During the last year of primary school, Lisa found that she was out of breath during P. E. lessons and shortly after was diagnosed with asthma. Lisa says that she did not really understand what asthma was at the time, but the nurse explained it to her and gave her a DVD to watch. Lisa found the DVD, with young people talking about asthma on it, very helpful. Lisa used to compare herself to friends without asthma when she was younger, finding asthma annoying’ and restrictive, but she has now adapted to living with it.

As she has become older Lisa feels she has become more knowledgeable about asthma.

Lisa found her first and most major asthma attack scary’ as she did not think she would be able to take another breath. She uses a bricanyl reliever inhaler and a pulmicort preventer inhaler. Lisa says that she does not take the preventer inhaler as regularly as she used to, but increases her use of it if she has had a cold or before exercising. Cold weather is a trigger for Lisa, and her asthma is worse during the winter. Lisa is reluctant to take her bricanyl reliever inhaler as it causes her to shake she describes this as an unpleasant, internal shaking, and thinks it may be partly to do with the panic and adrenalin of an asthma attack.

Lisa finds that exercising makes her asthma slightly worse initially, but feels that the day after and in the long-term, it is beneficial. She takes her preventer inhaler before exercising. Lisa experienced a period where she had recurrent chest infections and was told she may need to take steroid tablets. She told the doctor that she was reluctant to take tablets for her asthma and fortunately the infections cleared up. Lisa sees the asthma nurse once a year, but can visit more regularly if she wants, or can telephone to speak to someone. She keeps an inhaler in her handbag and in her car, and her employer and colleagues know she has asthma. Lisa once forgot her inhaler when going to the gym, and took two hours to recover from an asthma attack. She says that she coached her breathing, taking deep breaths in through her nose and out through her mouth. However, the asthma nurse reminded her that the technique is for use in an emergency, and not a substitute for using an inhaler. Lisa would not use someone else’s inhaler in an emergency because it is prescribed for someone else, and may not be suitable for her use.

Lisa has had asthma plus another health condition since she was a child, and is very aware of potential illnesses and her future health. She feels that awareness of the dangers of asthma should be raised more widely amongst members of the public. Lisa says she keeps up to date on the latest asthma news and research through using the internet. She urges people with asthma to be aware of their condition, take care of themselves and to take the medication that they are prescribed.