Unpredictable Asthma

If you are like me, you never really know when "the asthma" is going to rear its ugly head.

I was finally diagnosed with asthma in April 2015 at the age of 65. This was after nearly a year of back and forth with my family doctor who concluded at one point that I was "just stressed". Then, he finally measured my blood oxygen. He said, "Oh, I will try to get you into a specialist ASAP." So much for believing me! This was after six months of back and forth trying to get help. When I arrived at the specialist after another five months, I still had fluid in my lungs and lung scarring.

Diagnosed with Severe Neutrophilic Asthma

It took five long years to work out that "the asthma" was severe neutrophillic asthma with some allergic asthma too. I averaged six to eight hospitalisations every year until this was sorted. I now take preventer, and, azithromycin 3x a week and have been doing so for nine months. I rarely have a flare-up that I cannot manage myself, except for when the unpredictable happens.

Unpredictable Asthma Triggers

I try to avoid triggers. We have worked to get our home as trigger free as possible, but the unexpected sometimes gets me. Here are a few examples.

Smokey Air

We were staying with family who lived close to the airport while we renovated our bathrooms (there was mold in the walls caused by handyman renovations, present when we purchased. We decided to buy and gut the bathrooms). I was happy in this temporary place until I went out for a walk and encountered an old truck being burnt as practice for the airport firemen! This resulted in three days in the hospital.

Yesterday, I was walking across a park. When I got to the end of the park, a bloke lights a fire to burn huge fallen palm bits. The smoke was present from then on until I managed to get home. Today I had a really bad asthma attack.

When loading shopping into the boot, the car beside me started and a plume of blue smoke from the exhaust covered me. I coughed and coughed, lost bladder control, couldn't breathe, and started to panic. I always carry inhalers, but they take time to work.

I went for a picnic with my family by the beach. We were having a lovely time until someone lit a wood-fired BBQ.   Cough, cough.... inhalers. After heading home, it was so bad that I ended up being admitted to the hospital.

Australia had the most awful bushfires in 2019-2020. I spent nine days in the hospital, including Christmas day. The smoke came inside the hospital too. It persisted in the air for months and there was no escape. Constant asthma. I was in and out of the hospital for this period. Immediately after the fires, COVID started.

A neighbour of ours likes to smoke foods in their backyard. It isn't worth the angst of saying something to these particular people. I just go home coughing and stay indoors.

I went to a shopping centre but there is a takeaway burning charcoal for cooking. I had to leave coughing and gasping.

Strong Scents

I went to an outdoor cafe with friends. At the next table, someone is doused in perfume. I had to leave.

I was caught in traffic behind a stinky truck. So, I closed the windows and put on the air conditioning. But, cars leak like sieves. Cough, cough, can't breathe.....grab inhalers.... goes on and on as stuck.

We stayed in a small motel. We got up at 2 am to drive away. Why? I had an asthma flare-up from the dreadful cleaning product odors. Plain white vinegar and baking soda are just as effective as these asthma-causing smelly products.

Like many of us, I avoid detergent-type aisles in supermarkets and try to hold my breath if I walk by nail salons or those soap, candle, and potpourri shops. I hate it when incense is burnt, my lungs go berserk. Same with scented candles.

I cannot fill the car up with petrol without problems. The last time I had to do it I wore a PN95 mask but was still affected badly.

I bought myself some lovely lilies. But wow, unexpectedly, the smell got to me. I gave them to my neighbour. I can tolerate some flower scents but not others.

Roadworks where tar is being poured. Dreadful. It's difficult when it is the road outside your house. It was the first time I had been in this situation. I discovered that this smell is disastrous. It was a really bad asthma flare. We knew the road was to be sealed. What we didn't know was the effect it would have.

I hate walking into a pharmacy that has those steam vaporisers going. The smell gets me and high humidity is also a trigger.

Clouds of Dust

I was driving 1200 km to see family and encountered roadworks and huge clouds of dust. The attack was so bad and for so long that, despite Ventolin and a mask, we had to pull off the highway as soon as we could and find the hospital.

On another trip, we crossed the path of smoke from a nearby bush fire. Same consequence. We had to find the nearest hospital.

Visited relatives. Two days later, the town was hit by a dust storm. That sent me to the hospital too.

I can't go to the hardware shop; too much sawdust, dust, and a strong paint smell.

Weather Changes & Vacation Troubles

Living in a rented unit, it flooded during a storm. The owner argued with his insurer about replacing the moldy sodden carpet. We had to temporarily move out.

I moved to a warmer location as cold air, frost, and fog made my asthma unbearable. I purchased a place only to discover that 4 km away, sugar cane was burnt from June to December every year. Sugar cane had not been on our radar, we had moved from sheep and wheat country. After about six stints in the hospital, we moved again.

We wanted to go on a cruise.... prior to COVID. Travel insurance was very expensive due to asthma, but they wouldn't cover me if I had an asthma attack. This then was a "no go" for us.

Complicated Life with Asthma

Oh, life gets so complicated with my type of asthma. Sometimes I feel so frustrated.   

While religiously taking my medications and being careful I still get caught up in the unpredictable, or the unexpected response.