I have asthma and take Montelukast and use a Fostair inhaler I also have nasal polyps that come and go usually when I have a cold or virus.
I have never been offered or had it suggested that I should have an emergency course of steroids in case I get a chest infection ( and I have had a couple of bad ones ) and when I do I have to almost beg for the 5 day course why ? yes its not idle to take them as the last GP repeatedly told me in our phone call ( the last course I had was 6 months earlier )
but if I am suffering with an infection or my nasal polyps are stopping me breathing is a couple of courses a year that bad ?
Reading posts on here people seem to have good Asthma management with their GP maybe I should be more assertive ?
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blackmememe
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The key for asthma management for me is have access to a medic who gets my asthma.
I have a hospital asthma nurse and a GP asthma nurse who both understand my asthma, while I have more trouble with some of the gps and my consultant. One GP, who mainly handles the urgent cases, insists I have to wheeze to have asthma.
So I would do some research as who at your gp practice might understand asthma. I simply asked my gp asthma nurse, who told me which of the GPS are any good at asthma. I would then do my best to get the correct medic, which for me actually is normally an asthma nurse and if she is unavailable there is one GP out of 7 who I prefer.
I would also ring the asthma UK helpline to make sure you understand which drugs are best for you when having an exacerbation, so you know what to ask for.
Rescue packs/emergency course of steroids .... are normally something a hospital asks the doctor to do ... my GP wouldn't give me a rescue pack until the hospital said so.... the hospital said so and the GP couldn't give me one quick enough.
Yes I understand that logic but I also have antibiotics in my rescue pack and as someone that's needed/had antibiotics and steroids every 2-3 months for the last 8 years.... the hospital decided it was "essential, in case I couldn't be seen by a doctor"
But yes I understand that *normally* if your sick enough to need steroids your sick enough to be seen by the GP and should be.
Truth be told it was an urgent care doctor that told me to *ask* my respiratory team/GP for a rescue pack in case I couldn't be seen ..... and it was around the time earlier this year that the strikes where on and doctors where in and out of hospitals/GP surgeries
But yes my GP surgery now has a paramedic who triages the calls of a morning and is able to direct to the best place for care, the nurse tells me this is because there is a massive shortage of GP's in the NHS since covid (not good)
I agree with Homely2 with what he wrote in his reply. I just want to add that I have very good results with Budesonide nasal spray to keep the polyps from recurring. Have been on Budesonide for some years now, and I am free of polyps and all the problems that come with them.
Well I’ve just tried to contact my surgery this morning. The online contact told me no more spaces available until tomorrow to even lodge my symptoms for someone to read. This was at 8:30am. I tried phoning the surgery, no luck there. A recorded message saying no more phone calls being taken! So I’ve been unable to contact my GP surgery at all today! What are we coming to? I don’t want to go to A&E as that would mean a wait of many hours sitting among all the other germs! If they would only let me keep an emergency supply of steroids I could manage my asthma myself!!
I totally agree I am not even trying to call my GP today as it is impossible to speak with anyone on a Monday , if I can tomorrow it will be Thursday before a Prescription is ready to collect its not good enough !
I can’t remember when I actually saw my GP face to face. I’ve spoken to him on the phone and he’s been very supportive about my long Covid, but at the moment I’m frustrated because I know all I need is a course of steroids.
Yes me to just a course of steroids and the nasal polyp and chest infection would be sorted but I will have to be talked down to and told I have already had them twice this year, why can they not just get you to sign something to say you are prepared to take the risk , I hope you get sorted soon x
So much is down to the individual GP. Mine is very outdated in his views, believes asthma triggers are always allergies (so getting worse due to exercise, chest infections, stress or weather is 'in your mind') and that asthma should primarily be managed by Ventolin - fortunately, the asthma nurse is brilliant and now has me on a daily inhaler which actually works!
I have a friend in another area who has occasional, mild summer asthma, for which she needs Ventolin maybe 2-3 times a season and nothing else. Her GP has sent her for every flu and Covid jab available on the basis that asthma makes her 'more vulnerable' to Covid, and she only has to ask for something to be given it...
Te GP at my surgery recommended Fostair but told me to use a spacer and 2 puffs once a day and my asthma got worse over the next few weeks , by chance I spoke to the asthma nurse and explained she was shocked and embarrassed to tell me the GP got it wrong as the inhaler is dry powder and should never be used with a spacer and by stopping brown inhaler and telling me 2 puffs once a day he had halved my dose !
I too am on Fostair 200/6 and Montelukast for my asthma, I also have very weakened immune system due to Lupus etc, yet have never been given emergency meds etc and I dont know why!
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A different consultant :)
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