Newby

[janean]

Hi All

I have had asthma since i was 21yrs old and am now 57yrs old and have just had my very first entry to A & E on 28th Dec '16. I could not breath my asthma was exacerbated due to a chest infection. Well I survived but very frightening experience to say the least. I am still reducing down prednisolone and do not return to work until next Monday 16th. Breathing getting better daily.

[Asthma-girl]

I'm sorry that your asthma is causing you problems.

I hope you start to feel better soon.

[Jolaughton74]

I hope you soon feel much better and get everything under control again.

From various posts it appears that this winter is causing problems & many flare ups.

Wishing you a speedy recovery.

[Lilacsky]

Sorry to hear that but glad you are on the up, it must have been very frightening but you can relax a bit now and get your strength back

[cocoeagle]

Hi, I too started with bronchial asthma when I was 24, my father having had chronic asthma all his life. Of course when I started with it there were no such things as inhalers, we just had tablets which really did not do much to relieve the symptoms. I have just turned 72 but noticed 2 years ago I seemed to be continually getting a very bad chest infection which re occurred every 6 months for some reason. Each time I got it, it was worse to get rid of than the time before. The last time I had it was June, 2016 and my breathing was so bad for the first time ever I was taken to hospital. They did manage to get my breathing under control after being in a bed in the hospital all day and night but the consultant was very concerned to hear I did not have a regular visit with a specialised respiratory doctor. He told me to see my doctor and ask to see someone. Needless to say my surgery is very good at NOT referring patients if they don't have to and I actually read a newspaper item today which said Doctors are being told NOT to refer patients to hospital, obviously because of the state they are now in with all the people going there.

I am not happy with this, having worked all my life and paid into the system all my life one would expect to be offered the treatment I need, However,

In June I was finally given a different antibiotic which helped but I ended up with 3 courses of this antibiotic and 3 courses of steriods ( prednisolne) before my airways became easier again. 3 days ago I noticed I was starting to cough quite a lot in the night and coughing up dark green pleghm . I managed to get an emergency appointment via my surgery on Sunday evening and he has now given me something called Keflex 500 mg and mentioned that I had COPD. I also have IRA (Inflamatory rheumatoid arthriis) but was always told I had Bronchial Asthma so why he decided I had COPD I do not know. COPD is usually associated with smokers and although I did smoke off and one from the age of 18 to 26 I had 2 bad attacks and never smoked again. Normally the surgery just gives out the usual Amoxicillan which I think everyone knows does nothing anymore but then my breathing just gets worse and worse until they have to do something more about it. So why the chest infections keep re-occurring every 6 months I do not know. Needless to say they did not refer me, then I found a doctor helps at the practice occasionally when needed and his reactions were quite opposite. He said he did not believe in messing around, trying this and that, he just referred patients so that was how I got referred to a respiratory doctor. When I saw her I was OK but again she gave me AMOXICILLAN in case it started up again until my next appointment. I also noticed last week when trying to get an appointment online that this GP has now been dropped from the practice. Strange things going on. So really it seems it is just a case of getting on with it the best you can and just hope you get over each bout but as you say it is very, very frightening having an asthma attack where you are fighting for breath and nothing helps. So all I can say is good luck for the future but you should ask if you can have an appointment with a specialised respiratory doctor, not the normal GP or asthma nurse. Good luck. Coco.

[janean]

Thanks coco same as I am experiencing with my gp etc good luck hon x