Hi all I posted last week that I had a cold and asked for advice. I was fine on Thursday but Friday my peak flow drop down to 350/500 which 60%. I was a bit surprised but decided to treat myself with lots of Ventolin regular. I couldn't get my peak flow to go up but I thought I would be OK. Saturday I still didn't feel right and was coughing which I thought was the cold I was recovering from. I took lots of Ventolin regularly every 1/2 hours 8-10 puffs.
I rang 111 on Saturday afternoon and didn't get any help. I tried to tell them that I was asthmatic and my peak flow was very bad. (I now talked to asthma uk nurses and they told me how to get better treatment)
Sunday still peak flow was 350 and had to have ventolin every 1 hour in the morning so I though I had to go and see someone. This turns out to be A&E. So spent 4 hours in there been access and been treated. Turns out the cold had gone to my chest and flared up my asthma.
Dr did my SATs etc and listen to my chest and I had a small wheeze. So decide I needed prednisolone 40mg dose for 7 days. So took first dose. Then he asked me to do 10 puffs of ventolin through my spacer then test my peak flow 5 mins later.
I did it once and it gone up to 380 he said I could go home or repeat again in 30 mins I decided to do it again. Second time 380 nurse asked the doctor if I could go home no he wanted for me to do it again. (Drat I thought you told me I could go home.) Third time did it peak flow 380 2 hours after the prednisolone. Doctor happy and so I was discharged.
Discharge with treatment plan of 4 days of reducing my puffs from day 1 6/8 every 5/6 hours day 2 4-6 every 5-6 hours and day 3 4-6 puffs every 12 hours Day 4 2-4 puffs every 12 hours.
Woke up coughing last night at 4 am had puffs of Ventolin went back to sleep. Still coughing a bit but find in myself.
As per treatment plan from hospital have to go to the doctors tomorrow to be seen.
So today had to cancel my breathing test for Wednesday but having run the one of the consultant secretary know what the breathing test is. My test has been put back 1 month to let my lungs recover. A bit annoyed as I was looking for to that in a weird sort of way.
Now learned how important it is to keep an eye on your peak flow and when Ventolin isn't working to get seen at A&E asap.