I’ve been given a steroid inhaler for asthma last week. I did peak flow recordings for 2 weeks with a Salbutamol inhaler and the GP prescribed me the new inhaler based on the results.
I haven’t slept more than a couple of hours a night for the last 3 weeks because I keep being jolted awake gasping for air. It feels like I’m trying to breathe through a straw when I’m trying to sleep. Even when I prop myself up.
I’ve been on the steroid inhaler for 5 days now but I’m still needing to use the Salbutamol inhaler 3 or 4 times a day (2 puffs) because of chest tightness and shallow breathing. It doesn’t feel like it lasts long. I use a spacer and hold my breath for 10 seconds.
I honestly don’t feel any better. I’m exhausted, my chest feels tight and I’m struggling to get through sentences during the day often because of how breathless I am.
Should I expect to feel different by now? Should I be seeking more care or just keep going and hope the steroid inhaler actually helps soon?
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FernLeaves
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Thank you for your reply! I’ve got an appt with the GP tomorrow morning now, and I’ll ring 111/999 if it gets worse. It’s always mornings and night that the symptoms are awful. It’s really not too bad right now. So confusing! My peak flow reading was fine (though lower than my personal best) even when I felt really bad earlier. It’s the same now I’m feeling less bad. I don’t really understand any of this.
Peak flow can be confusing! Mine doesn't behave neatly either - I find it's more helpful to focus on how it responds to the salbutamol inhaler. I should be getting an increase after I use it. If I'm not getting much improvement, and/or it doesn't last, for me that's a sign something is up.
I have nothing to add to Homely2's advice but wanted to reinforce it.
It's normal for a steroid inhaler to take a while to work, but that doesn't mean you should ignore it if you're really struggling meanwhile. Please do seek some help asap - if you can't get through to the nurse helpline right away then call your GP asap.
And as Homely2 says, if you're struggling to speak, eat, or sleep and getting no relief from the salbutamol inhaler then call 999 or go to A&E immediately.
I hope it goes well! Definitely come back here and ask any questions/ask the nurses if you're not sure about anything!
As you're new to it all, you might find these posts helpful - from a few years ago but still very relevant. You don't have to read them all in one go, but it may be useful to have a look before your appointment just so you can get a bit of a handle on how it's meant to work (sometimes GPs are good at telling you this, but sometimes they aren't and they're often pressed for time):
Hi, I had a similar experience, spent weeks on fostair 100/6 then 200/6 with little relief for barely a few hours at a time, ended up reliant on the blue salamol inhalers every 4 hours, 24 hours a day for what felt like an eternity, couldn't speak/sleep because I was so restricted for breath, it was horrendous, gp's had no ideas what was wrong with me to not be responding to so much inhaled steroid, prednisolone would give me immediate relief whilst on it, symptoms would come back immediately as soon as I finished a 5 day course, honestly I ended up sitting upright on my sofa 24/7 just trying to work out how to breath, it was terrifying and exhausting.Long story short turns out I have eosinophilic asthma, a blood test held all the information needed, my gp's have never heard of it 🤷♀️ and still don't understand it or have any interest in helping me manage it, a respiratory consultant referral saved me. Please ring asthma UK help line, I didn't know about them when I needed help, so was reliant on a&e etc but I'm sure they will give you some fantastic advice, you sound like you need some help asap xx N
Thank you for your reply, and what you went through sounds truly terrible (and not dissimilar to my symptoms except for me they let up a little in the afternoon/eve). You must’ve been absolutely exhausted.
Can I ask, did you have any trouble with swallowing along with your symptoms?
I hope things are better for you now that you’ve seen the respiratory consultant?
I’ll follow everyone’s advice and ring the helpline tomorrow as well, or maybe ask my kind husband to do that for me (I feel far too tired to talk right now).
All the best and thanks again for replying. It helps me see that I’m not getting quite what I need from the GP. My husband got me an appt tomorrow so hopefully I’ll get some more help then.
Hi, it's definitely worth talking to the nurses on the helpline, they will give you great advice on what to be asking/pushing your gp for x no, I didn't have any swallowing problems, and yes it was totally exhausting, and very frightening so I empathise with you completely, i really hope you get some help, relief and rest very soon, don't be afraid to push for referrals, they don't offer them without being pushed x sounds like we're also similar in having a great husband helped me too 😊 take care Nicola
To add: I'm not suggesting you have the same, just that you have to go and find the help when your desperate, it won't come to you if your gp's are short of ideas, they aren't respiratory experts x N
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