Take charge of your asthma with an action plan

Everybody who has asthma needs an asthma action plan. Even if your asthma is well-controlled, a close encounter with your friend’s pet or a whiff of fumes from a bus could throw you into a full-scale attack. With a plan at your fingertips, you can track your symptoms and know exactly what to do if your asthma flares up.

“An action plan puts you in control of your asthma,” says Vanessa Cavero-Chavez, M.D., an allergist and immunologist at University of Florida Health in Gainesville. “It’s a tool that you and your doctor come up with together that’s specific to your needs. So, if a flare-up happens, you’ll know exactly what you need to do.”

Follow these six simple steps to get started:

1. Partner with your doctor. A good asthma action plan is one that’s developed with help from your doctor or an asthma and allergy specialist. “Discuss your triggers and symptoms, then come up with a plan together,” says Dr. Cavero-Chavez. To get started, all you need is a sheet of paper (you can also ask your doctor if they have an action plan template). When you’ve got it all down in writing, you’re less likely to panic if your asthma acts up.

2. Include your vital information. In your action plan template, write your name, your emergency contact’s name and phone number, and your doctor’s contact info. Don’t forget to add your asthma triggers, such as allergies, smoke, exercise, or dust, along with the type of inhaler you use and any other medications you take.

3. Know your zones. Think about traffic light rules and divide your plan into three sections: green, yellow, and red. Each zone has useful information about what to do when your peak flow meter reaches certain levels. 

Green zone. All systems are go: If your breathing is good, with no coughing or wheezing, and your peak flow meter reading is 80 percent or higher, your doctor will likely have you continue your long-term control medicine as directed. In this section, you can jot down ways to prevent asthma symptoms by using your controller medication and avoiding asthma triggers. 

Yellow zone. Caution: Your asthma is beginning to flare up. If you’re having mild breathing problems, you’re coughing or wheezing, and your peak flow meter reading is between 50 and 79 percent, your doctor might tell you to keep taking your long-term control medicine and advise you on when to take your quick-relief medicine. This part of your plan tells you how to treat your symptoms before they get worse and help you return to the green zone. 

Red zone. Danger: Call your doctor or 911. If you’re having trouble breathing, your medicine isn’t helping, and your peak flow meter reading is less than 50 percent, you may be having a serious attack. Your doctor might advise you to take additional medicine or to go straight to the hospital. In this section, you’ll list medications to take in an emergency. 

4. Share your plan with others. Let your friends, family, and coworkers in on your plan so that if you have an asthma attack, you don’t have to go it alone. Plus, when others know what to do when they see you wheezing or gasping for air, they can spring into action to get you the help you need.

5. Keep medications close by. Always carry your fast-action rescue inhaler with you, even at work or at the gym. And check expiration dates periodically to make sure none of the medication has expired. Talk to your doctor about replacing expired meds. 

6. Know when to call 911. Know what to do if your meds aren’t helping and have clear guidelines about when to go to the emergency room. Follow this rule: Call 911 if your breathing continues to be difficult after using your rescue inhaler, or if it doesn’t improve after following your doctor’s instructions. Always carry your doctor’s phone number and other emergency numbers; add them to the contact list on your mobile phone.

Don’t let asthma get the best of you. Your action plan is key to staying prepared so you can keep doing what you love.