My Asthma Story by Lornajane
Lornajane’s asthma journey
Hi, my name is Lornajane. I was diagnosed with asthma when I was 7 years old. As a little girl, I loved being outdoors – running, playing, and exploring. But suddenly, my world became much smaller. I couldn’t run around like I used to. Almost everything triggered an asthma attack -pollen, animals in the countryside, even my mum’s perfume.
My parents were amazing. They took me to a man who taught me special breathing techniques, including something called collarbone breathing. These helped me stay calm and use more of my lungs. Along with my medication (which I still take today), I slowly found a balance. I started to bring back the activities I loved, little by little.
I still had bad days and sometimes needed a nebuliser, but those breathing techniques made a big difference. At first, my parents were very protective, they wanted to keep me safe. But over time, they saw that wrapping me in cotton wool was affecting my mental health. So they let me be more active again, and that helped me build strength and confidence.
As I grew older, I learned more about my asthma. I discovered my own unique triggers, some of them quite unusual! These include:
- Strong smells (especially cleaning products like Mr. Muscle)
- Certain types of red wine (high in tannins)
- Pet fur
- Damp environments
- Pollen
- Tobacco smoke
- Sinus infections
- Pregnancy
- Stress
- Ibuprofen
- Edam beans
- Some shellfish
When I’m exposed to these, I sometimes need extra support, like a nebuliser.
One of my worst asthma attacks happened when I was 18. I was at a party and had some red wine. My chest tightened, and I used my inhaler – but it didn’t work. I panicked and kept taking more, which made my heart race. It felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest. I couldn’t breathe, my vision blurred, and I was terrified. My friends didn’t know what to do – they tried to help by lying me down, which actually made it worse. I blacked out and woke up in hospital.
That experience taught me a lot. It helped us identify red wine as a trigger, and later we learned it was the tannins. I also learned that taking too much of my inhaler can be dangerous. My friends were shaken, but they wanted to learn more about asthma so they could help in the future. That’s when I realised how powerful education can be, not just for me, but for everyone around me.
Today, I still love the outdoors. I climb, hike, swim, kayak, and ride. On a good day, my peak flow is around 350. Asthma does limit me – but only as much as I let it. By building stamina slowly and learning how to manage my symptoms, I stay in control.
My message is simple: education is key.
It’s a game changer. It takes away fear and gives you, and the people around you, the tools to stay safe and live fully.
To learn more about Asthma why not subscribe to this short and engaging e-learning course by asthma and allergy foundation. You could help save a life!
