A good OOH appt

So...breathing wasn't great last night, still not great this morning, lots of Ventolin. Eventually cracked late morning and rang 111.

I did wonder when the 111 dr on the phone told me to take 2 puffs of Ventolin and I'd be feeling better when I got there (umm, I'd already had rather more than that...did he think I'd just got SOB and rung without taking anything?!) But usually I find if the phone dr is not so helpful the actual one will be.

Got there, not too long a wait (seems to be advantage of going in daytime). Dr was not one to waste words: asked me if I was on a blue inhaler, I said yes and just a few other things as well... Also asked me if I knew what triggered it - said running for a train and possibly the high pollen and he said, ah yes, the pollen - bet he's heard that more than once in the last couple of days!

Did temp and sats (100% - random, they don't drop much generally but have been even low-mid-90s when I was feeling much better than today!) Pulse natch all over the place. Didn't do PF hehe so I didn't need to have THAT conversation thankfully - though it isn't ideal atm, however I never know what I'll get from one blow to the next and usually sod's law says the high one will be in front of the dr. Also asked if I'd had pred before and if it had helped.

He listened to chest - actually quite thoroughly, kept going back to certain bits, percussed then listened again, then immediately said I needed pred and to start it right away, would take a few hours and keep taking the blue and call again if needed. (Wonder what he heard? It would be nice if my chest is going to start making appropriate noises when needed as it seems to make life easier re getting some relief.)

I did say I'd been taking a lot of blue and he asked me if I'd had a neb before and if it helped - said yes and yes so also got a neb! Have to say another neb would have been nice as I did feel a bit better after (and still do) but not as good as after the last time I had one, but even one was helpful and more than I've ever got before at OOH who have mostly not been that helpful before!

So now have 5 days of 40mg. Wonder if this will do the trick - have usually needed more once I've got to this point; I should have had it before I suspect to stop me getting to this point (not convinced by asthma nurse on Wed telling me to just keep taking the Ventolin till I see the cons) but will see. Reluctantly/provisionally booked in to see usual GP on Thurs (not sure it's needed) so will see.

Anyway, just thought I'd share as that is the first time OOH have done for me what I actually want them to do ie give pred and neb - I've never wanted them to admit me or anything, just sort me out as they should be able to do when what I have at home isn't working.

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Hiya, urgh at not feeling too good but at least you got the neb and pred!!

Thanks for sharing your positive experience, it's something I try to do to remind me there are a lot of good doctors etc around when I have a bad experience. Perhaps we should set up a ""thank you"" thread?

Fingers crossed you do start making the appropriate noises when ill, would make life SO much easier!!

It's a pain that your nurse didn't give you pred on weds and it got to this point!! Can you go back if you need another neb?

My lungs are being suspiciously well behaved at the min, only a little bit of a protest with the pollen - hope they're not trying to lure me into a false sense of security!!

Feel better soon!!

Laura x

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I totally agree that we need to share the positive experiences and think about these when things are not going so well. After the help from a few GPs last week, I started to realise that perhaps I was moaning a little (out of frustration) and in fact most of my experiences have been very good. Thank you for sharing.

I hope my lungs can make the right noises and the right times. In recent weeks, the only time a doctor has heard a wheeze was when I went to pick up a prescription and they just happened to be in the reception area. She commented on this and this led to be just bursting into tears! I wanted to say ""can't you record this for future reference"". A few puffs of reliever soon sorted it out so she saw how my asthma manifests itself.

Hope you're feeling better soon Philomela!

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Kayla - thanks - know how you feel! I KNOW my lungs have made odd noises but rarely at the right time! How are you doing?

Laura - thanks! Glad to hear you're feeling better now, hope that continues.

I can go back yes if needed, they said to ring again if necessary. The pred seems to have kicked in - I could probably pinpoint that time as I suddenly started getting really pissed off with things which hadn't been bothering me!

I am my own worst enemy though... Went to the concert rehearsal, found I was wearing jeans and code was summer dresses which no-one had told me, so had to rush home, change, come back and sing. It was quite difficult singing at times and I'm knackered now - breathing bit better but still not brilliant. Might have been ok without the concert, but I'd offered to dep for someone and didn't want to back out unless I had to.

