Hi
There are times when I can’t breath, but when I check my Sats they are between 90 and 95. But I still struggle, the hospital Dr says it can’t be bad as I am between 90 and 95. I am usually 85 up my peak flow is 250 best and 150 in the morning.
I don’t know why I struggle at that No but it’s scary when they say it’s not bad. Anyone had anything like this. Thanks for reading this.
It’s so scary when you can’t breathe. Your doctor should know that asthma patients don’t usually have a problem taking oxygen in which is why sats can be normal. Instead, asthmatic’s struggle to get breath out because our breathing tubes narrow which is why they wheeze and whistle.
Everyone presents differently, so I suggest going back to your nurse or GP and tell them that you are struggling to breathe. If things get bad, go to the hospital where you might find a respiratory specialist.
Take care!
Good morning Eian59. Sorry to hear you have problems breathing at times. Just checking that you are doing Pursed lip breathing technique. I find it helps me a lot when I have the same problem with my morning coughing and struggling more to breathe. Otherwise get back onto your Respiratory nurse and tell them you need help. Let us know how you get on. Brian
Ring asthma UK, an asthma nurse there will help you work out what to say to your doctors.
Doctors can be a little intimidating and hard to deal with. It really helps to have a chat with somebody beforehand.
If my sats go below 94 or so, I am in trouble. Normally with short attacks my sats are 98 to 99. My sats only fall, late on into a major asthma attack, so for me sats are a very bad way to check my asthma.
I second the suggestion to ring the Asthma UK helpline - the nurses there are brilliant at suggesting what to say to your GP surgery to get results.
Your doctor doesn't understand asthma, if they're saying that range of 90-95% is fine for asthma. 90-95% sats might be fine if you have COPD or some other lung conditions, but they are not great for asthma. Some guidelines consider sats of 92% and under a sign of a severe asthma attack.
Even 'normal' sats above 95% don't mean your asthma is fine - as mauschen has said, it's totally possible to be struggling with asthma and have completely normal sats of 96% plus.
You may find this post useful - not to tell you not to use sats monitors at home, but because it discusses why they're not that helpful in asthma which may be useful to pass on to your doctor - this post was written by the ALUK nurses and doctor.
healthunlocked.com/asthmauk...
You may also find it helpful to call the asthma nurse helpline: 0300 2225800 or WhatsApp 07378 606 728 Monday-Friday 0915-5pm
Hope you manage to get some help soon!
Thanks for the information Lysistrata. I've been monitoring my stats which have been 90 - 95 and thinking that I am fine as long as it doesn't go below 90. My GPS also thought the same. I'll try and print the link so that I can show it to them in the future. I'm not going to worry but it helps to know.
I got the monitor during Covid. I saw an article about an American on a ship who didn't realize his oxygen levels had fallen really low - just below 80 - until he was asked to leave his cabin on the ship to go to a Japanese hospital. I realized that sometimes we don't notice a gradual decline until its effects hit us hard.
When I've got a flu and asthma, I check it every now and then. When I see that I'm 90 or above, I feel safe. I realize 95 and above is better (and 98 or 99 is best) but psychologically if I am over the 90 mark, I know I'm getting oxygen.
Yep I've seen the stories about people not noticing sats drops with COVID. I didn't get a sats monitor for that but I probably would have for similar reasons (I mostly wanted the HR monitor to prove my HR is normal at home and my medication wasn't causing issues).
Just as long as you (or anyone with asthma) isn't relying solely on sats being above 90% to suggest everything is ok and you don't need medical help - because as you'll have seen from the link, that isn't necessarily the case with asthma.
Or even if the sats are 98/99%, if there are other signs indicating medical help is needed asap for asthma. If you're struggling to talk and unable to eat/speak/sleep due to breathlessness then it doesn't matter what your sats are. I usually have sats that look ok even when my blood gasses show everything definitely isn't ok with the oxygen! And the sats monitor won't necessarily show if you're starting to retain carbon dioxide.
Thanks. I forgot about the carbon dioxide issue.
Hi. I don't know of this is relevant to you but I have been diagnosed with long tert asthma after being exposed to excessive wood dust at a workplace.
Even on the high dose inhalers I was still struggling to breathe and unable to do simple tasks.
I have since been diagnosed with ILO Inducible Laryngeal Obstruction. Which is where your vocal folds block your airways and make breathing very difficult.
Maybe worth checking the symptoms?
Good luck 😊👍
Have u be taught nbreathing exercises to open the vocal chords? Mine r very sensitive + close to a pinhole x
I haven't been taught anything yet... had my first appointment yesterday. Hopefully I'll be starting to learn the exercises at my next appointment on Monday. Do you have any tips?
The main one is keep very calm,sit down or lean on the wall, breathe in deep,v slowly,hold for a sec then breathe out slowly,through pursed lips.exhale fully. repeat,and repeat as long as necessary.it does work x
Excellent advice. Thank you
Asthma attack or panic attacks. 
Preventer gives me asthma
severe asthma symptoms daily 
asthma 
