My chest is so tight especially in the back, almost feels like lungs are trying to burst through, hard to take a deep breath and my peak flow is down from 520 ish to 450 o2 is 98 but not wheezing or coughing up anything. Also stomach/abdomen is really bloated
It has been like it for over a week. Went to a&e last Thursday and they done the usual checks, ecg, xray and bloods, said heart is fine and didn't see anything on xray, no signs of infection on bloods
Tonight it has been horrible, im worried It could be pneumonia ? Or pleurisy, or maybe inflammation inside the lungs.
Background is I was on seretide 2 years upto till march then fostair nexthaler which I had trouble with and only took 1 or 2 times per day sometimes none, then tried revalr ellipta which was awful now since last week been on fostair pmdi which also seems to give me bad side effects worse than having a wheeze. So havnt really been having proper doses of steroid since February.
Also 2 weeks ago I sustained a type of chest crush injury which made my breathing feel bad, pains in left side of chest when I move or cough.
I just don't know whats going on and why the respiratory clinic seems intent on fostair, the seretode wasn't doing the Job but I was more functional than this.
Fostair contains a less potent and smaller dose of steroid as I understand it and according to info steroids are best treatment for allergy asthma
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jamieb977
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I've been taking fenofoxatine , probably spelt that wrong lol and I do use rennies tablets as well.
All this happenening is probably a combination of factors I think, I want wanna not have a tight chest and more energy to do things, asthma sucks 😫 really think fostair is horrible, I said to the consultant about just having a steroid only inhalor not combination but he wasn't interested in that and persuaded me to go the fostair pmdi
I've only been on it one week after taking nothing for about 3/4 weeks but I just can't eat and taking the 2 doses close-by mornign or night makes me breathless and bloated
Fostair does contain a smaller dose of steroid but it's also ultra-fine particles, so you need less of it to get the same dose to the lungs as the ones with a higher dose without ultra-fine. Having said that, it doesn't suit everyone - if it's not working for you after a decent trial then they shouldn't be making you continue because it's 'a good inhaler' - these things are individual.
Did A&E know about the injury you mentioned? That definitely sounds like something you would need to get checked if you haven't already.
In terms of your O2 being 98, that doesn't mean you can't be having an asthma flare up. It's generally not really advised to use home monitoring of O2 for asthma as it doesn't necessarily show what's going on - see this post: healthunlocked.com/asthmauk... Unfortunately a lot of healthcare professionals are still overly fixated on good sats/no wheeze means no asthma.
I've probably recommended it before but you may find it helpful to chat to the nurses at this point: 0300 2225800 or WhatsApp on 07999 377 775 Monday-Friday 0915-5pm
Thanks, the consultant did explain about the fine particles but as you say doesn't agree with everyone just despair really on my part as no inhaler seems to work/suit me
Yes as my tighter chest and peak flow was effected worse by the injury which is what prompted me to go to a&e, last week my peak flow was even lower 350 at one point after the chest trauma. I thing I forgot to mention was the Dr there said she could hear crackling in the lower left lung.
I'm going to ring that number it's been advised to me before on here but I've never actually tried it.
I've contacted my gp on their Web form this morning, wondering if they will want to give me prednisone?
All new medications take time to settle down and it looks as if you might not have been taking them as regularly as prescribed. If you feel ill - and you do - you should rest, relax as far as possible, and stick to the regime the doctor advised. If you're no better after a few days, go back to the GP. If A&E didn't find an infection, you won't have anything dreadful, so don't worry about that. Concentrate on getting better slowly.
I have been trying to take first the nexthaler since march and started on the aerosol one asthma Tuesday, at what point do you keep trying when the prescribed doses make me breathless and bloat me so much I cant eat cos if I do its horrendous, theese medications should make me feel better no, not worse than I was with asthma symptoms. The seretide I used to be on wasn't good but I managed, this is much worse. I've seen more than one person on this forum who struggles with these combination inhalers
I'm going to ring the helpline when I get time for advice, I saw go today at 11 and she said she doesn't think I'm having an asthma flare or anything and to contact the respiratory clinic for advice/review
You've already had some great advice, I'll just add an extra bit.
