Asthma: Personal stories

Return to Index Step 1: Taking Control of Your Asthma Step 2: What is Asthma? Step 3: Know the Signs Step 4: How Asthma Is Diagnosed Step 5: The Levels of Severity Step 6: Determine Your Goals and Expectations Step 7: Asthma Drugs Step 8: Drug Delivery Devices Step 9: Understand Your Action Plan Step 10: Make "Peak Flow" a Habit! Step 11: Avoid Asthma Triggers Step 12: Visit Your Doctor Regularly Key Points Glossary

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All people with asthma have their own stories to tell. Some are great success stories and others still struggle, as described in the following personal accounts. Learn from the journeys of others, and find similarities with your own experiences.

Karen, age 35: "I was diagnosed with asthma at age 5..."

Will, age 9: "Why was I born with asthma?..."

Joe, age 23: "Even with asthma, I exercise frequently..."

Asthma stories from Olympic champions

You may think that people with asthma cannot take part in sports. On the contrary, the following stories are about world-renowned sports heroes who did not let asthma get in the way of their dreams. Once they discovered their asthma, they had to pay close attention to their symptoms and keep their asthma under control. It is not fun having asthma, but with a little extra effort you should be able to do everything that others can do, and maybe more.

Nancy Hogshead: Winner of 4 Olympic medals...

Jim Ryun: Participant in 3 consecutive Olympics, breaking several world records...

Review Date: 6/29/2012
Reviewed By: Allen J. Blaivas, DO, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine UMDNJ-NJMS, Attending Physician in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Veteran Affairs, VA New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Previoulsy reviewed by David A. Kaufman, MD, Section Chief, Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Bridgeport Hospital-Yale New Haven Health System, and Assistant Clinical Professor, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. (6/1/2010)

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