I'm hoping that someone can put my mind at rest. 46 yr old man. recently stopped smoking after 20yrs because i was getting short of breath just climbing the stairs.
4 weeks ago i went to work feeling breathless and chesty as usual, any jokes told at the office generally saw me in a coughing fit but today just felt like a cold coming on.
At 11pm i had to come home..1pm i was about to dial 999 as i couldnt breath..haveing to force air into and out..rushed to doctors surgery and they put me on a nebuliser my Peak flow before neb was 80 and 190 after 30 mins on the nebuliser. Doctor prescribed antibiotics, pill steroids and an inhaler..since then ive gone onto a brown inhaler twice a day as well as blue inhaler when i need it. Also had an X-ray after course of anti biotics had finished and doctor said it showed signs of infection in right lung.
ive been recording my peak flows for 4 weeks now, highs of 350 lows of 150. Doctor says it is late onset asthma but it doesnt seem to be getting any better. I have a nurse appointment in 2 weeks for "" spiro tests""? do my syptoms sound symptomatic of your asthma? or is it something worse COPD?..or am i just worrying needlessly? Bit hard to talk to my wife as she just gets upset by it..even to the extent that if i need the inhaler i try to hide needing it and go to the toilet or something. or late night coughing fits and difficulty breathing "" going downstairs for a cuppa"".
Go back to your GP as we are not allowed to give medical advice, only support and friendship.
Your GP will be able to help you gain better controll of your asthma symptoms.
Plumie
Ah well, thank you anyway. I have another appointment in 7 days so another weeks worry wont hurt.
Joh,
Please try not to worry. Whatever it is they seem to be keeping on top of it and looking after you! As for your wife worrying, it really does help to speak to each other about it. There is a lot of information on here that may be useful but I would caution you about reading all of it. A lot of us here are a lot further down the line and some of the treatments sound scary or odd..... they are just works for us the best, and the doctors and consultants will find out what you have and what works best for you. Showing your wife the inhalers and talking to her about what they do etc may help and may also allow you to take them in front of her without either of you worrying. In any case, it gets better taking them and very soon it becomes second nature to take your meds while watching tv or out shopping or in the cinema (Much to the annoyance of others HAHA)
Hopefully it will be sorted soon, keep your chin up!
doctors sound very good, and don't worry about what if, I was diagnosed two years ago and went through all the other possible causes for my breathless state. Wait for the results of the spirometry before jumping to COPD or what ever, the results from that will tell you.
For now just don't stress out, yeh funny that's not good for asthma and neither can laughing be for some. If it's asthma, then the brown inhaler can have something else added to prop the airways open longer, a long acting version of the blue inhaler which works for 12 hours or so, and yes it works as I use it.
Ask questions and you'll find plenty of answers and support but as Plumie said, we can't give specific medical advice, just suggestions.
Congrats on giving up the cigs.
I have been diagnosed with late onset Asthma too, had x rays, spiro, heart tests etc. took time and a variety of trials with inhalers and steroids. At times I felt really low and as tho it would never end, but kept thinking of what I wanted to return to fully, playing the sax, horseriding etc. Did at one time think it may be COPD as some anomalies on Spiro tests, though I have never smoked.
Air quality at work is not good and do not have a window or air con in my office, which got me down too, as I felt as though I couldn't breathe as it's stuffy, and still do.
Just had half term break and now on 2nd month of seretide 125 trial at 2 puffs morning and night, and finally feeling more energetic. Blue as and when needed.
So I would say hang on in there, keep going no matter how dark it seems at times and eventually even if a far of dot at the moment there should be light at end of the tunnel so to speak.
Ask questions and listen to the answers there is unfortunatly no magic wand but plenty of help, support and medication? well that's just a matter of finding the one for you.
hi johI Started having asthma at 43 and still up and down the hospital and doctors.IT takes a while to sort things out its been two years for me and still trying get to bottom of my Asthma.Good luck,you will make lots of friends on here and support .love Glynis xxx
hi johI Started having asthma at 43 and still up and down the hospital and doctors.IT takes a while to sort things out its been two years for me and still trying get to bottom of my Asthma.Good luck,you will make lots of friends on here and support .love Glynis xxx
Well done for giving up smoking, I wish I had the same will power with food!
I started having asthma again last October aged 40, it was a bit of a shock and it's come back severe.
I have had the same problem with my youngest Son getting very upset when I use the inhaler or nebuliser as he has severe and difficult asthma. I just use inhaler when needed, I don't want my Son hiding using his inhaler or we will be in trouble.It is probably worth talking to your wife about your condition and finding how she feels about it. If you bottle it all up it will make things so much worse as stress is not kind with asthma.Knowing all the info makes it less frightening,My husband has crohns disease and we have had a few times when we didn't think he would survive. It's been easier on us both to talk about his condition as it did completely dominate our lives for 12 years until we now have some control over the condition and had our 1st family holiday abroad last year. I always went with my husband to all his appointments so I knew what we were dealing with (he did ask me to go, don't now as he is very well at the moment), my eldest is having the same problems but it's easier this time as we know so much about the condition,but hard to watch our child go through it though.Now my hubby is worried about me as my asthma is taking over, he has saved my life a number of times when I have had severe attacks in my sleep and he's dialled 999.Don't be afraid to get help when you need it,also maybe get your wife to talk to the asthma nurse, number at the top of the page to help her deal with your condition. I hope you feel much better soon
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