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Pam had mild asthma as a child, but it became more apparent in adulthood after moving to an area with high pollen and mould.
“I couldn’t even sit outside… I just sat there wheezing.”
After seeing an allergy specialist, Pam’s allergies got under control, which helped keep her asthma at bay.
But over time, she noticed her asthma flaring up again whenever she contracted a virus.
Like many grandparents, Pam plays a hands-on role in caring for her family. But with that comes exposure to common respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, influenza and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus).
“Looking after the grandchildren. They bring in the virus,” Pam said.
Pam’s asthma got particularly bad when she contracted RSV.
Getting RSV was frightening and relentless
“I got RSV really bad. All I did was wheeze. And I could just hear myself gurgling fluid,” Pam explained.
Despite taking her reliever, Pam recalled that, “nothing worked,” to ease her symptoms.
“That was the only time I’ve ever taken myself into hospital.”
Even with intensive treatment in the hospital’s emergency department, Pam’s symptoms persisted.
“I was still wheezing,” Pam said.
Lingering effects after RSV
Pam noticed that her asthma was not subsiding after her visit to hospital.
“When I got RSV, that’s when all that really started [with] the continuous wheeze and the fluid build-up.”
She experienced ongoing chest congestion, difficulty clearing mucus and worsening symptoms at night.
“I went to a physio. I said, ‘I have got so much congestion. I feel I can’t cough anything up!’”.
Like many people with asthma, Pam’s asthma got worse at night.
“Nighttime was the absolute worst. My husband was terrified, because I sounded so bad.”
These lingering effects meant a longer recovery and a greater impact on her daily life.
Why do viruses make asthma worse?
Respiratory viruses like RSV are a common trigger for asthma flare-ups.
“As soon as I pick up a virus it goes straight to my chest, I can feel my chest tightening. And the asthma starts within a day,” Pam said.
For Pam, viral infections consistently lead to worsening symptoms.
Advocating for her health
Pam had been on a three year waitlist to see a respiratory specialist in the public system. She has since worked with a respiratory specialist in the private sector to better manage her asthma.
“[My doctor] ended up changing my preventative to a different puffer.”
Pam now uses asthma medicines – that work for her – consistently as instructed by her specialist.
Calling an Asthma Educator also gave Pam the confidence to go back to her doctor and get her questions answered.
“I said to my daughter the other day, and I also said to my friend, because their daughter has asthma, if they’ve got any queries with their asthma, to ring Asthma Australia, because they’re really good,” Pam said.
With the right information and support, Pam now feels more confident advocating for her care.
Book a call with an asthma educator
Pam’s message to others
Pam wants others to know that if something doesn’t feel right, it’s important to speak up and seek support.
Her story is a reminder that respiratory viruses like RSV can have a serious impact on people with asthma – and that ongoing symptoms shouldn’t be ignored.
