Suspect asthma?

[Angie2020]

I'm a 51 year old woman who was up until recently a very active woman. I've been having breathing problems for years now. I would wake occasionally gasping for breath during the night over the last few years. Recently it's got worse with experiencing occasional breathlessness walking upstairs to experiencing breathlessness everyday now for the last month or so with episodes lasting several hours. They prescribed me a blue inhaler to take when I'm feeling breathless but t doesn't seem to work so now they've prescribed me the brown one as well. I had another lung function test and she said it's normal and my lungs are only 2 years older than my age so they are assuming I have asthma until I get a diagnosis. She also said I'm retaining air and doesn't think I have copd. I've also had an echo of my heart and that shows some brightness around it so now waiting to be referred to a cardiologist. My question is, can you get asthma at my age and can you have an attack everyday that lasts for hours? Is it possible? My pulse oxygen sats are fine when I'm having the attacks? Anyone on here with asthma that can relate?

[Hidden]

Hi Annie..hope you haven't but someone can get asthma at any age sometimes right out of the blue and to even otherwise fit people

[Hidden]

Sorry Angie flaming spellchecker lol

[Angie2020 in reply to Hidden]

Yes but would your oxygen levels be lower during an attack because mine are fine even when I'm gasping for breath and can they last for hours on end before subsiding?

[Hidden in reply to Angie2020]

I'm not medic Angie but I would think when ones gasping or get into a panic the oxygen levels would drop

[Hidden in reply to Angie2020]

You could ring the helpline on the Asthma UK website 0300 222 5800 or the BLF helpline 03000 030 555. Explain your situation to the experts on there and they should be able to help.

[TomTitTot]

Can't diagnose you, 🤔 but it certainly sounds more of a heart issue than a lung problem. All the very best, in finding out soon.

TomTitTot

[Sandyeggo]

Hey Ang I’m not a doctor and haven’t heard one on this site yet and I really and truly know EXACTLY what you’re talking about. I’m a 52 y/o chick and also been active athlete most of my life. My body can keep up but breathing can’t so it’s kinda a matter of accept and overcome. Ya gotta take more breaks but continue being active it’ll save our bones and keep us looking good when we’re 80-lol- I personally feel genetics plays a bigger role, my opinion only. So they gave you what we here call” the soccer mom inhaler” it’s supposedly a “ rescue” inhaler. Probably not gonna do much for ya but it’s the only one I use anymore I’ve been doing pretty well so far this year. The symptoms you are having I have had for various reasons. First time was my mitral valve was failing.An I’ve had it replaced now 3 times since I was 25. Don’t panic I’m NOT A DOCTOR. I’ve also had that struggle when a hospital doc told me I had Emphysema. Right after that my PCP said “ you don’t have Emphysema, yes CoPD likely asthma”. Being in the ocean, what I love most, is hardest to breath through since Mother Ocean does not give breaks that exceed 9-10 seconds when lucky. But if you prefer to stay dry on land it’s all about- stop-catch breath drink water- carry on. Doing something is better than doing nothing. The Cardiologist likely will know what’s wrong with you. Yes you can get asthma at any age. Did anybody check your blood work and check for infection or it could be fluid around the sacs that hold your lungs. It “could be” just about anything. Are you by chance a “ gym rat” you could’ve put too much weight on a bar and torn the tissue around your ribs, generally I see swelling in my own body when it happens. You could have an obstruction of some kind in your diaphragm or you could’ve pulled a muscle, and that’s gonna take 5-6 or longer weeks to heal. Just try not to stress out on it that’ll make it even harder to breath. I hope you find a good and thorough Dr that will put forth the effort to figure out what’s going on. Now I’m very curious as well as I’m assuming you’ve not been a smoker. If you’ve ever smoked or currently do I would bet good money it’s from that. Best of luck to you. More than anything else don’t give up and stay indoors go outside try breathing exercises. I too have a bigger problem getting all the air out vs air in.