Advice for a friend

[8405loi]

My friend has allergy asthma (pollen, dust to name a few) she has inhalers from the doctor but she's given up hope with him, she's had it for years, she is in her 60's and generally manages things herself by trying to avoid triggers and taking antihistamine.

What advice would you give her? I do wonder whether she should ask if she could be preferred to a respiratory consultant.

[Hidden]

Hi 8405loi

I've asked our nurse team about and Caroline one of our nurses has asked if she is also using a nasal spray to treat her allergic rhinitis?

While it sounds like she's not had the support she needs from the doctor any airway inflammation needs to be treated with regular preventer inhalers as prescribed and it's worth her inhaler technique should be checked so it's worth having an asthma review with her GP or practice nurse. If she is needing her Ventolin 3 or more times a week then she needs her treatment reviewed and stepped up.

Please do pass the nurses helpline number to her. They can be reached on 0300 222 5800 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm).

Hope that helps,

Dita

[8405loi in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Dita, I'll pass the info onto her. Kind regards.

[green881]

Why did she give up hope can you tell us more? You can't cure asthma it's a chronic thing, it flares up and down. They should have explained this to her did they not? But she should be properly controlled. Trigger reduction is good - what are her main ones?

[8405loi]

It's a combination really dust mites & pollen seen to be the strongest.

[Hidden]

Hi 8405loi

There's some tips from people with asthma dealing with pollen triggers bit.ly/pollen1 There's also some information about dust mites, which unfortunately are trickier to avoid: bit.ly/2sZkxMt that might be useful for your friend.

Dita

[8405loi]

Thank you Dita