Feeling wheezy and tight chested but peak flow is high

[Cjtucker91]

I've had a bit of a viral infection (not Corona) which included sinusitis and mild chest infection. It lasted about two weeks and during that period I was getting more wheezy than normal. I increased my Fostair preventer inhaler to two puff morning and night but my wheezing has been getting worse.

I now no longer have the sinus inflamation or cough but my wheeziness has stayed. The confusing part is I've been measuring my peak flow and it's about 690 so pretty high.

Does that mean it's not asthma related? I feel quite confused about what to do and not easy geting a dr appointment atm. I rang and was told to ring back Monday for a callback.

Thank you!

[Hidden]

Put your fostair in at lunch time and see if that ease it up and then get hold of your doctor's Monday

[emmasue]

I do get a high peak flow even when symptomatic. I would see the doctor if you are still struggling.

[MrsCMK in reply to emmasue]

Same as me. My PF rarely drops, even when I’m struggling. Out of curiosity, what does your GP/AN/Con say about this? Mine rarely comment on it but i still find it intriguing

[emmasue in reply to MrsCMK]

I was told that my peak flow is higher than normal because I used to play French Horn and Flugal Horn when I was in school. An asthma nurse said that it could be that my small airways are "twitchy". No one has really addressed it otherwise but they do accept that I have asthma and can end up really sick.

[MrsCMK in reply to emmasue]

Interesting- I used to play the cornet! Mine hasn’t been addressed either so was wondering if it was an oversight or if it was just one of those things

[emmasue in reply to MrsCMK]

Probably because they don't have a clue. Unfortunately, they don't know everything.

[MrsCMK in reply to emmasue]

Good job you were able to shed a little light on it for me😉 Thank you!

[emmasue in reply to MrsCMK]

No problem. We are all here for each other. 😊

[Smoggy1990Boggy in reply to emmasue]

I think all GP surgeries should be doing total triage at the moment to protect all the staff and patients at the GP practice and the patient ringing up. I rang up last week and spoke to GP over the phone was prescribed Prednisolone due to symptoms

[Asthmatic_84]

I am feeling the same, no wheeze but definite tight chested and out of breath, but peak flow seems normal. I'm also a lot better at night and in the morning, which is really unusual but then as the day goes on I feel like I'm struggling

[emmasue in reply to Asthmatic_84]

I am the same! I can be working away in the afternoon and all of a sudden feel light headed. That's when I realise just how breathless I am. But I seem better over night. Don't know why.

[Asthmatic_84 in reply to emmasue]

thanks, on hold to docs. Hard to know whether to make a fuss or not; I'm nt desperately out of breath, but like you said I can feel in my head like I'm lacking oxygen...does that make sense?? And its just an uncomfortable feeling; inhalers are providing little relief as well, which again is strange

[emmasue in reply to Asthmatic_84]

I hope you get through to the doctor. Let us know what he says. x

[Asthmatic_84]

Prescribed antibiotics; obvs difficult to tell but best to try and manage at home. Reassuring that peak flow isn’t far off he said

[Bab451 in reply to Asthmatic_84]

Hi I have the same problem! did the antibiotics help?

[lucia_m]

This happens to me quite often. In my case it’s probably due to inflammation in the small airways - if those are inflamed you’ll feel tight but can still have a high peak flow.

[Carriejen]

I've been the same recently. I've been putting it down to the stress of everything that's happening right now. I've noticed mainly that when I am singing along to the radio in the car that I am a bit more breathless than normal. I was checked by the doctor last week and she said no wheeze, no chest infection and just to crack on as normal

[JPCoetzee]

How do you know it is not coronavirus? Many people have mild symptoms, including asthmatics, and not everybody has the same symptoms.

[Asthmatic_84 in reply to JPCoetzee]

No idea?? I did have a temp last week so we are self

Isolating. Hard to tell when they’re not testing everyone

[Bab451]

Hi did you find any treatment as I am suffering the exact same

[Asthmatic_84 in reply to Bab451]

Hi, it was a year ago but I think the antibiotics or steroids I was prescribed sorted me out. Although now a year on I doWonder if I did catch Covid, as it wasn’t my usual “asthma” symptoms, I was shattered and had a spike in temp only one day, but then we decided to self isolate just in case. Since then I have had issues with my asthma that has been cleared with steroids, last “attack” was in the summer.

[Bab451 in reply to Asthmatic_84]

Okay thanks so much! By steroids do you mean steroid inhaler or steroid tablets?