Chest xrays

hi how many chest xray's can a person have in a year i've been asked to have one done again by my gp. Its now the second one i'm doing but I'm not sure if it just another stab in the dark from my gp to find a method to control my temperamental asthma.

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i didnt know there was a limit for chest x-rays. i would have thought even if there is an upper limit, if the doc thinks it is needed then its best to get one done to see whats going on. ive had a couple this year but last years the count was much higher.

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hi,

long story cut short my gp's are a little over ambitious and are making my asthma worse by just not listening to me! Its currently my visiting asthma doctor to the practice (she from the local hospital) who is stating a refferal to brompton is the next step. The gp is not doing what the PCT doctor is saying instead he is sending me for an xray (this is what after 1 and half year of sheer suffering and pestering them).

see this my dilemma is this that i dont trust my gp's much and i have had to call the auk nurses as i had the doubts in the back of my mind which the nurses said i was right to doubt and oddly the nurse (who was wonderful) confirmed that what i was doubting the gp's were doing. Ive been their lab rat for so so long the doctor mentioned a refferal and then gave me a chest x ray instead. so i thought why not a refferal and an xray!?!

He also called my asthma brittle again confirmed im at stage 5 and then gave me an xray!?! (im so confused at why they cant send me to a specialist)

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Hi,

So I just got sent for an x-ray again myself, but I also have some heart issues so that makes sense as I think I'm more prone to get pneumonia. I also got a pneumonia vaccine last visit. Fun!

So I think what you're saying makes a lot of sense...there's no reason why you can't get a chest x-ray and a referral. One is to check on your lungs and the other is to help get sorted out. But I know sometimes I get tongue tied with my doctors. Is there a way you can ask again for a referral?

Bee

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hi bee,

the doctor said if aminophylline works then there is no need to have a refferal - its working but leaving me exhausted/achey pains like the ones you get from taking preds! its only been a week and a few days on the full 2 tabs a day dose.

I called the AUK nurse (on two occassions) as i really needed the second opinion for both visits to my gp's! she said what if the throat spasm is vocal cord dysfuntion? then later on as i picked up the prescription for aminophylline the pharmacist said have you been tested for copd! When I first called the AUK nurse she said to the variety of meds and fact ive need so much preds i should have been refered months back!

do i go back and ask for the refferal without assessing how aminophylline is doing?

how long does it take for aminophyllline to start working? It is working already but i think im getting the side effects more than the benefits to the medication.

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Hi confused,

you should be ok having another cxr,so have it to rule out anything else. if your getting side effect from the aminphylline, then go back and see asthma dr and tell him/her that even tho' he'd asked you to be referred gp is refusing and sending you to cxr, may be he will over rule gp and do it himself.Alot of people do have problems tolerating aminophylline/theophyllin ect, but if your getting really bad side effects, you need to assess if its worth putting up with them if it helps your asthma. As you know have the same problems with my gp, i think alot of it is ego, they like to think they know everything and if they refer you its like admitting they dont. Mine also like looking for problems that dont exist and keep sending me for tests, when they come back normal they seem almost upset like they were banking on that being the problem.

Sj xx

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hi sj, your right it is an ego thing totally. when i saw the asthma doctor she said that my asthma is difficult to control. i expected an automatic referal instead he gave me a chest xray! i'm probably going to go for it tomorrow at least he is better than the other doctor before who kept increasing the puffs of Flixotide at every flare up!

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Hi Confused

Modern X-rays have a very low risk of exposure so you can have quite a few. Ask your GP what they are looking for. Also you are entitled to ask for a second opinion so if your 1st GP won't refer you see another in the practice. Can your Asthma nurse do direct referrals? Don't get fobbed off! Good luck Sonja

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hi sonia,

i called the doctor this morning and he said to wait for a month and then check out if there is a massive progress with the aminophylline and then possibly a referal?