Asthma

[E44E44]

I’m on a course of steroids for my asthma is it normal to feel tired after a flare up as I wake up coughing in the night with a silly tickly cough and it has just left me feeling really tired , also what cough syrups are good for nighttime with out upsetting my asthma.

[djbctla]

look into the possibility of reflux BERNARDINE

[Patk1]

Yes,flareups are tiring.id use Yr sambutamol b4 bed + in nt to seee if it helps.i find tspn clear honey gd at coating the throat

[Troilus]

This mind sound odd but a sip of Gaviscon settles mine.

[Bevvy in reply to Troilus]

Often people with asthma and other lung conditions also have reflux. That in turn can make people cough and even cause breathlessness. I am on medication for reflux, so the fact that Gaviscon helps you would suggest you also have a degree of reflux.

[Scrofulous]

I don't think cough syrups do much. The only one that's any good is codeine linctus, which I believe has been withdrawn. I sleep sitting up with a v pillow. I also have an electric vaporiser which helps. Honey and lemon in hot water with a tot of whiskey before bed makes you feel better, but not with any cough syrups that contain drowsy making ingredients. I hope you feel better soon.

[madonbrew in reply to Scrofulous]

That's interesting, codeine linctus triggered off a very severe asthma attack for me some years ago so I have never touched cough syrups again. Honey 🍯 and lemon 🍋 is good!

[Myarabella888 in reply to Scrofulous]

Yes I was prescribed codeine and it really helped, but pharmacy said its unusual to prescribe this medication

[Scrofulous in reply to Myarabella888]

Yes, it's unusual because codeine can be addictive, but it's a great cough suppressant.

[Evesham]

Not only is continuing coughing tiring but I find that steroids keep me awake

[E44E44 in reply to Evesham]

I find the steroids have cleared it for me got rid of the tightness in my chest.

[Emaych61]

A series of nights with disturbed sleep is likely to make anyone feel more tired than usual whether suffering from asthma or not. But yes, asthma flares are tiring. I’m just getting over one myself and still haven’t really recovered my energy levels; I’m not on oral steroids either.

For a flare during the night there are two possible causes in my case: one will be reflux (I see someone else above has mentioned this), but if the cause is that I find turning onto my left side side calms it down immediately (apparently it has something to do with the way the stomach connects to the oesophagus). If, on the other hand, asthma is the cause then it doesn’t matter how I’m lying, the breathlessness and feeling of tightness won’t go away. If I’m going through a difficult patch I always have a ventolin inhaler on a bedside table so I can make use of it without getting up to fetch it, which certainly helps when it comes to the getting back to sleep bit.

Hope things improve for you soon.