*Long post* alert 📢 So, about 5/6 hours after the consultant told me on Monday that my asthma's fine because it hasn't flared since September, my body decided to prove him wrong and I've spent a week having constant mini - and one not so mini - asthma attacks.
I started steroids and antibiotics from the respiratory nurse on Wednesday but I've never known steroids do so little! I'm on the MART scheme but completely maxed out on Symbicort so have been supplementing with a blue.
The absolute worst symptoms have been at night and I seem to have spent the end of the week begging someone to prescribe something which will let me breathe when I'm lying down. Yesterday the out-of-hours dr said I could go into a&e before bed for a nebuliser but I live *miles* away from the hospital (think very rural Highlands of Scotland!) so I said that would be quite a trek just for 10/15 minutes.
We discussed how 10x salbutamol inhaler through a spacer can be used instead so that's what I went with.
And it worked 🥳 My PEF went from 270 to 350 (normal is 420) and stayed there for at least an hour until just before I fell asleep, and I didn't wake up coughing and breathless until about 5 hours later. My pulse was also back down to 65, from 90s the previous nights.
This morning, my chest tightness is coming back but at least I've rested.
Now I'm in a bit of a quandary though... I know that it's not sustainable to keep using a blue inhaler like that, but should I do it again tonight?
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porthos06
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I have had steroids not have much of an impact for five days or so, particularly when I have had a heavy attack but not been to a and e, so not been properly nebulised. So cross fingers they start working for you soon, if not you will have to ask on Monday if you can have a longer course.
I also have used ventolin heavily for a week or so to attempt to keep it under control. When I have had to do this I have ended up in a and e, not walking or talking.
Personally I would wait until the middle of the day, so you get an idea which direction your asthma is going in, then ring 111 and discuss it through with the out of hours gp to make sure that your thinking is logical.
Thanks 😊 I've just come off the phone with the out-of-hours gp who has said I'm good to do the same thing again tonight. My course of steroids finishes on Tuesday. As it stands they don't seem to have done much but I suppose there's always the question of how much worse it could have been without them!
I do genuinely dread to think how much sabutamol I've taken over the past couple of days - I think around 20 puffs over the past 24 hours (in addition to 8x Symbicort) 😬
It sounds like you need additional treatment. Sometimes a 5 day course of Prednisolone just isn't enough for some exacerbations. Try and call your GP or asthma nurse today and explain that you're still struggling and fill them in on the additional Ventolin and that you're still maxing out on Symbicort. They may even decide to consider a different combination inhaler to Symbicort.
I know I should get in touch with my gp... but honestly I'm at the point where I'm feeling like a pain in the posterior 🤣 I've also had fewer night-time symptoms for the past couple of nights so I'm pretty keen to see if I can maintain this without the steroids. My worst thing at the moment is being wiped out after doing something as basic as brushing my teeth 🙄
I had to have an appointment just before Christmas and one after as the first lot of antibiotics and steroids just weren't enough. The GP I saw gave me more antibiotics and stressed I had to come back if that didn't do the trick. Thankfully, the second lot were sufficient, but I would have gone back as I hate feeling ill more than any feeling of being a nuisance. Having said that, I always thank them for their time.
Re being signed off by the consultant. That happened to me and my asthma was far from controlled IMO. My asthma nurse took the initiative and changed my meds and explored other options once she knew I had been signed off by the hospital. Thanks to her, my asthma is so much more controlled. She was happy to make appointments until things were much improved.
I'm lucky with my asthma nurse too, fortunately - and have appointments with the respiratory nurse from the hospital. I just think I'd expected more support from a consultant... 🙄Being a nuisance is something I have a massive complex about. That said, I got a call from the dr yesterday saying I needed to go in and get different antibiotics based on my tests and I did ask then about the steroids, so am now on a reducing dose for the next few weeks.
You have had an awful week havent you ☹️ I think that is a good point about what your asthma would be like without the oral steroids. In the past ( and it was a long time ago) the surgery leant me a nebuliser. Considering where you live and that your Dr thinks you should be in hospital getting nebs it might be a consideration but obv its not as good as actually being monitored and possibly given better meds at the hospital. It is a lot of salbutamol you are taking in one go and might make your hands a bit jittery but if it gets you through the night and your GP has OKd it I woukd just keep doing that ( and check daily with your GP). At the end of your steroids and antibiotics things might be looking up. I would ar least have a face ro face appt with someone as soon as you can or seek 111 advice if it gets or remains bad. Falling asleep upright is prob all you can expect right now. I am also sleeping sitting up but at least sleeping a bit more now. I am sure I am giving a long winded reply here and bits of it will mirror what you said to me. I am wiped out but breathing is a bit better today.
Thanks - and I hope you're feeling better now yourself!
Yes, this has been a terrible week for me - not helped by getting the letter from the consultant today saying that my asthma was stable so he was discharging me after one visit 😒 The irony isn't wasted on me!
I'm jealous of you being able to sleep upright! My body doesn't accept that as a sleeping position so, mentally, I can't seem to rest unless I'm reclining.
Hi.. yes getting there but stairs are a bit of a challenge, mostly had a duvet day watching the Handmaids Tale (I know how to enjoy myself) as I realise that it is going to take a bit of time to shift this. That seems a bit hasty and just not good enough (the consultant) ... I would be going back to your GP and saying as much. Like Poobah I had a very good Asthma Nurse at the surgery who was very thorough but then sadly left.... is there one at your surgery? If your asthma continues to be this bad and you can't sleep sitting up then maybe you do need to go to A&E even though I think you said it was a very big drive.
Hi. That sounds good and will likely help no end. I am on doxycycline and prednisolone. Prednisolone I had for many years on and off in the past but not for over a year now until now and never had doxy... the combination does seem to be working for me... definite improvement. It is so important to rest though too isn't it. Hope you get some sleep now and can lie down a bit. 🙂
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