also wanted to ask....

also wanted to ask....i have read as much as i can to try and understand what i can do to try and prevent attacks but there are some things that i need an asthmatic to tell me as im bit confused. i hate hate hate hospitals as i have other health problems and feel like im constantly visiting different consultants so with my asthma i only go in when i cant get my it under control. the last time i was in a n e the doc said im managing too many at home and that i should go in more, yesterday i asked my gp when i should go in as im not 100% sure and he said well when you have trouble breathing...thats good advice but if i did this i would be in a number of times a week at time and would this not waste their time? so what i wanted to ask is at what point do other asthmatics decide they need to go to hospital? when i feel my chest getting heavy, or i am wheezing and cant get a good breath in and out etc i hammer my inhalers until i feel better, this can take anything from 5 mins to an hour or so to get under control -or should i go in at the start? yep i know this is sounding stupid but i honestly still dont know as ive never seen anyone else have an attack x

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hi there, i can't offer any advice but would be interested in the replies. I.m lucky as i've only just been diagnosed and have never had a bad attack, i've had a few where its taken a fair few puffs and some time before things have settled down but never to the stage i've been particularly worried. To be honest esp as i don't wheeze, i probably look fine except i.m breathing more and faster. So i wonder if i'd know when it was time to get some help if i were to have a bad attack. I've never seen anyone have an asthma attack except on tv which i don't for a minute think is realistic. Hope we get some advice!

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We have always been told to go to A&E if there is little relief after 10 puffs of ventolin with a spacer or if needing 10 puffs more than every 4 hours. I think this is standard practice although many peoPle who regularly need large doses of ventolin to keep their under some sort if control will generally have their own plan to follow.

Hop this helps.

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Sorry sent it from my phone and the keypad is not very big!

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Hi Jay39

The standard asthma attack advice would be

2 puffs of ventolin (blue) and wait five minutes

if no relief 2 more puffs of ventolin (blue)

wait one minute

if no relief one puff per minute

and if still no relief after five minutes of this

Ring GP, out of hours, 999 or go to a and e.

Remember medical people prefer to see a recovering asthma rather than a very poorly one!

Never feel like you are wasting your time and if you are needing to go very regualr then it would suggest you are not very well controlled and that you need more medical help anyway.

Hope that is of some help.

Plumie

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When does your consultant/resp nurse say you should go in? Have they drawn you up a proper action plan?

I think I maybe guilty of struggling a bit too much at home! Spent last night on the chest ward and got looks when I said I had had 30 puffs that day (from getting up to going in just after lunch).

I am similar to Koolkat that if puffs though a spacer do not produce improvement to a ""copeable"" level I will go and get advice. Also if I just feel exhausted I will go to the GP for a neb (though they wouldn't let me yesterday- but turns out they were right!).

I would also say if I am further away from hospital I would be more cautious. Are you friends and family good objective observers?

Bryony

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Hi

It appears I'm not the only one with doubts on this. I've literally been at home struggling for days because I was too worried about annoyng the Dr or hospital again. I've got an appointment with my nurse next week and I hope to sit down with her and devise an 'action plan' to monitor my condition at home. That way I can take perspective on things and take any appropriate action according to my symtoms/PF etc.

You can always request a copy of an 'asthma action plan' leaflet via this website. You can do this by looking under 'all about asthma', following the link to publications. I've ordered one and will take this to my appt next week. It's a blank form, so you will need to complete this with your nurse or Dr.

Gareth

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cheers all, feel a bit better now n will try to count the inhaler puffs in future cos to be honest i dont count them just take them until i feel better. just come upstairs n feel like im about 90! the 'asthma plan'-(ha) that i was told about a few years ago didnt have anything like that, just come in to a n e if no relief. the arras nurses are great as is my asthma nurse(who is very difficult to get an appointment with) and my gps are good but i feel like a pain in the bum cos it never seems to settle for very long...on a positive note i havent had a chest infection for quite a while so fingers crossed x