Chest infection again

[Chip_y2kuk]

Back on antibiotics.... asthma has a lot to answer for... good news is because of covid they don't want to give me steroids .... I'm up for that that was the reason I got refused life insurance last year

[twinkly29]

It surprises me that doctors are still trolling out such comments about steroids and covid given the current covid situation is nothing like it was.

Even during the height of the pandemic, docs were prescribing steroids for asthma attacks (whatever the trigger) as asthmatics are more likely to become very unwell (or worse) if their asthma is not treated/uncontrolled. I'm currently on my 5th admission since covid reared its ugly head, no suggestion at any point that they wouldn't be increasing steroids (which I take daily anyway) - stopping life-threatening attacks is more important!

[Chip_y2kuk in reply to twinkly29]

To be honest I didn't really want steroids as I got refused life insurance for having "too many courses over the last three years" and I don't feel too bad

[Hpaddict in reply to Chip_y2kuk]

I currently have been diagnosed with a chest infection and I have been given a course of steroids.

[Chip_y2kuk in reply to Hpaddict]

I used to get them every time I had a chest infection but they haven't given me them the last 2 times.... which as I said above I'm not complaining about because I don't think I need them and this time the doctor said he wouldn't give me them because of covid but I may have to go back and get some

[AirIsUnderrated in reply to twinkly29]

Hi Twinkly, are you back in hospital again? I’m so sorry!

[twinkly29 in reply to AirIsUnderrated]

I am, yippee! 🙄

It's going ok though and they've been great so far (apart from assessment ward thinking 40 mins wait for a neb is acceptable. Cons there told them erm no it's not!)

How are you doing?

[AirIsUnderrated in reply to twinkly29]

No it isn't! Poor you.

I'm cautiously optimistic. I've been off the Omeprazole for 3 weeks (side effects and rebound were horrid) and am slowly attempting to reduce the Qvar again. The AN still says this is post-viral and should clear so I'm reducing it by one puff daily each week. I'm still discovering new triggers. I congratulated myself for managing 9 hours of strenuous work in a dusty building site last week with no problems, but coring and peeling my beautiful organic Bramley apples tightened me up. Random, isn't it?

ETA: today marks 5 months since this started! 5 months...

Are you breathing easier now?

[Brokenheart19]

Hi I’m asthmatic too. Have you thought to keep a food diary? I’ve had all the tests and yes typically it’s all the pollen and animals and dust that triggers me. But when looking at my diet wheat and dairy are far bigger triggers. I was eating what was a “healthy diet” 2 Weetabix with milk and a mini OJ in the morning; wholewheat sandwich for lunch and maybe something pasta for tea with salad/veg. I teach and was on back to back steroids and antibiotics one autumn term.(13 infections from

September to January) I kept a food diary and spoke to my asthma nurse. She has just finished a masters in elated studies but knew nothing about food triggers. I was seen by a consultant who did all the blood tests (that’s how they found the dust/pollen/animals) a good friend suggested VEGA testing and I did it! OMG what a difference- I can have a little wheat but dairy has me hacking as it causes irritation and then the secretions start (it takes about 3-4 hours) I’ve found if I avoid dairy I don’t get inflamed thereby catching anything else. In four years I’ve had two lots of steroids/antibiotics since one after a bad bout of flu. My classes germs 🦠 don’t affect me! (I teach yr3) When I went back to the gp surgery for something different she said she thought I had moved as I hadn’t been in for my “rescue” packs. Best £80 I’ve ever spent!! Think it’s a shame you can’t get it back from the surgery as they will happily pay £50 a month for your inhalers! Good luck and it may be worth trying something completely different - my husband says I’m like a new woman! Xx

[Chip_y2kuk in reply to Brokenheart19]

thats interesting , I did look at some allergy testing done by herbal shops some years ago that was about £80-£100

I've had loads of allergy testing through the hospital but there only interested in what you can breathe in that will irritate your airways

[twinkly29 in reply to Brokenheart19]

Glad it's been good for you but for anyone reading be careful which paid-for tests you use - some are incredibly unreliable and so the results are not correct.

