Is asthma holding you back?

Is asthma holding you back from the things you would like to do? 

When I am teaching families about asthma, I help them to understand the Rules of 2's.  

Many times, they THINK their asthma is fine. But they're really not controlled. 

The Rules of 2's is from Baylor University in Texas and says:

If you:

• Have symptoms/need your inhaler more than 2 times per week
• Wake up due to asthma more than 2 times per month
• Refill your rescue inhaler more than 2 times per year

They have also added a new measure, "Measure your peak flow at less than two times 10 (20%) from baseline with asthma symptoms?" That sounds a little confusing!

Why make a big deal about your asthma being under control? Well, are you missing out on things because of your asthma? 

Sometimes people may think, "I'm okay, I'm just having a little flare up."

So, another thing I ask families is:

 "Is asthma holding you back?"

Or 

"Are there things you CAN'T do because of your asthma?"

You can think about how often any of these things are happening:

 

1. Waiting in a crowded emergency room
2. Having sleepless nights
3. Missing school or work
4. Depression
5. Bullying
6. Losing a job because you were missing so much work due to asthma
7. Hospitalizations

These ideas came from a video that a group of Community Health Workers created (along with other asthma education organizations). They wanted to help families see how much asthma is affecting their life. 

Sometimes, if you look at it that way, you may think, "Hmm. I didn't realize how much asthma is controlling my life."

We're all going to have flare ups. I had a crazy winter last year and had bronchitis 4 times! So yes, I was in Urgent care late at night (I knew it couldn't wait until morning.)

You can watch the video and see if you think your life is as good as it can be (with asthma.) It can take a while to find the right medication for your asthma. 

My 3 kids and I all have asthma, yet we are all on different medications. 

You need to find what's right for you.

And if you are missing out on a lot of things in life due to asthma, talk to your doc. You may be able to change your inhaler to a different one that can work better for you.

Life is wonderful! I would like to keep my asthma under control so I can enjoy life!