Nebulisers vs Just Inhalers during worsening asthma!!

[akela6th]

Sorry me again!!! Can somebody clarify before I go totally crazy !!

In hospital i got asked WHY feel that a nebuliser helped me when clinical signs (predominantly NO WHEEZE!!!) indicated no neb needed only sign I FELT WAS A BELT GETTING TIGHTER AND TIGHTER ROUND MY CHEST,NO PAIN!! I was told that inhaler should help as neb does but it bloody doesn't. Sorry for language but was not refused a neb but after i did my chest feels so much better,clearer and more relaxed if that makes sense and my peak flow reading was much improved. After even of ventolin via aero chamber(regually cleaned with water and air dried)the inhaler does bugger all !!!!! I really am so SORRY for language but am so frustrated.Seritide not due till tonight but I know preventer does not help during attack/exhibition but don't know what else to do. Not bad enough to call ambulance and if call 111 that's what will say!God I wish I had some nebules and would use my own machine and see my gp tomorrow.Sorry rant over!!

[Lisa_G]

So sorry to hear your difficulties at hospital. It is SO frustrating the number of health professionals who treat you as if you're making it up because there is no wheeze! The GP I saw on Friday said something similar - he said when I check you over your presentation is not showing as bad as you say you feel !! How patronising is that?! He could clearly see I was struggling to talk and kept having coughing fits. Do they think we bring it on ourselves or something?! Sorry...now I'm ranting !

The fact is nebulisers clearly work better than trying to an inhaler when you can't get your breath because it goes straight to your airways. Wish they would just listen to us.

Hope you get on ok with your GP.

[Beth_19]

My consultant explained inhalers to me especially the evohaler which is the one under pressure - the medicine comes out of the inhaler at 60mph so even if you are great at taking in a perfectly timed breath it hits the back of the throat more then goes into your lungs. Even with the accuhaler where you have to physical inhale the medicine, you are getting a single dose very quickly so medicine gets sent out when you exhale even after you have held your breath.

with nebulizers you get the medicine over a longer period of time with oxygen allowing it to act in the lungs over a period of time rather then a quick shot like inhalers. Nebulizers are a differing delivery mechanism for the same medication, it works for asthmatics because it gets the medication into the lungs repeatedly allowing it to work.

The whole wheeze thing is getting beyond infuriating but you know my thoughts on that. asthma is not always about the wheeze but medics dont seem to realise that.

[akela6th in reply to Beth_19]

Hi Beth sorry to keep moaning but really getting fed up with the hospital admission s and this time on 2nd to last day being told that the wheeze she could hear was in my throat!try hot drink I had one on table which made no difference I agree def to a saline neb to moisten throat if dr came back 10 mins later neb still going me still coughing so she changed to ventolin much better. Then went on to talk about panic attacks which you don't have for two weeks.

I have been sleeping so much since home but crackl today and it's now 3.59 am and have been coughing on more than not and wheezin I know in myself a nebuliser would help but that mean calling at least 111 who will probably say 999 again when drs on Fri have said I'm fine bloods didn't show infection and chest no wheeze but that's cos I rarely bloody wheeze!! I actually sound like saloon at moment and don't know what to do as now feel like don't believe me as no wheeze. Just to clarify I use preventer and reliever inhaler through aero chamber spacer as advised by asthma nurse many years ago.

Git to go it's taken me nearly hour to write this

Paula x

Sorry Beth I've just reread this post and I must apologise as some of it sounds absolute GARBAGE as was middle of night and was constantly coughing!! I hope as a fellow sufferer you can manange to work out what I mean. I'm sure you have set me your contact details so will drop u a line and try to explain verbally. If you have not given me contact details I do apologise for assuming u did!!

[Beth_19 in reply to akela6th]

Hi Paula don't worry about it I understood it all.

It is completely understandable to be as frustrated as you are. It seems to be the latest thing to say its a panic attack. They can't seem to understand that while yes there is an element of anxiety when we can't breath, that doesn't mean we aren't having an asthma attack.

Take it one hour at a time and if there is a doc you trust at your GP's surgery, see if you can get in to see them to discuss these worries and see if they can do anything to help and hoepfully keep you out of hospital.

I hope the rest of today was a bit better for you. hugs xx

[akela6th in reply to Beth_19]

I spoke to asthma UK today who advised after last night's constant coughing. Still no nebs but did prescribe course of steriods and is going to speak to consultant to ask for nebs. I was surprised to receive a call from surgery to see how I was!!!! Never has that happened!!!!!

[Beth_19 in reply to akela6th]

I'm glad you are getting help, hope they do get the nebs for you.

[Rainbows22]

I understand exactly what you mean , I was in hospital recently And they crossed off nebs and said I could just use my inhaler - if I needed a neb a dr had to be called to see if I was wheezy - I don't think any one would want a neb if they did not need one !!!!! And sometimes I would not be wheezy but very tight -we don't always WHEEZE !!!!

Hang in there and stand firm , you know your asthma better than anyone !!

Wheeze and sats is a problem I always have but I can have sats of 96% but when they take blood gases my oxygen is really low and I have need supplementary oxygen via pressure .

[Hidden]

Hi do you use a spacer with your inhalers? This should help. You can also buy your own nebuliser on Amazon but I think you have to get the contents via a prescription. I would check it out though. x

[akela6th in reply to Hidden]

Yes always do inhalers through aero chamber spacer as advised/prescribed by asthma nurse and I do have a nebuliser machine but will need a more up to date one bit no point buying one if dr won't prescribe nebules to use in it!!!!!

[mintypol]

Hi, I went to my gp and asked for ventolin for a nebuliser, after she gave me a script for it, I went next door to chemist and bought a nebuliser machine, it has saved me going to A and E on several occasions, worth asking your gp about it.

[akela6th in reply to mintypol]

I'm sure if my consultant/gp would prescribe them it would reduce at least some of my admissions to hospital I'm not silly I know when I need help!

[emmasue]

I have been through this too on more than one occasion. One time I went to the out-of-hours GP. She put me straight on a nebuliser. I wasn't feeling much better so she sent me to A&E saying that I may have brittle asthma (I am not really sure that I do). Anyway, once in A&E I was treated completely differently. They thought I wasn't too bad and said just to use the Ventolin and the spacer until I feel better and sent me home. I have a feeling that health services are seriously rationing services. When I brought this up with my GP, he said that he saw no signs of it. Well, I see it all the time. I can't get to see the ENT because my GP says I am not bad enough. My two kids languish on an 84 week waiting list to be assessed for ASD because there aren't enough specialists to deal with all the cases. At least I still have my hospital asthma nurse. I hope I am never discharged from her service!

[akela6th]

Saw gp was NOTgiven nebules when said reason I was told told how don't like giving asthma patients by drs in hospital cos"they tend to relay on them and come into hospital sicicker!" GP actually " said or dead!!"when I mentioned what he said his reply was well not actually dead but.....and then said something else. Going to discuss it with consultant but gp now off for 2 weeks and Nd my appointment on 7th!! Am now on another course of 40mg prednisolone and got to for 5 days in case steriods don't help but obviously 111/999 if bad!!!

[Malva22]

I have the same symptoms and was also asked why do I think I need a nebuliser when there is no wheeze...grrr! The answer is ''because my chest feels very tight, my breathing muscles fatigued, I am so short of breath; getting tired with eating and speaking, have cough with mucus which is difficult to get rid off and have edema of my airways on the top of that . I can sympathies with you! I am not sure what is it that is causing very debilitating symptoms ,like the ones mentioned to be ignored- ignorance or callousness?