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Acute Severe Adult-Onset Asthma

Jenny H's avatar image

By Jenny H

2 min read

My name is Jenny and I am 42 years old. I am a single mama to an amazing 10-year-old daughter. I was diagnosed with adult-onset asthma many years ago, but it wasn't too bad and I plodded along without too much bother. Three years ago, things started to change. I guess they'd probably been getting worse for a while but the frog in the boiling pot analogy fits here, I just didn't realise. I think I just got used to being unable to breathe.

My adult-onset asthma struggles were getting worse

Anyway back to the last three years, I have steadily become more and more unwell. I have been hospitalised, and am on lots of medication, steroids, and antibiotics almost monthly.

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I've had lots of tests and they say my asthma is allergy based, that I am in essence allergic to everything, not enough for anaphylaxis, just enough to make me really miserable and cause severe flare-ups. I have very little by the way of an immune system, so am susceptible to infections, colds, and viruses. Ironically I have avoided COVID!

I have had two CT scans over the last four months and they have said that I have a para-aortic lymph node enlargement. I am still waiting for this to be looked at by a radiologist. Also, they are trying to keep me off of antibiotics long enough to get the correct results from bloods in order to get me on biologicals at the John Radcliffe hospital.

Life changes from adult-onset asthma struggles

I have to admit to some real fear, I have lost so much due to this. I had to give up my job of 23 years, I barely sleep, I have horrible cushings, my voice is horrible, chronic oral thrush, and pain all on top of being unable to breathe and being utter useless and exhausted after the smallest thing.

I am hoping by joining this group I am able to get some advice as I do not feel my case is being well managed. For example my original CT scan didn't get read for over three months and I am waiting for the results of a sleep study that was done four months ago. Also the enlarged lymph node is terrifying.

Well I feel like I have gone on long enough now. If you've taken the time to read this thank you and wow ... you must have been having a slow night! Lol. Jenny xxx

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