Not singing tomorrow though as I wasn't great the last couple of weeks with all the incense and really couldn't deal with it atm.

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Aww no, what a pain having to rush to get changed! Are ok now? Singing when struggling to breathe isn't good probably a good idea about tomorrow!! Insence always sets me off - I've been at the back of my church playing. The organ (up the stairs on the balcony) and within 10 secs of it starting coughing uncontrollably lol.

It's annoying when your lungs don't make the right noise, but at least they behaved today - I rarely have a wheeze and the time I was at ooh and the dr heard a wheeze I could have actually cried!!! Would be nice to just be *normal* sometimes wouldn't it?!

Glad the pred seems to be kicking in lol at things starting to piss you off!!! I find this too

I was looking after a friends dogs today and tool them for a walk (hardly been outside in the last couple of days), very polleny in the peaks, so had a couple of blips today, annoying cos going to Alton towers tomorrow and tapering pred on mon so hoped the good streak would continue. Will have to take the pharmacy with me tomorrow - HATE using inhalers in front of people, but going to have to be very liberal with it tomorrow. Any advice?! Lol

Keep feeling better

Laura x

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Hm been better tbh - don't *think*i'll have to go back, hope not anyway as been before on a Sat night and it is not fun, plus I cannot believe I would get lucky twice in one day! At least I have the pred though anyway.

re your blips - crossing my fingers for you re Alton Towers and taper! Not sure I have any useful advice except don't drop it off any rides and don't take it in front of the attendants in case they freak out and don't want to let you on (though obvs don't go on a ride if you are feeling really rubbish) I find I'm ok with taking it in a crowd (though not at a concert but tonight I had to get inventive - luckily there were bits where I wasn't singing and was sitting hidden away - I hid my inhaler in the choir folder as I knew I'd need it esp if I wanted to be able to sing properly. So maybe find a quiet corner where everyone will be walking past and not looking at you?

Good luck, hope you have a great day!

xx

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Really hope you don't have to go back!! I love the inventiveness of taking inhaler

I think I just need to grow a pair and face up to the fact I need to use it in front of people - it's rediculous esp when I'm at needing spacer (its coming tomorrow :-/). My ""blips"" today - been at 40% once and the rest of the time between 50 and 100 (and 4 whole days without the ""help dilemma :-)) will probably need to be very liberal with meds tomorrow!! I hate using it in front of people grr.

Tapering mon regardless, cons expecting a ""do"" before getting to 20mg tho, but I'm enjoying this ""stable"" period

Thanks for such a nice post on the thread I created earlier

If you need to go back, go back - early is better than crisis!!

Keep feeling better

Laura x

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Just seen this - I love the inhaler and choir folder inventiveness (although not that you are having to do this). I was told I couldn't take my flute case onto the stage last night so had a strange inhaler shape in my pocket (the problem I have with Bricanyl is that people don't recognise it as an inhaler and I get the strange looks or ""what's that"". Going to attempt a concert in a park later so that should really test the pred (also on last day before taper).

Also glad you are starting to feel the pred. I found myself in tears last night getting ready because I couldn't find my glasses!

Laura - I hope you have a great time today and follow Philomela's advice about not dropping inhaler off the rides!

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Hiya, how are you feeling now? Unusual looking inhalers are a pain, I found that today with my symbicort!! How was concert in the park?

I had a fab time today, but lungs haven't played fair ... they decided to throw a strop in the wee small hours of today and then had to use a lot of reliever throughout day - maxed out on symbicort and atrovent and resorted to using salb and spacer tho didn't drop it off any rides hehe struggling a fair bit now, but was worth it, seeing friends and stuff - tapering pred tomorrow I am also strawberry blonde and very fair so got proper sunburnt lol ... Look like a lobster with the shakes!!

How was concert in the park? How fast are you tapering pred? I finally go down by 5mg to 30, but seem to lose control at this point through recent experience - I've enjoyed my good few days, I don't want to crash and burn having a sulk lol.

Are you at work tomorrow? I hope the taper goes well!!

Laura x