This is a bit of a whine.
I can't get my asthma under proper control. I'm waking up at 4am and 7am needing my inhaler, and then needing it regularly throughout the day as well.
I'm taking antihistamines, which don't seem to be helping either.
So I'm starting to just think, sod it, I'll just put up with it, maybe like my mental health I'll just have to live with the crap it gives me.
*sulks*
I know the feeling so well - stupid lungs.
But don't give up on the asthma yet - what other medication are you on? There will be more you can do. I'd advise booking an appointment with your GP (assuming s/he is a good one and listens) and then before you go to the appt ringing the AUK nurses. I always say this, but in the past they've been really helpful about discussing everything with me and suggesting possibilities to take to my GP.
If you're already on a lot of medication including add-ons and it's not helping, then it may be time to ask your GP for a referral to a consultant.
Hope this helps, and no worries about ranting/whining as we've all been here.
I'm on Symbicort 200/6, 2 puffs morning and night and 1 puff at lunchtime and teatime, and then take fexafenidine (antihistamine) too.
I'm seeing my GP soon about my crazy meds anyway, I might mention it.
I keep thinking about ringing the asthma UK nurses, but I am kind of phone phobic 
The consultant did say he would be happy to see me again should I need it after being discharged, but I kind of feel I'm wasting their time, since chest x rays and tests were pretty normal, even if the tests did leave me coughing up lungs when we were done with them.
I don't know.
I would ask to go back to see your consultant or ask to see a different one perhaps if you feel this would achieve more. I would not give up on the meds as there are many other options to try. Often you need to keep pushing and pushing your doctor and consultant to try and find a med that works for you and controls your asthma.
On occassion I have had clear x-rays but when I have had a CT scan done this has shown where the damage is. So they are not always conclusive.
Oh Piglet, don't give up on it. I'm sure that you'll get more control if someone just helps you get the right medication. You aren't a nuisance so stop feeling like one! Give the AUK nurses a go - they're lovely!
Sending a hug and a bit of a nudge to help you get started!
x
Without being an expert, I'd say there are definitely more places to go from there - you could go up onto the Symbicort 400/12 for instance, though if you're on the SMART regime (looks like this, or do you have a separate reliever?) this may be more difficult and require more of a change - but not impossible! Something like montelukast as an add-on therapy could also be an option - it doesn't work at all for some people but I found it was really good; worth discussing!
This should all be something your GP is able to do, but I'd agree that you shouldn't hesitate to ask to see the consultant again if you think you need to, or if you weren't sure about that one, to exercise your right to see another one somewhere else. As Malawi says, you need to push them sometimes, and normal tests don't necessarily mean there isn't an issue.
If anyone were a nuisance I would certainly feel much more like one what with being on my 3rd and 4th cons (simultaneously...maybe I'm just greedy lol) but I've more or less got used to the idea now that if I'm struggling and it's affecting my life it is not unreasonable to expect doctors to at least try and help, even if you aren't severe and in and out of hospitsl. (Plus my GP insisted on the referral because he felt out of his depth, which is something a good GP should do after a certain point).
I really would encourage you to give the AUK nurses a call; I know what you mean about the phone phobia but they are lovely and you have lots of time to go through the options.
I'm with Annists on the hug and the nudge - pick up the phone, I've never regretted calling them!
Hi piglet and firstly....HUG!!!!!! 
Please please don't give up, I know how frustrating etc it can be to keep going back to the gp but if your asthma isn't under control it needs sorting and there are loads of other things that.could be added to your meds to help.
I'm a brittle asthmatic and so far all my test results are clear but I still struggle daily, test results are not the defining thing with asthma your symptoms are in my opinion.
I've spoken to the auk nurses a couple of times and they are really really nice, great at explaining things and giving you ideas to go to the gp with so I woild urge you to give them a ring.
((((((((hugs again)))))))))
Thank you everyone *group hug*
I often feel guilty coming here, since in the grand scheme of things, my asthma is a walk in the park. It's just irritating. I go to a women's mental health support group, and today we did belly dancing, but I couldn't do it. I'm the youngest in the group by a mile, and the 2 OAPs in the group managed better than me! I only did bits of it sitting down, and I STILL needed my inhaler twice. I was so jealous as it looked great fun.
I think I'll discuss things with my GP when I see her - she sounded concerned when I spoke to her this morning. I've been on operation avoid the GP lately, but I do need to go in - she told me she wanted to see me and she'll ring and hassle me if I don't!
I hate feeling like such a fraud though - tests clear, chest clear, no wheeze (I know, not necessary, but this has not filtered down through the whole medical profession yet), just tight chest and coughing, and a feeling that there is lots of goo that needs to come up but won't.
I might try and ring the AUK nurses, it's just something I find incredibly difficult. If only you could chat to them online...
Please don't put up with all these symptoms, there's deffinately more that can be done to control your asthma and stop it interfering with life so much. Sounds like your GP is a really caring one, and will do her best to help you, so I think it's time to end 'operation avoid GP' and go see her. Best of luck, and big hugs
Hi Piglet,
Keep pushing until your meds work for you.
Hope you feel better soon.
Take care xxx
Sounds like you have a great GP there who's keeping an eye on you!
I do know how you feel as I am the same with the tests etc and not like some people who are really struggling and have been in ITU etc.
But Angelica's right - and I have heard it from other, good doctors; you can't just go on the tests alone, and even non-severe asthma can interfere with things, as you've found.
My cons (who otherwise seems good, so far) annoyed me after I'd said how much things were bothering me by saying I should 'try to ignore the symptoms and get on with my life'. I realised after looking at what comes with even 'moderate' asthma (he says no more than that and I would completely agree, I know it's not severe) that if it's not properly controlled you can't really ignore it - how can you, if it means you can't join in with things and are unable to do something simple that an OAP can manage? I know it could be much worse, but I've seen a blog by an American respiratory therapist (and asthmatic, saying it's not normal to be short of breath, and if you are, you should be getting your doctor to do something about it, which I think is a very true.
Anyway sorry for rambling - just wanted to say I get where you're coming from as I've been there/still am there. Hope things go well when you talk to your GP.
Up and down...do you get this?
So fed up I could cry
Newly Diagnosed and struggling....
Really fed up now 😔
Spirometry testing??
