My asthma symptoms present with a tight chest, I feel like I can't take a satisfying deep breath in, then it clears for a little bit and then I can take one, the process repeats. I was diagnosed with asthma over 25 years ago and have had different inhalers over the years but none make it go away fully. It’s now worse than it’s ever been and worrying me.
I do suffer with anxiety and often wondered if this was the trigger but my GP was adamant it was Asthma. Yet A&E don’t seem to take it seriously!
Would love to hear from others in a similar position and if you have found any helpful meditations.
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Pebbles33
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I suffer particularly from a tight chest, and have periods when breathing is difficult.
I did the asthma UK breathe easy programme which is a free online course you can find on the asthma UK course. I also am presently going an asthma respiratory nurse who is helping me improve my breathing patterns with breathing exercises. The alternative is going on a pulmonary rehab course with the NHS, asthma UK also do an online mindfulness course.
It has definitely helped, I have much more control over my breathing now, and the respiratory physio has moved me onto more fitness related work.
Have a chat with the asthma UK helpline on 0300 2225800, office hours, ask if they have a respiratory physio to give you a call back.
I just use Ventolin inhaler but it’s only giving temporary relief. I also use Fostair and been given Fenofexodine and Montelukast a few weeks ago but still not great and waking at night. I’ve never had a flare last this long before so I don’t understand what’s going on. Hopefully GP will refer me to a consultant when I get to see him thank you.
Yes salbutamol does give relief but often needs to be taken as prescribed,4hrly usually.anxiety can definitely affect breathing. Read up on controlled pursed lips breathing technique on aluk website. It helps u to relax & helps breathing
Just because it's asthma doesn't rule out anxiety as a trigger and you know best how your body works. Anxiety is an umbrella term which can be unhelpful - you need to know why you are anxious, and what you can do to alleviate that anxiety without drugs. Maybe you can speak to your GP about the anxiety as a separate issue, which, once improved, might help your breathing. Good luck!
Thank you for your reply. Yes because there are many causes of a tight chest it concerns me. I’m trying to find ways to handle the anxiety naturally because the last thing I need is more medication.
Hi! I have asthma, and I have worked in the ER when I first started nursing. So I have experience on both sides.
First, I would get my doctor to send me for a pulmonary function test. This would be good to have to measure what is going on with your lungs, and tells them the next steps. They could give you a schedule of steroids if this is a flare or acute exacerbation.
Second, it could that your stats are stable and do not show respiratory distress. When you first go to the ER, they will take your vitals - your oxygen saturation, blood pressure, and pulse are taken (and temperature). This shows if you are truly in distress as your BP would be elevated, respiratory rate increased, and your oxyg n sats would be low. If the sats are fine, you are getting enough air. If you are speaking to them with no difficulty forming complete sentences or a conversation, you are doing ok.
That said, I would definitely get a pulmonary function to get a baseline of how your lungs are doing, and to show any changes that are happening to cause you to be in the flare you are experiencing.
Thank you for your advice this is interesting. My BP and pulse rate were both raised when I attended A&E but after ECG, X-ray and bloods they said no inflammation. I’m hoping to get a referral when I can get an appointment with my GP.
It can be as many people are nervous when they go to the ER. But with all the tests together, that is a good start at looking how far you have progressed with your asthma attack. Hope they can find a solution and plan that gives you some relief.
High heart rate (and raised blood pressure) can also be from asthma though - not just anxiety. (Or asthma medication - I find my heart rate often comes down after treatment as it's working less hard. I realise you weren't saying this but I find it's too common for healthcare professionals when I have a high heart rate to not understand it's linked to asthma and not just Ventolin).
Pebbles33 I'm not a healthcare professional and can't diagnose you but ECG, X ray and blood tests can all be ok in an attack and not show inflammation. I had a severe attack with admission last month and zero sign of inflammation, X ray I think was fine, ECG showed it was normal rhythm but fast which we already knew and is typical for me in asthma.
It's helpful for them to do the tests and make sure they have a complete picture, but those being normal don't mean you aren't having an asthma attack - just something to bear in mind.
Thank you for your reply and clarifying that I didn’t relate an Asthma attack to increased BP and heart rate but it makes perfect sense.
It’s also interesting that test results can appear fine when we have an attack. However it’s not good for us when nothing obvious shows up because then you don’t feel believed and get the correct care and treatment needed which is pretty scary! Asthma creates anxiety for me and I have asked myself if it’s that which drives the tight chest rather than the Asthma but I still get it when I’m relaxed. Not being able to breathe also wakes me from a good nights sleep so again this confirms to me it’s more likely to be Asthma related rather than just anxiety. Just hoping I get some answers soon thank you.
