new diagnoses: chest infections

[Wm521]

Newly diagnosed asthmatic. I have very few typical symptoms: no wheezing or day to day problems. I do keep getting bacterial type infections and I do get asthmatic symptoms when I exercise/ albeit rarely. I have also had full on asthma attacks maybe three in my life so I can confident the diagnosis is correct.

Is all very new- I have been a competitive athlete and never had a sick day until about a year ago, and now chest infections are a monthly occurrence. Anyone else had this situation? I blame sleep deprivation and nursery bugs ruining my strength!

My question is more on the bacterial type chest infection- I can barely feel they are there, does that make sense?! My symptoms are a Green phlegm cough and potentially gentle feeling of chest tightening and also feverish, all very mild. Once I had a severe bacterial infection in both lungs, and honestly didn’t even notice anything was wrong it was just an annoyingly long cough. I get told I am pretty unwell and obviously a chest infection isn’t great, but if I feel ok, am I really that unwell?!

The reason I ask is that it happens so often, could I just be going about my daily life if I feel “ok” or really focus on rest? I am a single mum to a toddler, having to arrange rest so often is just very hard and also upsetting to miss out.

[Chip_y2kuk]

Yes mine where 2-3 monthly but yes... frequent chest infections

And yes I've had a "nighttime cough" ... while I was asleep so my partner in the end said "get it sorted or in going to kill you in your sleep and I reckon I will get away with it on grounds of diminished capacity" ... that was actually the first I knew of it.

What I will say is...depending on your inhaler... sometimes these actually help mask an infection... combination inhalers for example also have a bronchodilator so will make it easier to breathe and less easy to spot/feel a chest infection .... so you may need to be "more aware" of subtle changes.

[Patk1]

Welcome to the forum.id work on trying to build immunity up with added supplements.i use coldzyme throat spray+ vicks rescue nosespray to try protect against viruses+ I always have antibacterial gel to hand.Whn asthma twitchy or bad,I use salbutamol frequently both to ease symptoms+ to dilate Airways,to enable mucous to come up easier.

What ru taking for Yr aSthma?x

[Wm521 in reply to Patk1]

Thank you I have right now the 200mg sobrobec which I gather is a low dose, I have been on it for maybe 5 weeks - this is the entirety of my asthma treatment to date

[Patk1 in reply to Wm521]

Tbh with Yr symptoms + asthma diagnoses,I'd go back to Dr and tell them u need a reliever( salbutamol) and montelukast is usually given too.ring the aluk helpline first 0300 222 5800.

Lots of us are finding we r having to be proactive in healthcare now.let us know how u get on x x

[peege]

Crikey you could be me in several years time. I'm not a medic in any way shape or form however my childhood asthma 'disappeared' until age 50. I was extremely fit, ran 3 miles or swam before work every day , every winter floored with infections which I worked through.

Now I know how wrong I was to think invincible & not to see a GP for stethoscope listen to detect infection and treat with antibiotics because now I have accumulated lung damage, a further lung disease diagnosed by CT scans after continuous infections including 5 x pneumonia & 4 x pleurisy and CFS(ChronicFatigueSyndrome).

I realise now that my stamina, strength and fitness masked a great deal. I also always look very well due to olive complexion ("well you don't look ill") grrr.

Since prescribed inhalers plus rebuilding my immunity (with tonics, vitamins, minerals and supplements) plus an armoury of antiseptic throat spray, zinc lozenges, Cold & Flu Guard, effervescent vitamin c 1000mg plus use all the covid type precautions (which I used from 20013 to avoid bugs & cold air closing airways with a Buff or scarf - I trained myself to open doors with elbows/a tissue/shirt sleeve/skirt & touched not a thing on London transport .

I can now spend time with small snotty grandchildren & stay well.

Please see a gp for a stethoscope listen (they can hear other issues other than the crackles of infection). There is now a nationwide reluctance to prescribe antibiotics however an infection is an infection needing antibiotics for we lung compromised people.

