Feel like I'm being choked

[Bluecatch81]

I've had asthma since I was a toddler and it's mostly kept in check with inhalers and montelukast. I usually get chest infections in colder weather but I have strange symptoms just now. I live in Scotland so it's not been too crazy temperatures but up to 26 degrees. It feels like someone is strangling me round my neck, I'm short of breath, non productive cough and have palpitations (probably from my reliever). I've been like this for 2 weeks now. First week I got 3 days of prednisolone and 7 days of amoxicillin. Last week I got ( and am on for another few days) another week of prednisolone and a week of doxycycline. It doesn't feel like my usual chest infections. My O2 readings are between 95-98% and heart rate between 89-113 at rest. Any thoughts? Thanks.

[Scoobs87]

I live in Scotland too. I have difficult asthma. I have too been feeling tight chested and breathless over the last week. I think it might be due to the climate that we live in.

[Sparkywoo]

I’ve been bad too and it took 5 weeks to clear. I think there’s been so much dust in the air as it’s been so dry it’s caused a lot of us problems.

I got to the point after two weeks of steroids where my GP stopped them as they cause me anxiety and I was mentally making my breathing work. Try distracting yourself with a good book or your fave music. I’m only just realising how much anxiety plays a part (understandably) in many people’s breathing issues.

If there’s no infection antibiotics are pointless. Keep measuring your numbers and for me it’s doing my peak flow regularly that keeps me sane. Remember it can take your lungs up to 7 weeks to calm down. Might be worth double checking with your nurse where your numbers should be. Good luck it’s so distressing when you can’t breathe properly x

[greggs]

My breathing has been at it's worst for the last two weeks I'm on montelulast, Fostair and ventolin my heart rate 95 /100 and 02 is 95/97 im thinking the weather isn't helping Asthmatics .

[Hidden]

Has the pred made any difference?

[jamiepanic]

I wonder if there could be some anxiety on top of the asthma symptoms? When I have a panic attack, I feel like there is something round my neck, like I am being choked. Similarly, my heart races. As you say, taking the reliever can also exacerbate anxiety. In the past couple of years I have developed anxieties around my asthma itself (for no good reason), so when I feel like it's worse, I tend to get more anxious which then makes it feel even worse. Similarly, stress is not good for asthma. I'm not saying that anxiety is causing your asthma, I'm just wondering if it's somewhere in the mix.