Missing out with asthma









Summer is winding down and things are getting colder, so camping season is coming to an end. Son #2 has been on a LOT of camp outs this summer. As a mom, I worry - no matter how old your kids are, you never stop worrying. I reminded him to take his inhaler and to be sure and use it if he started coughing or was short of breath. 

The problem with camp outs is that you are out in nature, so there are a LOT of trees, bushes, etc that can cause allergies to flare up - which can cause an asthma attack.

The other problem is being around camp fires. Who doesn't like to roast marshmallows and make s'mores? (That reminds me of a scene from the movie Sandlot. "You're killin' me Smalls!!")

Did you know that the smoke from the camp fire can cause an asthma attack? Son #2 let me know that he was VERY careful around the camp fire this summer. He made sure that he stayed away from the smoke. It seems like the smoke is always drifting - so you may have to keep moving to stay out of the smoke. (Have you ever heard of the saying that "Smoke follow beauty?" Well, I must be REALLY beautiful, because no matter where I try to stand around a campfire, it will follow me. I can move 4 or 5 times, and it still drifts over by me. Arrggghhhh!!!!)

So, now a group of friends is going to the canyon to ride on a zip line and have s'mores afterwards. Sounds like a great idea, right? Well, ya - if you don't have asthma. Not only can I NOT be around the campfire. But NO WAY am I going on a zip line, those things are way too high up in the air, and they go too fast. (Yes....I admit it - I'm a chicken when it comes to rides like that.)

At least I know my limits. Did you know that strong emotions can cause asthma attacks? If someone talked me into going up on a zip line, I know I would be beyond scared. I don't want to have an asthma attack while I'm zipping down the mountain side! 

The CDC has a web page about common asthma triggers. It says that:
"Strong emotions can lead to very fast breathing, called hyperventilation, that can also cause an asthma attack. "

So, I'll pass on the whole zip line thing.

And I also pass on the s'mores. My chest has been a little tight lately, the last thing I need is to get around a trigger and have an asthma attack.

Maybe I'll just stay home and watch a movie on Netflix instead.....

Comments

  1. Here, where I am, I was afraid of ragweed. But there is rain, so isn't so bad.
    According to my last comment, I think, that so high prevalence of asthma among Serbs is effect of totally mixed genes in this part of Europe. There were everyone from everywhere in history - Slavic People, Greeks, Turks, Arabs, Roma (Gypsy)...
    Here in Bosnia prevalence of asthma is also high, but not so high as in Serbia - probably because of that fact asthma medicines are very cheap in Bosnia: much more cheaper than in US and EU. For example: Bosnian Advair costs circa 0,20 USD...

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    1. Advair for $20 US dollars????

      I had a $75 co-pay for Advair with my insurance. I believe the cash price for Advair is around $200.

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    2. It's my calculating from local currence. Yes, 20 cents, or 0,20$.

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    3. Of course, it's not totally Advair - it is European version of that (Seretide).

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    4. It would be nice to have less expensive medications here. But all in all - I wouldn't trade the freedom I get as an American for cheaper medication in another country!

      I guess every country has it's positives and negatives about living there!

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  2. Have you ever tired chest percussions like people with cf have? I'm on my phone so I can't send a link id imagine non CFers would benefit if they had mucus stuck in the lungs

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    1. I haven't, I don't have mucus so much as just being a little tight.

      I ran out of my maintenance medicine and can really feel a difference. I need to get back to the doctor for another prescription :(

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    2. I guess asthma vs cf is like tornadoes vs hurricanes. Tornadoes have faster winds and bring more devastation I. Their specific path, but a hurricane has slower winds but has widely dispersed damage. Like my lungs, pancreas, and liver are affected. Asthma is more lungs but an asthma attack is like a tornado. CFers have the blobs I. The mucinex commercials having a field day all over inside them. cF is insidious and slowly damages your body. In thankful though that I have the mutation that responds to kalydeco. I hope they find drugs like kalydeco that will treat other mutations

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    3. I get hurricanes where I live, I've lived through hurricane Ike and went without electricity for three weeks

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    4. That's the problem with these chronic conditions - if they aren't managed properly, they can wreak havoc on our bodies.

      I am SO glad you found a medication that is helping!

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