← Return to Treatment Guidance Please...Bronchiectasis/Asthma/Reflux

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@sueinmn

You sound like me (years ago) "and apart from the occasional temp/exercise induced cough I am unaware of it. I generally don't wheeze. "
Yup, I had asthma, but I was very active and a runner, so I had well-developed lung capacity that "masked" the asthma except under certain conditions - swimming, high heat & humidity combined, dry very cold air, or whenever I got a cold. My lung capacity was always fine when checked in the doctor's office, until one day when I was tested during a bout of bronchitis.

Hence for many years, probably from early teens to my 40's, the asthma was never treated. After it was diagnosed, I used my albuterol as little as possible because it set off a racing heart and tremors, feelings I detested. I always had allergies, as a child I had significant exposure to asbestos particles, and in my teens and 20's to lots of paper dust. During adolescence and early adulthood, every cold or "bug" turned into an ear or sinus infection, bronchitis or pneumonia.
Again, my conditioning as a runner allowed my to mostly ignore the asthma - until I couldn't. (By the way, the same conditioning allowed me to mostly ignore my increasing hip and back pain - until I couldn't, leading to new hips in my early 50's, but that is another story.) According to my original old-school pulmonologist that was the "perfect storm" that led to developing Bronchiectasis, MAC & Pseudomonas.

I am so glad we always took our daughters' asthma more seriously than my own - perhaps they will be spared the issues I now face.
Sue
PS Looking forward to meeting my newest pulmonologist next month - the "old guard" in our clinic have all retired. I will get a fresh set of eyes looking at my overall lung situation.

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Replies to "You sound like me (years ago) "and apart from the occasional temp/exercise induced cough I am..."

Thank you, Sue...there certainly are some similarities.

So despite not being aware of the asthma originally you found great relief when it became well treated?

You sound very fit and motivated.

I wish you well with the "new guard". 😊

Sue, I just wanted to let you know that I have done a few tests of cycling before and after Ventolin recently and found that it made quite a difference. Therefore I have decided to go back on twice daily Symbicort which I have been off for around 5 or 6 years now. Tonight a did a long steep walk that would have left me totally breathless at one part of it, and I feel I did it more easily and without my usual stopping...so I have accepted that the Symbicort is certainly helping my lung capacity in ways I hadn't previously realised.

Thank you so much for sharing your story...it has helped me.