Just fed up

I know we all have times when things just get to us but I'm well and truely fed up. Anybody got any good suggestions?

I have been suffering for just over 2 years now and am up to chest infection number 16 over this period of time. Just before this I had an operation to have an extra rib removed from the bottom of my neck as I was suffering with thoracic outlet syndrome. After numerous tests I was finally diagnosed with asthma last October. The problem is I am a PE teacher so it has really hit me hard and I have had to ease up on all my sport and exercise as my chest is not well enough ( I did do a open water mile in the Thames last week which is probably why I am chesty now)

I have had 3 hospital admissions since xmas and I don't seem to ever be right for more than 2 weeks. I have been fortunate enough to have an ace GP and asthma nurse and have seen consultant. I am currenly on Seretide 250, ventolin, antihistamies and now zarfirlukast and oh and a rotoation of antibiotics and preds.

Has anybody tried anything different or any other strategies to try and and sort this silly chest and SOB ???

Sorry for the moan and rant but I used to spend all my half terms at fitness classes so really bored and fed up

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Hi,

I'm afraid I don't have any solutions for you but I can sympathise as I think it gets to us all at times, and must be especially hard given your job! If I knew of anything though I would let you know, and want to know myself. I've also had something similar to TOS (different cause, fixed by physio not surgery) and know it can be pretty painful so you have my sympathy there as well - I hope that's improved.

My suggestions would be

a) Ring the asthma nurses on here, as they'll be a sympathetic ear and can also offer you some practical advice or at least talk through things with no time pressure.

AND

b) As your asthma nurse and GP are good and supportive, make an appt with one or both of them to talk things through - maybe even a double one, if you can get it? Hopefully the AUK nurses will have given you some ideas already.

Are you due to see the consultant again, or did they discharge you? If not, how long to wait till you see them again, and were they at all helpful? If you're not currently under a consultant it might be worth discussing another referral with your GP - and if you feel the first one wasn't helpful and you're able to travel a little, then seeing one at another hospital might be an option (you have the right to see anyone, and I got better results exercising my right and NOT going back to my local as they hadn't been helpful).

Hope some of this is useful and don't worry about moaning and ranting on here - we all need to do it at times and it can be really helpful to vent on here where there are others who know what it's like.

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No wonder you are fed up, all those chest infections alone qre enough to make you feel down let alone the asthma on top and then struggling work wise.

Philomela has given you some sound advice there, particularly having a chat with the asthma uk nurses, I think they're fab!!

I was on seretide 250 for a number of years but when my asthma took a turn for the worse in January I was tried on a variety of different meds such as symbicort, singulair, maintenance pred and now I'm on spiriva as well.

Sometimes it takes a while if trying different things so definitely go back to your gp and ask about maybe trying something else or an qdd on.

I know how you are feeling, its pants, but it does get better and I've definitely learnt to appreciate the good days but it has taken a while to get my head around some of the.changes I've hqd to make and I think sometimes this is half the battle.

Big hugs. Xxx

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Good advice from Philomela and Angelica. There are alternative meds to the ones you're on now, so I know you will have seen your GP/nurse alot recently, but it's worth going to talk things over with them, so that you can improve things.

I simpathise with your situation as I too am normally active in my personal time and at work too (I'm a mountain instructor), although very restricted as to what I can do at the moment. Things will get better, so hang in there. Hope you don't get too bored this week, or I might have to come around with the jigsaws to entertain you

Take care x

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Oh yes, I think many people here can empathise with this having being in similar situations.

Myself, I have had a few chest infections/flu/colds that have been miserable, sent home after losing my voice etc. I haven't had thoracic outlet syndrome but am familiar with it working in healthcare and having studied anatomy.

Working is not easy especially when struggling. Others do not always see what a struggle it can be to breathe never mind with infections and hospital admissions on top.

I assume your GP and asthma nurse although fab are reaching the limits of they would normally do? Are you still seeing a consultant? If not could your practice contact them for advice? Definately worth ringing asthma nurse helpline.

Also, as ?Angelica mentioned, there are several add on medication options which many GPs are not so familiar with using in patients with asthma e.g. Spiriva or Atrovent (unusual to prescribe as not in asthma guidelines but work well for a lot of people inc. myself). There is a Seretide 500 accuhaler which again with justifiable reasons docs can be reluctant to prescribe unless necessary. Also, they may consider longer term maintenance steriods, theophylline.

Apologies if this is going over familiar ground but have you looked at the info available on the Asthma UK website particularly under ""All about asthma"" along the top of the page? Also, for anyone interested, asthma guidelines from the British Thoracic Society/SIGN are available easily online with a handy summary table of stepwise asthma management.

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Thanks everybody. I have read through all your ideas. Will try to speak to AUK nurses during the week and see what they say. Yeah am under a chest specialist at the hospital, have seen him once but it wasn't that helpful, have got next appointment in 3 weeks so hopefully he can see that things are not going to plan at the mo.

Think I was just feeling sorry for myself earlier and was also writing school reports which I hate doing, hence the rant!

Gill

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I know exactly how you are feeling. Infact being 'fed up' doesnt even begin to cover it does it really!! im in a similar situation although i have had Asthma since birth and had serious bouts and then periods of nothing. For the last 2 years i had nothing then in November last year i was training for the marathon, caught a chest infection and was put into intensive care and have been back there 3 more times, i have only been out of hospital for 2 weeks and am already on 2 different types of antibiotics via a picc line and have been on 80mg of pred since nov, i am literally wondering where it all went so wrong!! i am only 26 and everything is now on hold, work , health, life...the thing is hardly anyone is informed of the effects of medication, the side effects, the steroid madness, the depression. W hat i do when i am really low is tell myself this is only a blip, i went from working as a coroners officer with 2 degrees, my own beautiful place, a great circle of friends and a social life to being back home with my mother and on up to 13 nebs a day!! BUT it could be worse!! if i dont believe things can and will get better then there is no point, i know it sounds so easily done, but saying it and making yourself believe it are two different things. Being fed up is not easy, not on the body or mind. I try to stay as positive as possible and realise some of what i am feeling is a result of the medication. I hope you find somethimg to give you hope.

C x