Struggling today...

This time last year my asthma kicked off big time (after having had about 20 years with not even ventolin). By the time I got to September I was on Symbicort SMART - 2 puffs (200/6) morning and night, + up to 8 puffs as required. This seemed to have got everything under control.

Over winter (approx. Dec - Feb), the heating in our school broke down, and we had temporary gas heaters in school. This played havoc with mine (and other's) asthma, but once the county fixed the heating, it all settled down again. (apart from the fortnight when I had bronchitis!)

Last Saturday I had a fairly major attack which came on quite quickly (caused by a brief sprint in pouring rain) - settled down after a while -although I was still a bit tight and wheezy until about Wednesday.

Yesterday, I spent the whole day doing school work (I'm a teacher) on the sofa - and needed to take my inhaler a couple of times because my chest felt really heavy and

tight, also found it hard to get to sleep, but got off eventually.

Today, however, has been another matter. I have taken 2 puffs of my inhaler every 2-3 hours, as it seems to help for about 2 hours, and then I get tight and start coughing and wheezing and being very short of breath. I should have been at a meeting tonight, followed by a choir rehearsal, but instead am sitting on the sofa with my laptop...

I am on my 'amber' setting on my action plan - but will have taken the absolute maximum of symbicort (I can always take ventolin as well if I need).

I know that the idea of the SMART regime is that I can manage this kind of flare up myself, but when do I make the decision to see someone? Last time I saw the asthma nurse (it was for something else, but she checked on my asthma too!) she said that having a few days at this level was fine!

I have never been to A&E or called OOH; usually I just make an appointment with the asthma nurse or a doctor (my preference is the nurse practitioner at my surgery, as she is an asthma specialist too). Should I just leave it and hope it settles down?

Any advice or thoughts welcome!

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If I'm in the yellow zone and get stuck there for more than a day, I usually give my GP a call or make an appointment to come in and see him. Then he decides what to do with medication and i ask him what he wants in terms of follow up. Usually that ends up being call him/make an appointment if...

(a) there is a further decline

(b) I'm at the end of whatever temporary medication change he has suggested and there is still no improvement

(c) I'm doing well again .

He doesn't actually suggest the last one (c), but i find that our working relationship is better if he knows about the improvements and not just when things go wrong - otherwise he gets the idea that I'm always sick and never getting better which isn't good.

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Hi there,

Sorry you're struggling with this. I am no medical professional by any means but my advice to you would be that although the nurse has suggested that it's ok to be in the amber zone for a while, you are obviously still anxious/concerned and that's always reason enough to seek further medical advice - so maybe call up and get an appointment with your GP or OOH if you think you cannot wait. Surely it's better to get an appointment and be reassured than to try and sit it out whilst possibly risking an attack through worrying!

Like I said though, I am NOT a doctor or anything! Hope you feel better soon