Not sure

[Amyloulou]

Okay so I have really bad asthma and I currently have a cold that has aggravated my asthma. I’m on 40mg steroids for 5 days (onto day 3). My problem is that I don’t have a wheeze but having issues breathing, fast heart rate, palpitations and back pain. My inhalers aren’t working at all so I’m at a loss of what to do. I’ll be very great full if someone could give me any advice. Thank you so much in advance 😊xxx

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador]

I'd go and see someone - OOH dr at least as it's the weekend, and if you are are used to bad asthma do you know when you need to head to A and E? Do you have a plan?

I also have bad asthma and generally if steroids aren't working by this point then at the very least you need to see someone about carrying on for more than 5 days. I also do not wheeze but a fast heart rate is often a sign of worsening asthma for me, even taking into account that I will be taking more Ventolin. If the Ventolin isn't working you definitely need to be doing something sooner rather than later (but I totally understand this phase where you know you should but aren't quite sure. I often wait and then it gets worse - I agree it can be hard when you don't wheeze and worry they will dismiss you, but with thr other symptoms they should take note anyway especially if you try saying up front you never wheeze

Hope this helps! Please don't hang around waiting with this going on.

[Amyloulou in reply to Lysistrata]

I’ll ring the out of hours see if I can get an appointment for them thanks for advice xxx

[Elderasthmatic in reply to Lysistrata]

You might eventually look into Buteyko breathing which has been very helpful for me. The cycle of medication is something I was on also. We asthmatics over breathe and this aggravates asthma. Buteyko helps to calm and slow down the breath but it is a real commitment . I was desperate and am grateful.

[Elderasthmatic in reply to Elderasthmatic]

First you need to get your asthma under control with the help of your doctor. This is most important.

[hypercat54]

Hi not being able to breathe properly is a medical emergency so call an ambulance straight away. Don't take any chances with your life. Do it now if you still can't get your breathing under control.

[Amyloulou in reply to hypercat54]

Thanks for the advice I just don’t want to feel like I’m wasting time because my chest sounds clear but will try and get an appointment thanks for the advice xxx

[hypercat54 in reply to Amyloulou]

Is your breathing any better now?

[Amyloulou in reply to hypercat54]

Breathing abit better but heart rate still really fast and tight xxx

[hypercat54 in reply to Amyloulou]

Why not ring up and ask their advice whether you need an ambulance or not? x

[Amyloulou in reply to hypercat54]

I will do thanks I just don’t want to wast their time xxx

[Sadie987 in reply to Amyloulou]

You are not wasting anyone's time it's their job they get paid for it. You can not put a price on your health or life !!!!

[hypercat54]

My doctor once said to me that it is far better to seek help if you are not sure than not to. She said doctors would far rather that than risking a life. x

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador in reply to hypercat54]

Hypercat I am not a Dr but completely agree - sadly from personal experience I find it doesn't always get seen that way, especially if you're not someone who presents typically. They don't say oh you shouldn't have come, but seem to have ways of suggesting you're just a bit anxious and why did you feel the need to come. The good doctors who would never suggest this are not always aware of this being being a problem that can happen! I've spent a lot of time presenting as an atypical asthmatic and more often than not they are great when it is urgent, but I have had enough bad experiences to make me wary, so I wondered a little if Amyloulou might be the same as a non wheezer. You do have to make yourself go though even with this, and agree it is better to go than wait.

[Amyloulou in reply to Lysistrata]

Thank you I have an appointment for 8:50 at the out of hours fingers crossed they take me seriously thanks for the advice xx

[hypercat54 in reply to Lysistrata]

Yes I am very lucky in that my asthma is mild though I do also have mild copd as well and have never had to go to the ER, but I have heard others saying exactly the same as you.

But I also know that the asthma death rate in the UK is one of the highest in the developed world and most of the victims could be saved if doctors were more clued up and aware.

