Short of breath, but good oxgyen sats and peak flow

[Amws]

Hello everyone!

I'm dealing with the return of my childhood asthma. There are bits I don't really get, so I was hoping that this lovely community may be able to help!

I feel like I have really struggled with being short of breath recently. Last week I was really gasping. Chest muscles hurt, coughing and bringing up some phlegm. I feel bad, but whenever I go to the drs, my oxgyen sats are always about 99%, my peak flow is 530 ish.

So, I'm confused as to whether this is an asthma flare up, or stress (as dr seems to be thinking). Or maybe I'm being a hypochondriac?

Anyway, thanks for reading this whole thing.

A

[-Butterfly-]

Can relate, every time!!

Always struggle to get the GP and Asthma nurse to 'believe me' and to act when I'm struggling too. My sats are always good, I don't wheeze and because I have a high peak flow PB of 570, when I blow 450, they're happy with it. 🙄

I guess the key is, if your reliever inhaler (assuming you have one) helps, then it is asthma. And this is what I try to stress, I'm taking it x times a day and it's helping. (Not that it usually brings me any joy)

Even when I'm there, struggling to finish sentences, they seem to brush over it because I don't tick every other box.

Sorry, realise I'm ranting now 😬😳 I've just been struggling for weeks now with my asthma and this from the GP and nurse, I'm tired and grumpy!

[FearNot]

I get the same thing, but my crisises are usually past by the time they check me. I doubt the oxygen reading would be so high in the middle of an attack. I have mild asthma, which I think makes it harder to catch. Mild asthma sounds so tolerable, but it can be terrifying, as you probably know.

I should point out that I'm under stress, same as you. I've had asthma attacks at other times when I wasn't though. If it turns out to simply be stress, be glad. That's a lot easier to fix. I hope you are taking steps to ease the stressors in your life, because stress is a killer.

[DotPro]

A number of things can cause shortness of breath.

Anything affecting respiratory muscles, the diaphram, the lungs themselves and chest area can do that.

If you have a cough; there could be irritation or an infection.

Also check hormones from organs like the Thyroid gland. Thyroid hormones have a direct effect on muscles.

[gandac]

These are my symtoms too. Except I always have a low peak flow and am thrilled if it gets to 340. No tight chest like when I have an asthma attack. I am under the chest clinic after pneumonia Jan 2017. I have had a CT scan of my lungs and an echocardiogram. It will be nearly 3 months by the time I get the reults - unless they cancel again.

I find the breathlessness very variable and am unable to pinpiont a cause.

[eachy]

I always get really bad breathlessness for about 6weeks after I’ve had a really bad exacerbation of my asthma or a bug/virus. Don’t know why but am recognising the difference between it and my asthma now. It’s not stress or anxiety either (think labelling it that makes medical staff feel better, it does nothing to help me🙄) it’s just plain breathlessness, even putting on socks has me gasping. It does seem to pass if I just slow down and rest...which is rubbish. Don’t know if that helps you any...

[Hidden]

My peak flow is usually 250, but I sometimes reach 300. But then I have 2 lung conditions.

[Trickz008]

I can totally relate and could have written your post! Have you considered reflux? I was sent an ambulance once as I thought I was having an asthma attack (when I was first diagnosed) they checked my stats and everything was fine. Later on I took some gaviscon and the relief was instant! Maybe next time you feel this way you could try some gaviscon (I recommend the double action tablets) and see if it helps!