Appointment blues

Sorry, bit of a moan, just wanted to let off steam a bit!

Just FINALLY had appointment letter after waiting 4 weeks from first trying to book, and it's on 31st March.

They have had a lot of trouble trying to book so guess it's not too bad, just frustrating because I've already been waiting a while and it's not getting any better, in fact feels like I'm coughing more and having more SOB and it's making me tired now (finding it hard to concentrate at work). I know I'm definitely not the worst off on here so sorry for bit of a moan!

I have no reliever as they've been tried and don't work, was waiting for this appt to try something that does. Is it worth going back to my GP though and asking if there's anything else at all I can try? Actually I have emailed the asthma nurses on here and they said I should call them, so maybe they'll have some ideas.

Just wanted to let it out really, I hate waiting and not being able to do anything!

Hope everyone is doing ok/not too badly.

xx

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Hi there, I am thinking of you. So sorry you are struggling & the waiting doesn't help things does it? I waited a while to see the consultant & it seemed so long. I agree that you should ring the asthma nurses to see what they suggest, I hope there is something that can be done to help you whilst you are waiting for that appt. Take care for now & please let us know how you get on.

S.Mama

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I know how you feel, the waiting is just so frustrating. I know I've felt like my life has been on hold waiting for my appointment to roll around, especially as my GP is out of ideas.

I probably would go and see my GP again if I was in your shoes, as it's a very long time to wait without any kind of reliever. If you don't mind me asking, what relievers have you tried? I only ask as I struggle with the spray type inhalers because of the propellants in them, I get on much better with the dry powder devices. I think you probably would benefit from a chat with the asthma nurses, they're always really helpful and may be able to advise you on reliever options.

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Thanks for your replies and sympathy! Last time I was referred it was 3 weeks from GP appt to hospital appt and I wasn't nearly as bad, am beginning to think I was just really lucky then (different trust too), or maybe was more of an unknown quantity (they did some heart tests so possibly were worried about that too back then).

Glad I'm not the only person who feels like the appt is massively important, I was beginning to wonder if I was blowing it out of proportion every time I came home and still no letter! When is yours, Nimueh? I saw your post asking about 1st appt, but can't help very much as it sounds like yours is with the asthma clinic and my last one (and this one coming up) is with general respiratory as no-one is ever sure if I really have asthma or not. From what other people have said I think there may be a difference with the 1st appt.

I've tried Ventolin and Clenil, with a spacer. Serevent Accuhaler added to that, then taken off those and put on Symbicort and Bricanyl for a bit, both powder - so I reckon whatever it is, it's not the method of delivery! Really hope they can get onto something straight away when my appt finally comes. I'm definitely going to ring the asthma nurses here when I can (they work when I do) as over a month just seems too long with nothing.

xx

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My appointment's on 3rd March, I'll have been waiting 6 weeks when I go. It just says ""chest clinic"" on my letter, so I don't think it is necessarily an asthma specialist that I'll see. Could you try ringing the hospital to see if you can get a cancellation or something?

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Arggh the wait - glad yours is finally coming round and good luck! I guess it's the same as mine then, says 'chest clinic' and I seem to have a general resp. consultant. I hope she has better ideas than the last one, who to be fair was thorough but also didn't solve the problem - came up with 'hyperventilation plus post-infective cough, can't be asthma as your peak flow/lung function are good', even though every time I described my symptoms he got me to do a PF as it sounded like asthma!

I might ask the nurses here about cancellation when I talk to them, sounds like the dept are pretty stretched though and I've rung them several times already just trying to get it sorted, so any cancellations may get snapped up before they contact anyone (plus they're probably sick of me by now and will pretend not to be there when I ring because I kept ringing them! ;))