Hi
Has anyone been to hospital with their normal astma symptoms?
I ask as I have been three times. Each time I've been treated with the assumption I have covid. They wait for test to come back before moving me to a cold ward.
Its made me very nervous about asking for help and only go when my wife applies pressure. I had a peak flow of 130 and o2 was down to 85 at times.
I friggin hate astma.
Have been to Urgent Medical Care. They were concerned about the breathlessness symptom as one of the covid symptoms but I said that is my normal symptom. Took me on the covid bit everyone gowned up but didn't get swabs taken. They took xray etc which I believe can show up covid.
Interesting. I've been tested four times.
I have normally recovered be time result gets back.
It's so risky going in. Those that are on fence of going make sure you consider the risk.
There's also significant risk in not getting help for asthma - important not to forget that. Obviously you went anyway, but I wouldn't like to think of anyone else being put off by the COVID risk when they need to get help and not going when they need, or waiting too long/till their sats drop a lot before going.
I have been twice now and suspect I will need to go again before all this is over. They have definitely been aware of the issue despite me being on the red side, and made efforts to protect me eg side rooms.
Yes I have and went through a similar system - covid resus, onto covid admissions ward (individual rooms) til swab cleared and then onto cold ward. Rubbish as it is, they have to do it. They are testing everyone admitted, even for non-breathing issues (at my hospital anyway). You definitely need to seek help though when your asthma dictates it.
I understand that people are concerned about COVID at the moment, especially when we've got respiratory issues anyway but as twinkly said most places are testing pretty much all admissions anyway (and certainly any respiratory symptoms).
I've been in 3 times of varying severities and lengths since this started and have been through the same process each time - swab taken and onto a "waiting ward" until the swab came back, then onto a "clean" ward.
Its not ideal but its the best way of managing the risk to everyone, especially as people can carry it without symptoms. But realistically if there's anywhere that people are being strict with infection control procedures etc its in a hospital at the moment.
Even those conditions that put people at the highest risk from COVID still have a good survival rate, its worrying but we do only hear about the worst cases in the news.
Asthma can kill and there is no point waiting at home until your asthma gets to that point - obviously you did go in which is good and I'm glad that you did, but wouldn't want others to be worried and wait until it is potentially too late.
I live in Germany, but I got hospitalized twice in the last week. They said it's unlikely that I would have COVID since I don't have any other symptoms outside of a typical asthma attack. They did, however, make a covid test and kept me in isolation, I couldn't even leave my room during the stay, only with doctors, not nice, but when help is needed it's needed.
I did wait until I had no choice. This was my second admission. The first one left me with the mindset of hang on at home as long as I can.
On first trip I shared a room with a lady who was clearly infected. I was there for 20 hours or so. This was hot RESUS.
I did leave it late though.
I’ve taken a slightly different approach. I’m trying to go slightly earlier than I normally would, so that I don’t end up in resus, and that my stay is shorter in general (pending docs giving the extra treatment I need rather than the minimal they think I need... I’m a frequent flyer tho so have the experience to know what’s needed to properly calm things 😅)
I’m currently in atm. My hosp is separates into red (yes covid almost all symptoms), yellow (probs not covid but not 100% sure because similar features) and green (no covid symptoms reported), with different lifts assigned to each. I ended up in yellow majors (after rats), with no one who looked/sounded covid (5 beds in my bay) - the biggest issues was wearing the mask when sob, but they allowed us (me and another asthmatic) to remove them. However resus is mixed completely (hence my want to avoid it). Now out of a&e I’m in a side room in a yellow resp ward, waiting for swab result to return before being moved to green. They have about a 24hr turn around, and EVERYONE who is admitted gets swabbed.
Every hosp is running differently of course but usually getting help before you need resus is advised because I’m pretty sure almost every resus in the UK is mixed...
Hope that helps a little.
At my local they have a yellow for covid resus and green resus, and luckily at no point was i made to wear a mask. I was put in green resus even though my daughter had covid symptoms. Considering how rubbish my local normally is i can't fault A n E they were great.
I do agree not leaving it till the last minute though as no one wants resus if they can help it!
Hope your not in to long and your lungs behave! I do find they are releasing early due to covid, but hopefully not before your ready!
