Living with Asthma
I am 47 and have had asthma for 10 years. I take a blue inhaler and brown preventative - two puffs per day. I am now finding that I have asthma nearly 80% of the day and last night used ventolin around 16 times! I have had oral steroids when things have been bad and they did work but I wish to avoid using them if possible.
My doctor says I must try to keep my asthma under control but I do use my inhalers on a regular basis and don't seem to be able to find out where to go from here. Is my condition going to get worse as I get older or is there anything that could help me?
Thank you for your time.
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The first thing is to make sure that the diagnosis is really asthma. Smoking-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can start to be a problem at your age, and there are other causes of breathlessness too. If you have a peak flow meter you could measure it regularly as per the instructions in this website (under I'm confused). Asthma is usually much worse on waking, and then gets progressively better for several hours. If in doubt an asthma doctor should see the record.
Assuming that the diagnosis really is asthma, searching for a cause is the next step. It is relatively unusual for asthma to start for the very first time at 37. If you are better on days away from work, the cause may well be at work. If you are better on holidays away from home but not on holidays at home, the cause may be at home. Some treatments also cause asthma, particularly beta blockers (often given for high blood pressure and heart disease), as well as given as eye drops for glaucoma. Sometimes asprin and similar pain killers can cause asthma at this age.
Finally treatment needs to be optimised. Is your inhaler technique good (get this checked out by your asthma nurse or doctor). If you need a ventolin inhaler 16 times in one night it can't be working and you need to be seen in hospital straight away, it also suggests that your regular treatment needs adjusting. Bad asthma is best treated with a combination of a long-acting beta agonist (the opposite of a beta blocker) plus an inhaled steroid. Symbicort and Seretide are the two available in the UK. Other treatments can be added after this.
The future for asthma is unpredictable, but there are very few people of your age who either get rid of the asthma completely, or in whom it becomes a severe problem. If it is going badly, referal to an asthma specialist is usually a good idea.
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I am 43 years of age and have had asthma all my life and been very ill many times and had to use prednisolone tablets frequently. For the past few years my asthma has been under control and I have a good quality of life which means I can now do low impact keep fit classes!
I use the blue ventolin inhaler as and when but not often and I have a preventative inhaler Flixotide 250mcg which I take two puffs three times a day. It sounds as if your preventative inhaler is not working you should ask for your medication to be reviewed you may need a different inhaler or more of it.
Hope this helps.
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I'm a 43 year old male, I had asthma since I was 8 and had been using the blue ventolin and more recently in conjuction with the orange flixotide. Both these inhalers kept my asthma under control. I was taking the inhalers as prscibed by my doctor until my sister said I should see her acupuncturist. I started a course of acupuncture twice a week over a three week period and once a week over a thee week period. He also told me I had a liver embalance, anyhow I have been off my inhalers for over 12 months with no problems. My lungs feel nice and clear and I'm not dependant on the inhalers. I'm so pleased with my result, I would recomend acpuncture as an alternatvive.
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you may tell your gp at you need moore help with my astham or even better try yoga or buteyko try to breath in and out your nose its hard at first keep your mouth shut all time what ever you doing your gp may say no but gps are brain washed i uesed to take my ventolin ihaler a lot 16 or moore dose day and night till i try buteyko and yoga geat call me on 01536 202150 its help you good lack slow your breathing down its works for me try it and see its help you
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