Could you have the Fostair inhaler, instead of the Fostair Nexthaler? I refused the Nexthaler as my lungs have reacted to dry powder ones in the past and my asthma got worse. There's a big push for us to take environmentally friendly versions, but sometimes the old inhalers work better for some of us. Hope you feel better soon.xx
Not surprising you are not good, we are in main pollen season and your inhalers disagree with you. Get some ideas from the asthma UK helpline then talk to your medic again
Sounds like Yr injury has had an impact unsurprisingly.id take painkillers+ ride it out.if gp+ a+e show no infection/ inflammation I'd rest up,b kind to yrself and get back into a regime with yr inhalers.chopping+ changing frequently,doesn't allow u to get best effect from any.if u have anxiety,it will impact breathing+ pain,making both worse.can u do relaxation/ meditation: watch a favourite film or boxset,go 4 a walk or sit out for a bit? Whatever helps you x
Posting an update to this as been a month on fostair.
Taking 3 doses a day one in morning else I can't eat cos if digestive side effects then 2 in evening before sleep.
Peak flow improved back to normal but chest is still very tight when I inhale, and coughing, taking blue plenty
Chest feels full of inflammation
Contacted asthma clinic but they have fobbed me off back to gp's won't see me or change medication now
Had two appointments with drs due to this chest tightness and they take stats etc listen to chest and say I'm ok see you
It's a joke really, one offered to put me back on seretide if I'm I don't feel fostair working but that's it so feeling pretty bad about everything right now.
Surely with these symptoms my asthma is worse and because it's not an acute attack they are not really interested.
Not sure what to do but struggle on ans wait till I have an attack I guess and get some pred but really shouldn't they address the worsening symptoms over last 6 weeks or so ?
It may be worth ringing the aluk helpline0300 222 5800
Also I'd keep a diary of sats,peak flow,how u feel.
Ru taking an antihistamine,with pollens being high? Ru using spacers with yr inhalers?do u smoke at all?
It maybe worth reading on aluk website " controlled pursed lips breathing" - it helps u to relax and keep air flow going.id practise it frequently so u automatically slip into it when struggling. It may be worth seeing yr asthma nurse at gp surgery,get yr inhaler technique checked+ peaf flow etc
I'm going to start doing the diary yes, but I think compared to say 3 months ago my asthma symptom burden is worse, I never used to cough now I do and my chest never used to feel this tight and it's permanent so whether pollen is high that day or not
So I think it must be the fostair is not as effective as the seretide was in dampening the inflammation down or maybe it's just got worse for someone unknown reason.
I unfortunately smoke and I have been taking antihistamines most days, use foatair aerosol one with a spacer
I take fenofexadine all year,as prescribed, & i add in otc loratidine spring to autumn.the diary will allow asthma nurse to see what's going on.unfortunately,as u will know,smoking will cause probs with yr asthma - theres help to stop,if u want to.Fostair is made up of much smaller particles,so more of the drugs it contains are absorbed,making it more potent than many of the other steroid inhalers.id not worry bout pleurisy etc if xray * bloods were clear.crudh injury won't have helped
Maybe I should up my antihistamine doses then, the tight chest just doesn't go though havnt been able to take a proper breath in for 2 months.
Yeh I don't think anything serious out of my injury but somehow it's made my asthma worse and doesn't seem to be going back to where I was before
The worst thing about fostair is the digestive problems, eat anything no matter what it is or how small I bloat up, cough more and that just makes me feel more breathless, the steroid effects your gut microbiome I've read especially people like me who are sensitive in that area already, my thinking is the extra fine particles go further into the gut as well.
I started taking probiotics again a few days ago so hopefully that will make a difference in time.
Sorry to hear you are having trouble. I can relate to bloating and chest tightness. feeling like my lungs don't have enough room to expand! This is a new symptom for me, and possibly due to food or eating too much, or even allergies. I'm not sure. but I do have very bad asthma flare ups during this high grass pollen season.
Something to note on anti histamines, its worth trying out different ones. For some reason cetirizine is the most effective for me and didnt get much help from fexofenadine or loratadine. I also take a piriton before bed as been told allowed to mix non and drowsy types. Adding in a steroid nasal spray like avamys or dymista could be good too.. Its also worth noting that you're best not to take anything like rennie or gaviscon at the same time as other tablets as they anti acids can stop medication working properly. Have you been prescribed Montelukast for night symptoms?
Regarding preventers, again this has been a bit of trial and error, but you might find gas inhalers better than dry powder. I was on fostair but currently using Symbicort, which is very good but I'm not too keen on the dry powder.
Hopefully your chest injury starts to heal a bit and you can ask your GP / asthma nurse lots of questions and ask about more medication.
Thanks for all the info, been feeling pretty ok the last couple of weeks, taking antihistamine everyday and 2 or 3 puffs of the fostair but today I opened a new inhalor and boom coughing, tight chest, bloating back I swear because it's new it's way more potent and too much, anyone know if thats correct and they get a bit less as you go through the doses
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