First post and confused

[Wez1]

Hi everyone, I have been lurking in the background for a while.

I am a non smoker, but worked in pubs years back and family smoke. I am in my40's.s

For the past four years I have horrendous chest infections in the winter. During the rest of the year, difficulty breathing to the extent that I avoid stairs, I was told that my fibro was the cause and got no help so my mobility became even more restricted. This year, I had such a bad turn that I ended up on a nebuliser at the doctors and was close to having an ambulance called.

This prompted a reverse sporamitory test, took three months to get the appointment. This showed asthma and copd, dr thinks it's Alpha 1. Been waiting for an appointment at yhe hospital, it came through for November. In the mean time I have had another bad chest infection, more steroids and antibiotics. Imam on the pink inhaler, a spiro one and ventolin. Doesnt feel like enough 🤐

When i get given oral steroids, I feel so much better.

Hoping I will get some confirmed answers and better meds soon.

[Hidden]

Hello Wez, and a warm welcome from me. That is rotten if you have worked and lived in a smoky atmosphere all that time as a non smoker. It sounds to me as if you need more help, but if the steroids are working for you at present, at least that is something. Three months was an awful long time to wait for your appointment. Have you been invited to go on a pulmonary rehabilitation course? They are great and you learn a lot about not only exercise, but how to cope with your breathing and diet. Keep in touch when you have some answers from the hospital tests. You don't say if you have had xrays or anything, I hope all that will be offered to you and you can get on with your life.

[Wez1 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Jennifer, i had a chest xray back in January, I never did get the results of it, when I went to see the gp for the redults 2 weeks after, they weren't in, she looked at the xray herself and said theres a bit of something in the vorner, but not to worry.

At present, I have not been invited to go on anything. Just the appointment at the hospital.

I do feel quite confused at the moment, i phoned the gp surgery to ask for a flu jab to be told 'only people who are in need get them' i asked her to look at my records, to be told a nurse would phone me back. She did, to say until a firm diagnosis is given by the hospital, they cant offer the flu jab!

Sorry, dobt mean to go on, just feel in limbo at the moment

[sassy59]

Welcome Wez and hope you get more help soon. You are amongst friends here so take heart. Xxxx

[warwickstag]

Until you get a definitive diagnosis it is a good idea to get the flu jab anyway. Most chemists and some supermarkets offer them, if your surgery is being difficult. Don't be too keen to get stuck into the prednisilone/steroids. Although they can be very effective short term, they cause numerous problems long term, so the fewer you take over the course of your lifetime/illness, the better.

It is also worth getting a pneumonia jab if you are confirmed with COPD.

[Caspiana]

Hello Wez1 . Welcome to this forum. I am so glad you're here but not why of course. I am sorry you're having such a hard time at the moment. I hope your appoint goes well and you get relief very soon. Do come back to this forum often. You will get lots of support and of course give others support who are in a similar situation.

Hang in there Wez.

Cas xx 💐🌸