[Brokenheart19 in reply to twinkly29]

Oh believe me I was the biggest sceptic! However cutting down/out bread - I do eat some but not in the quantity I was before. Dairy though is the big one. One latte and I’m out! It’s worth a try on your own without fancy testing. I would try anything to avoid feeling so yuk on steroids and not able to live my life! Thankfully now there are lots of dairy free options although cheese is a favourite I now can’t have. Goats cheese is fine it’s the components in cows milk. It’s made no difference to my bones either having had a bone scan after a freak accident.

[twinkly29 in reply to Brokenheart19]

I'm not one for cutting stuff out like that because someone I know cut out wheat (on doctor advice) to try and now any wheat makes her seriously ill because she's unused to it. Docs say she shouldn't have been told to do so as although it affected her it was manageable. This is now serious.

Each to their own of course, and some people like you find they feel better without stuff and it helps (like I hate sugar free drinks, they make me feel vile) but it can be dangerous to cut stuff out. So hard to know though isn't it!

[Poobah in reply to Brokenheart19]

It's a shame that it's so difficult to get extensive allergy and intolerance testing on the NHS while NICE discourage patients seeking alternative testing "as there's little evidence" that they are effective.

I've mentioned to my consultant countless times that I have breathing problems after certain meals, but that's always ignored. I guess it depends on the lead consultant and what their approach is.

My SIL is a nutritionist and wouldn't believe my assertion that I had a celery intolerance. However she changed her mind after doing a Kinesiology test on me - it was quite a bizarre experience and I was very skeptical, but it clearly showed my celery intolerance.

Soya is another thing I can't tolerate but cow's milk is OK. I changed to soya milk in the hope that it was better for me, but my asthma got so bad I couldn't walk across a room. Unfortunately, farm animals raised for meat and many baked items now depend on soya.

I will definitely read more about VEGA testing. I'm glad it proved so successful for you.

[Chip_y2kuk in reply to Poobah]

Interestingly the allergy/protein build up of celery is similar to grass... do you have havefever/grass allergy? .... apparently its common to be allergic to both because while not identical looking chemically they are very similar

[Poobah in reply to Chip_y2kuk]

I usually have a mild allergy to tree, grass and weed pollen but this year it's been awful.

I'm allergic to aspirin which means I have quite a range of food intolerances - most of it "healthy" fruit and veg.

[Chip_y2kuk in reply to Poobah]

Me too aspirin,ibuprofen and penicillin (maybe just amoxicillin) but I've been told never to touch them again a few years ago now

[AutumnHedgerow in reply to Brokenheart19]

Oo, I want to do ‘elated studies‘, they sound great 😊

[mylungshateme]

I dont think I've managed to come of my steroids since lockdown. Currently in hospital and it was said steroids were part of my problem yesterday but in next breathe I cant come off as in acute episode and there is nothing else. I hope your infection does one very soon for you. Asthma pain in the bum. 🥴

[Chip_y2kuk in reply to mylungshateme]

Don't you love it when they contradict themselves....

I discovered sometime ago that taking royal jelly I didnt/don't get so sick so quickly

I used to be ok, slightly breathless, then very breathless all in the space of the same day most of the time now I take royal jelly and I just end up slightly bresthless and a little sore and it can be a week or so before I know its a chest infection .... but it also means I recover quicker

[mylungshateme in reply to Chip_y2kuk]

Constant contradiction atm I feel I'm not getting anywhere atm. Medical team just don't understand the complexity of uncontrolled allergic asthma as eosinophilic asthma and how things are up and down in same hour like you said. And obviously because no infection and peak flow acceptable and don't de - saturate at the time they do obs it's all ok. Makes you feel like your imagining it. Although myself obs are scoring 4/5 an hrly obs. 🥴 interesting about royal jelly though I'll try anything lol. I really hope the antibiotics kick in soon for you infection is horrible. 🥴🙂