Connect
← Return to What is your Non-Pharmacological ways of helping to manage Asthma?
Discussion
What is your Non-Pharmacological ways of helping to manage Asthma?
Asthma | Last Active: 3 days ago | Replies (24)Comment receiving replies
@pat2407, I can remember being in Kings Canyon National Park while the fires were in Yosemite (just north of Kings Canyon) The smoke was affecting the air and I wrapped a scarf to cover my nose and mouth because it was all that I had with me. I'm not sure if it made any difference, because my asthma is diagnosed as Exercise Induced Asthma, and is activated by spring pollen, humidity, and physical exertion. Maybe I am lucky that when hiking, I can slow down to make me breathing easier. Just last fall my pulmonologist changed my daily/during spring/summer season. I also have an albuterol inhaler which I can use year round if needed. I am going to be giving it a real test in June when I will be hiking in the humidty, heat, and mountains. After that trip, I have an appointment with pulmonologist where he will want to know if the now current treatment is helping me.
I do realize that my experience is not your experience, and I am curious as to your "game changing" reaction to the smoke that you have mentioned. Were you aware of asthma before the wildfire smoke episode? What are you doing when you say that you are "still working to come out of this"? Are you working with a pulmonologist?
Replies to "@pat2407, I can remember being in Kings Canyon National Park while the fires were in Yosemite..."
One of my sons had exercise induced asthma, however he was not on medication at the time. He and my other son, my father, my cousin, and my father’s cousin have all had asthma. If a child or a person has asthma and is not on a medication like symbicort 2x daily any exercise can cause an attack.
Connect
Yes I have a cardiologist and a respirologist supporting me.
I have had virally triggered only acute exacerbations (hospitalized a number of times) until covid. My lungs would lumber on through an episode and then occassionally I would be near vent.
Since covid my asthma has reacted to everything. And I mean everything. I have bilateral scarring and I feel like I accumulate junk.
I use Mucinex a lot all sorts of meds, protect myself from triggers and have been doing ok.
Once the wildfire smoke blanketed us in late May 2023 everything got worse. My sat 02 was consistantly sketchy and I began to have severe acute attacks instead of the slow virally triggered slide.
These were call 911 type of attacks.
Was on pred for 8 weeks and I am improving a lot.
I have added a nebulizer at home. I use Advair 500 plus Ventolin most days with an aerochamber. Sometimes nebulizer but that is not an every day thing anymore.
I just couldn't get better last summer with the smoke in the air
Idk if this helps you or not
The smoke seemed to be the one thing that kept me getting worse.
I now have some very fancy vent masks for the coming summer