“People don’t seem to understand how fatal asthma can be.” Malcom was diagnosed with adult-onset asthma at the start of 2020 after experiencing asthma symptoms. “As a retired police officer, I’ve always been very active. But one morning I went for a run and had a tight chest. “I booked an appointment with my GP who initially didn’t think my symptoms were asthma as it was the height of the COVID pandemic. Another GP who checked me over did a peak flow test and diagnosed me with asthma. My asthma was well controlled with medication until earlier this year. “In January, I was very unwell with a cold which triggered my asthma symptoms. I ended up being hospitalised and was given oxygen and steroids. During this time in hospital, I was diagnosed with severe asthma. I also have nasal polyps which can trigger an attack and badly affect my asthma.” Nasal polyps are small growths in the nose. If you have asthma and nasal polyps, it can sometimes mean you have asthma that’s more difficult to manage and treat. “In July, I was hospitalised again after an asthma attack. I was at home with my daughter, and she could see that I was struggling with my breathing. The next thing I remember is that I was in intensive care. “Since then, I’ve been referred to specialists who have completely changed my treatment. I’ve started a 12 month trial of biologics, and so far the treatment has proved successful. I’m also currently waiting for an operation for my nasal polyps. “It’s fair to say it could have been a very different outcome for me if my daughter wasn’t there when I had my asthma attack. It’s my 60th birthday next year and I’ll be holding a series of events to fundraise for Asthma + Lung UK to say thank you for their support.” (fb)

Say hello to Suzanne! Suzanne is one of our Respiratory Nurse Specialists on the helpline. She’s been a Respiratory Nurse Specialist for 27 years, and worked for A+LUK for the past 5 years. Suzanne previously worked in secondary care as a Clinical Nurse Specialist covering many aspects of respiratory care and management. These included severe asthma clinics, interstitial lung diseases, COPD, Bronchiectasis and oxygen assessment. On our new blog you can find the answers to the top questions asked on our helpline this month and more. (fb)