Asthma

by Chloe, 15

Hiya!! My name is Chloe and I’m 15. I have had asthma since I can remember but did not get any symptoms for about four years.

Then when I was in year seven I started getting out of breath easily and my chest kept making high pitched squeaky sounds (wheezing) and felt really tight. I went to the doctor and he told me I had asthma and put me on inhalers.

Asthma & medication

Now I’m in year ten and having the worst year of asthma I have ever had. I came out of hospital just a few days ago from my 4th visit in there this year!

I stayed in for seven nights and had IV aminophylline, steroids and magnesium as well as hourly nebulisers, which I got weaned off slowly. Now I just have four hourly inhalers and my usual pills and other inhalers.

Being in hospital was a little scary for the first night as I could not breathe at all and I felt really worried, but my nurse sat with me and comforted me until the morning nurses came on duty.

Out of breath

Asthma can be really scary and I think more people should be aware that it can be a really dangerous condition, but because it’s so common most people think it’s harmless and an asthma attack is just the person getting out of breath.

Well that’s what I thought until a few years ago when I first had a really bad one. But with medications asthma won’t control my life, I will control it.

In control

So if you have asthma, make sure you are doing your best to keep it controlled and make sure you go to your GP if your peak flow drops or symptoms get worse.

Don’t make the mistake I did and leave it for a few days, you could end up really ill!

And if sometimes you feel like 'why do I have to have asthma?' remember you are not alone!! Many people our age feel the same way too!

This story may have been edited by Children First for Health for editorial and confidentiality reasons only.