Asthma, coughs and colds

[yaf_user681_6778]

Hi everyone,

It's that time of year again when all the cough and cold start to fly around. I have just started a new job working with children with special needs only been their three week.

Have no come down with a cough and a cold and starting to feel quite poorly chest has been very tight over the last few days, feeling short of breath and also have started getting a early morning nighttime cough. Have not energy to do anything asthma starting to feel out of control and I don't want it to get to the point when it decides to go to my chest and I have to be signed of work again.

My peak flow is down to 320 when my PB is 450 so I am in zone 3 of my management plan which says to start pred when I keep at home as part of my resue plan.

I am on the symbicot 200/6 smart regime, monkalukast, phyllocontin 225mg twice daily and I have a ventolin inhaler for if I have an attack!

I am finding it really hard to inhale my symbicot at the moment it is hurting me to inhale and exhale.

Not really sure what this means so have I managed to book a doctors appointment for Tuesday evening. Not sure what I should do in the mean time?

Thanking u in advance for suggestions.

Rachel

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I also find it hard to inhale from my steroid inhalers (seretide + flixotide) when I'm really tight.

When that happens I use ventolin and then wait 5-10 minutes before I take my steroid inhaler (in fact setting up the nebulizer to do that right now). The ventolin opens things up and more gets into where it needs to go when I take my steroid inhalers.

For me, when it hurts to inhale and exhale that's usually because I'm overusing my accessory muscles to breathe. Using reliever (or an extra dose of symbicort when I was on the smart plan) often makes the pain go away since it was caused by difficulty breathing.

Hoping you feel better soon.

[Hidden]

Hi Rachel,

Sorry to hear you are having problems. The joys of working with children! I think I am coming down with the second cold of this term (although it could be a very long tail end of the last).

I think it is quite normal to find a turbohaler hard to use when tight. I have to take Bricanyl as I have a low tolerance to Ventolin but I do have a Ventolin inhaler for times where I just can not take Bricanyl (in which case a very high pulse rate and really bad shakes is the least of my worries).

[yaf_user681_6778]

Evening everyone,

Asthma still playing up peak flow down to around 380 PB 450 started 30mg of pred for 5 days . Have now booked a doctors appointment for Tuesday evening as I think it may have starteded to go to my chest as I am coughing up some greeny yellowey mucus. Still feeling really worn out even though my chest is not quite so tight, still feeling short of breath at times. I am still finding it really hard to inhaler my symbicot and the ventolin that I have is salbutamol easi breath which is not comparable with a spacer so I feel as if I am not getting the full benefit of my symbicot. Just hope the doctor can suggest something on Tuesday.

Due to see my asthma consultant at the hospital at tHe end of October! Will also ask him for his advise.

Rachel

[yaf_user681_6778]

Evening all,

Feeling no better this evening feeling extremely exhausted tonight been coughing of and on since 3am this morning. Am taking symbicot 200/6 smart, montalukast 10mg, phyocontin 225mg one tablet twice a day and have also been taking pred 30mg for the last 4 days. Still feeling ver poorly but am seeing the doctor tomorrow can't come soon enough as I am still feeling out of breath, chest still feels tighter then normal. I am taking a cough medicine that has been recommended by the chismist along with using vapour rub on my chest. My partner said I was very white earlier with very blue lips. Just don't what to do for the best? Peak flow is down quite a lot at the moment.

I have been on symbicot for about two and a half months now but I am finding it very hard to taking with my chest the way it is? The easy Breath salbutamol inhaler that I have is quite hard to breath in when u r strugerling to breath just feel so awkward at the moment. As I have just started a new job at a special needs school which I am really enjoying so don't really want take time of ill. I not sure what the doctors consultant at the hospital can do to help me. My currant medications: symbicot 2006/6 montalukast 10mg, phyocontin 225mg one tablet twice a day, salabutamol ( when needed) and pred (when needed) in accordance with asthma management plan. I was taking seretide 250 before the consultant changed me over to symbicot 200/6 to see if it could improve my asthma as it has been uncontrolled for a couple of years. Can anyone suggest anything to help me?

Thanking you for your advice.

Rachel

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Hi Rachel, tbh I'd suggest seeing someone this evening if you've been changing colour and really struggling. The pred should really be helping by now and you might need something extra? I always find this a bad sign for me.

There are loads of things that can be added - are you sure your theophylline levels are therapeutic? Have you tried montelukast and maintenance pred? Do you use ipatropium? Just a few thoughts based on what I'm on!

Feel better soon, but keep safe!! Laura x

[yaf_user681_6778]

Hi,

Have now seen the doctor about my asthma and currant situation. He listened to my chest and suck a pulse ox on my finger he said that my oxygen is 96% so was not to bad. He has told me to carry on with pred and started me on a course of antibiotics for a week and then taper the pred Down. To keep on with montalukast and phyllocontin, with symbicot smart regiume. He told me to speak to consultant about changing my symbicot to something else I will be seeing him on the 29th October. So will have to manage with symbicot until then.

Rachel

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Glsd to hear you got to see your GP. Hoping you feel better soon!