Was this a sudden asthma attack?

[Wheezycat]

I wonder if I had a sudden, out of the blue asthma attack this evening? Does it sound like it? And if it was should I see someone later, though it all got better fairly straightforwardly and quickly?

Normally I only have bad flares with colds etc, and then it slides into it over a day or a few days. This was different. I have an instinctive aversion to things these days, like fragrances and anything burning, but also airless rooms and cold weather.

Recently I have been absolutely fine, in good form for at least two three weeks or more, so there seemed nothing was going on. Occasionally I cough a bit more just when I wake up, but that’s it. So, this evening my husband settled down in front of our gas fire, and as he was cold he turned it on high. I don’t like that as it seems to suck the oxygen out of the air, but as I was cooking I left him to it. However when I popped in I thought I can’t be in there, it is too airless for me, and decided I would need to eat my dinner elsewhere. I also noticed occasionally I reacted ever so slightly on the stir fry I was making (the ‘burning’ effect). He turned the fire off, and shortly after we sat down for our meal in that very room. All was fine. This is where I get a bit hazy. I eventually felt as if I couldn’t breathe, took two puffs of ventolin, and still felt very unwell and overwhelmingly tired and sleepy. My pulse rate was much higher than normal. It was very unpleasant. Gradually it wore off within a couple of hours. I am still tired but not like then. When eventually I took my peakflow it was fine, but I was quite a lot better by then, even if i wasn't well.

I have never experienced anything like this before. Does this sound like it could have been an asthma attack? And given that it gradually got better after only two ventolins (I rarely use ventolin even when it would be a good thing as it quite simply does not occur to me - but I am slowly learning), do I really need to bring it to my surgery’s attention?

[Tree20862]

Yeah. Bring it up. I'm more sensitive to my triggers when I am getting sick or recovering from being. That should not be ignored.

[Wheezycat in reply to Tree20862]

Good point, but I am fighting my own inclination of ‘this was unpleasant (very!) but trivial, I mustn’t waste their time, and I would feel too silly for words’. I think what I will do is ring the Asthma U.K. nurses tomorrow as it was a first and I feel so bewildered by it.

[Minushabens]

Asthma is a weird, messy sort of an illness & all sorts of things can make your lungs have a wobble. It sounds like you just couldn't cope with the conditions in your house, & your airways just reacted badly to a mix of cold (outside), heat (inside) smoke, fumes & so on. There might have been a specific trigger in there, or it might have just been the general air condition of the house, or part of it.

Are you still feeling OK now?

[Wheezycat in reply to Minushabens]

Indeed I am, but noticeably tired. My pf, which I know we shouldn’t take as a final word, is fine, though. A bit coughy this morning, but hat is how it has been most of my life!

[-Butterfly-]

Have you got a carbon monoxide detector? Just a thought

[Wheezycat in reply to -Butterfly-]

You are quite right, and I hadn’t thought of it until today when someone else said the same. So, though we had one, I have today rushed out to get a new one, to be sure it works properly. Absolutely worth checking. However, my husband did not react the same way at all, and I had been doing other things out of the ordinary which could have played a part. I spoke to the Asthma U.K. nurse today, and she did mention the carbon monoxide, but also did not rule out an asthma attack, if one that was slightly atypical. Also, I do tend to respond badly to airless rooms, like recently someone’s wood burner (something I don’t like anyway) which was heating the room powerfully. We were perhaps 8 or 9 in the room and I am not aware that anyone else hated the atmosphere, including my asthmatic friend who was also there.

[-Butterfly- in reply to Wheezycat]

Glad you're on it with the detector 😊

Just with you saying you felt sleepy .. I though oh oh, that's a sign. But doesn't seem to be the case in this instance, which is good, but doesn't help you know what went on.

I hate airless rooms, they stress me out and I have to leave. I get short of breath and it just makes me anxious. I get this if I'm really thirsty too .. but I know I'm odd 🤣😂

[Wheezycat]

No, you were right, I really need to take the possibility into account. Mind you we had the fire serviced I think early autumn. Though I got sleepy, I didn’t get a headache. Not sure about going bright red......but then I often do anyway due to my rosacea. So, it is one for my notes for the next review, and to see if anything similar happens again. ......And to do less re sorting very dusty books, in different rooms.