Asthma???

So any of you lady's or men out there have an asthmatic partner?

For me lately its become a bit of an issue. My husband was diagnosed about a year ago and its been a struggle to adapt. We used to be an incredibly active couple Sexualy. But the problem we are having now is with his stamina During due to his chest. On top of that he has enlarged glans in his nose so he can hardly breath out of it.

Dust and grass pollen sets him off.

He has always been healthy and after having a bad reaction when a duster was shoved in his face he can't go a day without using his inhaler regularly. The problem is our sex life is suffering. As I said we were very active position changes and quite rough with inter course. Now though we can't do quite as much now before I can see him struggling. I miss how we were.

Has anyone experienced this? Does anyone have any tips or tricks to help us get it back? Or any tips in general on helping him beat his asthma?

Have he tried using his inhaler before you have sex?

Does it usually help when he uses it? because maybe he doesn't use it correctly (A lot of people don't)

Do you know what I don't think he does! Thanks for the tip!!!

I believe he uses it correctly. Two to three pumps deep breaths brown inhaler in morning and evening.

I've had asthma all my life and it's never held me back but Ive grown up with it.
I think he needs to make sure his medication is working for him and then you should be fine.fine tuning it should be reasonably straight forward with his doctors help.then hopefully things should get back to normal

When it is pollen season, you should keep your doors closed and inside it is a good idea to have an air cleaner, especially in your bedroom. He should also shower every day to keep pollen from irritating his airways. As for the dust, it's best to keep your house and bedsheets as clean as possible for minimal irritation.

I suppose he already has inhalators with both anti-histamine and corticosteroids and is using nasal spray.

VABarnes wrote:

Do you know what I don't think he does! Thanks for the tip!!!

I believe he uses it correctly. Two to three pumps deep breaths brown inhaler in morning and evening.

I think he has to empty his lungs before, then inhale the medication with a deep breath (and make sure it's the right angle so the product go in the lungs and don't stay in the mouth), and then holding it for a few seconds.

If he takes it corectly, I'm sure taking is before sex will help! That's what athletes dealing with asthma do before their training or competition so they have their full pulmonary capacity.

I've had asthma for about 20 years now, and Mamz is correct about emptying your lungs first before you use your inhaler, and the the bits are correct. If he is still having problems, I would consult his GP or the nurse in the Asthma Clinic ( if he has one in his surgery) and get him self checked up, plus he should be getting checked yearly as a norm.

Myself I all ways use my inhaler twice a day as instructed, and always especially before sex, some times I might need get a little breathless if I've a touch of a cold, or as I think, I am getting on a bit, and time has taken it's toll. If he uses Ventalin, the blue inhaler as well keep that beside the bed just in case, he need a quick top up.

Hope all goes well.

Hello!

Gosh I am probably the most perfect person for this thread.

I am 22, and I have had asthma since I was two years old. I am a severe asthmatic so inhalers all day every day for me- if I took my inhaler as 'reccomended' I would be dead lol. I have it at least 2-4 times a day and even have a preventer as well. I can only take Ventolin and I also take Symbicort as my preventer (I am allergic to all other inhalers unfortunately)

In regards to sex I do find I am fine, I can get a little breathless but just a puff can keep me ok. I would suggest definitely going to an Asthma Clinic just to have a check on his lungs as well as getting a preventer if he does not have one already. Getting a Volumatic spacer would be great too- as they reach the lungs a lot better with an inhaler- maybe trying that before sex might be able to help as well.

Best of luck x

Lovehoney - Paige wrote:

Hello!

Gosh I am probably the most perfect person for this thread.

I am 22, and I have had asthma since I was two years old. I am a severe asthmatic so inhalers all day every day for me- if I took my inhaler as 'reccomended' I would be dead lol. I have it at least 2-4 times a day and even have a preventer as well. I can only take Ventolin and I also take Symbicort as my preventer (I am allergic to all other inhalers unfortunately)

In regards to sex I do find I am fine, I can get a little breathless but just a puff can keep me ok. I would suggest definitely going to an Asthma Clinic just to have a check on his lungs as well as getting a preventer if he does not have one already. Getting a Volumatic spacer would be great too- as they reach the lungs a lot better with an inhaler- maybe trying that before sex might be able to help as well.

Best of luck x

Wow thank you so much! I have a spacer for when my nephew is here! I'm going to suggest he try it tomorrow. My husband is like you if he took it the recommended he'd be six foot under!

I think he's feeling the pressure too. We had a disappointing session tonight and I could see it in his eyes how it hurt. I sometimes forget his whole world has changed and he now is learning to adapt to something he never had to before. I just snuck down stairs got all his work bits together and left him a love note. I'm hoping it'll help him feel better about everything.

I'm making an appointment for him tomorrow with the asthma clinic, he's such an amazing caregiver to me and our disabled son I think sometimes he forgets to look after himself.

All your advice has been amazing! Thank you all for helping me get my own head around it.

You're most welcome :) A spacer can definitely do wonders! Let me know how you go x

I will do! And again thank you!

And don't forget to get him to rinse after taking a puff if his preventer is a steroid. The clinic forgot to mention this to my friend so she ended up with oral thrush.

Hope the clinic sorts him out.

VR wrote:

And don't forget to get him to rinse after taking a puff if his preventer is a steroid. The clinic forgot to mention this to my friend so she ended up with oral thrush.

Hope the clinic sorts him out.

Ohhh thanks VR we weren't told this either and considering his allergy to dust that should have been a no brainer!

