Hi everyone,

I wanted to share my experience and see if anyone else has gone through something similar.

I moved to Beijing about 8 months ago for work. I’m originally from a small town with clean air and never had any respiratory problems before. But within a few weeks of living here, I started coughing constantly, felt tightness in my chest, and got out of breath just walking short distances.

At first, I thought it was just me adjusting to the smog, but things got worse—especially on high pollution days. I finally went to a doctor, and they diagnosed me with asthma triggered by air pollution. I honestly didn’t expect this at all. I’m in my late 20s, never smoked, relatively healthy lifestyle.

Now I have to use an inhaler almost daily and avoid going out when the AQI is bad (which is often). I’ve bought an air purifier for my apartment and wear an N95 mask outside, but it still feels like a constant struggle.

Is anyone else dealing with this? How do you manage? Has anyone’s asthma actually improved after leaving China or finding ways to cope better?

Would love to hear your stories or any tips. It’s been a tough adjustment, physically and mentally.

Thanks 🙏