How To Take Control of Your Asthma
This post was sponsored by the American Lung Association. All opinions are my own.
I’ll never forget the days leading up to Lilly’s asthma diagnosis. She had been catching a congested cough every few weeks for months, but she didn’t show what I thought of as asthmatic symptoms and after caring for my grandmother who had severe asthma and COPD for years, I assumed I would know asthma when I saw it. I was wrong.
We were 2 days into one of Lilly’s coughing spells when I took her to the pediatrician to follow up about what could be causing it, we were in the office for less than 10 minutes when the doctor came into the room to say he had already called the hospital and head over and go straight to the pediatric floor, Lilly’s oxygen levels were low and he wanted her monitored. The following 6 days were a rollercoaster of emotions as I quickly became a sleep-deprived mom who paced the hospital room floor as I stared at the oxygen monitors numbers praying they wouldn’t drop again.
Not All Asthma Cases Are The Same
Ultimately she was diagnosed with pneumonia and it was determined that her coughing spells were caused by asthma. We left the hospital with an asthma plan in place but as a mom, I couldn’t believe I didn’t know sooner. I based what I thought asthma was off of one person’s symptoms, however, all asthma cases are not the same. Thankfully, Lilly’s asthma has been controllable with the help of her inhaler since her release from the hospital, however that isn’t the case for all asthma patients.
Is your Asthma Severe?
More than 25 million Americans are living with asthma and the majority of these Americans live active and healthy lives. But for some, they experience daily, severe symptoms despite using high dose asthma medicines and avoiding triggers. If this is happening to you, it could be severe asthma, a type of asthma that affects approximately 5-10 percent of people with asthma. Likewise, severe asthma is dangerous; increasing the risk of death, illness, depression and limiting the ability to work or go to school. It is responsible for 50 percent of all asthma healthcare costs. Control is the key and is attainable even if you do have severe asthma.
How to Take Control of Your Asthma
No one should have to struggle to breathe and there are ways to help even the most severe of asthma cases. Which is why I have partnered with the American Lung Association to share these important steps that can help you take control of your asthma symptoms.
First take the My Asthma Control Assessment, to help understand if your asthma is under control.
Download the summary from your assessment to take to your next doctor’s appointment.
Prepare Questions to Ask Your Doctor ahead of time to have a more productive conversation with your physician. The American Lung Association has a great list of questions for you to consider.
With these tools, the American Lung Association has made it easier for you to take control of your asthma so that you can live the life you deserve without struggling to breathe.
