Waiting for a referral

[Span78]

Hi, this is my 1st post here. I've had moderate asthma since I was child and also had pneumonia when I was 7, which resulted in a 2 week hospital stay. I've generally been well controlled since the better preventers came out (simbicort /seretide).

The last few years I've had a chronic cough, most often producing a lot of sputum. I've had a lot of chest infections too.

This year things have got worse. I've lost count of the courses of antibiotics I've had for repeat chest infections. Twice my chest has sounded clear, despite coughing up vile green stuff and feeling rough, but a sputum sample has showed an infection.

I had pleurisy earlier in the year (makes childbirth a walk in the park!) and was put on Montelukast some time after to try and reduce the muck in my lungs. I don't think it's helped at all, though I'm still taking it.

Latest chest infection (diagnosed with a sputum sample) the Dr requested a referral and put me on a 3 week course of doxycycline. Even on that I had a couple of days where I felt dreadful and coughed up green phelgm. Been off them for nearly 2 weeks, the ever constant phelgm is getting worse and I'm started to feel rough again. I mentioned bronchiectasis to the Dr as a it seems to match all my symptoms but she disregarded that as I haven't worked in an industrial setting.

Got a ct scan this week, lots of blood tests to book in for, lung function tests in Oct and my consultant appointment in November.

I'm so fed up, I'm constantly on edge waiting for the next chest infection and can't run at the moment as it sets off major coughing fits (plus as soon as I get going again another infection comes along).

All through this my asthma has seemed stable with minimal wheeze, which is only when I have a nasty infection.

Sorry for the rambling post. Any ideas or suggestions?

[Asthma-girl]

Welcome to the forum.

I'm so sorry that you're going through a rough patch I hope things improve for you soon.

[risabel59]

Welcome to the Forum, one suggestion I have is "active cycle breathing"which is a way of getting rid of mucus trapped deep in the lungs which can cause ongoing infection. It is not difficult to do but needs a bit of practice. I was shown how by a respiratory physio, however there are quite a few good videos about the technique on YouTube.

I do hope you feel better soon

R