Asthma sufferers? I have a question

Do you consider asthma to be a disease? Or what? An affliction?

I suffer from horrible asthma and I am on 2 different puffers every day. I do consider it to be a disease of the lungs! It hit me in grade 8, and has dramatically changed my life.

My step-mother has severe asthma, and I consider it a disease of the lungs as well. She has to be really careful and always have her inhaler on her. She also has to use a breathing machine twice a day. It doesn't completely incapacitate her or anything, but it certainly is a hinderance.

Ady- does it affect you when you are near the litterbox at all? (I am in the middle of writing and research) and inquiring minds would like to know. Do you use low dust litter to help out?

The Allergy and Asthma Disease Management Center


Asthma, a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is a reversible airway obstruction not caused by any other disease. It is characterized by an increased responsiveness of the airways (i.e., the bronchial tubes close).

it's a pain in the a**! He has had it since he was 4. He considers it a suseptibility? These are his words not mine. LOL
I think it is an affliction of the lungs.

He also has some problems with litter that isn't dust free.

My mother is a severe asthma sufferer. My brother died of an asthma attack brought on by his new neighbor's three Persian cats (the building had central air conditioning) at age 37. The police treated the case as homicide. Asthma must be taken seriously!

My mom has asthma but I never really considered it a disease..just part of her allergies, but I am no doctor so I really have no idea...

i had asthma when i was a child - for about three years.

It was not fun at all, and i had bad coughing sessions in the middle of the nights. My mommy was always there for me...

MOM'S LOVE IS ALWAYS #1!!!!!

i consider asthma more of a sickness than a disease as it is not contagious. i did not spread the illness to my brothers then.

Originally posted by GurlPower
i consider asthma more of a sickness than a disease as it is not contagious. i did not spread the illness to my brothers then. [/b]

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I see where you are coming from, but look at Cancer. It's a disease but its not contagious.

I do believe that asthma is a disease, it just isn't an infectious disease. Several different things can trigger an asthma attack. You might not have had a attack in 10 years, but if something bothers your lungs you could very easily have another attack. Also they are finding that asthma and allergies are hand in hand now.

Hissy, I developed asthma when I was about 18 (I'm 29 now) and I'd consider it a disease. I'm lucky that I've only had one very severe attack where I couldn't breathe, turned blue and collapsed. I try to not let it interfere with my life too much - I go on the nebuliser when I have to, take my various puffers and have a Ventolin puffer in every room of the house. I do find that some kitty-litters aggravate it but only when I'm actually cleaning the litter tray. In that case, I take some Ventolin afterwards and the lungs settle down.
I get severe hayfever too, which always makes the asthma worse but that's controlled with antihistamines.

Tell us a bit more about your research...

PS I'm very naughty - I'm actually allergic to cats! Both the asthma and allergy medication help a lot, though. How could I be without my furbabies??

I consider it a disease also. Mine is exacerbated by dogs, dust, stress and pollen (thankfully NOT cats).

It has, however come on sometimes when there are no obvious triggers present.

My son has had asthma since he was 2 years old. I've always been told that it is a disease that affects the airways, and although some kids grow out of it, you always 'have' it for life.

Hissy - more often then not the hubby scoops the litter. For the most part when I do it, it doesn't bother me as we have the "99% dust free" stuff. It only bothers me if I am already having a bad asthma day. Hope that helps your research!

I developed it in 1995 after being subjected to second hand smoke in my growing up years, a nurse I dealt with at the hospital said she doubted that I had asthma as only children get it. Saw my doctor about my breathing problems and when I saw a chart on his wall, it was all explained.

Mine usually flares up in the winter, the cold is murder on me, but now that I have GERD that also affects my lungs too

Aww I have a BAD BAD allergy to cats , I can't cuddle more than 5mins at a time, Its Awful , i used to have asthma and I considered it as a disease , Very unfortunate
Sam