of it to avoid any relapsing. Even if you are feeling tip-top be sure to finish out any antibiotics or any other medications per your doctors orders and if you have any questions or concerns about any of it give your doctor a call or email him or her about it. Having that open line of communication is essential.
While we are pretty super for having to deal with asthma, we all need to hang up our capes sometimes and allow our bodies to heal and rest after a flare-up. If we give our bodies the time they need we will be back in the game in no time!
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