Ok a couple of practical little things that you might not reolise. Get rid if any automatic air freshoners, any plug ins, any reed defusers, they are asthmatic nightmares. In the toilet try using the blue blocks that you drop in the sisters rather than a perfumed in toilet rim block type item. Ventilate your house well. In the mornings open as many windows and doors as possible, even for just 20 mins. This will really help with dust and any smells that might be an issue. Close your bedroom window in an evening before tea time. Pollen falls in the evenings so when the temperature drops the pollen comes down agrovating his asthma. Check with his Dr but an anti histomeen might help during the summer months.

Dont use spray deodorants, roll on or stick is the way to go. The propellant gas in deodorant is a real irratant for asthma. If you wear perfume dab it on like aftershave rather than spraying it. Don't use 2 in 1 wash liquid like (bold) either, your better off with just a wash liquid and add softener to clothing if you really want to. Don't soften towels, bed sheets or any sleep clothing.

This might sound like a huge set of changes, it's not really, it's all about partial ising irritants. These little changes should make a real difference to his asthma.

Cold frosty mornings might feel worse for his breathing. The main thing is to get him to relax about his breathing, which is hard after having an attack. I agree with the suggestion of using the inhaler before sex, they do recomend its use before strenuousle excersize.

I hope this helps you to have a full and enjoyable sex life again.

I agree with most of that advise Fun Louise said. Removing all those items helped by me and my partner's breathing conditions (if you have a smell problem, remove the source of the smell, don't try to mask it). My only word of caution would be about opening the windows and doors - that makes my breathing much worse, so we have had to settle for a compromise position of opening them when the pollen is low (use his condition to tell you when that is, not the TV forecast) and keep them bolted firmly closed when it is high, and using room purifiers. I find my pollen issues are much worse in the morning, so really, he needs to experiment and work out what works for him.

On another issue, a visit to the asthma clinic was useful to me, as I was told I was taking my inhaler incorrectly. I used to do the long quick breath thing, and was told the correct was was still a deep breath, but long and slow (there is research that shows the deep quick breath wastes 90% of the medication!)

I can't breathe through my nose either (never have been able to), and that really doesn't affect my stamina (my arms and legs tend to ache first), so my other suggestion would be to start (at least for a while until he gets a grip with his asthma) using positions that are less physically exerting (so, for example, my partner likes anal with us standing up, but if I am tired, we often do it with me lying on top of her, as I can keep going for much longer).

Also, one final point, have his blue inhaler with him during sex, and take it mid-shag is necessary (he doesn't even need to slow down if the position is right - my partner did my inhaler for me once, so that I didn't have to break rhythm!)

All in all, once he has accepted his condition and that things will need to be different, he can probably with work get a lot closer to what he wants to be through experimentation with a lot of the excellent advise in this thread. I hope things go well ;-)

Just wanted to add one advice to what Fun Louise has said: use the extra rinse option on your washing machine. I always do, regardless of the programme or added detergents / softeners. It helps.

Wow!

Thank you so much everyone for all of the amazing advice! I'm airing the house now while he's at work its raining hard right now so that should damp down any pollens etc. I'm also re washing EVERYTHING!

Lol II've actually printed this out and taking it around with me like a check list.

I feel like a woman on a mission right now!

Done an online shop for all new deodorants and cleaning products and I don't honestly think my bedroom has ever been so clean! Not even when we moved in!

I can't thank you all enough!

My oh suffers from asthma.....but he has found that using his inhaler before any physical exercise is a must. He's an Ironman competitior (triathlon....at long distance, 2.5 mile swim, 112 mile cycle and 26.5 mile run). He competes for GB and his doctor has said that by keeping himself super fit his asthma is being helped enormously. I'm not suggesting for one minute that your oh tries this ...but clearly keeping fit is very important. (Grass, dust and cats set my oh off...and we have a cat) ! lol

I do make sure that the house is as dust free as I can possibly keep it...but oh cuts the grass. Over the years of doing, facing things that cause his asthma he has definitley improved dramatically x

Fun Louise wrote:

Ok a couple of practical little things that you might not reolise. Get rid if any automatic air freshoners, any plug ins, any reed defusers, they are asthmatic nightmares. In the toilet try using the blue blocks that you drop in the sisters rather than a perfumed in toilet rim block type item. Ventilate your house well. In the mornings open as many windows and doors as possible, even for just 20 mins. This will really help with dust and any smells that might be an issue. Close your bedroom window in an evening before tea time. Pollen falls in the evenings so when the temperature drops the pollen comes down agrovating his asthma. Check with his Dr but an anti histomeen might help during the summer months.

Dont use spray deodorants, roll on or stick is the way to go. The propellant gas in deodorant is a real irratant for asthma. If you wear perfume dab it on like aftershave rather than spraying it. Don't use 2 in 1 wash liquid like (bold) either, your better off with just a wash liquid and add softener to clothing if you really want to. Don't soften towels, bed sheets or any sleep clothing.

This might sound like a huge set of changes, it's not really, it's all about partial ising irritants. These little changes should make a real difference to his asthma.

Cold frosty mornings might feel worse for his breathing. The main thing is to get him to relax about his breathing, which is hard after having an attack. I agree with the suggestion of using the inhaler before sex, they do recomend its use before strenuousle excersize.

I hope this helps you to have a full and enjoyable sex life again.

I didn't even think of these tips - and I'm allergic to most of them on there!

I can't use normal candles, or even most of the soy wax ones, but - most happily - I can use Lovehoney's Vanilla lickable candle without a problem.