How useful do you find asthma annual reviews??

Can anyone tell me how they have found their experience of asthma annual reviews with their doctor or nurse? what do they cover and is it useful to you?

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i personally haven't found them particularly useful in the past. Our nurse is not a specialist (i know she covers at least asthma and diabetes) and she only ever seems to be interested in how i'm feeling on the day i'm there and the previous 2 weeks, doesn't matter whether i was struggling a month ago etc, especially as i tend not to bother doctors unless i'm REALLY bad.

I have my review booked for the end of this month and i intend to try and make it more useful. I'm (trying to be) a runner but EVERY time i go running i end up coughing for hiurs afterwards (or days as in my current flare!) and other runners / asthmatic runners say it shouldn't be affecting me that badly. I intend to ring the Asthma UK helpine nurses a few days before my review and ask their advice. I have rung them once before and they suggested a very minor change which meant i just went to the doctor and told them what they'd said and she agreed to the change. Sadly for me it made no difference.

My physio who also happens to be an asthmatic runner and has previous experience working in respiratory medicine has given me a suggestion of what to ask for but i'm going to ask the 'specialists; what they say too.

Hopefully i can come out of this year's review with a prescription for new meds and a proper asthma action plan - which i currently don't have either!!!

[yaf_user681_57860]

I haven't found it useful in the past. Ther only thing the nurse did other than the usual peak flow was tell me that it wasn't their problem if I forgot to take my Inhalers (I am dyslexic whcih affects sequencing & memory) so no I couldn't have two inhalers to dot about the house to prompt me. So much for individualised care!

Recently however my GP surgery has employed a specialist nurse who I have found to be excellent. She did a really thorough review including peak flow, Sounding my chest, BP etc & asking questions about my experience & LISTENING to what I had to say! I have had recurrent chest infections which have been affecting my work so she She changed my treatment including a nasal spray to reduce allergic congestion which apparently has been affecting my lungs as well as my nose & gave me a really comprehensive Asthma plan. Previously when I have had chest infections I have just had to ride them out if viral or take antibiotics if bacterial but she has added the option of oral steroids which I have never been offered before. I know steroids can be pretty nasty but if it helps with the lung inflammation I will try anything! Hoping that this winter will be better. Currently have a mild chest infection but much better than last year. Fingers crossed that it carries on this way.

I think a lot depends on the training & attitude of the person nrunning the clinic. I think the most important thing is that you have the basic physical tests & the person running the clinic listens to you , how the asthma impacts on you & your life & adapts your asthma plan accordingly using up to date evidence based care & treatment.

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Can anyone tell me how they have found their experience of asthma annual reviews with their doctor or nurse? what do they cover and is it useful to you?

Sixty-years ago, there had been no annual reviews for asthmatics as far as I can recall. In the sixty-years since that time, I have never been the subject of a review concerning asthma. According to my present GP, he has no record of my asthma. This make me wonder just what my medical records consist of!

[Hidden]

I was diagnosed with asthma 2.5 years ago and have only been for an annual review once (during the first year). Since then, I've figured that since I've been back and forward to the GP about my asthma there would be no need to have an annual review with the nurse as well (don't know if this is the right thing to do though!?). I did find the asthma review useful though as the nurse checked my peak flow, inhaler technique and gave me my flu jag at the same time. I think she also checked my BP and listened to my chest as far as I can remember. I'd say it was worth going for, and I would definitely continue to take my local surgery up on their offer of this annual review if I wasn't there every couple of months seeing the dr anyway!

Jen R

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I'm afraid i stopped taking up the invitation to attend for an annual review after finding myself with an inexperienced and, frankly, clueless nurse who was very sweet but entirely out of her depth - and I'm not a complicated case! I see my excellent GP more than once a year for asthma and related things, so am happy to continue in this way. As others have said, I'm sure a review with a qualified, knowledgeable and experienced nurse is entirely different (my own sister is a nurse prescriber with specialist asthma training) but for me, I've not found it to be of much help.

[cliffhopper]

To be honest I've never found reviews that helpful, the last time I went I was told that I was at very high risk of a serious attack, (I had noticed!), but that the GP didn't want to do anything because I was seeing the repiratory consultant in a month anyway. I only go now after repeated nagging, and get told that my asthma is poorly controlled, but they can't do anyhting about it. Life's just to short to waste in pointless GP visits.

[juliesharp]

Hello

I had my first Annual Asthma Review at my new GP surgery today. The practice nurse looked worn out. She said it was flu clinic this month and it was a busy task for one nurse in a practice of 2500 patients. I felt for her. I cannot have flu jab as I have egg and sulphate allergy.

The practice nurse looked at my current asthma plan and was really pleased with it. Ought to be as a respiratory nurse wrote it before she retired.She was glad I was following it. I am to return in two weeks to see how reducing steroids is going. Told her my triggers were fog, damp leaves and bonfire smoke. Not helpful in autumn. I often get stress Asthma as I am a carer for my husband who has mental health. The practice nurse was so caring. She did not look at peakflow as mine does not reflect systems. Nor did she do inhaler technique but did say accuhalers are very easy to control when motor skills are poor in my case. Blame my extra chromosome. Lovely practice nurse!

Julie

[yaf_user681_57878]

Hi,

I've just come back from having my annual review. This year the GP did it. She was very thorough! My peak flow was 420 and she and I were very very pleased!

[Hidden]

I realise reading everyone's that perhaps my annual reviews aren't thorough enough, as I really don't know what my action plan is, given I've developed a slightly difficult asthma. However, the asthma nurse is really lovely, and supportive, and very well informed, and covers all the usuals of inhaler techniques etc, so I do think it is very useful.

[Janna123]

After my last review I don't really see the point in bothering. The nurse told me that my review was a computer error as I had seen her a few months previously after an attack and therefore did not need to be seen again. She told me that it was a waste of time. I suppose she sees it as trusting me to go when I need to, which in a way I agree with. However, the review can come in handy sometimes when I'm not sure whether to see her or the doctor!

I don't have an action plan and haven't had my technique checked ever, so maybe I've never had a 'proper' review really!

[Hidden]

I've found my reviews quite helpful. My Asthma is well controlled and so they're normally short and just cover peak flow, weight etc. But a few years back when my Asthma wasn't so good, I had a medication review and ended up being moved over to Symbicort. Since then, I hardly touch my Ventolin, so yes, for me, definitely worth going to.

[cliffhopper]

My GP has found a ""safe and effective"" way of making patients go to asthma reviews, they refuse to give you any more ventolin inhalers until you go!!!! Bearing in mind that it takes at least three weeks to get an appointment, I wouldn't call it safe!

[Hidden]

mine does that too cliffhopper!!

Although to be fair to them you get the prescription you have requested at that point with a sticker on the repeat section that says you can't have any more till you've been in!

[Ericthedog]

Pointless! They cannot prescribe they do not listen, it appears they have very little knowledge or training