Asthma or anxiety

[Levans29]

I’ve had asthma since I was 11 it is controlled well I think it is im currently on fostair since two years ago when I had my Asthma review as the old one weren’t working at all. But now I’m getting chest tightness but I don’t no if it’s my asthma or anxiety and it’s making me worry if it not working

[twinkly29]

Hi! It can be really tricky to unpick symptoms and the more one tries, the more anxious one can become trying to fathom it - or maybe wasn't anxious until they tried to unpick it!

Anxiety can definitely cause symptoms very like asthma symptoms, particularly tightness and shortness of breath.

If peak flow is a good measure for you (eg if it does tend to drop when your asthma isn't great) then doing your peak flow when symptomatic can be a helpful tool.

Anxiety wouldn't respond physically to relief meds (so blue inhaler usually), so symptoms wouldn't improve massively and peak flow wouldn't increase much or at all either (so doing peak flow first, then use blue inhaler and then redo peak flow 15 mins later to see the impact when symptomatic).

Anxiety does usually respond to breathing exercises such as these from the British Lung Foundation:

blf.org.uk/support-for-you/...

So it might be worth trying those when symptomatic to see if they help - or other relaxation techniques that work for you. It can be a bit of trial and error to find the right ones for you.

This post might be worth a read:

healthunlocked.com/asthmauk...

The key is to monitor your asthma regularly even when well and follow your asthma plan as to when to seek help. Obviously that's not necessarily helpful right now but I'd try relaxation or breathing exercises for symptoms, if they don't help, measure peak flow and use relief inhaler, then redo peak flow 15 mins later. Even if it turns out that it wasn't asthma, it won't hurt you using the inhaler and it helps to build a picture for the future. If it does help symptoms and peak flow then that's a sign it is your asthma, in which case monitor and seek GP or nurse advice if it continues as it's a sign things need reviewing - which might just be a mini blip (eg colder weather can do this) not necessarily that your inhaler has stopped working, but still would need looking at.

Hope that helps and isn't too confusing - asthma generally is confusing I think!

[Levans29 in reply to twinkly29]

Thank you for your reply I need to order a bee peak flow. Normally I hit 650 not sure if that good or bad as I don’t really Know. Also I don’t no if I have mild moderate or severe asthma how would I know? I’m on fostair taking two puffs morning and night?

[twinkly29 in reply to Levans29]

Your peak flow is only good or bad relevant to your best. So if that's 650, then anything about 520 or above would be deemed to be good and in your green zone.

As to severity, I'm not sure whether it would come under mild or moderate but actually control is a more important measure as one can be uncontrolled at mild, moderate or severe and it's control that's important. Control is not needing relief meds more than 3 times a week

[runcyclexcski]

anxiety and stress can trigger asthma, and when asthma is poorly controlled, anxiety and stress become more frequent triggers. I tend to think that docs over-emphasize anxiety when they cannot do much about the asthma (or do not have the time to deal with the difficult cases). I used to deal with the "it's in your head" argument for years, and used to believe it, taking anti-depressants etc. Until I got on xolair and "anxiety" magically went away. A magical anti-anxiety medicine that magical anti-IgE is, I guess. Works better than Prosac and Effexor, who knew.

[Dalton1 in reply to runcyclexcski]

Hello, I find your post and exactly same thing is happening to me right now... Currently on fostair.. I have chest tightness etc. also they told me I have anxiety... I refused antidepressants... Did you find a solution? please let me know