Tyson
"I can tell the weather is starting to change a little bit. It is pretty odd, though common, that when the seasons change so does my asthma. The two biggest weather changes that affect me are from summer to fall and from winter to spring. May and October are my two toughest months. Hopefully I can keep my asthma under control for peak week next week as well as in October, where I run into troubles with the fall season. "
that honestly makes complete sense that your asthma changes with the seasons! It really is amazing though that something as simple as a temp change, humidity, or allergens can make such a difference. I hope you are able to keep things manageable through peak week and October and that they both end up being a little easier on you this year. Sending you all the good vibes I can. Do you have any tips and tricks on what helps you manage these harder times? -Kimberli (Team Member) Thanks Kimberli. Some things I have used to help me is to just stay on top of things by checking my peak flow and oxygen levels twice a day, morning and evenings. That way I can see if there are any changes or any drops in either. I also remind myself to not wait to take medication if I start to feel it a bit with my asthma. If I wait and let the chest tightness and wheezing linger it will only get worse so I know that if I am proactive in treating it then I can keep my asthma under control during the spring and fall months. I like that you have found a routine that works for you! And making sure you stay on top of everything, specially during those Spring and Fall months. Just wanted to say thank you so much for sharing with the community 😀 -Kimberli (Team Member)
"For me it's very important to stick with my daily asthma management to ensure that I can keep it under control. I wish I could just forget about having asthma some days but if I go even a couple days without taking my controller medications my asthma starts to misbehave. So I know I have to really be diligent about keeping my asthma in check.
Every morning I check my oxygen with a pluse oximeter and I blow into my peak flow meter three times to check my lung function. Then I take two puffs of my Symbicort inhaler. I used to take Symbicort twice a day but now it's just once a day. I also take Spiriva once a day. I have my rescue inhaler with me at all times just in case I need it and when I can I have my portable nebulizer when I am out of the house or my normal sized nebulizer at home.
It does seems like a lot but I have learned the hard way that if I don't take my controller medications even for just a couple days that my asthma can start to act up. I am always curious as to what other people do for their daily asthma routine to give them the best chance at having good asthma control."Thank you so much for sharing your routine. It really shows how much care and consistency goes into managing your asthma. It may feel like a lot, but that kind of diligence can make such a big difference in staying in control. I’m glad you’ve found what works for you, even if it took some trial and error along the way. Certainly interested to hear what other community members have to say about their routines! - Kimberli (Team Member)
"I enjoy the fourth of July holiday quite a bit with the hot dogs, baseball and other fun things. One thing about the fourth of July is that it really challenges my asthma. Smoke is maybe my biggest trigger and the firework smoke that lingers in the air for a day or two really does bother me. I have been very diligent about taking my controller medications in the hope that if something triggers me that I can have maybe a mild reaction and not something that really sets off a strong asthma flare. "
It’s nice that you still find ways to enjoy the holiday, even knowing it can be a trigger. Firework smoke can be really tough, especially when it hangs in the air. It sounds like you’re being really proactive with your medications, which is great, hopefully that helps keep things on the milder side so you can still take part in the fun. Happy 4th of July! -Kimberli (Team Member)
"I had a little bit of an asthma flare this morning where I ended up doing a breathing treatment. I was wheezing a bit and my chest felt slightly tight. For me upper back discomfort is an early warning sign that I could be starting to have some issues with my asthma. Once I felt the back discomfort and finding it tougher to take a deep breath I decided to take a treatment. The treatment took about 12 minutes. It is an old school plug into the wall nebulizer. I do have a portable nebulizer but oddly enough I get the shaky hands much more after using the portable nebulizer than I do with the "Old school" bigger machine. I did use my rescue inhaler yesterday so I will be closely monitoring how I am feeling because if I start having some more issues I will probably have to call my allergists office. "