First time on site, need advice please.

I became asthmatic in 1995 when I moved into my house which had a Parkray fire. Raking it twice a day started me off, my husband was shifts so I had to do it.We replaced it with gas central heating and I improved, only using my reliever when I had a chest cold/ cough.

However 6 weeks ago I had a chest infection and despite antbiotics the cough has got much much worse.

I saw my GP on Monday and now I have to wait until Oct 1st to see the asthma nurse. Hopefully she will sort me out. The coughing at night, 5 or 6 am is the worse with the wheezing, sweating etc.

I just dont feel like getting up for work, I am on my feet all day.I take a few puffs and prop myself upright but doesnt do much good.

Problem now is, my daughters second baby is due this Sunday and I will be going to Bristol tomorrow to look after my 2 year old grandson. I am so worried about keeping them awake with my coughing.

I was told to take a flask of blackcurrant cordial, honey and lemon to bed.I am open to all suggestions, please help!!

Thanks folks

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Welcome to the site,

Real sorry to hear you're struggling so, and this may help but try to sleep a little more upright, helps to keep the lungs clear(er). Shove a few extra pillows under the mattress or something similar if you can.

chris

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Hi dancingcar,

Sorry to hear that you're going through a rough patch. If being more upright and a few puffs of reliever doesn't seem to be doing much good at night (night symptoms are a sign of poorly controlled asthma), then you should go back to see your GP before going to Bristol.

Hope you feel better soon and best wishes for the new arrival!

Ginny x

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Hello dancingcar, welcome to the boards! Sorry you are struggling a bit at the moment, it will get better. I find a tablespoon of simple linctus added to a mug of hot water very soothing, a kind nurse made me this in hosp once. Also like woody-som suggested try sleeping very propped up, hope all goes well with your visit, take good care, love Lois x

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An easy way to prop yourself up people is to get 2 argos catolgues spread out for a single bed or four for a double and put them under your matterous and if this doesnt work add another 2 to a single bed or four to a double. Not sure what it does to matterous but has done me wonders with my breathing. It can get you breathless trying to get catolgues under matterous so bewarned.

Failing that go to the GP.

Plumie

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I'm not medically qualified but the following has helped me in the past when my night time cough has been an issue. Have you tried keeping the air in your bedroom moist? and also try and drink plenty as it may help to get everything up, although you don't say if your cough is productive (sorry to be so descriptive) I find this helps along with washing out my nasal pasages with a saline solution. Sometimes night time coughs can be caused by post nasal drip which in my case was making me cough more at night. There have been various threads on here about nasal douching and so long as the salt solution is fresh shouldn't cause any problems.

Good luck and hope you feel better soon

Take care

Rabbit

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be careful with the humidity option. for me higher humidity in the winter helps, but for others it makes them worse. If you don't know how you react, then do be careful especially at night. But the sinus rinse is really great, helps me.

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Hello dancingcar,

Welcome to Asthma UK, I am sorry you have had to find your way to us but you have found a great bunch of people and a really good source of support and information.

Firstly, a general word of warning that I try to share with all newbies (although I have not been around as much of late, so perhaps even the regulars aren't quite so bored of hearing this as they used to be!). This site caters for all asthmatics and their friends and loved ones, but it naturally attracts a disproportionate number of people with severe or brittle asthma. You may read descriptions of severe symptoms, hospital admissions and even Intensive Care admissions. These sorts of experiences are rare. The vast majority of asthmatics can be controlled fully or almost fully, with little or no interferance with day-to-day life, once the right combination of medication is found. It is highly likely that you will fall into this group.

It's important to say that, because you are clearly having a tough time right now, and I know that times like that can be discouraging and even frightening. The good news is that you are on a very low level of medication, and it's very likely that with an appropriate adjustment in this, you will be able to enjoy good control of your asthma again.

You have been given some good advice below about dealing with night-time symptoms. The most important thing to say, though, is that if you are still having disturbed nights and using a fair bit of your reliever medication, this is a sign that your asthma is poorly controlled and you may be at risk of a severe attack. Please do go back to your GP and reiterate that things are not so good right now - he or she will then be able to start you on additional treatment. You should not have to wait until 1st October when you are having this level of symptoms - you need additional treatment now. You may even need a short course of oral steroid medication if your symptoms are severe.

If you do not have any success in getting your original GP to prescribe additional medication for you, then you could try seeing one of the other GPs in the practice, if there are others. They may have a different viewpoint on the urgency of treatment. If you are already in Bristol with your daughter, you should be able to see her GP or any other local GP by registering as a temporary resident with the practice - given the level of symptoms that you are describing, they should be able to prescribe something to at least tide you over until you see your asthma nurse.

Please do get something done about this. You owe it to yourself and to your family at this important time in your daughter's life, when you need to be fit and active (running around after a 2 year old would tax even a non-asthmatic, I think!). It is quite a few days til the 1st October and if you are having disturbed nights, you should not have to wait this long.

Please do keep us updated and let us know how things go.

Take care

Em H