Hiya, im new here, mainly looking up information on asthma. Ive been told recently by my gp that i may have developed it. Back in november i was getting a tight chest and pains, heart racing and an incredibly bad cough and got a check up to be told i likely had a virus. Fast forward to past new year and my cough was as bad as ever and after being short of breath, tight chest and having nasty amounts of mucus i popped to a walk in centre after work one day thinking that i may have a chest infection. There i discovered that i had popped 2 ribs through severe coughing and also had 2 ecgs to rule out any underlying heart condition and was advised to see my gp for a second opinion which i did last friday. So off i got to the doctors and whilst there he asked me to blow into a peak flow meter which after 5 go's determined that my reading wasnt very great. He then asked me about any family history of asthma, a lot of my family on one side have it and so he's quite sure that i may have developed it. I also suffer with eczma and hayfever bad. I was given a ventalin inhaler and an appointment was made for me to see the asthma nurse in our gp practice. Ive known a number of people who have asthma who lead perfectly normal lives but something inside me just panics a bit as i have no idea of what to expect and im feeling quite shocked as i thought i just had a chest infection! Id never suspected that it may be asthma as so far ive not really wheezed at all, just short of breath and a tight chest that can be painful at times, especially in mornings and at night! Sorry to rant, just a newbie without much clue i guess!
Im told my appointment with the nurse will last roughly 30 mins but what shall i expect to happen? i was a bit too shocked at the time to ask my gp!
Hi Sam, In that very same position last year myself. It is an odd thought, this might have asthma thing. Takes a wee whiley to get one's head around it. We had no family history and though I can remember my mum being breathless once or twice, I know asthma was never mentioned. My SIL has it but I'd only ever seen her use the blue inhaler once or maybe twice. Came as a bit of a shock to learn there was more to it than just a wee blue puffer.
Fortunately like me, you have discovered this site. The helpful members on here were a godsend. Asthma nurses too - phone number on left hand top corner. I've emailed the nurses with my questions and deeved the members on here too. Ssurprisingly they've all bounced back and I'm learning far more than if I'd simply looked up the web or sat on my hands and wept. Which is what you are probably feeling like doing. I did.
I look forward to seeing you on the threads. Even on my daft one. Feel free to PM.
Luv and hugs,
Moira xxooxx
PS logging off now as way past my bedtime.
Hi Sam
looks like we will be going on this journey together it seems i had a viral infection which started Christmas day. Been in hospital and after 7 days at home been put back on anything that my GP thinks will help to releive my symptoms till i go to see the specialist.
Hope you are as lucky as myself with your GP's reaction and support. I spoke to my asthma nurse for the first time this week on the phone and i feel better already as i know she knows what she is talking about but most importantly is listening to me.
Take Care
Heather XXXX
ps to anyone else reading this where is spell check? lol
Being new to asthma you're bound to have loads of questions, and I was in your possition with lasth winter being my first, and that was more colds and chest infections than I'd had in my whole life, but it does get better for most, gaining control takes time to find the correct combination of medications for you, and that's what will be discussed at the asthma appointment and hopefully a spiromitery test which is the gold standard for diagnosing asthma, basically a peakflow meter connected to a computer.
To start with you do wonder if you will ever get back to a normal life, and I was the same, no paternal asthma link apart from an aunt with asthma, yet I was picked to enjoy that privilege and meet so many more of us, but yes you can get back to a normal life again, but a few minor adjustments are needed, and this forum tends to have a higher proportion of suffers at the extream end of the scale who really do struggle so don't think the worst case scenario.
Make a list of questions to take to the review, anything you like and make sure that it's explained in a way that you can understand, it's easy to forget things, but off course you can always ask us here and you'll get a heap of support and answers to what you may think is the daftest questions, but you're not the only one to ask them.
Good luck and hope you stick around here.
Chris
also having the tests
i have been looking after my son who suffered from asthma whilst he was younger and thought i'd read all the information around, i have been suffering from an irratable cough and tightness in my chest for months but as i had no wheezing and didnt sound like my son i left seeing the docter untill i was really poorly. i've had the electronic tests and my lung capacity is normal , since using the brown inhaler ive been feeling much worse, im coughing and spluttering, is this due to the mucus? i go for my next appointment on the 8th but seeing little improvment so far. i never realised untill i found this site this morning that pools can make you worse, i was away last week and after swimming felt so poorly i returned to our lodge and sat and cried, i'm feel really sorry for myself but kicking myself for smoking whilst i was younger. any advice would be fab, thanks
Big thank you to this site and all its members.
iv just spent three months using doctor google and i had everything i WAS going to die .thankfully im not .iv seen my gp and i have asthma, in october i was snorkal diving now i cant walk up the hill to my house . the posts on this site have been a great help as i still dont trust gps ,iv been 4 times since November and never seen the same doc twice .hopefully i will get the wright combo of sprays soon as im now very hacked of at being out of breath all the time,im used to being very fit and this is doing my head in cant even muck around with my wee fella with out getting out of breath ventolin, serevent and clenil modulite a short dose of steriod tablets got ride of the chest infection but left me with more spots than a very spotty teenager.keep posting it been a great help thanks iain
hi samhope you feeling better, after a trial on clenil and getting worse by the day i've now been put on seritide, im still not right but i have seen slight inprovements even though changing the bedding nearly had me in a heap on the floor lol, shouldnt joke but its how i'll get through this.i'm hoping this inhaler will be the one.
hi samhope you feeling better, after a trial on clenil and getting worse by the day i've now been put on seritide, im still not right but i have seen slight inprovements even though changing the bedding nearly had me in a heap on the floor lol, shouldnt joke but its how i'll get through this.i'm hoping this inhaler will be the one.
well i went to the asthma nurse lastweek and had some tests. my lung function is fine (although she said unless having an attack it normally is!) but my peak flow on the manual pfm, and electric machine etc.. was very low. ive been given a pfm and have to use it morning and night for a week and log my results on a diary chart for a week. ive got another appointment tomorrow with jo the nurse and gotta take back my peak flow diary and see what she's gonna do, she did say she'll probably give me medication that i then have to take for a week and log my peak flow readings on the diary for another week etc... have most had to do this?
Welcome Sam r
Hi Sam-R ,sounds like asthma and alot dont weeze at all.
you will make lots of friends on here and support from everyone.
lots of love,dont be scared it will get under control soon I hope.
PM me anytime love Glynis xxxxx
PS Just read previous notes im having a muggled brain just had tests
Daughter (30) only had peak flow meter for a week or so. No asthma as such. Ventolin only very occasionally if really bad cold.
thanks for the advice its really appreciated i'll soon see what the nurse says tomorrow!
Hi, goodness your story is so similar to what happened me in October 2008! ( I was 34)
I won't bore you with the full details but;
I took a bad cold which led to a really prurient chest infection; which wouldn't go away no matter what!
My breathing was awful- a real strain, so was given ventolin then Clenil and referred to local hospital outpatients where i've had X-Rays, Spirometry...you name it!
I was told in March 2009 that I had Asthma with some lung damage.
As I live on a farm with badger sets on it they had to check me for T.B. but thank goodness I didn't have that. I'm now on Symbicort with Ventolin as & when and my Asthma is well controlled!
Please do phone the Asthma Nurse helpline as I have several times and they are soo amazing, really helpful. Its scary now I know but you'll feel much better I'm sure by the summer
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