Better in the tropics
Posted , 5 users are following.
hi. l have had asthma all my life so am used to having trouble breathing sometimes. For the last 11 years l have lived with my now husband, in a house that is full of allergens, dog dander, dust mites, etc., etc., (my allergen levels were tested 2 years ago at the allergy clinic at Addenbrooks and they were off the scale). My asthmanurse at my gp practice did a spirometry test during the summer and said that l have beginning stages of copd. When l am at home, my peak flow is between 220 - 250. However l have noticed that over the last few years, if l visit a hot country, that my health dramatically improves. l was in Borneo for 6 weeks working during October and part of November and my peak flow went up to 340, o ly 40 points below what it should be for my age and height. Has anyone else experienced similar?
0 likes, 8 replies
georgy0 sue68289
Posted
hi sue,
THE FIRST THING I NOTICED HAD CHANGED FOR ME, was on holiday in EGYPT AND MY ARTHRITIS WAS SO MUCH MORE BEARABLE WITH STEPS AND GOING UP & down them was so easy by comparison to home. HOWEVER THAT WASNT THE CASE FOR MY BREATHING SADLY, IN FACT MY BREATHING WAS VERY LABOURED FROM EFFORT IN THAT HEAT. I WAS PLEASED TO SEE YOU HAD SUCH A POSITIVE RESULT AND I DID WONDER IF THE AIR IS CLEANER IN BORNEO THAN OTHER MORE COMMERCIAL COUNTRIES. AS I DONT KNOW THE FACTS ON THAT ITS PROBABLY NOT WORTH CONSIDERATION YET TRAFFIC FUMES & INDUSTRIAL FUMES ARE MORE LIKELY TO WORSEN NORMAL AIR QUALITY. I DO HOPE YOU FIND THE ANSWER TO HELP YOU WITH THIS PROBLEM , AS WE ALL KNOW THE TRUE BENEFITS OF BREATHING PROPERLY.
sue68289 georgy0
Posted
Yes, l am not so much being the cities where there is much lower air quality, but l am still better than where l live.
amkoffee sue68289
Posted
For decades the doctors suggested my mom move to Arizona which is hot and dry. She refused to move so we'll never know if it would have helped her.
sue68289 amkoffee
Posted
That's a shame. l am also much better in hot dry climates.
Reglois sue68289
Posted
We have had the hottest driest summer on record here ( central France) and I really suffered my condition is now worse because of this, can't do cold and damp either, spring and autumn are best. I live in clean pure air in mini mountains is a tiny hamlet, hate having to go into the city to see the pulmonologist as I feel I can't breathe there and get a pounding headache.
sue68289 Reglois
Posted
So sorry to hear that, it must be rotten for you. l have been to Portugal a couple of times in recent years where it has been incredibly hot, but again, my health improves drastically. It seems that if l spend a period of time away from my home, me health always improves, especially if it's hot.
aitarg35939 sue68289
Posted
I am like Georgyo: in high temps, 105°F or more in dry summers, my breathing worsens. But if i go to the Gulf Coast, high humidity and zero allergens (absent red tide), my breathing is better.
My understanding of Borneo is that it is humid. I'm sure that it doesn't share much plant pollen with your home area so you probably had zero allergy issues there. But don't move there assuming that you'll never develop allergies -- it takes 2-5 years to develop them, or so i've been told.
sue68289 aitarg35939
Posted
That's interesting about developing allergies, l wasn't aware of that. Thanks for your reply.