Puzzled newbie

[Poscar]

Hi. At age 70 I've just been diagnosed with asthma would you believe! Main symptom is chronic wheeze. Preventer spray keeps wheeze mainly at bay and Started with a chronic cough. Clear xrays and spirometry. Feel asthma diagnosis made cos I didn't fit anywhere else. Anyone similar?

[hypercat54]

Hi have you had a peak and flow test done? This is normally how asthma is diagnosed. If you feel this isn't asthma the next step is a CT scan. x

[Poscar in reply to hypercat54]

Spirometry was normal as was peak flow. However these were done when wheeze under control with preventer. Doc thought it was COPD but asthma nurse says no. But she said it wasnt asthma either because of normal readings. Difficult to know what to think and what's a normal cough and what's asthma.

[Ergendl in reply to Poscar]

Difficult. They will resist sending you to see a consultant because of the normal reading. How does your wheeze affect you when you haven't taken the preventer? Is it all the time, or only on exertion?

[Poscar in reply to Ergendl]

All the time and when I lay down in bed my throat felt squishy inside. Only way I can describe it. I suppose if I keep taking preventer and it keeps it away then that's all that matters. However have this awful virus that's going around and I haven't a clue if cough is asthmatic or not. Should I take reliever or not? Do I need to see as thma nurse again or not? Do I need to worry or not? These are the questions I ask myself. Knowledge is power to me and as long as I know I can cope and get on with it.

[Yatzy in reply to Poscar]

I think I would take the reliever when your cough or wheezing gets troublesome. It will do no harm if it’s not asthma, and you see no change after taking it. If it is asthma, the reliever will improve things for a while, at least. Discuss your findings with your doctor or asthma nurse, to decide on the way forward.

[Poscar in reply to Yatzy]

Thank you. I'll do that.

[Superzob]

Late onset asthma is very common - I probably got it after 50 years of hayfever. The standard test for asthma is reversibility: you compare peak flow before and after using a short-duration bronchodilator like Ventolin. If it gets better afterwards, then it is asthma; if not, then it would normally be classed as COPD except, in your case, your flow is normal for your age, etc, so it can't be that. Seems like asthma, but without the reversibility test no one can be sure.