Difficult Asthma since April.

Hi All.

I have had asthma my whole life and as a teenager had bad attacks which would last a few days, mainly cold induced.

Since I worked out I was allergic to house dust mites I have had 1 mild attack in the last 20 years.

Thinks are different this year and I am really struggling. 1st week in April my asthma started to play up. I thought it was tree pollen related as the previous 5 years I have had hay fever from March to May but no asthma.

But there has been no let up and it is worse now, I am taking Clenil 200 3 to 4 puffs a day and I am still needing my Ventolin and some days I go the whole day without getting my breath properly.

Anyone had any similar problems this year?

My docs have no asthma nurse or much expertise, I have seen them briefly to get an extra prescription but I was coping better at that point. I phoned Monday and got the earliest appointment Tuesday 26th!

Feeling really low at the moment, this is just dragging on and on, although from this forum I realise many people cope with worse so trying to not feel to sorry for myself.

Cheers

Simon.

[Nanny1086]

Hi ,I’m sorry your suffering,it seems many of us are this year with hay fever etc ,which of course affects those of us with asthma much worse, sadly I have no idea what Clenill 200 is , so I can’t help with that ,

I was first diagnosed at age 46 I. 1992 with asthma ,and since then I’ve been under the care of a specialist at the hospital , when you see your gp on the 26th ask to be referred to a consultant who specialises in asthma ,ask for spirometer tests at the surgery ,your gp can do this simple breathing test ,but you probably know that ,my consultant prescribed me Montelukast tablets last year to help with my asthma and it’s been great ,I also use a beconaise nasal spray morning and night and when needed in the day , the pollen has been really bad this year it’s even affected my hubby who has no health problems, I hope this has helped,

[PMRPete]

I think you need to ask your surgery for a referral to a pulmonary nurse.

Your inhaler is only a steroid and you probably could do with a dual inhaler containing a LABA.

[15designs]

Hi Simon,

Sorry to hear you are suffering. It sounds like your asthma is not well controlled at the moment. If your doctors don’t have an asthma nurse then ask them to be referred to a specialist, you need to see someone who knows what they are talking about and from the sounds of it you need to be on a stronger inhaler than Clenil and Ventolin. I’ve recently been put onto Fostair, which works as a preventer and reliever, you may need something similar.

I’d heard that the pollen is especially bad this year and many people are suffering more than previous years, you might need some prescription antihistamines too.

Take care of yourself,

Steph

[Hidden in reply to 15designs]

Thanks for your reply and everyone else, I have an emergency appointment today at 4 and I have private healthcare (from work) I will be insisting on seeing a specialist.

[robert1957 in reply to Hidden]

hello Simon your symptoms sound exactly the same as I had hay fever household cleaning material's deodorant hair spray cigarette smoke especially stale cigarette smoke almost anything would trigger my asthma after researching magnesium deficiency and symptoms of magnesium deficiency and taking a magnesium supplement also eating foods rich in magnesium along with my asthma medications almost all my symptoms are under control my asthma nurse is very pleased at how my asthma is now controlled goodluck it's worth a try

[Hidden in reply to robert1957]

Ive heard of that, I have had a lot of different blood tests and unfortunately I dont have low magnesium.

Also my asthma is only triggered by house dust mites and some mild EIA and for 30 years has been completely controlled.

[robert1957 in reply to Hidden]

hello if you research magnesium in the human body 1% magnesium in the blood 99% tissue and bones this will tell you magnesium blood test is not very good at determining your overall magnesium levels also research relationship between magnesium and calcium

[Hidden in reply to robert1957]

But my problems are not asthma, i can blow 600 PF (near my best) when I have SOB, I have the most restrictions inhaling, not exhaling, my bronchi are not restricted so magnesium isnt going to help me.

[robert1957 in reply to Hidden]

I hope you find the reason for your shortness of breath goodluck

[robert1957 in reply to robert1957]

you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.

[Hidden in reply to robert1957]

And some people suffer from confirmation bias.

[Graham07allen in reply to Hidden]

Hi Simon did you get to the bottom of this and are you feeling better now

[Hidden]

I can really only repeat what others above have said; it sounds as though your Asthma is not controlled at the moment and you need to have your medication reviewed.

Does your surgery not have emergency appointments? At the surgery I go to there are appointments for patients who need to be seen more urgently and my asthma spiralling out of control would count as that. Have you explained to the receptionist that you are having problems with breathing?

Alternatively, you could try ringing the AsthmaUK helpline and talking to one of the nurses there.