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In this two-part series, pharmacist Kathryn Williams shares two of the most frightening asthma experiences of her life – first during pregnancy with twins, and 20 years later during menopause.
For pharmacist Kathryn Williams, what seemed like a cold at 17 weeks pregnant with twins became a life-threatening asthma attack. Until then, she didn’t even know she had asthma.
Twenty years later, menopause would bring another severe attack. Looking back, Kathryn can now see the connection: the two times her asthma was at its worst were during major hormonal changes.
“At the time, nobody put two and two together for me.”
For women, changes in hormones can sometimes mean changes in asthma too. Hormonal changes during menstruation, pregnancy, perimenopause and menopause can all affect asthma symptoms and control, yet these changes aren’t always recognised or talked about.
A pregnancy that changed everything
Kathryn was 17 weeks pregnant with twins when she returned home from an overseas work trip feeling unwell. She thought she had a cold and was simply run down. But by that night, her breathing had become so difficult that she was lying in the shower, trying to breathe through the steam.
She called an ambulance and was taken to hospital.
Kathryn had experienced some wheezing during her pregnancy, but had never been diagnosed with asthma. At the time, she had been reassured that it could simply be part of being pregnant.
“They’d said, ‘Oh, it could just be your pregnancy. Don’t worry about it.’”
But that night, her breathing deteriorated rapidly. Soon Kathryn was in intensive care, intubated and fighting for her life.
“Because I was pregnant, they couldn’t treat me like they normally would,” Kathryn recalls.
Her pregnancy made an already critical situation more complicated, and multiple medical teams were involved in her care.
But Kathryn’s thoughts were focused on the two babies she was carrying.
When she eventually regained consciousness, she couldn’t speak. Given a piece of paper, she wrote one word: “gynaecologist”.
“The boys were all I could think about.”
Doctors weren’t yet sure what the attack and the time Kathryn had spent unconscious had meant for her or the babies.
It was only after the attack that Kathryn was diagnosed with asthma.
A second chance at life
The twins survived their incredibly difficult start. Now almost 25, James and Finn are healthy young men, with James in the Army and Finn preparing to join the police force.
Kathryn says she remains incredibly grateful for how well they have grown up.
“They had such a tough start but they’re healthy and functioning adults. And I can’t be grateful enough,” she says.
For Kathryn, the experience also changed the way she responds to her breathing.
She remembers having asthma symptoms before the attack but not taking them seriously enough. Today, even a cold or sniffle is enough to make her stop and pay attention.
“As soon as I get a cold or a sniffle, and anywhere I work, they know I just, I stop.”
Why hormones matter
Kathryn’s experience during pregnancy is an example of how hormonal changes can interact with asthma. During pregnancy, changes in hormone levels may affect your asthma. Some women notice their symptoms improve, some find they get worse, and others notice no change.
Pregnancy is one of several times in a woman’s life when hormonal changes can affect asthma. Similar changes may occur around menstruation, perimenopause and menopause. But there is still much to learn about exactly how hormones affect asthma – and why some women experience much bigger changes than others.
“Biology is part of it,” explains Vanessa McDonald, Director of the Hunter Medical Research Institute’s Asthma and Breathing Research Programme.
“We have hormonal fluctuations that impact airway inflammation, the way the airways react and symptoms. There’s also the non-biological reasons. For example, women are often the caregivers and they might prioritise other people rather than seeking help when it’s needed.”
Learning to listen to her body
If Kathryn could go back and give herself one piece of advice during her pregnancy, it would be to put herself first and listen to her body.
At the time, she was juggling work, a young daughter and pregnancy, and kept telling herself she could keep going.
“It was, ‘Oh, it’ll be okay, I’ve just got to get this done’.”
Looking back, she wishes she had stopped sooner.
“It’s about putting yourself first and listening to your body, because you just keep going and you think it’s okay.”
For Kathryn, it is a lesson that has stayed with her.
“By stopping and listening to your inner voice, but also when your body says stop.”
Her experience is also why she hopes women will take changes in their breathing seriously, rather than assuming they are simply part of a busy life or another stage of life.
And 20 years later, Kathryn would experience another severe asthma attack – this time during menopause.
Continue the story in Part Two: “Nobody put two and two together”: Kathryn’s story of asthma and menopause.
If you notice changes in your asthma around different stages in your life course, book an appointment with your doctor for an asthma review. You can also speak to an Asthma Educator for free on 1800 ASHMA or book a call for a time that suits you.
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