No wheeze, Good Sats, 'Clear lungs' But severe attack for me last night

[Bods4]

HI All, I am new to the forum so forgive me if this has been asked before.

I have been really poorly since Sunday with excessive breathlessness, and coughing to the point I have been on the floor. I had increased my Forstair, Increased my antihistamines, Increased my Ventolin and still really struggling. Followed my asthma plan except for the bit about going to see the doctor as just too short staffed to take time off and on 3 episodes of sickness in 12 months Being stubborn and short staffed at work so literally just kept trying to continue, desk job not manual but even so coughing all day long. Ventolin like it was going out of fashion and still so tired.

Last night I finished work, headed home and thought well its the weekend, I can chill and get over it. Had nebuliser with little effect so ended up calling 111 to see a doctor to get steroids as stupidly I didn't have any in the house. 111 wanted to send an ambulance as she could hear my struggle but again stubbornly I got a lift to A&E where a lovely young doctor decided that as my Sats were good, my lungs had air entry and he couldn't hear a wheeze, I was not suffering from asthma and indeed maybe needed some mental health support!!!! He assumed it was a panic attack and seemed very taken aback when I informed him I was on an asthma plan, this was perfectly normal for me and please could he listen to what I was saying.

They then decided they would give me steroids and a nebuliser to see if it helped. Took bloods and my Lactate level came back as very high, showing that my body was working very hard. Suddenly they decided to take me seriously.

2 Nebulisers in 3 hours, steroids, chest x-ray, a different doctor who actually listened. ECG and constant monitoring for 5 hours and once I was more stable, discharged with an instruction to come back if same today.

My question is, is this normal for asthma? The doctor I saw first made me feel like a useless, attention seeking twat, I know my body, I know how I am when I have a massive crisis and yet today I am doubting myself totally, wondering if indeed I am a complete fraud and had a panic attack lasting more than 6 days? I am so tired, emotional and physically exhausted today. Used my nebuliser, inhaler and steroids and just resting, still feeling tight but so much better than yesterday.

[Meliko]

I don't think it's just you! I'm becoming increasingly convinced SATs machines were specifically designed to upset asthmatics. It definitely sounds like you were properly poorly, and the blood results and the fact that you responded to nebs and the steroids means you were right. I think GPs need more training, mine never listens, and then it just depends on who is on duty at A&E whether I get what I need straightway or I have to be difficult/end up going back again because there's still something wrong a few days later.

[Meliko in reply to Meliko]

Look at Myth #7 on this link: asthma.net/basics/myths-mis...

I also like this explanation, that I now have screenshotted on my phone Just In Case: asthma.net/living/lets-talk...

[Tre in reply to Meliko]

I like that explanation too, so many times I’ve been told I’m having a panic attack when I’ve really needed help. I’m never without my steroids now, but it shouldn’t be like this.

[Melanie1989]

Honestly, i could of wrote this! I present with perfect sats, and sometimes no wheeze. I also get a very high lactate... so frustrating when you can't breathe and they try telling you it's anxiety 🙄 It really puts me off seeking help, as im always worried i wont be taken seriously..

Sorry i don't have much advice but just to let you know your not the only one!

[Breathless_again]

I could of wrote this post myself I have had this over and over again with my breathing I am recently diagnosed with Asthma x hope you feel better soon x

[Elspe]

Some doctors should not be doctors! I am sorry you had such a difficult time. At least you got treatment eventually. Hope you feel better now. The one good thing to come out of this is that all that upset will now be on your hospital records and they will have to take you seriously if you present at A&E again.

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador]

This could be me too! I know intellectually re the sats (though good to see the explanation as I was fuzzy on the details and people I feel should know better eg my consultant still say 'but your sats were ok'), but it still makes me feel like crap when they obsess over them. In my case my heart seems to take on the lion's share to compensate so I have epic tachycardia and then have to say no, it's not just salbutamol, yes I know that can raise your heart rate, but with me it's mainly asthma (which is in the guidelines!!). (All of which is hard to say when struggling, so I have a very detailed summary of how I present which helps - worth doing if you don't have one as they love it - a dr I saw 3 years ago remembered me and my summary lol).

Also worth remembering that air *exit* tends to be reduced before air entry - the breath out is affected first. However, some drs can't pick up even air entry (they listen for 'wheeze or no wheeze' - and btw it takes longer than 2 secs in one place to pick it up, resp consultant I saw a few months ago!) and many don't seem to really listen for air exit. I only twigged due to some paramedics who did, and commented that I was getting air in but not out. This has happened a few times now and helps my head when they say air entry is good.

So yeah - you're not a fraud but easy to feel like one when atypical especially when you run into drs who have a very basic understanding of asthma and don't listen, then you start doubting yourself.