A breathless week!

[Tamimara]

I haven’t had asthma symptoms for over 10 years, not currently on any daily inhalers and never experienced persistent breathlessness like this. Historically, my chest only wheezed when I was on a nebuliser or needed one there and then.

A few days prior to the following, the base/back of both sides of my chest became very sensitive to touch, I had a temperature which I managed with paracetamol and went after a few days and I’ve been coughing up flem (often lumps of yellow tinged, and very sticky).

Last Weds evening, I was laying in bed with the fan on (as usual), every time it blew my way I coughed and couldn’t get my breath back. I used my salbutamol inhaler about 7 times over the next half an hour and managed to get my breathing in check enough to nod off (it was really late at night, partner was sound asleep and I was knackered, otherwise I would have sought medical help then!).

The following day, whenever I walked or talked I was getting breathless and couldn’t finish sentences without taking a breath. Contacted GP who sent me up to A&E. I was admitted, 2 doctors (a GP and on call resp doctor could hear crackles at base/back of lungs) and I had 5 salbutamol nebulisers over about 8 hours (on call resp doctor heard crackles after I had had nebs). However, the following day, as my bloods/X-ray were clear (bloods did show slight elevation in infection markers), O2 sats were always above 95%, consultant couldn’t hear a crackle or wheeze on my lungs they discharged me, still breathless and high pulse (which had been high on admission). They told me my blood gas showed I was breathing fast and I needed to calm my mind down.

I went home to rest for the weekend, still no improvement and getting breathless on talking, walking even to the kitchen. Contacted GP Monday morning who sent me up to A&E again. They repeated bloods/X-ray and it was all clear, and resp doctor said my chest sounded clear, gave me prednisone 30mg for 5 days and told me to go home and rest and as it’s probably a virus and I’ll be fine in few days.

I’ve had 4 days steroids now, and no improvement. Still breathless doing anything, upon rest my resp are about 27-34 a minute. Chest is sore down the centre, front and base/back of chest still tender and very difficult to get comfortable at night. I’ve contacted my GP again and they think the hospital should be monitoring me for a few days and putting me on a nebuliser for 12-24 hours as apparently in cases like this that can often reset everything. My concern is, going back to hospital, how do I get them to actually treat me and not just send me home again? I know I’m not okay, despite my sats saying I am (my pulse (avg. 100bpm) has stayed high all week which I know is because I’m breathing faster). I just worried I’ll go back to A&E and the resp team will see me again and because it’s not bacterial send me away.

Is it worth going to another hospital instead?

[ChrissieMons]

Your GP needs to back you up with any treatment he thinks is right for you if you go back into hospital. S/he should also refer you to a consultant. It may be that you don't rest enough - tho it looks as if you do - and you might find relaxation CDs, and/or exercises help you. Asthma attacks can take a fair time to calm down and you may just have to wait. Try being a Victorian peel-me-a-grape type invalid for a bit and see if it helps!

[Tamimara in reply to ChrissieMons]

Thank you my partner contacted the asthma nurses at asthma uk this morning who were really helpful, and gave me a good idea of what to be asking for this morning as I’ve been sat in A&E since 8am.

I’ve been off work all week, doing nothing and been incredibly chilled and relaxed, which is a nice change to my job, so whilst we know rest is important, we are fairly certain I need another nebuliser and higher steroids for longer. It’s just getting doctors to stop pushing me from pillar to post!

[Junglechicken in reply to ChrissieMons]

Liked the comment “Victorian peel me a grape invalid”. I am the worse patient when it comes to saying still. Tamimara I hope you get well soon. Sounds like you are having a rough time and it’s even worse when your treatment is letting you down. The weather over the last week has been terrible for asthma.

[Tamimara in reply to Junglechicken]

Thank you. Hopefully got somewhere today. A&E gave me a nebuliser which made my breathing a lot more comfortable and they’ve given me a 7 day course of antibiotics as they think it could be an atypical chest infection. Hopefully over the weekend I start to notice a change!

[Junglechicken in reply to Tamimara]

Fingers crossed for you.

[Gerl in reply to Junglechicken]

Tell them you want a scope down your chest read my last post

[strongmouse]

Hope that you are getting the treatment you need and feel better soon.

Just a thought about the fan. Cold air can exacerbate some people's asthma plus fans can be a source of dust which can be an irritant. I use a hepa filter with fan and the filter is changed every six months or so.

Keep a note of your visits, what your GP has said and what helps you so that you can take a record with you when you see yet another different doctor!

[Tamimara in reply to strongmouse]

Thank you! That’s some really good advice I’ve never been triggered by the fan before, but we’ve been cleaning it every day since I was, and also only have it blowing from chest down now!