I nearly had to go yesterday evening to check for ketones re:diabetes but thankfully the doctor rang& said don’t go in.
It’s was definitely a different feeling tho! I’ve been in&out of hosp many a times throughout my life,like many of you and usually I’m not too bothered, but I was definitely fearful about going yesterday! I was trying to be brave but did feel like I nearly wanted to cry 😢!
It’s a funny little bubble of safety in Shielding that you get used to isn’t it!
BUT, like the others said, don’t let your asthma become too bad to become life threatening! Then you’d have to end up in hospital/ICU anyway for an even longer period as a very poorly patient!
Went to A&E Saturday. Kept distancing from others. Rightly or wrongly had face cover . Trained myself not to touch it. Put onto covid side due to Asthma. Stayed on cubicle . All tests and x Ray's clear. Staff were masked and Dr wore face visor. I kept washing hands and gelling. Didn't need admitting. They said I was right to come. Of course it's scary. Needs must. Seems people are now going back to A&E for proper reasons. Everyone keep well.
I think your worry about the risk of covid is clouding your judgement. Oxygen Sat's that low are dangerous. If there was no covid you would be at the hospital, if you spoke to your respiratory team they would tell you to go to hospital. Your asthma is causing dangerous symptoms and you should get treated.
Can I also say I know you are scared of catching covid, I am scared too. You need to go to hospital.
Hi harry the lathe,I understand how you must feel, Would make me nervous too my asthma has been playing up big time, last place I would want to be at moment I’m very glad to say haven’t need to go to hospital so far,but am sure they take all the right precautions my pf is 320 sats 98 not to bad although doesn’t make you feel any better at times asthma is not nice and Very unpredictable, hope you feel better soon it’s nice to talk about it sometimes, stay safe
Appreciate what you all saying. If I am honest with myself I knew I should go. But I put it off. It's interesting those that have been in did not find it as stressful as I did.
This year I've had 8 stays in hospital, February i was only home six days.
I've had Broncothermoplasti but it seems to have lost its effect. I am trying a biological to see if it works. Its has driven down my ensilafil level. I continue to get attacks, some sudden and harsh. Others that creep up on me. The creep up ones are the ones I could manage better.
On a side note I am useless at asking for help. I do not know why. I seem to have two brains. One telling me the right thing to do and a emotional brain that screams no push it out you dont need help. I did ring a ambulance for myself in February. That's a first for me. Not my first ambulance but first I asked for help.
Sorry that was a download.
Oh no I can definitely understand why you and others (and myself on my first admission of the pandemic!) put off getting help - it’s stressful at the best of times!
Sorry to hear thermoplasty seems to have worn off for you 😞 I went to Heartlands to get assessed for it but they won’t do it in me because I also have immune system problems 🙄
And yep the sudden attacks are so much harder to deal with! My most recent admission was one like that so was pretty hard to put off going in 😅
Maybe when you’re well you could come up with a little list of criteria with your wife and say “if any one of these happens call me an ambulance/make me call one” - I have an unofficial agreement like that with a few friends because I know my decision making when I’m unwell and tired can go completely out of the window!
I completely understand that too!
Shame about the BT, but hopefully the MAB works for you 🤞🏻
I still can’t decide which is worse; the sudden drops (shocking and unprepared so more likely to make bad decisions) or the slow limbo declines (very frustrating and slow, knowing what you need to fix the problem, but that you’re not yet bad enough to get it).
Like Js706 said; it’s a good idea to give yourself firm guidelines of when to get help (my usual personal *non-negotiable hosp now* rules are (any one of); b2b home neb, needing more than 2 nebs in a day, sats 92, PF 33% and/or unable to easily get to/use loo). As I said I went in slightly earlier this time...
If you’re a sats dropper (I’m not until I hit 92 then they can go fast) it’s not surprising you feel like you can’t make good decisions when you’re not well... hypoxia can make you hyper and feel fine, but the tiredness make you sloth and not want to do anything...
Good luck and hope this helps
I will have some thought on some limits. My GP feels 220 peak flow and 93/94. Does that sound about right?
