Asthma A to Z - Real Patients: Living with Asthma

I don’t think asthma prevents me from doing anything that I want to do. I’m always prepared for it. I bring my inhaler with me everywhere I go, just in case. But I don’t think it necessarily keeps me from trying anything or doing anything that I want to do.

Asthma hasn’t made a really big impact in my career. I’ve still been able to do my job and function.

I try to not to make a big thing out of it. I don’t like being sick. I don’t like taking medicines. And if I am sick it’s like, I tell my wife, “Just put me in the room and close the door. I’ll come out when I feel better.”

Having asthma I have to consider it before I know I’m going to do something, like skiing or snowshoeing because without my inhaler I’d probably wouldn’t be able to do those things comfortably. But I don’t think about my asthma on a daily basis. And I don’t let it restrict me from doing anything that I want to do.

I pay attention more that I don’t … I don’t try to go out and do strenuous things to put me in danger. I do try to wait until it cools down a little bit to where I can exercise safely.

It’s so important to take care of your lungs, not to smoke, to watch what you eat, and to go out and exercise. It is just so important.

Don’t let it get in your way. Don’t be afraid to do whatever you want to do because whether it’s, you know, just seasonal asthma or exercise-induced asthma I think there’s ways to, you know, be active and live a normal life — even if you have asthma.