Just not right?

Had asthma quite badly recently. It is now generally under control using Seretide, but have come down with a virus and chest just doesn't feel right. I have stopped sleeping and peak flow is down, but actual cough isn't too bad. Problem is that no one knows what causes my asthma and if I can't catch it in time it spirals out of control and takes weeks to recover from. Nurse told me to double my meds and start steriods which I have done, but feel a bit of a fraud as not really coughing or wheezing much. Does anyone else get like this? It has been mentioned as brittle asthma, but I know a lot of you have this and your symptoms are a lot more severe than mine. I just have no idea when mine will get worse!

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Hiya

I've never been mentioned as Brittle myself but i know there are two types of it one and two and the brittle type two can mean that you never know when your going to good or bad. Maybe this is what has been implied?

This happens to me too, and I've never gotten to the bottom of any cause or trigger for mine I just tend to go off whenever my chest feels like. It too takes me a while to get back to normal and can be difficult to avoid as I don't know what to avoid do i? lol

I also take Singulair too to help control my Asthma but again it helps in general but ive still not found any causes.

I have a little plan of what to do when my Asthma decides it wants to play me up agreed between me and my GP and how much reliever to use etc and if this fails, then I go back to see if the Dr can find anything and he tells me what to do from there. Maybe this might be an idea so you're not going to to the Docs and ringing up all the time, each time you get bad and dont know why, i went through a phase of this and both me and my boyfriend found it tiring and frustrating as every time i went i didnt get any closer to the cause. Although the Dr. wanted to wait a while before we did this as he wanted to be 100% that there was definately no identifiable cause and that i could handle it on my own, in case i ended up just treating the symptoms and not getting to the bottom of it kinda thing. This is only what worked for me, other than i suppose you can only try to avoid anything you think might set you off, not an easy one when you dont have a clue i know!!

Take care and I hope you're back to yourself soon!

Claire x

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Poor You

Hi There

I know how frustrated you feel. My asthma has been doing its own thing for quite some time now. Like you getting a cold is a nightmare. I hadn't realised that I was actually prone to chest infections. I had actually had one for over 4 years which was spotted by after changing my GP 18 months ago. I was delighted that the new GP took my enquiries seriously and I am now seeing the light at the end of the tunnel - thanks to the GP referring me to a chest physician. I have been taking seretide now for nearly 4 years and I get on with it really well and alongide this I take singulair. Thankfully my GP (or the chest physician) is happy to see me when I get a cold just o check there is no infection. I do cough alot and get wheezy. I did have tests for allergies to discover that I have non allergy based asthma.

Sadly when we asthmatics get colds it does cause numerous extra problems, but keep smiling you will get there in the end!

You are not alone, there are many like you and I out there battling away with awful disease. I, however, am determined not to let it get me down! I would be interested in knowing what the nurse meant by brittle asthma though. If you know could you let me know.

Mail back if you want to chat some more. Take care.

Judi