You are completely right. I've made some shocking decisions when unwell. Once I drove myself to A and E. Needless to say I wont do that again. That's not even the worse thing I've done. I find it very hard to ask for help. I go to Hearlands as well. They have been great for me. I am seeing a psychologist there. It's a long old way for me though. She has given me food for thought and its partly why I am interacting here. I want to see if I am normal. I mean with others in same boat. I have never had chance to do this.
As a rule I go to RESUS. Normaly as my heart goes way way high. Partly Nebs and partly astma and final part stress. I think anyone with serious astma would agree its stressful.
I have a small family and what I can do is limited. Especially running after kids. This bothers me also
Totally agree with Js706. The not wanting to go and putting it off and the plan of what to look for - good advice!
Yes I never want to go regardless of the pandemic, due to being atypical and therefore having past bad experiences with not getting treatment (A and E better now, medics often rubbish as they often can't understand variability, even the resp ones).
I second guess like mad and always convince myself I am not that bad because xyz is ok (despite knowing I can have a bad ABG and still a PF above 50% of personal best). I use peak flow response rather than a hard number - once the drugs are no longer helping and it stays put that's a bad sign and means I need to do something, even if the number itself isn't terrible.
I actually found it much less stressful when I had sudden attacks at work because my colleagues told me I was insane and that they were going to call an ambulance now because my blue/neb wasn't working. So decision out of my hands.
I am careful not to abuse nebs though and if they're not helping anymore that will push me to go - they are great and I don't want to lose them because I was silly, or have something worse happen.
Interesting what you say about Pf response. I will try and measure that. I tend to pick up 40 more on PF post neb. When in real trouble I dont tend to measure it.
As you nice people are giving good advice.
When you having trouble. Do you feel like a burden and just want to be left alone?
Another thing that puts me off going is I ended up in ICU a bit ago. I frigin hated that as I was no longer in control. Mad as it sounds the thought of doing that again makes me want to avoid hospital. Yes i know that's crazy.
Thanks for talking to me. It's nice to know i am not alone.
Yes when I'm really struggling it's incredibly hard to do and makes me worse! In the run up I will check it to see if I am reversing - when better (though not my best or I wouldn't need nebs...) I can get some really big post neb or even post-inhaler changes eg 150 litres plus or 35-40%. As I get worse that response starts to last for less time, then the response itself reduces.
This is all what I have observed - I've found medical staff are in the minority for understanding it although AUK does say reduced response or response not lasting is a sign of asthma worsening.
I more feel like I am time-wasting and not really that bad so tend to hang on until I feel like I can justify going and they won't dismiss me. Again a bad idea but it's scary being atypical! I am not scared of my asthma itself so much as being told it's in my head and not treated etc.
Sorry to hear about your bad experiences - but glad we could help 
you're definitely not alone!
We sou d very similar. I tend to have upper problems and a silent chest.
I get some odd looks from some dr. Some however are amazing and know me so well I just let then crack on.
Magnesium is like magic for me. I respond most of the time to that. I would do at home if I could. Although my veins are destroyed.
I feel happy I've come here. Thanks
Mag is magic yes! They start explaining what it is and I grin like a loon and say 'magic mag'. I also don't wheeze and tend to go quiet instead which can be awkward; the summary I wrote helps explain my oddities.
I get the reluctance but do agree with Twinkly29 and others that going sooner might help avoid ITU etc - I do find it helps to have others 'force' me as mentioned in other posts as then it's not just me second-guessing.
Yep upper problems and silent chest here too. No wheeze. So much fun. Not!
Completely understand your fear and of course, when you're at that point, you won't be thinking rationally anyway....but going in earlier would probably mean you're in a less bad way and are less likely to end up in ICU.
Just been thinking about you. Hope you are OK.
Well I am back in hospital. I lost control this morning. O2 started with eight so in I came. Pleased I did I've had some mag. Some nebs back to back feel much better. I am staying though. I told my Physcogist I've been on here and its been good to hear from similar people.
Do you all use fans when you are struggling. I tried it and I do it all time now.
Hospital admission- covid concerns
Had an Asthma attack, been to hospital whats the next step?
Nucala vs Fasenra 
Please help, 2 year old admitted to hospital 3x in 3 weeks with asthma attack