Well done finding HealthUnlocked, thanks to kind members I learnt the above tips. And apologies for rambling reply (it's the CFS not senility!)

PS having been a single mum myself (from 41 with 3 gorgeous children) I fully understand your sadness about missing out on your toddler & enjoying your life. I hope you can find ways to pace yourself and take every opportunity to rest/take time out whilst s/he's napping or safely occupied it will reward you and your child. Good luck

[Wm521 in reply to peege]

Thank you for your reply, do you think all your fitness activity made your lungs worse directly? Or just masked stuff. Fitness is such a strong part of my life.

[peege in reply to Wm521]

Being fit and having stamina is beneficial to us. If you look at UK videos of Pulmonary exercise they'll hopefully explain the correlation. Check out Pulmonary Rehabilitation exercises online. Breathing exercises for Pulmonary health also to be found on youtube. When I first started looking for knowledge and understanding of asthma one youtube videos leads to others, I recall seeing explanations and graphics of how lungs work and are affected by asthma or other diseases.

I don't want to appear obsessive but with lung disease but knowledge is power. When you have time to sit there's a wealth of information on this forum and also on the AsthmalungUK forum which I'm a bit more familiar with.

There's also the NHS website which I also find useful & informative.

There's also the helpline 0300 222 5800, uk office hours, they're qualified to give advice/ guidance, do give them a ring. Perhaps ask for tips on how to persuade your gp to prescibe a preventive inhaler and a rescue inhaler - or at the very least a rescue one which is to use when breathless or a puff before exertion. A pain for someone who's body was a temple!

Use the breathing techniques you learnt in athletics to build lung stamina. Personally I find pursed lip breathing so useful on exercise, exertion or walking uphill. Deep diaphragm breathing for relaxation, stress & to strengthen the diaphragm (it's a muscle as you probably know). Pilates is brilliant I find. Healthy diet, healthy weight, exercise to my capabilities, take prescribed meds are my goals these days. I used to scoff at taking any drug even paracetamol, mind over matter was my motto 😂. I can laugh now (sort of) but I'd be much worse without the inhalers.

Personally (we have to be careful to follow the forum rules so I'm not recommending, it's just what I take now I'm a granny and we're all different).....I take Fostair 100/6 (preventer inhaler combined with reliever), montelukast (for the allergic aspect of asthma my gp said), Carbocysteine (to moisten any lung mucus making it easier to expel because for me any lurking mucus is an ideal warm wet environment for any bugs to have a party and multiply).

Out of my 3 kids one has asthma since 3 yrs old, out of 6 grandkids 2 have asthma - so far. I've always encouraged all of them to eat plenty of fresh veg & fruit - particularly kiwis & citrus loaded with vitamin C & bought the little ones vitamin D 3 drops as recommended by NHS.....not enough sunshine in our country and sun screen always used..

All the best and never hesitate to ask questions here or call the helpline. × P

[peege in reply to Wm521]

Possibly what made my lungs worse at that time was motorcycling and cycling around the pollution of London, definitely not the fitness.

[ellamental in reply to peege]

I think it has all been covered and I hope you find an answer and are able to rest Wm521. It can be exhausting. I think you are right about there being a nationwide reluctance to prescribe antibiotics peege... . I find it quite amazing that I am given three days antibiotics (doxycycline) for a chest infection when two weeks is what I need to properly recover. If you never quite recover then you are on the backfoot.

[Poobah]

Welcome to the forum. Monthly chest infections suggest that the primary cause has yet to be addressed by your doctor. It may be prudent to get the Dr to rest a sample of the phlegm in order to tackle the specific infection, rather than prescribe generic antibiotics repeatedly. It's not great for lung health to get infections as they can damage tge lungs (scarring). As others have said, have a chat with one of the Asthma UK nurses on the helpline. They are so helpful and it can prove beneficial to talk things over before seeing the Dr.