Tightness on a morning

[LeiLey]

Hi all hope everyone is doing ok as I know cold weather can be a problem for a lot of people.

I currently take clenil 100 2 puffs twice a day, have been for about a month (must remember to order a new one tomorrow!) I am not diagnosed atm so unsure if various symptoms are asthma or something else. Anyway I feel less short of breath now in general although annoyingly I seem to be getting a bit worse again with exertion this week, grrr. It seems like it’s a bit up a down atm (could also be post viral COVID etc).

I’m just wondering if anyone else has a mildly tight chest in the morning even whilst being on a preventer? Also have a couple of coughs/throat clearing upon getting up, have done this for a while. I have been taking the blue inhaler before the clenil on a morning, could be coincidence but the chest tightness does get better after this but also after I get up and about out of bed. The asthma nurse is ringing me in a week or two, so maybe I could check with her.

Thanks in advance for any advice

LeiLey

[Lotti_321-]

Sorry you aren't feeling so great! Your morning symptoms could be a sign that things are flaring up. I know I can start to be affected in the mornings when I’m not so good. Can you not get in touch with AN or gp sooner so that it doesn’t get worse? Also do you do your peak flow and the if so has that been affected?

[LeiLey in reply to Lotti_321-]

Thank you for you reply Lotti, hope you are ok. Yes I may ring the gp this week if I feel I’m getting worse. Had a bit of a cough last week too but the kids pass all sorts of things on don’t they. (No temp though😉 not covid). My peak flow is down only slightly when I get this tight feeling, but seems to improve after a few tries and a good cough lol. During the day I’m not too bad at all, it seems to improve as the day goes on, until night time. I suppose there’s no harm to keep taking the blue in the morning if it helps, just strange trying to work out if these symptoms are part of the possible asthma, or just me lol, It’s lovely that I can talk to you all on here if I’m unsure of things, very helpful

[twinkly29]

Agree with Lotti. It could be a sign of things being less good (weather changes perhaps?) I find niggles like that are a sign of this.

Often taking the blue first is recommended anyway as it opens the airways and helps to get the brown in properly.

It might be worse phoning the nurse sooner if it continues, or if it's fine if you take the blue first, keep an eye and definitely let the nurse know. They may change your preventer or add in something to help.

[LeiLey in reply to twinkly29]

Thank you for you reply twinkly, yes I will definitely keep an eye on things and let the asthma nurse know as she usually asks how often I get symptoms and use the blue. Could be that it’s getting colder as well, and in the winter we usually get a bit of damp/mold in our bedroom so will watch for that appearing, although it’s been better since getting a new window. I will take the blue before my clenil on a morning thanks for that tip 👍

[LeiLey in reply to LeiLey]

Hi bit of an update etc. Hope you are both well?! So I didn’t feel I needed to phone the asthma nurse as I didn’t feel too bad after taking the blue inhaler in the mornings, the tightness got better during the day, I have started with a sore throat though so I think I’m getting another cold lol 🙈. Anyway on another post I spoke about smoke etc being triggers for my ?asthma (not diagnosed).

I went to my parents house earlier who are heavy smokers but usually do it near the back door, anyway the house was especially smoky today (they didn’t open the back door) and it set me away coughing (fairly mildly, now and again) and a runny nose! Anyway I only stayed 15 mins.

I’ve always assumed I have this reaction because I Mouth Breathe - so thus sets me off coughing. I was always coughing and had tonsillitis when I was younger. But I’m sat here trying to figure out my asthma if that’s what it is.

On another post a lady said she has the same sort of triggers but always assumed it was because she was a mouth breather and didn’t believe she had asthma at first.

I’m pretty much the same- thinking of other things to rule out as well, but does it sound like it could be asthma as the nurse thought or just because I mouth breathe.

Trying to do the right thing and get all the facts for when I see the asthma nurse as she may change/add a preventer as I’m using the blue a few times a week.

LeiLey 😊

[twinkly29 in reply to LeiLey]

Glad things have stayed more or less ok (or manageable at least!).

It's definitely worth mentioning stuff that seems to trigger things - even if it's a definite, a maybe or some connections you've made about previous experiences.

Smoke makes me tight and causes coughing as well as nasal congestion so while everyone is different it could well be something that isn't ideal for you. I also find air that has had smoke in it (even if no current smoking going on) causes an issue so that's something to bear in mind if it does it to you - awkward with it being your parents' house though!

[LeiLey in reply to twinkly29]

Thank you, yes I seem to be making some connections, the smoke has triggered coughing in the past, also smoky cooking-fajitas etc, deodorant sprays. I know it’s so awkward being my parents house, tbf they have been better over the last few years as my 9 year old son has asthma so they’ve smoked in the passage near the back door since he was little as I said he couldn’t be around it - makes him cough too. They totally understood. It must be so hard for them to try stop smoking completely.

Sorry for all the quest for reassurance, I just want to make sure I’m doing the right thing and not wasting peoples time/medicines etc and get on the right treatment. (I had some un helpful experiences with gp’s in the past when I was about 20 I went with chest pain/tightness when walking fast etc but chest was clear and ecg normal so gp said it was just a ‘three month wonder and am I neurotic lol?’ 😆 so I really try not to go (but I’ve grown up now) 🤣

[twinkly29 in reply to LeiLey]

Nothing you've asked or wondered has come across to me as silly, neurotic or anything like that - and definitely not wasting people's time! It's all really sensible and understandable!

[LeiLey in reply to twinkly29]

Fab thank you, can I ask you again when I have a wondering/pondering lol? Very helpful😊 Maybe I’m finally accepting help now I’m older and em wiser?!

I think it’s cos I work in the nhs where you see people really poorly so you kind of brush things off with yourself until you’re getting really worse lol.

An example: a few months ago I had chest pain into my shoulders etc for 5 hours - when I finally sought help from 111... and got told off for waiting! 🙈

Thanks again

[twinkly29 in reply to LeiLey]

Of course you can!

And I get what you mean - with me, my body reacts quite hard acutely and I live with underlying issues much of the time....other people are a bit 😱 but it's just normal to me 😬🤣

[LeiLey in reply to twinkly29]

Ohh gosh I bet they do! But it’s funny, when my kids/partner/parents/sister all have a complaint, I say ‘you’d better get to the docs with that’. I hope you don’t suffer too frequently with your underlying things or your asthma though, hope you get plenty of support! Have you been diagnosed with asthma as an adult too,

LeiLey

[twinkly29 in reply to LeiLey]

The underlying is all asthma - yes adult onset about 10 years ago. Just a nightmare really as it's really odd and not typical in any way. I do have good support thankfully (GP, consultant and the ANs at the hospital) but it is a bit frustrating!

[LeiLey in reply to twinkly29]

Ohh I bet it’s so frustrating for you especially with your asthma not being the typical or usual type. So pleased you have a good team to help you with things!