Am i worrying unnecessary?

[cappy1966]

hi , I had a massive flare up a few weeks ago and was unable to breath in any proper sense of the word , my wife got a ambulance to me and was rushed to A&E , whereupon i eventually came around and after6days in hospital was let home .... was given all the oxygen / nebulisers /steroids / etc care and attention ( big love to the NHS ) and came home .......ive been ok , feeling well , for the couple of weeks ive been home ......but in the last few days , i have felt myself slipping a bit . ...im feeling scared to go to bed in case i wake up with an episode like i had before . Not been too good today , but i didn't want to upset my wife . Tried to puff on my flow meter but gave out a rather embarassing result . ;(

[Js706]

Hi cappy,

Sorry to hear that you were unwell and had to be admitted to hospital with your asthma! It’s a horrible experience and being worried about it happening again is completely understandable!

The most important thing to do if you feel like you’re beginning to get worse again is to contact your GP. They can review you and may prescribe a course of steroid tablets which will hopefully nip things in the bud and stop you needing emergency care again. It’s really important to try and seek help early on in a flare to stop things getting worse - do you have an action plan? They normally give set peak flow scores or symptoms to guide you on what help to get and when

And if you find things continue to get worse - like you can’t speak in full sentences or your blue inhaler isn’t helping your symptoms (you can try 10 puffs, taking one at a time 30s apart in one go) then you should call 999 again.

[cappy1966 in reply to Js706]

thanks Js for taking the time to reply x , ive had 3 courses of steriod tablets in the last 6 months , i m starting to feel like im using up the whole of UK's supply of them.........im a bit worried about taking too many puffs of my blue inhaler in case i run out ........ but hopefully its just a bad day , will try and get some sleep and not have to resort to bothering anybody tommorow .

[SteveLondon in reply to cappy1966]

Hi you sound a little like me if you read my story from couple of days ago. I felt a little like a little burden, reluctant to escalate especially with pandemic, consequently ended up doing 8 days hospital. I think once you realise your prescribed medication starts to become ineffective, unresponsive, then it us the time to ask for help.

[twinkly29]

Agree with everything Js706 has said. Please speak to your GP as soon as you can and seek emergency help if needed.

If things are regularly dipping (including a rubbish day and then it's ok, but it's not very occasional) you also need to speak to your GP anyway as it's a sign that your asthma needs more control - they should be able to change or increase your preventer medication which should improve things generally and mean you don't have these blips. If you are using your blue inhaler more than 3 times a week you're supposed to be reviewed for this reason. That's not to say you can't use it more - please do if you need to but also you need to speak to your GP.

[Fruitandnutcase]

Think you need to be really up front with how you feel, your wife will really get upset if she finds out you’ve been keeping quiet about how bad you feel to protect her and things deteriorate.

When you say your peak flow result was embarrassing do you mean because it was so low? If that’s the case then you need to shout out and get something done.

You need to speak to your doctor and if you are worried about running out of blue inhaler - tell the doctor that ask for a spare (even if you have to pay for it yourself which I imagine is unlikely) so that you will always have back up and have one less thing to worry about.

Do you know what triggered your flare up?

[ALUK_Nurses Partner Administrator ALUK Asthma Nurse]

Hi cappy1966, as the others have said here you really must seek more medical advice to avoid another asthma attack/flare up. Please contact your GP or 111 today. Once you are feeling better perhaps give the AUK helpline a ring and chat to one of us nurses - I am sure we can help you gain better control of your asthma for the future. 0300 2225800 M-F 930-430pm.

asthma.org.uk/advice/asthma...

👍😊

[ChrissieMons]

Don't be scared. You survived the last one and you'll survive the next if there is one. If you sleep sort of sitting up, and listen to music that relaxes you, it might help you nod off: you need your sleep. It is so easy to work yourself into an anxious state and it makes everything worse (I'm very good at this!) - so have confidence in the NHS and the treatment you are getting. Asthma nurses at Asthmauk are brilliant so have a chat to them if you can.

[cappy1966]

Hi , everybody . Thanks for all the support . Sorry ive not been able to reply before now , as I had to have another spell in hospital , after yor advice to see my GP .....in fact he called an ambulance for me .......for the record i had (from reading my discharge report) 20mg salbutamol ,100mg hydrocorosine , o.5mg ipratropium in the ambulance ...Sats were 82% , ....magnesium sulphate ,,,,..and had someone poke a needle in my artery , that hurt like fuck as they couldnt find it initially ........Anyway to cut a long story short , im back out now , feeling ok (talking in full sentances !) .....and got some tablets . (the usual sreroid and antbiotics ) to take ,,,,and been booked in to see a specialist respiaraory section in a weeks time .