Newbie - Had a cold now left wheezy and coughing - What to do?

I've had asthma symptoms for 12 months now, but was only 'officially' diagnosed this summer. I've had a cold for the last 10 days which is pretty much gone now BUT its left me with a dreadful wheeze and morning and evening coughing fits and during the day too, to be honest

I always take my brown inhaler regularly morning and night and for the most part don't need to use my ventolin however over the last three/four days all i seem to be doing is reaching for my ventolin to relieve my symptons. A colleague told me I should have an Asthma 'nurse' at the doctors surgery so I called and asked them today - I can have an appointment - on the 4th January!!!!!! REALLY!!

Can anyone advise me on whether I can 'up' using my brown inhaler? will it help? will it do damage? or should i see a doctor? or use my ventolin until i feel better.

Any advice would be gratefully received.

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Steiff bear, hello & first of all welcome back to the forum. You can generally find the answer to any asthma related question here somewhere as there is people with mild through to some with very difficult asthma.

Please do go back to be seen as no-one can assess you properly on here or give proper medical advice on upping your steroid inhaler or ventolin use. Watch out for the 'sally shakes' if you are using more than usual as it give fine tremors in your hands etc esp. noticeable with a drink in hand I find.

There is useful info across the green menu bar at the top of all the AUK pages & particularly 'All about asthma'.

Also, do you have a peak flow meter - can be prescribed like the spacer or an action plan if you have not seen an asthma nurse at your GP practice? Nurses generally have more time and in my experience will be more willing to complete an action plan for you.

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Thank you - yes i have a peak flow measure - i used to use it daily but as I've had things so controlled I stopped! i used it yesterday just to check and the reading wasn't desperately low but lower than my best by about 150, so a definite difference.

I have been looking at the site and do find it very useful - I guess I just want to get some relief without visiting the doctor as I worry they may think I'm being a bit of a wuss! I know i should have a plan in place for these situations but haven't got one as I've not seen a nurse.

Maybe I should just 'bite the bullet' and try get an appointment tomorrow

[Lil_tinx66]

Definatley make an appointment you've nothing to loose by seeing someone. They will be able to give you the best advice! You will prob see alOt of people talking about doubling preventers but this is something they have been advised as part of an action plan by there doctor it might not slays be right for everyone !

In my area the general wait to be seen at asthma clinic/asthma nurse ranges from four to six weeks due to high demand so fourth of January doesn't seem to bad. Definatley make the appointment for the asthma nurse as it s there Speciality so they will be able to get you sorted on an action plan and check your on the best treatment! When your asthma is bad or symptomatic like u describe now just make a routine gp appointment and they can help you

My advice is it's always better to be over cautious then hold on till it's too late

I had a similar experience had a week long cough cold all seemed to go away left wheezy so I waited because I had clinic at the begging of the next week where they changed Mesa to help me , six weeks later still coughing wheezy and experiencing shortness of breath made routine drs appointment and given additional medication! Which helped alot !

Therefore if your unsure always play safe and keep trying you get there the help you need if your resistant !

Best of luck hope you find the forum usefull

Also worth noting if u want advice and your unsure asthma uk advice line in top left corner red box are brilliant

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Saw the doctor - yep! needed steroid tablets, hoping they kick in quick and make me feel better.

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Hi steiffbear, glad you managed to get your steroids as you can see from my post, doubling my preventer did nothing for me even being told to do so by a GP.. I know how you feel though I have never felt to bad in my life and just want it to get better. Hope your medication kicks in soon, as I do mine xxxx

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i had symptoms for a year then got sent to a consultant, then given a brown n blue inhaler and told next appointment in 6 months to review !!!

i became so unwell that i contacted the hospital and asked to be seen again, then was told to see an asthma nurse, i also sent for various leaflets from this site because even though i am a nurse i just have basic training about asthma and never been one myself so needed in depth info. the asthma nurse gave me a leaflet with a plan on and this tell me if i m unwell when and for how long to take increase dose of the preventer, really i do believe if you persist and go back to GP and say how much you needing ventolin and you need to see asthma nurse sooner, remember shy bairns get nowt lol the more you persist you should get a result, after all you are trying to have a plan in place to get better rather than get worse and end up in hospital

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An update

what a few weeks! a cold - asthma symptons worsened. then Sinusitis - anti-biotics thought i was better but no.....

Asthma symptons returned with a vengence, ended up yesterday going to see GP, given nebuliser at the surgery then sent home with it to use, more steroids. Feeling pretty rotten to be honest.

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Not good Steiffbear & hope you feel better soon. I haven't had a nebuliser but from what others on here say, please make sure you know when/how often you should use it before getting help and don't depend on it too much. It does seem surprising that your GP gave you one to use at home in such circumstances as many people have them at home for help while waiting for an ambulance or to keep out of hospital all the time. I'm sure others can correct me or give more info if needed.