To ask why is dh's asthma OK in Corfu?

[Tuddlepops]

We're here now and dh hasn't used his inhalers at all. Been here since Thursday. We've been before and dh didn't then either. We thought that must have been a one off?

It's mild asthma but he is a but wheezy at home. It came on very late in life.

Any ideas? It's rained so not been dry every day.

Probably the warm, dry weather or maybe the different pollen. Probably the weather though.

If he's regularly wheezy at home he should go back to his GP or asthma nurse - his preventers should stop that, so if they aren't they need to be changed.

I don’t know the answer but I’m curious as I’ve just returned from Ibiza and I’m sitting here coughing and wheezing. Didn’t do that once over there.

Same happens to my DS (not Corfu): there will be an airborne tree or grass allergen that your DH is allergic to that doesn’t exist where you are right now in Corfu. Rain always helps.

My son has asthma and it's always bad in the UK in September, I assume it's particular pollen at this time of the year.

So maybe they don't have the same stuff in Corfu that acts as a trigger in the UK?

I know someone who moved from UK to Canada and never needed to use their inhaler again!

Common triggers that might be absent there /present at home depending on where you live and where you are staying include: traffic pollution; mould spores either from damp buildings or woodland or place of work eg some farming roles; NOx from gas cooking; pets; cleaning products at home or work. Or even possibly something he regularly eats at home that has been swapped for something more greek?

Lack of pollution, different pollens, fresher air.

For me, being beside the sea reduces my asthma. Plus no mould/spores from damp soggy leaves etc

Do you have pets in your home?
Do the hotels have mopped/polished hard floors throughout, whereas in your house (esp. bedroom) you have carpets?
Is he spending a lot more time by the sea (e.g.: breathing warm fresh sea air without pollen and city dust in) than normal?

I’m assuming you’re on a beachy holiday? Ocean breezes clear the air of most pollutants and allergens. You’ll probably find his asthma is better on the coast in the uk too. Mine is.

Clean hotel building? A huge trigger is often dust mites - I was much better at uni where they cleaned our room every week (wa alike a hotel tbh).

Also he should be getting by day today withoht a wheeze. I think the preventer inhalers build up too so maybe to begin with without it's fine but that's why it's tricky when you get back?

If he's getting symptoms he probably needs to see the asthma nurse.

DS1 and I both have chronic asthma and we have noticed that we don;t need to use inhalers in Greece and Cyprus (where we go every summer).

I think weather and lack of pollen/pollution. Of course, it used to be in Victorian times that people with breathing issues were encouraged to go to warm places 'for their chest' so not new.

I find things like this so interesting. Quite a different example - but there is an elderly lady I know. In the UK - she needed to use a walking stick daily to get about.

Within one month in her country of origin (very warm climate) and she is walking completely unaided.

Do you have pets at home?

It's the same for DH - think it's to do with the sea air but also at home the air pollution isn't great and we also have a cat and quite a dusty house!

Where I am from they used to send kids with asthma to beach summer camps covered by insurance.

It's the sea air.

@Tuddlepops It's not surprising.

Wealthy Victorians used to decamp to Nice and other warm sunny climes by the sea for the sake of their lungs. {TB, mainly}

Do you live in a big City at home?

I have bad asthma which is particularly awful in September. It's triggered by the leaf mould / mulch that you start getting at the time of year. I'm always better when it's hot, sunny and dry.

I was the same with long covid, so much nerve damage, aches, pains, chest and heart pains, the second I went to Portgual for a week I was a million times better.

And also various places in the UK. The Isle of Wight used to have a TB hospital.

https://www.wightpedia.org.uk/w/Royal_National_Hospital_(The),_Ventnor

My BF moved to Tasmania years ago. She has noticed that her COPD is better when she visits her ILs in Queensland and they are now considering moving to North Queensland because of it.

My son had a bad cough for ages and it disappeared when we went to Corfu in August for a week. It returned the day after we got home!

my step daugter movd to spain anhasnt had an attak since-its the climate

Cleaner air in general, sea air, maybe the fact you're away from something in your home or his usual diet that triggers it?

Or maybe away from stressful situations and difficult people that trigger it?

For me it's my allergies not being flared. This sounds like your husband does also if he's wheezy at home while using inhalers. I use inhalers but also tablet medication, montelukast, to manage the allergy aspect and it really helps

FIL is free of wheezes and catarrh when on holiday in Menorca. I wondered if it was the multiple air fresheners that they use at home, as they make me sneeze. Not been brave enough to suggest to MIL though!