Chest infection feeling rough

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this forum but not asthma. I was diagnosed with asthma about ten years ago. Up until now it has been fairly stable with some chest infections. I have seen the asthma nurse and have always had the flu jab. I have been really well lately so stopped taking my steroid inhaler. I have spoke to the nurse at my doctors about this. I am also dyslexic and dyspraxic both of which make me very forgetful. This has an effect on me taking my inhalers as I forget sometimes. I have received help from my gp who gave me some ideas on how to help me. Plus I spoke to one of the asthma nurses from asthma uk.

I am feeling quite rough at the moment and as a result feel low in myself. Two weeks ago I caught a very bad cold and have been totally floored by it I haven't had much energy and have a dreadful cough. Yesterday was the first night I slept probperly only waking once feeling like I couldn't breathe. I had seen a gp last week who couldn't hear anything on my chest as I was unable to take in a big enough breathe for her to listen. My breathless and coughing up blood she diagnosed a chest infection. I was put on antibiotics and a strong steroid inhaler. Sevon days later I still was unable to breathe well. I went back to work for a day and a half and went home early as I felt terrible. I then went to see my gp again who tried to listen to my chest. As she couldn't becuase it was so tight she sent me to our nurse for a nebuliser. I then went back to see her but not much had changed after the nebuliser. She sent me home with steroid tablets 8 a day and strong antibiotics. I am still cough and having coughing fits. I saw my gp again today who did say he fhought my chest did sound a little better.

I am scared as my asthma has never been this bad. It was the first time I had to have a nebuliser and am worried about catching another cold. I have to see either an asthma nurse or doctor in the new year to check everything is getting better.

Sorry for the long post just a very scared newbie.

Ps sorry for any bad spelling.

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Hi and welcome,

How you describe your symptoms sound so similar to mine at the moment. My asthma started getting worse two weeks ago (coughing a lot especially at night etc) so had steroids and was given antibiotics for a chest infection last week. Had the week off work, started to feels a little better, went back to work but have since started to feel worse again and am back on antibiotics. This has left me feeling exhausted and low as you described. I have also seen a doctor several times this week.

I do understand why you are scared. You are clearly being well monitored by your GP, which I have found to be key in treating bad patches and it helps to reassure me that I am clearly doing the right thing or they would be sending me to hospital. Hopefully the steroids will be kicking in to calm things down too. They are also following you up on a few weeks (which again in my experience doesn't always happen). When you do go and see them, it may be helpful to take a list of questions to help reassure you or ask them about managing colds etc. I am always picking up colds/infections from the children I work with and they trigger my asthma, but I have a plan for what to do when I start to feel bad (for me it is taking extra does of my steroid inhaler and then starting oral steroids but it may be different for you). Although I do have some flares (like now), with this plan I feel that I have tackled at least some before they have had the chance to really take hold. The other thing is that asthma can get better and worse. The treatment mine has needed has gone up and down several times so even if you are bad at the moment there is nothing to say it will be like that all the time (unfortunately the opposite is also true where you can have good patches without a steroid inhaler and then need to go back on it).

I hope this helps

Take care

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you are both also describing me at the moment too

I'm on antibiotics & steroids but thankfully not feeling *too* rough (between the coughing fits anyway), i've not had to take time off work and i've only got half a day left anyway!

I haven't been told to go back for a follow-up even though thinking about it it would probably be a good idea especially as this is the first time i've needed pred and this has hit me about 2 weeks after my steroid inhaler was doubled :-s

I think we all deserve a ((( group hug ))) and let's hope we're all better by christmas!

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antibiotics and pred here too! we're a hopeless bunch at the moment aren't we! fortunately im not coughing much at all atm in fact last night in costa they kept giving me saline nebs to see if it was just that everything was stuck in my lungs - but no luck, but they look and sound terrible with raised whites and neutrophils and temp, so infection makes sense, lungs just being asthma-y not chest infection-y!! how long since you started the prednisilone?? that should make you feel better soon!!

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Just got over a bad chest infection and with blood in also. Three lots of different antibs and two short courses of steroids and with the last lot of antibs 20 day courses of steroids so all November on antibs and steroids. Even with the flu jab I spent November totaly worn out and tearful coming down off steroids. Doing better now .....lol glynis

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Thank you for your relpys. I hope you are all feeling better soon. I have now been on the steroid tablets for two days. I still don't feel great but not coughing quite as much. My chest is soundly slightly better according to the doctor as I had to see her about another problem I have got. It doesn't rain but it pours.

I am suffering from depression at the moment as well. This year has been a very hard one. I have been through bullying at the work until it got so bad that I had to be signed off work with stress and depression. Then back in march I was diagnosed with dyslexia and dyspraxia both severe. I also have other health iusees which are long term and have to take pills for.

My gp was understanding and knows that I am having a hard time lately.

Sorry to go on.