New here and to Asthma, scared and worried.

Hello :wave: many apologies for the length of this first post, but Im scared stiff

For the last few years Ive been having increasingly severe chest infections (I had a Pulmonary Embolism, stroke and blood clots in my legs 10 years ago) and they initially thought that the infections were just because I was working in a Primary School and living in some old houses with damp walls and that my PE had scarred my lungs somehow. However this last chest infection started on the 22nd March and just hasnt cleared, I dont feel right, my friends can hear me wheezing from the other side of the room and the cough is like I smoke 40 a day (never smoked). My GP gave me a blue inhaler to use to just help and when I went back to see him on Tuesday after a really rough b/h weekend, he referred me urgently to the Chest Consultant.

I saw the Consultant and after having had a coughing fit in front of him, he listened to my chest (for ages!) etc and looked in all my notes and the last spirometry test results plus x rays from last year and said that he felt that I now had asthma and that my lungs were overreacting to everything and full of secretions. He was going to put together a care plan and send it to my GP. He said that I should be on a different inhaler in the morning and also a tablet called Singulair? I couldnt have any more antibiotics at the moment as I was running the risk of developing an MRSA infection.

Ive also had to have 9 large vials of blood taken for various things including allergies and got to have yet another Spirometry test done and a heart scan?!!

So over this b/h weekend, I still dont have any more meds than my blue inhaler until I can see my GP on Tuesday and Im having to take 2 puffs four times a day of the blue inhaler which isnt really helping. Im tight chested, my lungs sound like they are full of fluid and Im so fed up.

What is the tablet he has put me on, is there any way this is going to get any better? Im rather scared as is this something thats just going to get worse as I get older? What do I have to stop doing now? I feel as though Ive had no advice at all as to what is next? Why on earth do I need a heart scan does he think that Ive got heart problems too?

The saddest thing is that Im being tested for being allergic to dogs. As well as working in a Primary School Im a puppy walker for Guide Dogs and currently am training a 4 month old labrador who should be with me until she is a year old

Thank you for listening.

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Hi and welcome to the forum farley x. sounds like asthma to me .The heart test will be just to rule it out.Asthma is hard and takes a good while to find out what meds work for you and how bad u get.Ive had it 4 years and still not controled yet.The Singulair is for asthma thats due to exercise and takes up to 6 weeks to build up.Good luck and hope you get your asthma meds sorted soon love glynis xxx

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Hi

Sorry to hear about all of your suffering! Hopefully now you have a diagnosis you can start to get things under control!

I have been suffering from bad chest infections for the past few years - had been carrying a blue inhalor for a while which helped when I got bad but it started to get much worse last year, went to the Doctor and was tested etc and diagnosed with asthma.

I don't take tablets so my knowledge of them isn't great - but if your asthmatic your doctor will probably start you on another inhaler (preventer) which you'll take in the morn and before bed. The blue one you have is a reliever so is one that you'll only take when you have asthma symptoms.

It can take a while to figure out what meds work best for you. I was started on the Brown inhalor (cant remember the name) which I found to be useless! Then went on to Seretide 125mg (Purple) - but was still not quite right and had a few attacks which really freaked me out. Last month my Doctor increased my meds to 250mg Seretide (2 puffs twice a day)

Since then I havent had an attack (touch wood) and ive been pretty good (although a little wheezy occasionally) Also been getting some decent peak flow results!

It can take time to figure out what works best for you - but as you're new, and understandably scared (Dont worry about that bit I still get freaked out/upset about it!) Id suggest that you make an appointment with an Asthma nurse for a full assesment, request as much info and ask as many questions as you can think of!

I also found it really useful to request lots of leaflets from this website! I now wear a medical alert necklace which has all of my details inside it - after a bad attack at work and colleagues not knowing what was going on I was persuaded that the necklace would be very useful if I was to have an attack without friends or family around!

Also make sure your colleagues/friends/family know what to do in the event that you have an attack - the website does some little cards that you can carry, which are very useful for if you have an attack and cant get enough breathe to tell people what you need to do!

And of course ask lots of questions on here!!

Hope that helps!

Gemma

[Annista]

Hi Farley

It is perfectly reasonable to be scared by asthma. I know I am. It is unpredictable, difficult to live with and frustrating. You've come to the right place as there are people here who will be able to help with pretty much any concern you have.

I very much hope that you are not found to be allergic to dogs and can continue your work puppy walking, it's such a generous thing to do for others.

Let us know how you get on with all your tests.

xx

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hi farley

welcome to the website!!

i know how scary a diagnosis of asthma can be, but remember you are not alone, all of us on here are asthmatic of varying degrees and many experiences, so feel free to ask as many questions as you like

have a look on the website under 'all about asthma' to find out more, also when you go back to the gp anything your not sure of ask him, as it sounds like him and the consultant didnt provide you with much info (which you will prob find is the main consensus on here too!)

asthmauk also produce publications on asthma and also asthma at work, as well as an Action plan which you can fill out with your asthma nurse and gp too.

ask your gp about peak flow monitoring as that will help you manage your symptoms also - helps you monitor your lung volume.

blue inhaler - reliever - salbutamol

brown inhalers (also in other colours) - preventers - are taken twice a day morning and ight to help keep the airways open and reduce occurence of asthma symptoms

singulair (also known as montelukast) - is a tablet given for exercise / allergy asthma and takes 4-6 weeks to build up to full effectiveness.

you may find it easier and more effective to take your inhaler through a spacer - ask your gp to prescribe such for you.

***always carry a spare blue inhaler with you.

as others have mentioned, inform close relatives and friends, and at work, that you have asthma so that if you have an attack and you need help they are aware.

good luck

xxx