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OU Library and a developing understanding of why too many asthmatics don't bother to take their prescribed medicines.

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Edited by Jonathan Vernon, Tuesday, 11 June 2013, 11:23

I will never tire from serving my curiosity when I entre the OU Online Library. I am often lost for weeks at a time, dipping into everything that catches my eye, reading some of if all the way through, following up further leads, then further leads until I find I've either circumnavigated the globe, dropped back a century or more or am spinning circles in a slow, spiraling descent through a single authors previous thinking.

I don't need a ball of thread to help me find my way out and there's no Minotaur to slay at the centre.

All I hate is a underpowered laptop and a rubbish internet connection.

Currently my interest is reseach on compliance, noncompliance, adherence and coherence in use of asthma drugs. I should know, I am one. My compliance is excellent. One asthma attack in my teens and I do everything to the letter. I fail to understand how and why 30% of people with my condition end up hospitalised or dead. The reading is extraordinarily diverse, bringing it down to the person, their identity with the condition and unwillingness to take a couple of puffs on an inhaler morning and night - when surely they are in and out of the bathroom anyway?

If you know any asthmatics like this please put them in touch or send them to my blog where I will add notes.

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Hi Jonathan,

I've only recently been taking my asthma medication every day (last six months). I had a terrible attack when I was 12 - passed out - nearly died - etc. I've had asthma pumps (steroid and relievers) since then. Strangely, when I started smoking at 15 my asthma became very much milder, so I only used the 'reliever' infrequently. The attacks remained mild until I stopped smoking over twenty years later. Now my asthma is much worse so I use the pumps as prescribed. Sometimes I feel that smoking is the better option but I know this is not really true. I will abide the asthma in the hope that by not smoking I may live a little longer, if a lot wheezier. wink

I read that others have had the same experience with smoking - that their asthma became milder or disappeared altogether when they took up the filthy weed. Of course, some of the statistics may be down to people taking up smoking at a young age when their 'childhood asthma' was naturally going to improve in any case.

Interesting subject though.

Cheers,

Matt smile