Breathe easy

Both the ordinary inhalers are safe to use during pregnancy. But you should consult your doctor if you're using a long-acting 'reliever' inhaler (salmeterol or eformoterol).

The medication you're prescribed should start to help within four weeks. If not, it could be because you're taking the wrong drugs, or too low a dosage - or it could mean you don't have asthma after all. If this happens, ask for further tests or a referral to a specialist.

Alternative treatments
Medication isn't the only option. Buteyko practitioners teach a form of breath control that they claim can treat asthma, though orthodox practitioners warn that it's safest to use any complementary therapy alongside (not instead of) conventional treatment.

There's further hope in sight, too. Researchers at the University of Southampton are working on a vaccine using a bacterium called Mycobacterium vaccae, and it's hoped that this could get the immune system working properly again.

Meanwhile Sue Mercer says, 'A lot of people live with a degree of coughing or wheezing because they think they have to - but they don't. For the vast majority of people, the right level of treatment should keep them symptom-free.'

Further help can be found at:

• National Asthma Campaign helpline 0847 010203, Mondays to Fridays, 9am to 7pm and www.asthma.org.uk
  
• Buteyko Breathing Association 01277 362 037