Is this normal???

[Cakelady70]

Hi,

Thanks for taking the time to read this post.

I'm a newly diagnosed asthmatic with hypersensitivity. The main triggers seem to be dust from building works and cold air from the ferrocious air con at work. I'm usually on 400mcg twice a day of budesonide, 120mg fexofenadine, 30mg lansoprazole and as required ventolin. Helpful GP changed the budesonide to Clenil last week but I couldn't get on with it (kept making me cough when I used it - ???how much went down) so Tues morning changed it back to the budesonide.

On Tues I had an asthma attack driving back to work, pulled over in pub car park,used 8 puffs of ventolin back to back still felt tight, still coughing, still SOB. Phoned NHS direct. Lovely pub staff heard from man who gave me post code I wasn't well and came out. Nurse kept saying I didn't sound wheezy and she'd phone my GP and get him to call me to give advice. He rang me - said I didn't sound wheezy down the phone and to go home and take peak flows. No advice of course what to do once I took them! Symptoms subsided a bit once I 'd rested for a couple of hours but when I got up next morning peak flows had dropped again to 350 (best 470). Took ventolin, came back up. Took it easy for rest of day but kept getting SOB when walking round the flat. Ended up very SOB so called NHS direct (this is what our GP message says to do) who sent me to out of hours GP who stuck me straight on nebuliser. Next morning PKF dropped again - took inhaler and made appointment at GP for that morning. Now on 6 puffs salbutamol 6 times a day and told to ween off slowly as I feel better. I'm still SOB when getting ready etc. Any idea how long i should stay doing this for before I go back or what I can do to speed up the recovery? I really need to get back to work as I've had so much time off this year before Drs worked out it was asthma they've made me an occ health dr appointment next week. Help!

What do you guys normally do if you've used inhaler and don't feel like you've got relief? I'd asked GP for asthma plan last week but he said just come to him which doesn't help out of hours!

Thanks again for reading the ramblings of the uninformed!

Kx

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If your reliever inhaler is not working you really should be going to AnE. We cannot see you and therefore know how bad you are. Please see a doctor asap.

[Cakelady70]

Thanks Clare will do if things get any worse. Just done PKF adn seem to be coming up again.

[Hidden]

Hi,

Firstly I'd say you sound like you don't have control of your asthma at the moment, and need to go back to your GP or asthma nurse.

Secondly, if ever your ventolin doesn't help, and you're struggling to breath, call 999 and get an ambulance, no messing around.

You are supposed to have a check-up with your GP or asthma nurse within 48 hours of having an asthma attack, so that you can be assessed and decide if you need your medication reviewed.

This link - take control of your asthma tinyurl.com/yl54aob may answer a few questions.

This is a action plan to fill in - tinyurl.com/ykn9mdk or bit more of a friendly version but american tinyurl.com/ylag3eb and a bit of useful info here tinyurl.com/yhnuy7t

One final link, Http://tinyurl.com/yh4motb detailing the steps to gain control.