Oh yes I know the feeling about not being believed if you don't fit what they expect (and what they know about asthma can vary).
Honestly I think it's normal to be anxious when you can't breathe, but there's often this assumption with some healthcare professionals that it's either/or. It sounds like you're already aware of how asthma and anxiety are linked for you and which is which, but this post may have something useful for you: healthunlocked.com/asthmauk...
I was about to write this myself! plus sats may not be dropping for many asthmatics even during the attack!
I'm under severe asthma clinic and many months in there's still not one test that came back abnormal - but ironically it's all in my symptoms - tight chest and chest infections since about 6 months ago. And peak flow variation over time.
Hi Willow7733 - it isn't necessarily true that good sats mean everything is ok in asthma, please be careful about saying this. I appreciate you've mentioned other markers like respiratory rate and blood pressure, but your post comes across as sats being ok means someone is not in respiratory distress, which isn't necessarily the case.
This post from the ALUK healthcare professionals is about home sats monitoring but the principles still apply if you are in hospital - they should not be saying that good sats mean someone is not having an attack.
When someone is having an increase in asthma symptoms or starting an asthma attack there are lots of things that change in the body before oxygen levels drop. In fact, your body breathes faster and your heart pumps faster to help keep your oxygen levels within normal limits.
Symptoms, the response to medication and peak flow are more reliable signs that you need to take action (contact your GP surgery or 111, or follow your action plan). Once your oxygen levels have dropped you are in a life-threatening phase - any action should have been taken long before this.
“In fact, your body breathes faster and your heart pumps faster to help keep your oxygen levels within normal limits” - this was my point. You have an autonomic system that reacts first (and Ben before you consciously know), but hey are symptoms that are telltale signs that you are headed for respiratory distress - and is an indicator of where you are in an asthma attack. I never once said they were not having an attack or flare. I never once mentioned anything about detecting inflammation. ( which comes later and is not detectable in early tests at times.)
I am sorry if I didn’t make that clear. I was only trying to help and not belittle anyone’s distress.
The inflammation part was addressing what they said to Pebbles in A&E - sorry if that wasn't clear. I know that wasn't what you said, but I wanted to make it clear to Pebbles that's not really the best way for the ED staff to understand whether someone is having an attack, as it sounded like that's what they were saying (ie 'no inflammation/no attack').
To me it wasn't entirely clear whether you were acknowledging that high heart rate is part of the attack, though I can see now that you were. And your other reply did come across, even if that wasn't the intention, as saying that good sats mean things are ok rather than that it's earlier in an attack (and even then it can vary. I can have crappy ABGs and have a lot of other markers that I am not at the start of an attack and my sats STILL look reasonable; I know someone else who maintains them for ages while she's busy building up carbon dioxide.)
I'm sorry if I misunderstood what you were trying to say, but I was concerned that others might also read your reply the way I did and get the wrong impression. I wanted to make it very clear for others reading that good sats don't mean no problem, as this is often a problem when people present with asthma attacks. That's why I quoted the official guidance (italics).
Hi Willow sorry I wasn’t referring to you when I spoke of not being believed. I felt the consultant at a recent A&E visit didn’t believe my symptoms to be Asthma related. Your replies have only been kind and helpful from your point of view for which I am grateful thank you.
My asthma also presents as tightness and difficulty getting a satisfying breath in. I never wheeze or have mucous. I’ve found the relaxed breathing techniques very helpful. Check out the Buteyko method. I’ve found it very helpful.
Hi I notice you also have Vocalcord dysfunction. How do they diagnose that? Steroids never fully help me either! I’m sure I have this in addition to Asthma. I only get a tight chest no other symptoms thank youx
It's diagnosed via laryngoscopy. Either ENT or speech and language consultant does this.
Buteiko method has been debunked multiple times over. If you want to improve your breathing pattern then get referred to the chest physio for exercises.
I went to an otolaryngologist (ear/nose/throat doctor). My pulmonologist suggested it when we were trying to figure out what was going on. We never 100% came to a conclusion of a cause which is frustrating. I feel like any form of breathing difficulty they just call asthma as a catch all.
I think you’re right they just assume it’s Asthma in the first instance when we struggle to breathe. I’m going to discuss this possibility with my doctor. In the meantime going to look into the breathing thank you.
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