My Rollercoaster Ride with Asthma

By ihavehope Wednesday, April 11, 2007

- A
- A
- A

i have chemical sensitivities along with year long allergies that both cause asthma attacks.
it is really hard to get people to understand how important it is to not wear anything fragrant around me when they come to visit or i go to visit them. even my family can't understand, so i am unable to see them much.

it is harder that i am unable to work because of it too. i also have sensitivities to paint, hair spray, bleach, etc., and allergic to dust, mold, cats, pollen from trees.
right now i am living in an apartment building where people spray the hallway with air freshner and it causes asthma attacks, they just think it's funny and don't care, even the landlord talked to them but....so for a few days a week i need to live somewhere else so i can get my asthma under control again. i find this so unfair, but....

i don't know if anyone else has this type of triggers to asthma (i also have exercise induced asthma, and cold, smoke, weather, affect me)
and if so, how do you handle it? how do you get people to respect your health? i feel i am at my wits ends on this. i basically live like a recluse and going to a store is scary and so is a restaurant so i have to go late at night when most people won't be there and go off hours to a restaurant to eat. i just want to be normal again, but i don't know how shy of a gas mask

or covering up this the icon there.

Comments (4) | Add comment

dianeh830

4/18/07 5:31pm

I am sorry about your asthma, and also more importantly, the way people react to you. It must really hurt when people laugh and think it's funny to set off an attack. It's really bothersome to have, and people don't understand that you can't breathe! Nothing at all funny about that. I had breast cancer, then got acute mylogenous leukemia FROM breast cancer treatment. I was about 7 weeks pregnant, so I slipped into a coma and lost the baby. When I came out of the coma, I had to learn to walk again, and to write my name. Well, that was when I started coughing. I would cough until I threw up! It is awful! Sometimes I'll be standing in the store, and suddenly--with no warning--cough and cough and cough!
I understand about not wanting to go out in public,....I feel that way too. And, now, I'm going to have to fly over to Vietnam to get my baby. I'm dreading that trip. My mom is going with me, so at least I won't be alone if I'm coughing. Anxiety gets me going too. You just feel those alveoli in your lungs tighten up with stress, and off you go!
Well, all the best to you,
Sincerely,
Diane

ihavehope

4/18/07 11:14pm

diane, i am sorry about your cancers and the loss of your baby. i am glad you are getting a baby from viet nam, and your mother is going with you. i know that coughing is hard and it sometimes seems to go on forever.
please take of yourself and enjoy that baby!
love and peace, cindi

Anonymous

4/27/07 5:47pm

Hi,

I can truly relate to your situation. I have really bad reactions to chemicals too. Whenever I am exposed to aerosol paint fumes; hairspray; fumes from fiberglass or hosehold cleaning products, I cant breath. My throat closes up and I can't fill my lungs with air. I am also sensitive to some grasses, pollen perfumes and cat litter dust and dust when cleaning the vacume cleaner filter. It is important that your friends and family understand that you truly have a health problem and that you have to be careful. Maybe they don't like it, but they can help with your allergies. If someone else needs to go down the detergent isle to pick up the fragrance free detergent for you, or avoid wearing fragrance around you, they should try to understand. also, at home you can wear a partical mask when you need to. The worst attacks that I have had were from running or hiking; haying; air conditioners; paint fumes; carbon monoxide and formaldahyde in a new manufactured home. You can become very ill or even die if you have a serious allergic reaction. People understand why a diabetic can't have sugar, but they tend to thing that asthma or allergies are all in your head. That's just ignorant! You probably should take medication and also have an emergency inhaler with you for asthma attacks. I don't like western medicines so I try to take herbs that help this condition as well as herbal teas and I also always have menthol cough drops or strong mint gum on hand when I feel like I'm having a little trouble breathing. Try to always get fresh air whenever you feel like you are exposed to an asthma trigger. Also if you can get a small fan or perhaps an air filter for your home.

Best of luck. From a friend who cares and I know where you're comin' from!

5/16/11 9:19am

I just went & toured 4 new manufactured home on a lot...by the 3rd one I started feeling woozy...we noticed really strong chemical smelles when we started...and by the 4th one I was suddenly overtaken by dizzyness & a terrible feeling in my tummy....I collapsed once outside & ended up in the ER...they think it was exposure th chemicals..has this happend to anyone else ever?

My Rollercoaster Ride with Asthma

Ask a Question