worried mum to be

hi everyone!just foundn out im pregnant... BIG shock as it will be due late this year sometime (not sure when as yet) only found out yesterday when rushed to the hospital with an attack and they wanted to do a chest xray and done a pregnancy test first. anyways.... after getting out of hospital with a change in diagnosis to brittle asthma ive started to think about how uncontrolled my asthma is at the mo and im really starting to worry!any ideas or helpful tips!!!thanks!

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First of all, don't worry, you'll bring on an attack!!

Then, of course, pregnancy floods your system with feel good hormones, which can only make you feel better and glowey.

I've just done a quick search and here's just one website that can help you:

womens-health.co.uk/asthma.asp.

Happy reading!

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the first thing id like to say is congratulations!

take everything a day at a time and dont fret!!!!!!

i dont have asthma myself but my son does so i cant offer any personal advice bout your asthma but i can certainly provide a sympathetic ear. i hope everything progresses smoothly and that your asthma doesnt bother you too much.

kirsten

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Just one thing to be aware of my cons says the rise in progesterone can cause an increase in breathlessness. So check your PF etc before blaming breathlessness on asthma and increasing meds. You also need to ask your cons and GP for a clear protocol while pregnant what meds you can increase etc when to get emergency help etc.

Hope all goes well and let us know how you go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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thanks to all of you for replying. im feeling a lot safer at home now i have a home neb! taken me long enough to get it!! got a cons appointment next fri so hopefully he'll be able to put my mind at ease a bit more too.

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Hi Oxanna

I'm a type 2 Brittle and have 3 kids. In pregnancy 1/3 asthmatics get worse BUT 1/3 stay the same and 1/3 get better! SO lots of people have no asthma problems at all in pregnancy!

The most important thing to do is ensure you have an obs/gynae consultant get your midwife to refer you to the hospital as soon as you see her she probably won't know what brittle asthma is as i had to explain it to every one i met in my pregnancy. Print the severe asthma leaflet off this website and take it with you - it really helps them see that the condition exists!

Most women rarely if ever see a dr in their pregnancy but when you are brittle you need to have a bit of extra back up just in case. Get your chest consultant to write to the obs/gynae consultant so you get good linked up care. I ended up on high dose pred through both my pregnancies (have twins plus singleton) and the communication between the two especially when i got admitted meant i have three healthy children.

My chest consultant rejigged my asthma plan so that i had to attend hospital when my peak flow was higher than i would previously have gone if that makes sense and i ended up seeing him weekly near the end of the pregnancy!!

If you get admitted for ANY reason push for a medical ward as they will try to send you to maternity because of bed pressures and not all midwives are nurses and in my experience they struggled to deal with my asthma. (Although they were lovely!)

Don't be afraid to take your meds and have any that are prescribed for you as the risks from not treating an asthma attack are more than the risks from pred/ nebs or anything else

Please remember babies are like parasites and very resilient!!!

Hope your not being too sick, good luck.

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Oxanna

Congrats on the news.

I am also a brittle asthmatic and have had 3 pregnancies but only brittle for 1 of them.

Everything marmite has said is spot on , i was lucky in that during my pregnacy i only had 1 attack needing admission and a few smaller ones treated with home meds(under drs supervision)

I was also lucky that on the whole my asthma did improve but went downhill within 3 mths of birth.

I found that i got xtra support during the pregnancy esp labour and often had to teach the midwives about brittle asthma(i wish i had had the leaflet!!)

All i can really say is rest as much as possible nad be vigilant butnot to worried. My son was born 2 weeks early and weighed 10lb so obviously despite my naff lungs he was fine.

take care and keep us posted

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Congratulations, oxanna, hope you have got over the shock!!

I agree with everything that Marmite says but would add the following.

Try to get referred to an obs/gyne consultant at the same hospital as your chest physician as this tends to make communication between the two easier.

If you are admitted to hospital at any time (and it probably will be to a Maternity ward) then try to take your own meds/nebs with you as many of these items will not be stocked on a mat. ward and may be difficult to obtain in the middle of the night.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Tricia