Got a referral to respiratory!

[Paradigm]

My support worker called the GP surgery and the receptionist immediately offered an appointment - before asking what it was for.

Anyway, I spoke to a lovely nurse today who actually listened to me. She agrees my asthma 'doesn't sound at all controlled'. She then called me back after speaking with a doctor to confirm everything.

It probably helped that it was telephone based and not in person, so I was spared the "your chest sounds clear, no wheeze" spiel!

An urgent referral for respiratory has been put in. She was very surprised I'd not been referred before now. It was considered 2 and a half years ago, but discarded as late spring came and my asthma improved. After that, it was decided that the GP surgery still had a few more options.

I'm quite worried that my asthma will be absolutely fine or my PF will be fine and therefore the spirometry will be too. Maybe I should just stand in Lush before my appointment...

I'm not sure if an additional cold would be of benefit or a draw back. Not quite as predictable, though!

-----

She was concerned to hear I was told to double my normal Fostair 200/6 dose two GP surgeries prior to this.

Apparently the current guidelines prioritise taking 2-3 puffs of ventolin every 4 hours without doubling the steroid dose. So, that's what I'll be doing until my referral.

(In hind sight, I think I accidentally said 'to reduce my ventolin dose' rather than 'to limit the number of prednisolone courses'.)

They're leaving it up to respiratory to decide what to do next.

She's told me what to say to make sure the receptionists give me an appointment, although she was puzzled to hear I'd had trouble.

[Daisy_FC]

Hi Paradigm,

It sounds like you are having a tricky and frustrating time! Thank goodness someone seems to be taking you seriously!

I feel your frustration about being fine for the hospital appointment! A couple of years ago I was referred during Feb/march when I had a bad flare involving a&e ... they gave me an "urgent" appointment for lung function tests in July! Of course I was fine on the day. If it is any consolation, they still listened to my symptom history and changed my medication.

Fingers crossed for you that someone can help sort your symptoms out!!

[Paradigm in reply to Daisy_FC]

Fingers crossed they'll be able to do something then. I've not had a hospital appointment before, but consistently my PF is fantastic whenever I've been to GP or Out of Hours and the increase heart rate is considered only related to the ventolin.

I'm glad to hear they were able to help you. I guess I need not be watching my doormat quite as carefully as the nurse implied!

[twinkly29]

Lol at stand in Lush before my appointment 😅

Glad you've got a referral. I would keep a record of your peak flow from now until your appointment, both twice a day before taking your Fostair and also before using your ventolin (and again 15 mins after). Maybe not every time with the ventolin but enough to make sure you've got a range of results. The results will be useful to the doctor at the hospital. Ok peak flow isn't the be all and end all, and in some people isn't a helpful marker, but at least if you've done and presented results, it saves the consultant saying we need to do this and hopefully means you're a step further on.

[Paradigm in reply to twinkly29]

Yeah. I'm going to do my best with it. Work have booked me in for hardly any shifts which will improve my PF right when I need to show its not so good. My PF often is fine, but I guess at least resp might find another cause?

I'm going to get a new charger for my old laptop so I can download my old PF scores from a few years ago. I was an obsessive tracker back when. My scores were worse so I like to think it demonstrates some improvement.

Thanks for your advice.

[twinkly29 in reply to Paradigm]

PF being ok shouldn't be the only factor. Some people pf isn't useful, for others it is and for some it is in some ways but not others. Take a symptom diary too.