Asthma..argh? Week One

Hello, my name’s Diane. I’m 42 years old. I have asthma. You didn’t know that? Well, join the club, because I didn’t either until two weeks ago! 😉

I’ve never been the sporty type but started NEWO exercising about a year and a half ago. Really ‘grown-up’ exercising. Strength training and running on a regular basis. Loved the extra energy and the whole Jedi mindtrick benefits that only exercise can give you. Not to mention the snowball effects of being able to fit more into my day, eating better, sleeping better…just like the Flylady programme, you get the picture!  🙂

But when I was out running with my sweetie friends V, H and C, at the beginning of the year I felt that I wasn’t improving. In fact, the runs were getting more and more difficult. Even going up and down the stairs with the laundry basket at home had me out of breath. My nose was running constantly – must be pollen, right? My DS10 has birch, grass and cat allergies – so maybe I have the same? So one AP Wednesday (Wednesdays are ‘anti-procrastination’ days here in Flylady land) I decided to pick up the phone and ask the doctor for a referral to the allergy doc. I’ve been buying anti-histamines over the counter but it seems nonsense to be taking them when I don’t know exactly what I’m allergic to…

The allergy doctor tests me and it turns up a blank. Huh? Nothing at all? But what about that one there, number 12 – I’ve got a big red mark on my arm? Um, that would be the ‘control’ substance, tee-hee!

Anyway, the doc wants me back in for more extensive testing the next day. So I cycle down to the clinic (five minutes away), walk up the (one) flight of stairs and sit in the waiting room. Gosh, is it so hot today? I’m trying not to pant. For goodness sake, I weigh 52 kilos (114 lbs) and I ran 3k in the park this morning – I’m in great shape! He must have missed something!

Today I have lung tests. A basic Peak Flow first. I blow as hard as I can. Blech – feel a bit faint!

Then he makes me sit with a peg on my nose and breathe in substance ‘A’. When that’s over, I get to sit for a couple of minutes while he types on his computer. I start coughing – more a tickle than a cough. Wow, what was that stuff? Suddenly I’m aware that I’m sitting completely quiet. I can’t hear myself. At. All. I can’t remember the last time I felt like this. It’s such a weird sensation that I have to share my thoughts with the doctor. If it wasn’t so clichéd, I’d say I had a ‘deep sense of inner peace’! [feel free to do your own ‘OM!’ yoga chant here…] I breathe into the Peak Flow machine again. Which starts me coughing a little, but even I can see that the needle on the machine jumped way higher than before.

Time to put the peg back on my nose and breathe in substance ‘B’ for two minutes. And sit for another two minutes. The doctor types away on his computer. Ugh, this is ‘orrible! Feel like I’m having some kind of attack. My heart is pounding in my little birdie breast. Breathe into the Peak Flow machine again. The needle jumps. A pathetic little jump. And I’m feeling dreadful! What on earth was in that bottle?

The doctor explains. The first substance was pure histamine. Which opened up my lungs and helped me to breathe and feel ‘normal’ again. The second substance took the histamine out of my body and took me right back to how I felt when I turned up at the allergy clinic. Took me back to how I’ve felt as long as I can remember. Mindblowing isn’t the word…

The tests have spoken, there’s no doubt, I have asthma. And I was elated – it was fantastic to find out that I wasn’t imagining things, I’m not ‘getting old’ or ‘out of shape’, there is something wrong. And – fingers crossed – it can be fixed! A brown inhaler morning and evening, a blue inhaler for a quick puff before I run, cycle or start my Flylady WHB…

Join me again next Monday to see what happens next?

Have a marvelous Monday! 🙂