Asthma newbie - Konstant Koff.

Hello

I'm Jen, and I'm 33 years old.

As I put in the subject line, I'm an Asthma newbie, only having the diagnosis confirmed today, and my main problem is a continual coughing (known to friends as my 'konstant koff').

My problems started in November of last year, when I started coughing loudly and harshly on waking, sometimes until I threw up. I sound, apparently, like an old miner or someone on 60-a-day. At night I would experience similar coughing, and a feeling that my pj top was too tight across my front, or too tight at the throat. I also have problems when walking - shortness of breath, pain in my back and chest, coughing until vomiting, nose running, and a general sort of fatigue. My blood pressure in November was extremely high, although the reliever inhaler seems to have helped to bring that down - I assume it was a result of the shortness of breath.

I've had diabetes since I was two years old, and to be honest I was expecting a diagnosis of heart trouble or problems with the Vagus nerve, so for it to be Asthma has come as a bit of a shock.

Did anyone else here have these symptoms before diagnosis? I won't ask if they're normal, since in IDD there is no normal anyway :). But are they not unusual enough to make Asthma a reasonable diagnosis? And seriously, with these symptoms, what's good health, and what should I do now?

Sorry for the neverending post.

Thank you

Jen

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Hey!

Welcome!

Firstly your symptoms sound pretty 'normal' for asthma, you say that you have a brown and a blue inhaler in your profile. I was just wondering if you still have all these symptoms and how oftern you need to use your inhaler? The idea is that your asthma should be fully controled so that you have no symptoms! So you may need some extra medication eg a green inhaler servent, to help control your symptoms.

Hope some of this helps

ally

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Thank you for replying.

I've been using the brown inhaler for a fortnight, and it has made a difference to my coughing/breathing. The nurse said that the improvement it caused in my peak flow confirmed that I do have asthma.

Despite the rise in peak flows (from 250-190 to 350-250), I still have some problems with coughing - in fact I woke this morning with it and feel pretty rough 16 hours later - but I'm still pretty clueless about when I need to use the blue reliever. Should I use it every time I start with the koffkoff? Or only when I feel unwell with it?

As I said, I've not long had these problems, so hopefully I'll be better controlled once I've been on the brown ones a while.

I've been reading the forums here most of the day, and I think I've learnt a bit from that, so thank you everyone :).

Jen

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Hi Jen,

Your symptoms were mostly my symptoms. That cough!!

I used to get so fed up with the cheery comments from even strangers about giving up the 60 a day habit - that one made me mad cos I've never smoked in my life. Then the ones about working down the pits/up chimneys, etc, etc. As soon as my husbands work phone rang, I was off to the other end of the house with my cough starting up again.

Even my wee granddaughter imitated Grannie's cough.

Getting the hang of this brown inhaler twice a day is the key. With the blue one for fill in if your chest gets tight or other symptoms come along.

I felt a bit rough too, the first couple of weeks till it all settled down.

Best wishes. xx

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hey!

You should use your inhaler whenever you feel youself struggaling... eg. if you have a coughing fit, your chest becomes to feel tight or your breathless. If for any reason your inhalers not working then you should contact emergancy help asap. Have you got another appointment with your asthma nurse? If not then in another week or two if your still coughing, you could make an appointment either with the asthma nurse of GP to discuss if you need some further medication.

I hope you feel much better soon! - and you can control your symptoms effectively.

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I think I'm seeing a bit of a light dawning now. I was given the blue inhaler to start with, two in the morning, at night, or before exercise; then changed to the brown with the blue as as extra. My sister has another type of asthma and she uses a blue at night only, so I've been really only using mine in the morning and at night with the brown *Slaps hand to forehead*. I really wasn't told what I should be watching out for - should have asked at the time I suppose, lol.

Ally, the nurse told me to come back in six months, or sooner if I needed anything. If I'm still coughing in the morning in a fortnight, perhaps I'll go back and ask if I can do three brown puffs at a time.

Mo: Yes I know exactly what you mean, although I can clear a nice space around me on the bus :). I haven't got grandchildren, but it was my sister that made me turn to the docs by complaining that I woke her up with my disguisting cough, lol. She started the whole ""Konstant koff"" series of witty remarks. If people ask me if I smoke I say ""no, just practicing"". It at least keeps them quiet while they back slowly away :)). Hope that you're feeling well at the moment.

Thank you both for the info.

Jen

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Ahh this is familliar. I have a constant noisy croup-ish cough that people still get shocked by. The best thing you can do is keep an eye on it and take your blue inhaler when you need it.