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[Claire-12_12]

Hi am looking for bit of advice so thanks in advanced my name is Claire & I've had problems sleeping at night.

1) waking up as couldn't get my breath

2) tight chest

Went to doctors & she reveied me to Respiratory nurse & she has given me a Ventolin inhaler with spacer,peak flow meter to monitor air flow for 2 weeks using inhaler as when needed 250-300 morning,evening last 2 weeks inhaler morning 10mins doing reading & same in evening am getting 300-350 what should I expect when go back to see nurse in 2 weeks?

[Chip_y2kuk]

If the ventolin has increased your peak flow they would 'probably' look at asthma/ airway conditions

And the tight chest and waking at night unable to breathe are common symptoms of asthma

Maybe a brown inhaler

[Claire-12_12]

Well the peak flow chart for my 1st 2 weeks having inhaler as,when needed it was 250-300 now this last two week it's gone to 300-350 but using inhaler morning,night but I've also used it after I've been out in the cold air,my other halfs fag smoke makes me cough,tight chest but I've made notes to take back to nurse am I doing right?

[Chip_y2kuk in reply to Claire-12_12]

I'd be making the other half quit smoking/smoke outside... you coughing and getting tight chested is a sign your airways are spasming/ becoming inflamed when around cigarette smoke (it's also linked somehow to copd)

Cold and damp air is another common trigger for asthma

I don't think making notes is a bad thing and using ventolin when you have been exposed to triggers is what the ventolin is for (to provide quick relief)

[Claire-12_12]

Thanks could I let you now when go back to nurse on 17th

[Chip_y2kuk in reply to Claire-12_12]

Certainly, look forward to hearing from you

[Chip_y2kuk in reply to Chip_y2kuk]

Do you know what your peak flow should be?

[Claire-12_12]

Yes I think so for my height 5-3 it should be 420-500 but I can't even reach 400

[frose]

I'm 5ft 2ins and pull 320 on a good day - 90 on a bad one. but peak flow is only one part of the story. notes are good.

[-Butterfly-]

I got a gold star from my gp when I did similar monitoring before being diagnosed!! I plotted graphs, wrote notes and compared peak flow before and after etc. My thought was, if I tell you everything

[-Butterfly- in reply to -Butterfly-]

If I tell the gp everything, they can decide what is and isn't relevant.

Good luck and keep us posted!!

[Maryeileen1]

Hi Clare-12_12,

You don't state your age and height but you peak flow appears low.

Do you fall asleep during the day ? If so perhaps you should be investigated for sleep apnoea .

Are you talking a steroid preventer Inhaler ?

I think that you need a proper lung function and gas exchange assessment.

My asthma is controlled but I don't sleep for long but the sleep I get Is good quality. I think we all get a little bit hi by up on eight hours of sleep as the norm ...but it's not as you get older.

Good luck,

Maryeileen

[Claire-12_12 in reply to Maryeileen1]

Am 5tf 3 am 35yrs I don't have a preventative yet as going back to surgery on 17th but I was told to make notes & do two peak flow readings 1-2weks take inhaler as,when needed do peak flow morning,evening 3-4 take inhaler morning,evening the do readings 10mins after but have been using it during day as cold air,fag smoke makes me cough,hurts chest but I don't now what to expect when I go back to Drs

[Maryeileen1]

Hung up !

[Hidden in reply to Maryeileen1]

Did you know you can edit your post Maryeileen1? Click on the little downward arrow at the bottom, click edit, amend your post then click edit repost to repost it. x

[Maryeileen1]

Thanks

[Jenhcat]

Welcome to the boards! Certainly make plenty of notes with your peak flows. I find that by evening my peak flow is dropping down again (it's why they gave me a tablet called montelukast to get me through the night) Try doing one at lunchtime or mid afternoon and you might be surprised how much better it is. That is how they diagnose asthma -variable peak flow over the day but lower in the morning.

Your other half is not helping. Mine doesn't either. Smokes on doorstep with door open to let smoke and cold air back in again, or smokes in downstairs loo. I can't even go in there. When I was in hospital he decided that as I wasn't around he could smoke in the car. Needless to say when I first got in it I had an attack!

My doctor wrote to him when I was really ill telling him to change his clothes after smoking and always wash his head and hands before going to bed...he is why I have to take montelukast I'm sure! Then again, my kids are now at high school and keep trying to kill me with lynx deodorant! Could try antihistamine- it has helped me be less sensitive around my husband.

Good luck at your follow up.

[Claire-12_12 in reply to Jenhcat]

Do you think doctors would do me anther precibtion for what I've got even though I haven't seen Respiratory nurse yet?

[Jenhcat]

I think that if you are struggling or your peak flow is showing a downward trend over a few days you can't wait until the 17th. The GP can assess you earlier than that. They had to do that with my daughter and put her on a preventer to stop her being ill for another 2 weeks. We never did finish the 2 weeks peak flow monitoring without medication to get her official diagnosis.

Good luck. Let us know how you get on

[Claire-12_12]

Hi everyone struggling a bit today in&, out in cold all day since got back been coughing,chest hurts hasn't seemed to have worked any suggestions please

[Claire-12_12]

Hi everyone again been to Dr's & nurse has given me something else & blue inhaler so go back on 20th Dec so hopefully should be on repeat by then both what she has given me