Things used to be harder for people with asthma than they are now

When I grew older, as a young adult, things got worse again. I often had infections. I did have medication, but it only had a short-term effect. Things used to be harder for people with asthma than they are now. There was no long-term controller medication. I used to take tablets that opened my airways but at the same time made me shiver all over as a side effect. Although I had asthma attacks during this time, there were also long phases during which I felt relatively good.

Then, in 1982, during a stay at a special treatment center for asthma, everything changed: The medical world had changed its mind. I was suddenly told that I should do sports and no longer had to avoid strenuous activities. A year later, I decided to join a running group. Within two years I had run my first marathon.

Then, for a long time, I didn’t have any asthma symptoms. After one of the marathons, though, I came down with a cold that was difficult to get rid of. My asthma symptoms returned and started occurring more frequently. Despite the waves of asthma attacks that came and went, I never stopped doing sports. I still do nowadays, about four to five times a week on average.

Towards the late 1990s, I had further treatment as part of a special asthma program. It was a real turning point for me. On top of the usual treatments, we had training in asthma management. I was shown how to get to know my illness and myself better. I started seeing things differently. For the first time it really became clear to me that asthma was a part of my life and that I had to live with it. For a long time it had been difficult for me to accept. I saw it as a burden, and even felt angry about it sometimes. But I've come to terms with it now.

Self-help organizations have played a crucial role in coping with my illness. I've found talking to others in similar situations particularly helpful. You often have to wait a long time before getting an appointment nowadays, so self-help groups have become even more important. Sharing your experiences and information can help and, to some extent, fill the gaps in health care.

I smoked for about six years, from the age of 18 onwards. I stopped smoking after I was rushed to hospital with serious breathing difficulties. It made me realize that I had to kick the habit.

I know that pollen triggers my asthma – especially tree, grass and rye pollen. But sometimes I don’t know what has caused an attack. Occasionally I wake up in the middle of the night gasping for air and have no idea why. It’s not as if I can’t breathe at all during an asthma attack. I get a strange feeling in my chest area: everything feels really tight. The breathing difficulties are accompanied by a very specific feeling of being unwell. I have an emergency plan for severe attacks. I used to have serious breathing difficulties every now and again but, now that I manage my asthma properly, I don’t let things go that far anymore.

The severity of my asthma has been classified as level three or four. I take medication every day. There were times in the past when I didn’t take it as regularly as I was meant to. Needless to say, I started having asthma attacks again. I can’t afford not to take my medication. The consequences could be fatal for me.

My asthma symptoms tend to flare up in the spring and early summer. During the autumn and winter I generally feel pretty good. I'm very careful about taking my medication properly, even if I feel fine and don’t have any symptoms.

Nowadays I see myself as the manager of my illness. I need a doctor to prescribe the medication for me, of course, but I often adjust the dose myself. I measure my peak flow rate every morning. It’s just part of my daily routine, like brushing my teeth.

I'm a very active person by nature. Thanks to my medication, my asthma doesn't affect my quality of life. The drugs available today are really excellent and I can play an active part in staying well.