anyone develop asthma as an adult?

Did anyone develop asthma as an adult? If so, what were your symtoms and how did you discovery you were suffering from asthma?

Was it at all related to allergies or lifestyle, or did it just happen?

ETA - anyone with asthma (whenever you developed it), what are the symptoms of an asthma attack? I understand they can be more subtle than just the shortness of breath and can develop over a period of days or longer. Is this correct?

Thanks.

Message edited 8/25/2008 1:10:34 PM.

Re: anyone develop asthma as an adult?

I developed asthma around 20. Not sure if thats considered adult or not.

The symptoms I'm plagued with most is wheezing and general tightness, the feeling of not being able to take a full breath. Kind of like if someone would be sitting on my chest.

I don't think it's allergy related for myself. I find that the weather has a lot more to do with it. If its an overly humid day, I feel it, or on the complete opposite - going from the warm house to cold outside, I'll feel the vessels start to constrict and I'll have an attack. Same if it's very very windy - I try to stay away from having to breathe into the wind. Also my weight is a factor, being obese.

I usually pickup the primatine mist inhalers from the drug store. I remember the first time I had an attack, I had no idea what to do. So I drove myself to the drug store, bought it, ripped it out of the box, took a puff, and it helped. Then I went to the doctor, and he gave me a real script and some breathing test tools. I did that for a while, but now I just get the primatine mist stuff. I shouldn't, I know - but its cheaper and over the counter. I mean, if it was that bad, they wouldn't sell it....

Re: anyone develop asthma as an adult?

I developed it around 23. Had had bronchitis 4 or 5 times in the span of of one winter. Now I have an attack once or twice a year very mild. My attacks are a coughing, not being able to catch my breath, with a wheezing sound and a general tightness in my chest.

Re: anyone develop asthma as an adult?

I was diadnosed with asthma at 10 years old. Ansthma can develop at any age or stageof life. THere can be different forms of asthma or different triggers.

Exercise induced asthma, where you only have flare ups when you are exercising.

Allergen induced asthma, where certain allergy flare ups cause asthma attacks.

Or plain old asthma which can have flare ups for a lot of different reasons.

Astham flare ups can be triggeredby multpiple things, emotional reasons, crying or laughing to much can cause a flare up. Having a cold, as soon as I get a cold I got to the MD right away because I know it can trigger my asthma and I want to try and stay off steroids as much as possible.


SOmetimes having way too much dairy and being congested can flare the asthma as well because it thickens mucous secretions which can lead to asthma flare ups.

Everyone has different signs of an impending attack. I usually cough, or feel tightness in my chect like breathing through a straw. Another really strange sign is that underneath my chin will itch like crazy when i'm about to get an attack.


FOr the most part asthma hasn't affected my likfe to much. I'm on a preventative inhaled steroid and I have a rescue inhalor I carry with me.

I can exercise just liek anyone else and preform all day to day activities. I think I just hav to be more cautious when I get a cold as compared to a non-asthmatic.

FM if you have any more questions.

Re: anyone develop asthma as an adult?

Posted by Blazesyth

I developed asthma around 20. Not sure if thats considered adult or not.

The symptoms I'm plagued with most is wheezing and general tightness, the feeling of not being able to take a full breath. Kind of like if someone would be sitting on my chest.

I don't think it's allergy related for myself. I find that the weather has a lot more to do with it. If its an overly humid day, I feel it, or on the complete opposite - going from the warm house to cold outside, I'll feel the vessels start to constrict and I'll have an attack. Same if it's very very windy - I try to stay away from having to breathe into the wind. Also my weight is a factor, being obese.

I usually pickup the primatine mist inhalers from the drug store. I remember the first time I had an attack, I had no idea what to do. So I drove myself to the drug store, bought it, ripped it out of the box, took a puff, and it helped. Then I went to the doctor, and he gave me a real script and some breathing test tools. I did that for a while, but now I just get the primatine mist stuff. I shouldn't, I know - but its cheaper and over the counter. I mean, if it was that bad, they wouldn't sell it....

Re: anyone develop asthma as an adult?

Re: anyone develop asthma as an adult?

Re: anyone develop asthma as an adult?

I was diagnosed at about 22 or 23 -
I was always prone to bronchitis as a kid, but in college I developed pretty bad allergies, and by my senior year I was suffering from extreme shortness of breath - I finally went to the Dr. and was diagnosed w/ exercise/allergy induced asthma.
They put my on singulair and gave me an inhaler ........If I get very sick or have a very bad allergy attack I use a nebulizer -

My symptoms have ranged from uncomfortable shortness of breath - (it kind of feels as if I stuffed my face and just ate too much ) to full blown panic b/c I literally can not catch my breath ...........

Re: anyone develop asthma as an adult?

I don't know if it is asthma but twice in since Feb. I've had some kind of issue where I felt like I couldn't get enough air and my chest was tight - which if I has to guess, felt like asthma. I've been reading up on it and asthma can also be caused by some hormone issues, which I know I have lately. I scheduled a doctor appointment for next week to get it checked out.