Does stress cause asthma?
I have longstanding T1 diabetes, plus Hashimoto's thyroid, was diagnosed with hypertension in 2017. Then, this fall and winter I started to notice shortness of breath and worsening fatigue. My academic workplace has become much more stressful recently... four staffers have left due to frustration... The hypertension was a shock as I've kept the diabetes under great control for 25 years... now I seem to have developed the asthma with fatigue and shortness of breath as symptoms. I often have to lie down in my office (locking the door). (I had a bit of this years ago, but the symptoms were different, mostly coughing.) As I am almost 58, I would like to be able to work at home several days a week so that I can rest more often and avoid the commute. I have applied for an accommodation and am crossing my fingers. I am so reduced in my activity level from where I was only a couple of years ago, very frustrating. Does anyone else have multiple chronic conditions? I want to be successful in my application to work at home part-time so I can preserve my ability to have a life outside of work!
Hi shelbyhoneybunny and thanks for your post. We appreciate your circumstances and understand what you are going through. Asthma, as you may be aware, can be triggered by many different triggers. It can vary from patient to patient and can even vary within the same patient. In view of your concern regarding stress and asthma, I thought you might find it helpful to look over this material on that very topic:https://asthma.net/symptoms/anxiety-and-depression/. I'm hopeful this will provide you with a bit more insight into this aspect of asthma management.
Wishing you the best,
Leon (site moderator)In my case, I don’t remember having an attack caused by emotions. Back in the “it’s all in your head” days, people accused me of causing my attacks all the time. Now if someone brings it up (very rare these days), I tell them they’re full of it because my father had a heart attack and died in my arms and I was perfectly fine. That shuts them up.
On another note, emotional upset can make an episode worse, so I have learned to keep calm or even be silly. My time at CARIH was very helpful.Hi again karaOhki - You certainly seem to have a good handle on your asthma. I'm so sorry to hear about how you lost your beloved father - please accept my sympathies for your loss. As you well know, stress can be a significant trigger for asthma exacerbations. Many community members have mentioned this in their posts here, so you are not alone! I wish you the best,
Leon (site moderator)
