Hi all I'm new to the forum and quite new to asthma had my first attack about 3 weeks ago. I've been expecting to get asthma for a long time as it runs in the family on my mum's side and I've been allergic to dust all my life and have exzma and hay fever.
After my first attack I saw the doc and because I was still tout of breath she thought I had a chest infection and just gave me ventolin but no clenil and sent me to hospital! I had to discharge myself. Because she gave me no clenil I was up all night with the most horrendous pain in my legs, never in my life have I had a pain so bad. In the morning I went on the net and found this wonderful website and phoned the asthma nurse who was extremely helpful. She said the reason I'd got the pain was because my tubes were swollen after the attack and I was not getting enough oxygen and that I should have had clenil.
I asked the docs receptionists to get me an emergency prescription for clenil which they did through the practice nurse but she only gave me clenil 50 which is the minimum dose and for kiddies.. Consequently I have been woken at 0600 every morning with pain in my ankles and had trouble getting to sleep because of it. I asked the receptionists get me some oxygen. I get on very well with the receptionists. After using the oxygen the pain goes. I was not happy with my treatment and wrote a letter of complaint saying that the doc should go on a training course to learn how to treat asthma as asthma is a killer. She eventually wrote me a letter of apology. I will never see her again. I was advised to see the practice nurse who when I saw her said she didn't have time and I would have to wait another week even after I'd told her about the pain I was having. I'm due to see her this afternoon and I will report back afterwards.
The other day I was talking to a friend who recommended her docs practice. I went along yesterday afternoon and the doc is an absolute sweetie. I was booked in with the practice nurse for a heath check up and she also was a sweetie and really knows her stuff on asthma. Bear in mind at the other practice I'd not once been asked to blow in to a peak flow meter or been diagnosed with asthma and it hadn't been put on my notes.The nurse at the new practice got me to use the peak flowmeter and was disgusted how the other practice had treated me. Meanwhile I'd had to buy my own peakflow meter which was £12.00 when I should have got it on prescription. The nurse at the new practice was disgusted at this too. I can#t wait to join the new practice. I'm sitting here on the oxygen now trying to get rid of the pain.