Hi doctor,
I wanted to ask about asthma, my risk of developing it, and if there is anything I can do to prevent it. I have a history of chronic rhinitis with nasal polyps, which I have had for the past 13 years. It is managed with intranasal steroids and antihistamines. My blood eosinophil count was 500.00 /µL; on a routine blood test, the doctor said it was probably on the high side due to the rhinitis. I have still not established a cause for the rhinitis. All allergy skin blood tests have been negative, and I cannot identify a specific trigger, even though antihistamines help. I have perhaps noticed a worsening of symptoms when it rains. I consulted with an ENT doctor (as my nasal symptoms are becoming harder to control), who confirmed small polyps via endoscopy but based on the sinus computed tomography (CT) scan, he decided that I did not need surgery. I worry about developing asthma (particularly eosinophilic asthma, the severe type as I have read that most people with rhinitis, particularly polyps with high eosinophil count, develop asthma too, which tends to be severe. I enjoy running and extensive exercise and know that severe asthma can greatly impact the ability to exercise. I also have a family history and my father has had adult-onset asthma (mild-moderate severity) with polyps though his rhinitis is not as chronic as mine. I attended my doctor several months ago as I was feeling short of breath following a covid infection. A chest X-ray was normal. However, my peak flow was low (300 as it always has been), and I trialed a steroid inhaler for a month which did not improve peak flow or symptoms. Therefore my doctor did not do further tests for asthma and instead referred me to the long COVID-19 clinic. Given the above risk factors, I was wondering how likely this is to progress to asthma and if I can do anything to prevent it. I am trying to manage my rhinitis the best I can but worry about it progressing to asthma due to my nose's severity or level of inflammation. I have not had any chest symptoms yet, but I am scared that as I am at high risk for developing asthma, it will suddenly start any day. I have read that asthma attacks can come on very suddenly and be fatal. As I live in a cold environment, I thought about moving to a drier climate, but would this be a bit excessive if it will not make that much difference?