'Lost count how many times I've been hospitalised' says Newport woman with many asthma triggers
A health charity in Wales is urging people to take steps to reduce trigger symptoms of asthma that could lead to an asthma attack.
This World Asthma Day (May 7) sufferers of asthma are being urged to know what triggers their condition by Asthma and Lung UK Cymru.
The charity said "it will help reduce symptoms and prevent attacks."
New research also showed the largest trigger for sufferers in Wales to be a cold or flu, or changes in the weather.
Highlighting the impact that triggers have had on her asthma, Lisa Hall, a biomedical scientist from Newport said she struggles with her breathing daily and has many asthma triggers including cleaning products, hot weather and pollen.
Ms Hall was diagnosed with severe asthma when she was 28 years old.
Struggling with her breathing daily, she has lost count of the amount of times she has ended up in hospital.
She said: "I had my first big attack when I was 29 years old and I was in hospital for ten days. Everything kind of settled down over the next few months until June 2018 when it went badly wrong and it has stayed like that since.
"The 13th of March (this year) was my last one and the ambulance control sent the air ambulance out to me.”
"My asthma is very unpredictable, and I have lost count of how many times I have been hospitalised. Things are frustrating at times, but you’ve got no choice but to carry on working things through."
Ms Hall expressed that she has many triggers, but said one of the worst is when people spray perfume or deodorant publicly as she finds it "really difficult."
She added that heat, humidity and pollen are also common factors which affect her breathing.
"If I step into somewhere that’s really humid, that’s pretty much almost instant , I just get tight and wheezy, have a cough and then it just gets worse and worse until I stop moving air."
She continued: "It’s very challenging and affects my day-to-day life. I have to be aware of my environment as sudden changes in the weather or breathing in cleaning products and smells such as perfume and air fresheners can leave me struggling to breathe.
"I breathe better inside than out. I am a biomedical scientist and am very lucky I work in a climate-controlled lab, especially in the summer months when hot weather and pollen are dangerous for me."
The charity spoke to 513 people with asthma in Wales and their survey revealed that:
Joseph Carter, Head of Asthma + Lung UK Cymru spoke to ITV Wales
He said: "This World Asthma Day, we want to encourage the 314,000 people with asthma in Wales to look after their lung health by being aware of their triggers, getting an asthma action plan so they know what to do if their symptoms worsen, and having their medication and inhaler technique regularly reviewed by their GP or nurse.
"Triggers can be unpredictable and variable, and you should never be complacent about them.
He added: "Asthma triggers can be difficult to navigate, and some, such as the weather and viral infections, are impossible to avoid.
"But if it's managed properly, being exposed to a trigger should not be life-threatening."
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