Wheeze as a new symptom

Is it normal/have others developed new asthma symptoms seemingly out of the blue? I was diagnosed with asthma when I was 11 and it has been very severe particularly in the last year but in all that time except for one occasion in hospital when I was very poorly, I have never wheezed.

However, I have now developed a very audible wheeze (alongside my 'usual' symptoms including low PF). It's only come on in the last few days and I spent this morning with my GP/practice nurse because I was so breathless and concerned about my symptoms. I didn't even have to tell the GP why I was there - she could hear the wheeze and mentioned it before I said anything so it's back to the same old really close monitoring, camping at the GP surgery and instructions on when to go to A&E.

The only thing that has changed is that I've just had a very stressful week looking after a family member and I've been living in a damp, cold, mouldy cottage. I can understand that that would all trigger my asthma, but would it trigger an entirely new symptom?

Could this wheeze be a temporary symptom and can I expect to go back to my 'usual' presentation? Trying to think positively, at least I now have the expected asthma symptom and might be taken seriously by people who don't understand asthma.

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I keep saying it but it still holds true it is spore season and it is picking off asthmatics like flies, be careful and if you get worse please go in.

Bex

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Hi Ratty,

I've never really wheezed either. In my teens I used to cough constantly, but since I never wheezed I also had a hard time with people not believing it was asthma.

Since I'm older, I wheeze now and again, but it's still the exception rather than the rule for me.

Hope you're feeling better soon,

Natasha.

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I have gained a new wheeze for the spore season(never normally wheeze), i think bex is right it is the season it is knocking all us asthmatics flying!

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Thanks for your replies. I think spores may be the cause or a contributory factor. My consultant is currently testing for this. I'm just finding it odd having a wheeze after so long without.

Just to reassure you all, if things get bad, I'll definitely get help sooner rather than later.

[yaf_user681_30003]

Non-wheezer here too, but, just a fortnight ago, my GP was hovering on whether to admit me for the first time since being diagnosed 2 or 3 years ago. Huge respiratory infection. Highest doses of everythng that I have ever been on and, yes.....the wheeze from deep down.

I go with the spores theory, Bex, but is this year far worse than recent years? It seems to me that there are significantly more reports of problems from AUK folk this year than I have seen before.

Alan

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I'm glad I'm not the only one who has a hard time convincing people you are breathless if you are not wheezing. Everytime I seem to go to the doctors they say you must be fine because you are not wheezing but what I get is a dry cough and breathlessness and sharp pains in my chest but because they can't hear a wheeze they think you are fine! I agree with the spore season theory, everyone seems to be worse, If it's not one thing though it's the other. Even my mum can't understand why I can't go near dogs, cats and any other animal now when I used to be fine before. All the doctors do is give me more painkillers but I try not to take them because I don't want my liver and kidneys to pack up as well as everything else!

Helen

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Some research person out there really needs to do some research in to asthmatics that dont wheeze and come up with a report and theroy behind it and give it to all medical people world wide. Because there are so many people that dont wheeze yet they still have problems breathing. Else asthma should be re named as a syndrome as it has different symptoms. It is not one symptom fits all!

Can asthma uk ask for the research to be done in to asthma without a wheeze?

[yaf_user681_30003]

I have had a theory on this for some time. It is what I call my ""balloon theory"".

For those that can (and please, please do not if you really can not or should not - get someone else to do it for you), blow up a balloon and do that silly thing were you then pull the neck taught and let the expelling air make a squeaking (or other) noise. Adjust the amount you stretch the ballon just slightly and I bet you can get it to let the same amount of air out without making a single noise. Just like asthma, the restriction is still there, but it is silent.

If someone goes with Plumie's research suggestion, which I would really encourage someone to, I hope this is taken into account. I am sure it is extremely relevant.

Alan

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When I developed asthma thirteen years ago I didn't have a wheeze, just breathlessness and a cough. It was only when my asthma evolved to the severe stage that I would wheeze, usually just after an attack, and now that my asthma is brittle I wheeze all the time. I sound a bit like a steam engine with leaking valves! :oD