sorry for another (possibly obvious) thread.
long story cut short - I have a feeling I'm going to end up in A&E with my asthma.
I have a letter from my cons saying that I am asthmatic, I just don't wheeze. is it acceptable to take it with me if there's usually debate on whether I am asthmatic or not due to lack of wheeze?
the letter was sent to my GP & I got a copy of it, it wasn't a case of asking for a thing stating I'm a non-wheezer..
What are your reasons for concern?
I should think anything that gives the a&e doctors insight into your medical history would be helpful to them and would make them feel more comfortable that they are making the right decision if they treat you for asthma.
I'm not sure really, I kind of don't want to go with this letter as ""proof"" I don't wheeze and come across like I'm trying to.. prove them wrong or something when/if they say its not asthma.
I carry a cons letter that states that I have severe brittle asthma, am on my hospitals at risk register and have supranormal PF - without it its almost impossible for me to get appropriate help at an early stage. It doesnt always guarantee I get appropriate treatment, but does make a difference. When your health and possibly life is at stake its better to risk patronising the duty doctor than to be sent away seriously ill.
But is that really what you plan to do? Somehow I think not. Perhaps, you just want them to realize that as a general rule, for you, symptoms such and such mean asthma and they should treat it like asthma unless there is a very good reason not to?
I think if you were to show it to them as ""here's proof I have asthma and this is the only diagnosis you may consider"" that probably wouldn't come across right. Nor would it help you. Just because we have asthma doesn't mean that asthma is the reason every time we struggle to breathe. Asthma isn't the only thing that causes episodes coughing/shortness of breath/chest tightness. Sometimes we can have more than one thing going: infections, renal failure, sudden loss of red blood cells/development of anemia, allergies, and many other things can have difficult breathing as one of their symptoms.
But if you were to say something like ""My asthma isn't textbook (I don't wheeze) and you may find this letter from my cons helpful as you decide what help I need"" perhaps it would come across as simply giving them relevant information?
Are you concerned yourself that they will be over-persuaded by the letter and then miss that one time when you have an infection or non-asthma problem that merely looks like asthma?
Yes Id agree theres a balance to be struck, and while Im sure Ive had too many cxrays recently Id rather they did them than miss an infection (Ive already had pneumonia a couple of times). An example of how it helped me is a few wks ago I arrived with PF<50% best having B2B nebs already at home. They wanted to just give me puffer and observe but letter made it clear I was not a 'normal' asthmatic - they still did the other tests but appropriate asthma treatment was also given while waiting for results.
I carry a letter from my resp consultant which was written specifically for A&E detailing my lung problems and the appropriate treatment (I have atypical asthma and infection with severe restriction due to scoliosis and deteriorate rapidly if untreated). I see no problem with taking the letter with you in case you need it - then you have back up if they don't listen to what you say.
Uncontrolled Asthma and Medics
Bad asthma but good SATS. A&E experience
