Chest Infections in relation to Asthma attacks

I've had chest infections before but not as bad as this and am worried. I've been doctors today and he's put me on antibiotics and pred amoungst what i usually take. I've still got my really tight chest and shortness of breath. My blue inhaler helps but only for a short while. What shall i do? x

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Hi

This is difficult as we can't see you or know how you are, so best advice is if you are struggling to breath or any other asthma symptoms are severe enough for you to worry about, then go to A&E, call NHS direct etc, better to be safe than sorry.

If you have a spacer, you can try using that with your ventolin as form of neb, really good. Put several puffs (upto 10) into the spacer and breath that in, really worth knowing and using if you get in trouble.

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aw thanks. wish i had a spacer cuz i dont! feel little better today but not long been up so time will tell x

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I don't know what inhaled steroid (ICS) you have, but if it's compatible with a spacer you would be better getting one and using it with that daily as well . You can ask your GP for the volumatic on prescription, or can buy them online cheaper (google volumatic). They are shown to increase the effectiveness of the inhaled steroid, and also helps reduce the sore throat if you get that. The other point is that at certain levels of ICS use, which during colds when you double up, you are usually at or near the level where you are supposed to use a spacer, last winter was my first with asthma, and a GP increased my ICS to a dose that required a spacer, but never told me and I found that out for myself and bought the spacer, I now use it all year long regardless, GP and asthma nurse knows that.

sellesmedical.co.uk/store/p... delivery pushes the price up you get the idea. I bought two and a few other items, delivery doesn't see so bad then.

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aw thnq woody sum i will consider it. i get free ish prescriptions. i do a prepay thing so costs me way less. think i've bankrupt them cuz av had that many prescriptions in last few months lol x

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nothing wrong with making use of the pre-pay certificate, that's what they're for and if they save you money in the long run, good luck, hopefully one day asthma will be on the list of conditions entitled to free prescriptions.

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yeh hopefully! save us all a lot of money too x