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Ashley is in her kitchen. She grabs a glass of water and takes her asthma medication.
Ashley texts her friend Sarah: “I’ll be down soon!”
She closes the door to her apartment and then goes downstairs. Her friend Sarah is waiting downstairs and sees her pausing to catch her breath.
Sarah: “Are you okay?”
Ashley: “Yeah. I just got short of breath on those stairs. I hope they fix the elevator soon!”
Ashley grabs an inhaler from her purse and uses it.
Sarah: “Are you still taking the new medication?”
Ashley: “Yes, but I still feel symptoms sometimes. I woke up with a little tightness in my chest and was wheezing last night.”
Ashley grabs her phone and calls her doctor’s office.
Sarah: “You should probably get this checked out.”
Ashley: “You’re right. Let me call my pulmonologist real quick before we go to lunch.”
Great: the next day…
Ashley sits in the specialist’s office as the doctor reviews her medical records and listens to her lungs.
Doctor: “Tell me what’s wrong.”
Ashley: “I take my medication every day but still use my quick-release inhaler a few times a week.”
The doctor points to a simple poster or tablet showing healthy airways next to inflamed airways (red, narrowed airways). Ashley listens carefully.
Doctor: “Your asthma may still be uncontrolled. One possible reason is excessive type 2 inflammation in your airways. The good news is there are other options we can try.”
Doctor and Ashley are talking.
Ashley: “So there are other options?”
Doctor: “Yes, there is! Our goals are fewer disease flare-ups, less need for oral steroids, better lung function and a better quality of life.”
The doctor talks to Ashley, she nods in agreement the whole time.
The doctor hands Ashley a pamphlet titled “Advanced Asthma Treatment Options.”
Ashley: “That sounds good. What can we change?”
Doctor: “Do you notice your symptoms worsen around pollen, pets, smoke, or dust?”
Ashley: “I think I feel it more when the trees in my neighborhood are blooming.”
Doctor: “That’s helpful. Allergens and environmental triggers can worsen symptoms. We’ll work to identify and treat those triggers, and I’ll review your current bronchodilators and anti-inflammatory medications to see if any adjustments might help.”
Doctor: “We may also consider whether a biologic is right for you to combat the inflammation.”
The doctor writes “well-tolerated exercises” on a notepad for Ashley to take home.
Ashley: “Are there any lifestyle changes that can help?”
Doctor: “Until we get your asthma under control, you should definitely do some exercise. Once you have it under control, you can switch to 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, such as brisk walking, as long as you tolerate it well.”
Ashley smiles and waves goodbye to the doctor as she heads out the door.
Ashley: “I’m so glad I came in. I didn’t know there were still ways to control my asthma.”
For more information, visit HealthyWomen.org/asthma.
This resource was created with support from Sanofi and Regeneron.
