coughing

Just wondering if my cough is just a cold and need a cough med and my chest is inflamed and breathing a little down.

Or is it my asthma playing up.

I Rang the docs up as wasn't sure if needed to put my action plan in to motion and the new nurse came on to the phone who ive never seen.

She asked me what I was taking for my asthma and before I could tell her everything she said use my reliever and my beclazone m/n.

I know people can't advise me on anything but as I am new to asthma this year,have had a severe chest infection and ended up in AnE with breathing problems recently and two hospital admissions this year.

This is my first bad cough and dont want let my breathing get bad.

So what I would like to know is how to tell one from the other?

OR just put my action plan it to action or get in see doc . Thanks Glynis xxx

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Hi Glynis,

It's hard to say actually, but once you get to know your asthma it does become easier to work out. Does using your blue inhaler help? I don't usually cough (*and colds are a trigger), so for me it would probably be asthma. Could try phoning the asthma nurse on the Adviceline.

Hope you start feeling better soon,

Ginny

* Edited in brackets

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I would start taking your reliever whenever you feel breathless or after bad coughing fit

It could be the start of a cold or event he cold air itself triggering an asthma cough. I get a cough a lot with asthma. Maybe start taking some cold medicines alongside using your asthma medication and see if this helps.

If it doesn't or if your breathing gets worse or you start to cough anything up or get bad pain go to your doctor right away incase its another chest infection

I'm just going by what I would do though as i get a lor of similar problems, get a cough a lot and have lots of infections through winter. Maybe your just going to be a bit like me and take chest infections a lot in the winter, which exacerbates your asthma

Hope you feel better soon x

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thankyou Ginny and Pam Pam.

Got my Asthma plan in action with increased meds and cough lintus and spoke to nurse.

Got get in see GP monday if no improvement xxxx

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Is everyone supposed to have an action plan for times of flare up?

I dont have one but to be honest my surgery as a whole dont really take asthma very seriously and i feel like I need to fight to even see anyone when I flare up

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PamPam, you can order an action plan on the AUK website. I don't have a plan but my GP has told me what to do.

tinyurl.com/y89wsb9

(asthma.org.uk/all_about_ast...

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hi Pam Pam,

yes action plans are set up between you and your GP or consultant,so when you start to have symptoms you know what to do and what to take if get worse but if that doesn't help call GP as meds might need changing and 999 if really bad.

Just put mine in to action as the last 3/4 days have got worse and coughing and lungs inflamed and breathing down.Then got see DOC monday if not settling or out of hours DOC if need help before xx

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Think I'm just getting a bit confused lol

My nurse has always told me to just up my ventolin when I get a flare up and maybe my symbicort but if i feel worse or need steroids i always need to go into the doc and its a fight to get anything sometimes. If theres no wheeze or crackle from an infection most of them just continually send me away.