For asthmatics: When you have a small attack, are you normally calm? How do others react around you?

Answer 1

Yes, but I taught myself that. I use to panic before. By the way, a small attack can turn into a bad thing really quick, that's why you can't panic, you have to just breath slowly and take small breaths 'till you get to your inhaler. Lately the people around me are more worried than I am. It's nothing to take lightly though, you should always have your inhaler nearby. Someone can just light a cigarette near you and provoke an attack. You just never know what will trigger one, sometimes someone's perfume or even your own, or household cleansers or whatever.

Answer 2

I was usually calm unless it was really bad. Once you're grown, people don't tend to panic about it, so you have to communicate very clearly if you have a real emergency and your inhaler is not helping. People will help you, there's no stigma attached to it. It's taken in stride.
There was this one time I was jogging and left my inhaler in the car about 2 miles away. My boyfriend sprinted back to get it for me while I sat in the shade.
I had a bad upper respiratory infection once, and that triggered a bad attack for days. When I finally went to the doctor, the nurse gave me a breathing treatment, and I was so overwhelmed with relief that I started to cry.
Another time I was alone, 9 months pregnant and it was moving day. I was having an allergic reaction to shrimp. It was too hot to go outside, and the more I breathed in the shrimp odor, the worse it got for me in the house. I should have called 911, but I was young and dumb. When my family came back to get me, I was getting over the attack and they said my lips were blue. Take it seriously. I didn't, and I could have lost the baby or my life.
I've had adrenaline shots when it got bad. The older I get, the smarter I am about when it's time to get to the E.R.

Answer 3

for a small attack yes i stay calm,but there was a case when i was pregnant back in Oct 06,when i had what i thought was a small attack and ended up in the er.but lately i have been using my inhaler a lot more then normally and i will also drink a coke soda and believe it or not that really helps.
i keep an inhaler with me at all times,i have one in the car,one in the kitchen drawer,in my bedroom,in the bathroom,my mom even has one at her house for when i visit,i don't play when it comes to my asthma,i have 3 small children who needs me around!!

Answer 4

small yes. but i freak out when i cant find my inhaler not so much because i am afraid i might will need soon but because i have had to have this thing with me on my person for so long its a hassle and unlike most things people loose this thing is a matter of life and death .
i am 43 m when i was a kid i was the only one in my school who had asthma and i had it very bad i would have to calm some adults done then . now seems like everyone knows about asthma and thinks nothing of seeing me use my inhaler

Answer 5

if I'm having a small attack then people don't generally notice and i usually go out of the room to use my inhaler coz i sometimes feel quite embarrassed about using it in public.
Although the couple of time i have had to use my inhaler in front of people, like in a lesson, people generally seem to get quite worried. i don't know why, but may be because they don't know much about asthma and they think its scary or something but generally i stay calm unless i cant find my inhaler then i admit i start to panic or if its a bad attack then i do. but usually no i stay calm. :D

Answer 6

for a small attack i often start out calm take my inhaler and if i have it use my aerochamber (spacer) If it dosent help my heart beats faster and sometimes i start to panic sucking on my inhaler more and more.Often a small attack can qucikly turn into a major where i need my nebulizer!!!
Mom is really good when i have a small attack some how shes knows and will often come to help me. If my chest is tight she will take my top and bra off to help me breath better and if that dosent help she runs and gets my neb as the attack can turn really bad really quickly!!! All my friend know about my attacks and often try to help me one friend even started rescue breathing on me so she could try to get some air into my lungs it was really funny but odd as it is it did help a lot!!!

Answer 7

Yes, I am calm because I carry my inhaler. If I can get up and leave the room, I go to the bathroom to use my inhaler. Sometimes I don't want others to know I am having an attack.

Answer 8

Most people don't even notice is I start having trouble breathing because I use my inhaler before I get to the wheezing stage and the shortness of breath.

Do I stay calm, you bet. Helps the medicine work better and doesn't elevate your heart rate or need for more oxygen.

Answer 9

You need to be, you need to do a slooow count when inhaling , alos the same when exhaling that way you can control it
, do not even think about other peoples reaction. 60% have no idea,,and ignore you, 30% would, just look at you and say, you are just been silly, stop pretending, or something in that order. the rest will keep an eye on you JUSt in case, you can't manage!!
am one myself, but cured!!???

Answer 10

haha now ur bringing me back to 7th grade.... in tech class a girl siting next to me was an asthmatic....she had a small attack and sat it out...then she told the teacher that she needed to go to the nurse cause she had an attack....then the teacher was like what??? i didnt here any thing.... but she went any way...i was pretty funny... but i guess u had to be there to get my point