A newbie needing to get things off of his chest

I am new to the forum and am finding it very beneficial.

I have had asthma since my early teens but by and large have always managed to control it pretty well. I have only been hospitalised a handful of times and luckily my stays were only short.

Everything was going pretty well until Novemeber when I picked up yet another chest infection (God knows how many of those I have had over the last year or so). As soons as the steroids and antibiotics kick in I seem to start recovering but as soon as the course is complete I seem to pick up yet another chest infection. I don't think that I have a good nights sleep in three months, I am piling weight on (I was hardly slim before hand), I am getting stressed out at work, I can't stop coughing and wheezing, I am always out of breath, my nebuliser on the verge of melt down, I am no fun to live with at the moment and things aren't good at work at the moment and I have to try and keep going in. On top of that I am now suffering from a bad cold.

Everyting just seems to be a viscious circle and I am struggling, I would not say that I am depressed but I am certainly very down at the moment.

I am struggling to find somebody to talk to about everything, my wife tries to understand but she is not in the best of health herself, neither are my parents who I don't want to worry with my problems, friends have been good but I don't want to keep moaning about my health to them as I amsure that they are getting fed up with me and work is not good and people are worried about their jobs and so don't need to hear about me.

I seem unable to see the same GP two visits running and so I have no continuity there and the asthma nurse has changed three times in the past year.

I was starting to feel alone and isolated but in a strange sick kind of way it is good to hear about everybody elses problems and realise that I am not alone and in fact nowhere near as bad a condition as many others on here.

This forum appears to be great for advise and sharing along with getting things off your chest (no pun) intended.

I actually just feel a little better for sharing me feelings, sorry that my first post is a bit depressing, I will try and make my future posts a little more positive.

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Hi yorkyiron,

sorry to hear you're having a rough time. I only logged in here myself a few weeks ago and got things off my chest and the support here is just brilliant!

I know where you're coming from with the moans and groans and feeling down. It's a nightmare getting sorted and chest infections take it out of you. Just been there myself and at the tail end of it but still not 100%. sleepless nights are horrible and probably one of the tributers to feeling down.

I don't know how to help you really but have you considered changing your gp if you're not happy there? Having an understanding health professional on your side makes you recover quicker and feeling better!

I find a good asthma nurse better than any gp, they seen to have more understanding and are better listeners( in my case).

Once you're back in control you get happy again and life gets easier at home and at work.

Sorry I can't be more helpful, but at least you know you're not alone and there's always people here to listen and help.

Take care

love Lydia x

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Hi and Welcome

Welcome to the pages. This is where we all get things off our chests. Sometimes we need an answer and sometimes its just good to get it all down on 'paper' even if sometimes, and I put my hand up to this one, it comes out a bit all over the place. Its like that joke of playing all the right notes but not necessarily in the right order. But the folks on here are used to that and will usually pick out the relevant points. We have broad shoulders here, so do feel free to make much use of them.

Can understand frustrations on continually changing nurses and GPs that don't listen and oh! everything in your letter will strike a chord with most folk. My GPs don't listen - see my posts - and you never get the same one twice. Pat on the back for Asthma nurse in Jan 10, who wondered how I'd fallen through the net for so long, as apparently obvious I'd had asthma for some time but just not picked up. She is excellent.

Wishing you a long and happy association with our forums. Feel free to rant on our Rant and Moan thread or ask why on our Why thread. Both of these are in the Off-topic section. If no-one has posted for a wee while, you may have to do a search on a keyword or do a trawl through the off-topic section to find them.

Hoping you find friends here. Feel free to PM me.

GM

Edit: spelling mistake.

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Hi There,

I am so sorry to hear you're having a tough time just now but I'm also glad you found this forum. It's a great place to off-load whatever is bothering you. You no the old saying a problem shared is a problem halved. Sometimes all we need to do is share how we are feeling and we immediately fel a bit better, also on here peple know what you're talking about and know your fears. Some may have had the same ones themselves. It's all about people helping people and that's not a bad thing. Stick around and you'll soon be very much a part of the AUK family. WELCOME. LIZ x x

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Hi all I can say is to have a moan and a rant. It really does help. My asthma been chaotic for last 3 years despite trying all the meds available and It affected my mood not depressed but Down since October. Xmas was the worse Just now started to talk about it wie family and friends. I agree with u didn't want to burden with my woes. This site helped a lot by providing support but most of all some laughter ESP from granny mo and friends. Feel free to chat any time. A little trick I found wie gp is to make an appoinent with the same dr for 2 weeks before leaving the surgery and cancel if not needed.