Hi, I'm new to this forum.
I caught some kind of viral infection 3 months ago and ever since my Asthma is out of control. I use my preventative inhaler morning and evening and need to use my reliever inhaler at least once a day and I am still short of breath.
I'm not giving up and will keep returning to my doctors until they find the right medication for me. Doctors Practices should have someone who specialises in Asthma instead of each different doctor you see doing their own thing.
Perhaps I am lucky but my Doctors have a very good Asthma Nurse. I would suggest that you an Asthma Review as soon as possible with your doctor and request to see a respiratory specialist doctor,and you should get an appointment with a specialist within two weeks of application [this is the referral system of the NHS].You can use the Asthma UK Web site for information on asthma and also there is a questionnaire on this web site which indicates the severity of your asthma,[this will only be a guide line]. You should ask your GP for an asthma plan which is a good way of knowing what action to take in a number of circumstances. As for a peak flow gauge and a chart to record your daily findings of your peak flow. Always ask the receptionist to see the GP who has treated you the best with your case I DO.
Agree 100 percent
Thank you for your advice, I now have a doctors appointment booked for next Wednesday which is the earliest I could get and will certainly ask for a referral. I have been recording my peak flow readings each day and will take this information to my appointment. Appointments at my surgery can be booked on line which allows you to choose which doctor to see.
Totally agree with DavidBriggs. If your GP surgery doesn't have an asthma nurse (or a good one) and the GP hasn't provided a clear medication plan to address your current flare up then request a referral to an Asthma specialist.
At the end of the day how your asthma affects your ability to carry out daily tasks is key to the action the GP should take.
Good luck.
I had a review with the Asthma nurse at my surgery just before Christmas, apart from recording my details and medication I was taken and checking I was using my inhalers correctly she offered no advice or no action plan going forward.
Hopefully when I see the doctor next week he will provide better guidance.
Totally agree with the others. Ask your doctors to see a specialist asthma nurse and if not at your sugery aak to be refferred. Good luck!
I can also book an appointment online, but if you think it is more urgent to talk to a doctor you are by NHS rules to see a doctor or at least speak to a qualified person that same day. Also if you do not already know the ASTHMA UK WEB SITE is free to use were you can view or download [For Free] various documents I.E Peak Flow Chart, Asthma Plan and many other useful advise.
Hope this may help you. Always look on the bright side of life as someone else is always worse off than we are.
Hi, I found the Asthma UK web site by chance a while ago and have spoken to the nurse's there a few times and found them so helpful. As you say it has so much useful information and therefore so useful to myself who is fairly new to the problems of Asthma.
I went into my doctors surgery today to find out if they have anyone who specialises in asthma problems in the practice and the answer was no, so its a case of take your pick with one of the many doctors. They have 2 nurses who carry out asthma reviews but you cannot access them except via one of the doctors.
There are 2 ways to obtain a same day appointment which is ether phone at 8.00 am and wait in the queue. My neighbour tried this method 2 weeks ago and was number 27 in the queue and never actually managed to get though. The other way is to queue outside just before they open at 8.00 am and get an appointment for that day. That has worked fine for me in the past but now I have Asthma standing outside in the cold waiting for them to open is not an option.
Most of the doctors at the surgery are very good but are under so much pressure that they really struggle to cope.
I have had 2 reasonably good days now so thankful for that and hopefully it continues and will see my doctor next week, I do count my blessings when you read some of the other posts and the difficulties that other people are having to cope with.
I presume that you can talk to an asthma nurse at your local hospital which were I live is available. In my hospital we have 4 highly qualified asthma nurses available to chat to Mon to Fri. 9.00 am to 5.00 pm if none are available a message can be left on an answering machine, they then contact you ASAP. You can also call 111 which is very helpful service available for consultation, if you think the problem is urgent.
Do not forget everybody is different and we can all help each other, no matter how trivial you may think your problem is.
Without going into a great deal of medical problems over the last few years, I always look for someone worse than me and it makes me feel better.
Thanks for the heads up I will inquiry about asthma nurses at my local hospital.
These forums are so useful in seeking answers to questions and the willingness of people to try and help. Where I can respond to posts I certainly seek to do so.
Aah that's a human trait we all feel better when there's someone worse off then ourselves.
I would Change my GP Do not let them fob you off that they are busy ASTHMA CAN BE A LIFE THREATENING PROBLEM.Or complain in the first instance in writing to the surgery ,if no luck contact PALS[Details are on the internet ] What area of England do you live in?I am In Yorkshire
Nursery won't give inhaler.
Cold and flu season
Refused inhaler by doctor as prescription not due yet
help- a little advice/knowledge? copd/asthma/anything?
