Brittle asthma

[Stephxmx]

Hi all i am currently in hospital with my brittle asthma on Aminophylline, i had a severe attack today which has gone on for 10 hours, the day staff was on the ball but when the night staff came on i got left it came to 12am ans i was struggling so much i buzzedz the burse went on to tell me this is anxiety and that an asthma attack doesnt go on for morr than an hour. This same nurse left me on saturday the i ended up having an emergency call as my obs i was scoring a 10. Tonight he went on to do my obs and i was scoring a 9 so he rang the emergency team who do blood gases showed my oxygen was low on 4 litres already and lactate was high. They have increased oxygen to 8 litres now, then health care came in saying i meeded to calm down as i wasnt helping my self, which then i struggled to say my chest is tight what do you want me to do, she said go asleep. My consultant is brilliant and i cant wait for in the morning to see her.

Anyone else have the same problems.

[Echoblue]

I do hope you managed to get some rest, although sleep can be tricky in hospital!

I also hope they are starting to get on top of your flare up, it is so scary and not being taken seriously during it is frustrating.

Telling someone to calm down is not helpful when struggling for breath, a different approach is to support you to focus on calmer breathing and is so much more useful. I try and go into my own zone to do this where at all possible.

I wish you well for a speedy recovery x

[Stephxmx in reply to Echoblue]

Thank you so much for your reply, i didnt sleep a bit last night and especially because my chest was so tight. I was diagnosed with asthma at 3 months old when they told me my heart was on the wrong side and my lung hadnt developed properly. Since the ward manager came in today i have spoke to her and told her all that went on, i said he even tried to say i never had brittle asthma when i have been diagnosed with it he also said your on aminophylline so you shouldnt be having these attacks. She will be speaking to this nurse and said she will make sure he is not looking after my care whilst im here.

[Echoblue in reply to Stephxmx]

The night times are always the hardest ....... and long! Heartened to hear you are being taken seriously. Love the “shouldn’t be happening” bit 😳 shouldn’t or otherwise if it is happening it is happening! 🤦🏼‍♀️🤔 fingers crossed for feeling significantly better today x

[twinkly29]

Sorry you've had such a hard time so far. I hope things improve for you. Being told to calm down and that you're on aminophylline DOES NOT HELP. Grrrrrrrrrrrr

[asthmatim]

Hi stephxmx, I am also a brittle asthma suffer as well. I have had medical staff also say that I am nervy but was far from it. I had this happen only two weeks ago went I had my big asthma attack. The ambos or as you may call them the paramedics did not want to take me to hospital as I was not dropping my spo2. I told them that I don't always drop my spo2 and that I was having a big attack. Only for my Mum pushing them to take me I would of been dead. When I got to the ER and was handed over to them where my spo2 started to drop and was put on NIV untill the ICU doctor came and did another ABG and saw that I was going into respiratory failure. He rushed me to the ICU. So I was there for 2 weeks then I got discharged. So my advice to you is that we need to push for more doctors and nurses to understand our conditions and if they don't look up medical papers and articles that surport what we are trying to tell them. The other thing that I do is take pictures on your phone, for example if your spo2 drops take a pic or if you have a wheeze record it. This is the only way that I have been believed about my asthma. I hope that this helps you.

[Stephxmx]

Wow you have been through it too, i was intubated last year for 8 days and the thought of going back to icu and them having to do it again scares me, yet again i had another attack today but the staff was on the ball, they got the emergency team up straight away that done ABGs and said my co2 was high and my oxygen low despite being on 8 litres of oxygen.

Attacks can be scary but i feel like i am incontrol as i have been like this since i was 3 months old, so for then to now say its anxiety is silly.

I do hope you are feeling better now, i have a pump with bricanyl medication in whilst i am at home it is 24hours a day but it kept me out of hospital for 2 months which is a brilliant for me, if you keep having attacks i would recommend it.