Covid test with asthma

[Bluebusadventures]

Hello. I am looking for some advice. I have cough based asthma. I have had a sore throat this week that has developed into a cough. I am sure it’s asthma (it’s what normally happens) just wanted to see what the advice is for what you do with xlugh based asthma? Do you covid test or bypass and speak to asthma nurse. My employer is concerned

[paula66]

I've been a bit similar to this since yesterday ...I had a massive flare up 2xweeks ago so was on high pred dose now they've dropped down I've gone quite chesty and seems luke bronchitis to me ..so started my rescue pack Hoping this will ease ...I'm.not going anywhere so I've decided to ride it out as we know our bodies if come Monday no change will then do one ...we're all over thinking ..hope your ok x

[Chip_y2kuk]

My gp insisted as I had a cough I needed to have a test .... it was negative and asthma like I told her it would be but still.... i had to stay in isolation until i got the results

[lola2009 in reply to Chip_y2kuk]

I've had an asthma exacerbation with lots of coughing, sore throat and blocked sinuses. Was wondering if I should get a covid test done even though I know I have asthma?

Having to self certificate at the moment, but will need sick note as I have severe unstable asthma and no sign of a consultant appointment yet! Employers always been difficult even though this is a disability set in law. Always having to balance my asthma and employers sick policies throughout my life. Employers seem to ignore equality act.

[Bluebusadventures in reply to lola2009]

I did end up having a covid test purely because I wanted to see if I could see my GP and I suspected they would not let me do this (understandably) without having had a test. I was fortunate as I managed to get a test and results back quite quickly. I was pretty confident I had a chest infection and asthma flare (which I have) and the GP did then see me at the surgery so I have managed to get steroids and antibiotics which is all I wanted to be able to do in the first place. I think us asthma folks are going to be in a position where we will be having covid tests to rule it out and it is not handy having a respiratory condition in the midst of a respiratory illness pandemic! I also hear you on the employer front and I often end up continuing to work to avoid an increased sick record. I also find that I am aware that this happens a few times a year so don't want to end up taking too much time off whenever things flare up, and I know that for me this is never just one incident over the winter.

[Eyemac63]

I too have the same, employer concerned as well, so went for test, which was negative, then saw the Asthma nurse, so I knew I wasn't infecting anyone. Just finished a course of prednisolone. I have been told by my employer recently, I didn't have asthma. Employers seem to be "trained doctors" these days and with their lab rats"HR"can make your life hell, after report from my Asthma nurse, my doctor and company doctor, "they" employer and hr decided I did have asthma which was very magnanimous of them. This was after going through company absence policy, which is basically a disciplinary procedure.

[Bluebusadventures in reply to Eyemac63]

Thanks for the reply. Sounds like you have been through it bit with your employer. It seems so be that most people assume you wheeze with asthma and not cough!

[ccccc in reply to Eyemac63]

Can sympathise with this totally - was told by an occupational health GP at my former employer my 30yr history of asthma was probably a heart condition as I didn't have a wheezy chest! She tried to bully me to go for an ECG there and then and I refused. It was a horrible experience. After an hour and half with her I just walked out. Had to see her three times and their nurse - who was even worse - twice in the space of 4 months and that's outside of the "absence review" meetings I had to attend. You just feel harassed for being ill. Makes you wonder as to the ethics and training of some of these people. I took someone with me to the subsequent meetings and she was much nicer because I would've had a witness to her behaviour. HR just use these people as stooges to justify bullying people. Their role is to decide on possible changes to your work role, not to diagnose or pick fights with your own doctors.

[Mark_in_Wales_CVA]

Hi, everybodys asthma, particularly CVA it appears, is a personal experience - i.e. yours will be different from anybody else's. You'll have commonalities of symptoms, but the combination will always be different. In these times, it's so much more difficult to tell in an individual case. For me I get chest-tightening and then the cough, all in relatively short succession, often producing some mucus - so I generally have a good indication when it's asthma and not covid (since a dry cough is more of a sign, than a wet cough). On the NHS website it states:

"a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)"

If your employer is concerned and they are going to be hard to convince, then it may be you have to get tested once to prove that you don't have Covid, by which I mean in order to build a level of trust with them that you know what your normal CVA symptoms are like. I know this is a bit "guilty until proven innocent", but in the long-run in some cases, this might have to be the way. This of course in the end is going to depend on your employer.

I would imagine if you speak to your asthma nurse, they might have the same suggestion, as for them it's better to be safe than sorry - the test will be a datum which they can work from.

I know this is a tough call and the implications with co-workers asking questions etc, but in the end testing negative once might help educate people a little. It's a tough call.

Regards,

Mark

[Bluebusadventures in reply to Mark_in_Wales_CVA]

Hello thanks for the response. That has given me a different perspective on it which is helpful.

[Mary2267]

I have unstable asthma and have a cough with it like u I have a sore throat but I have had a c19 test as long as u have your smell and taste u should be ok but if u have a temperature then get the test so u put your mind at rest I still had to have the test when I was in hospital I told them it was my asthma but they said I had to have it I was not happy but its safe to be sorry

[twinkly29 in reply to Mary2267]

They should be covid testing every single person admitted to hospitals (they certainly have been at all places I know of since the end of March) because they need to be able to place positive patients in their own zone - imagine how things would spread if they didn't. Although I agree it's annoying when it's your normal asthma presentation!

Also, apologies if I've misunderstood what you meant but not losing smell or taste doesn't mean you're ok/it's not covid. Many people have only some symptoms and some none at all.

[Mary2267 in reply to twinkly29]

Sorry for the misunderstanding I know some people don't have taste or smell I know the hospital have to do the c19 test but it would be nice if they believed u have not got it but I know it is to keep yourself safe and the people around u but it is stressful at the same time

[twinkly29 in reply to Mary2267]

I suspect not having smell/taste is more likely to be covid than a temp or cough as those can be all sorts of things whereas the loss of smell or taste are more unusual symptoms. But that's just my take on it - I don't actually have any evidence! 😅