Getting Ahead of My Asthma

The one tool I feel is very important for me to keep ahead of my asthma is my peak flow. If I am honest, I have now learned to predict exactly what my reading will be because, over the years, you just get to know and understand your body.

Essentially, the danger zones are anything from 250 or below, and a good day is 350-400. I often write about reducing my oral steroid intake (Seretide) where and when I can, and this is always determined by what my peak-flow readings will be and a chat with my asthma nurse.

Over the last few months, things have got extremely exciting for me. My diet has never been cleaner and I believe this has helped me get a real handle on both my asthma and eczema.

More than 40 years of steroids: Helped and hindered

Since the early 80s, I have been taking steroids both orally and topically, so much so it stunted my growth and led to another set of conditions that caused years of stress and anxiety. Frequent eye infections, moon-face syndrome, and weight issues to name just a few. However, these medications worked wonders to keep my asthma from becoming unmanageable. So, strangely they both helped and hindered me. Some might argue that they kept me alive. That's true too.

Weaning off steroids for my asthma could be the best move I’ve ever made

Over the last few months, I have been off my steroid inhaler. The results are remarkable!

My peak flow is still around 350-400 and I check it every day more out of excitement than anything else really. I just want to remind anyone reading this that this is my experience, and weaning off your medications should NOT be done without medical advice.

The changes in my body have been notable. The swelling in my face and neck has reduced right down. My skin has healed but has still some way to go before it completely heals. I can exercise more. It is incredible to think that I have been on these medications all my life and now I am learning to live without them.

Steroids are still a magic medicine for me

I know that steroids stay in the system for some time. That’s how they work. It is a slow build-up of the drug that allows good management of asthma over time. I realize that I will need to keep an eye on my peak-flow reading especially when the seasons change or when I become sick with flu or something else. In my view, it is still a magical medicine but I will only use it when my body tells me I need it.

Again, I just want to add that this is my story and I am in no way, shape, or form, offering this article up as advice. The one thing I would recommend to everyone to do, however, is to listen/watch the Zoe podcasts. It is a health and nutrition pod with expert guests that range from neurologists to dermatologists. I am still learning about my condition and it's a real joy to be able to find new and up-to-date information in the medical and nutritional world.