Hey everyone, Have been reading up on all of the info on this website and forum discussions (which is excellent by the way!) since the Nurse Practitioner at my local surgery mentioned ‘asthma’ in a possible diagnosis of my SOB. I will give a background of my symptoms (I say symptoms as I have yet to see a Dir. or Nurse who has actually conformed I have Asthma…although I have seen many now)
Approx. 8 weeks ago I awoke up suddenly in the middle of night feeling short of breathe as if someone was sitting on my chest. It was enough to get me up and if I’m honest panic about it. I thought to myself at the time it must be a chest infection and decided if the symptoms got any worse I would go and see a G.P. Unfortunately at the Sugary I am registered at there is lack of permanent Dir.’s and knew that it would be very likely I would have to see a Locum therefore as I was due to go on holiday abroad a week or so before these symptoms became present I decided that I would go to my local NHS walk-in-centre which has now replaced by an urgent care centre. There I spoke to a lovely Nurse who after listening to my chest and took my blood pressure and pulse was I told I was suffering from anxiety. At the time I probably knew in myself I wasn’t suffering from anxiety but felt that this diagnosis made me feel comfortable enough to go abroad for my holiday and relax. Unfortunately the holiday wasn’t what it could have been as I was constantly feeling as though someone was sitting on my chest or squeezing my lungs and I would have to go up to the hotel room by myself to lie down, however I got little sleep.
Since I came back from my holiday on the 14th Sep, it has been a worlwind of NHS staff. There are no permanent G.P’s at my surgery at the moment so I have seen the Nurse Practitioner twice, one Locum Dr. twice and another Locum Dr. Once. I have also seen another Nurse at the Urgent Care Centre and phoned NHS Direct. Basically (Sorry for the long story!) I was told on my first two occasions to an NHS Practionher that I had Anxiety, then I was told I has a mild chest infection so was prescribed antibiotics (which didn’t’ help), then I was told that I had asthmas and after the Nurse Practiontner took a reading of my PF which she concluded was under 50% of what it should, be forr my age and weight I was prescribed a blue Ventolin inhaler and told to undertake a ‘breathing test.’. Which I did the following day. Unfortunately the Health Care Practionter said the machine wasn’t working correctly so I should await for them to call me back which never happened. Then I suffered from what I think may have been an Asthma Attack, although I had no cough (which since my symptoms has occurred but has been non-productive with no wheezing), I felt as though I was severely out of breathe as if I had run the matharon and in reality all I was doing was relaxing watching t.v. I felt so exhausted with breathing I thought I may stop. Luckily it passed within 15 minutes. I have since seen another locum G.P and have been given a brown preventer inhaler as well as a peak flow monitor to record my results at home. I also had a set if bloods taken which the locum G.P was checking for infections and blood clotting agents as well as a chest x-ray. This was over a week ago now; my chest x-ray results are back at my Dr.s sugary however all the receptionist will tell me is that I need to see the Nurse Practitioner and apparently my blood results are not back yet???
So basically as I stand I have been told I could possibly have asthma have been given both a brown and blue inhaler and left to get on with it until my appointment with the Nurse Practioniher in two weeks’ time, (Which in itself I’m worried about as all the receptionist at my G,P surgery said was your chest x-ray results are back and you need to see the Nurse to discuss the results) I’m 27, a smoker and Asthma runs in my family and my Mother has COPD. I’m not looking for a medical diagnosis or anything just some friendly advice on inhaler use would be good. For example I’ve read on here you have to inform you dentist if you use the brown inhaler? I’m due to the Dentist on Monday as part of my filling/tooth has brown off? Also I am still breathless on daily basis although this has improved (although not my PF) since using the brown inhaler
Sorry again for the long post, any advice would be muchly appreciated!!!! xxx
Should I have been given a spacer then? What about the dentist do you know whether I have to inform them? Again any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank-you!
Diagnosed with Asthma
Flu Jab