It's a very difficult situation isn't it. x

[Lori62 in reply to Lysistrata]

Hi, I’m in the US, and I belong to both boards. I definitely know I’m in a different country, as I don’t understand half of this. But I’ll get to that as it comes up. But what is an atypical asthmatic? And I know what you are both talking about, with being made to feel like why did you think you needed to come in. Thanks for any insight

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador in reply to Lori62]

Hi Lori, I don't think atypical has any kind of formal meaning. I'm just using it to describe someone like me who doesn't usually wheeze, doesn't necessarily have peak flow dropping, maybe doesn't have reduced oxygen saturations in an attack but still definitely has asthma and is having an asthma attack even with ok sats, peak flow, no wheeze etc.

Do you also have aspects of asthma which the doctors sometimes dismiss, like not wheezing? I don't know what it's like in the US, but like hypercat says, the UK does have a death rate from asthma that is really too high for a developed country with freely accessible healthcare. A massively high number of our asthma deaths are preventable, and it may be due to factors including not being taken seriously if your asthma does not act the way some doctors expect eg wheeze.

[Lori62 in reply to Lysistrata]

Hi Lysistrata, mine is a bit different as well. I know what peak flow is, and peak flow. But I do wheeze. But I’m often dismissed or overlooked, because my wheezing is in my upper chest, even in my throat. But it is indeed asthma. But until Drs get to know me, it’ often gets dismissed. Especially if I have a respiratory infection. So when they go to listen on my back, deep in the lungs, it almost impossible to hear. The asthma death rate here is absurdly high too, but I believe your country has more readily available health care.

[Lori62 in reply to Lysistrata]

Hi Lysistrata, I tried to reply but it wouldn’t except it. Maybe it will just accept this, and I can reply at another time. Since it’s after 4:00am here. Asthma, pain and reflux. I’ll explain why my asthma seems atypical later. Hope this goes through...

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador]

Best of luck! Sorry hope I didn't make it sound like they wouldn't, it's just your post massively reminded me of how I think when I'm debating whether to go and worrying about the wheeze thing! Usually urgent care etc are OK so hopefully they will have some solutions.

[Amyloulou in reply to Lysistrata]

Yea I feel the same way that’s why I really didn’t want to go thank you xx

[Jenzzie18 in reply to Amyloulou]

My line to a dr on Tuesday when I was admitted who told me well your not wheezing was well you have to be able to move air through your lungs to wheeze which I wasn’t able to do. X

[Amyloulou in reply to Jenzzie18]

Well been to docs and they think that something is up with my heart because my pulse is 160 and high bp so fingers crossed I get sorted soon xx

[Jenzzie18 in reply to Amyloulou]

Ooo that doesn’t sound great. Hope you can get sorted soon. X

[Amyloulou in reply to Jenzzie18]

Me too thank you I’ll keep posted xx

[Moonmoo22]

Hope you feel better soon and get sorted. Keep us posted. I often get a racing heart with bad periods of asthma x

[Amyloulou in reply to Moonmoo22]

I’m going home yey can’t wait it was asthma and chest infection after all I have to see a consultant in clinic to see if I qualify for the new treatments for severe asthma sufferers thanks everyone ❤️xx

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador in reply to Amyloulou]

Glad you got things sorted out! I was thinking the same as Moonmoo as my heart and BP often play around with asthma. Crossed fingers things go well with the consultant.

[Amyloulou in reply to Lysistrata]

Thank you xx

[peege in reply to Amyloulou]

There you are, aren't you glad you wrote this post & made that appointment?

This forum is great 😃👍😃👍😃👍😃 get well soon. P

[Amyloulou in reply to peege]

It’s amazing thank you so much and thanks everyone else for the excellent advice I’ve received I really appreciate everyone taking the time to try and help me xx

[nickpeters]

Hi,

Could be down to many things, a chest infection, thyroid, stress, heart etc....etc.. However, if you are having difficulty breathing and have sharp back pain near shoulder blades then be safe rather than sorry and get yourself to A&E straight away.