Hi,
Can anyone recommend a good private consultant in Manchester area - my GP doesn't refer as all referrals come out of their budget nowdays. I feel more and more short of breath ( had 2 courses of oral steroids but only slight improvement after that), don't even know if I have asthma. I had chronic cough before for 4 years , have been on seretide for 2 years.
What are the main asthma tests - had lung function a while ago, it wasn't bad.
Thanks
erm Lung function, methacholine challenge, blood tests (to look at inflammatory markers and allergies), Exhaled nitric oxide (looks at inflammation in the lungs) and CT scans to rule out other things as well as can show air trapping, hyperinflation and such-like!
It would be unusual to b eunder a consultant whilst on seretide alone. What is it that makes you feel your GP is unwilling to reffer? I have found most are pretty good about refferal if it is required! Is there another GP in the practice you could see instead? or could you go to a different GP practice?
Has your GP explored any other treatment options with you? antihistamines, montelukast, possibly theophylinnes can be presctibed by a GP as well as changing round inhalers (some people do really well on symbicort) that would usually be done before referral to a consultant!
Hi, Thank you for your reply. I went to 3 different GPs , they just sent me to xray and blood test which were ok and that was it. I was given prednisone at the cough clinic that I'm registered with for chronic cough. Has been feeling short of breath for a few months. didn't get any help or referrals from GPs
Hi sorry to hear you are having this problem. I had to go down this line. I am in London so saw a doctor at The Brompton Hospital who then wrote to my GP and told them to do a nhs referal to him.Is there a asthma hospital near you? Or maybe look up your local hospital and see who the consultant there is and if they do private appoinments. Good luck
Asthma
Asthma team and Consultant visit!
Asthma Review with the asthma nurse
Obstructive asthma or Asthma - COPD overlap - confused 
Lactose in asthma inhalers
