Unsure

I've caught the cold that's been going round (although my nose isn't really blocked strangely) and my chest is acting up.

Today I've been coughing and tight all day. I had six puffs of ventolin through my spacer at 4.00 and the coughing stopped for about half an hour. I've been coughing intermittently since then, and my chest has tightened up again. I'm not feeling short of breath though - I'm just sitting on the sofa - but it's uncomfortable to lie down.

If I go by my GP's action plan I should see a doctor at this point as ventolin isn't lasting 2 hours - but I've been ok at work today despite the coughing and tightness. It wasn't nice but I could cope with it. I've got a meeting after school tomorrow so wouldn't be able to make it to an afternoon appointment then. I know I'll most likely end up with some pred at some point this week, but not sure how soon I need to make sure I go?

[Hidden]

I would stick to the plan as much as poss/is convenient as it is usually there for a reason no matter how anmoying it may seem so i would advise the next convenient appt? Hope things improve for you soon.

Rose xx

[Hidden]

Sorry you're suffering there is all sorts going round at the moment, 4 of my 5 children have a cold and my asthmatic 4-year-old has been pretty wheezy with it, lots of salbutamol for her.

I would also stick to the plan as closely as you can. It's there for a reason and apart from anything else, if you don't visit your GP to report your symptoms worsening he/she may step down your treatment before they should because they may think your asthma is better controlled than it really is. And if you think you need pred, better to get it sooner and nip this in the bud sooner rather than later surely?

Hope you feel better soon xx

[Hidden]

Will definitely go to GP this week - probably after school Thursday but will see how I am tomorrow. If I'm bad I will ask to be excused from the meeting to go.

Feeling a bit better now - resting on the sofa and lots of ventolin seems to have helped. Not sure how I'll be at work tomorrow but will try to have a bit more ventolin during the day and use my spacer.

[Hidden]

I've had a really strange day today. I've swung between feeling horrible and fine and can't really work out why. Ventolin sometimes seems to work and sometimes not but symptoms aren't severe so not a huge problem.

I had a bit of an episode at lunchtime where I started not to be able to breathe out without coughing, was getting a bit worried but then it just sort of passed over. Had a really good period and managed to get some sleep after I got home.

Just had some ventolin and now actually feeling a bit tighter than I had been. Why are symptoms sometimes so confusing? Everyone at work is nice, but I know some of them were thinking there was nothing wrong with me and I feel really guilty for coming home straight after school.

[Hidden]

I think that peeps just dont understand how tiring and worrying chronic health probs can be until they experience it for themselves. You know better than anyone what you can andd cant do so dont make yourself just hecause others dont understand. Thats there problem not yours.

Hope thing improve soon and gp sorts you out asap.

Rose xx

[Hidden]

Like Rose says, I think some people have no understanding of what it's like to live with a chronic health problem. Sometimes everyone else thinks you're fine, little do they know that it's an all out effort 'til you get home and crash out. I hope you're feeling better soon

[Hidden]

Thanks for the reassurance. I agree lou I'm pretty good at keeping going at work but just have no energy at the moment and today got to lunchtime and couldn't see how I could possibly keep going. I did manage the afternoon after sitting down for a while.

Just popped to the supermarket for some food and feeling absolutely exhausted again. Also having the issue where the ventolin opens things up a bit more so my cough is more productive, but then the cough is making me tight again so I just can't get relief for more than a few minutes. I can't really get across to anyone at work that I may seem ok when there, but I've been coughing all evening and night. They can't grasp the difference between an asthma cough and the kind of cough a non-asthmatic gets with a chest infection, and that I can sound horribly ill one minute and then fine the next. It does worry me that I will get bad at work and they won't recognise quite how bad it is because I tend to just go quiet and don't wheeze so it wouldn't be obvious that there was anything wrong to look at me.

[Hidden]

The only asvice i can give regarding your fears of getting worse at work is really to not worry about making a fuss when you need to or instructing others to call 999 or whatever you may think you need a t the time.

I do hope you feel better soon.

Rose xx

[Hidden]

I was actually happy today when I had a chesty cough! Most of the time it's dry and just makes my head hurt. I've had a few more episodes where I didn't seem to be able to breathe out without coughing and was wondering whether that would be what would make a wheeze if listening with a stethoscope. I don't have an audible wheeze but felt a kind of catching crackling on every breath out.

I was a bit rushed at lunchtime and missed my ventolin, didn't feel too bad so wasn't too bothered. I was really noticing it by the time I came home, could hardly keep my eyes open and had to have several puffs while driving. Just had two hours sleep on the sofa which was really good though and don't feel too bad whilst stationary at the moment.

[Hidden]

Glad to hear you got through another day in okish shape. I really admire you peeps who can actualoy do the whole uni/work thing whilst coping with such uncooperative lungs.

I managed to get out of bed for 1 1/2hrs today. Great...not.

Hope things continue to he manageaboe for you. Take care.

Rose xx