Hospital admission for acute exhaberation of asthma.

[Yumz199725]

Aw what a few months I've had been awful my asthma been the worst it's ever been in my life and that's something I thought I'd never say that because 4 years ago was admitted to hospital for my asthma.Anyway I'm rambling 😅😂 I think it's cause I can't believe how much better I feel already,

So it all started few months back so I started to take my blue about 5 times in a day ( which I know isn't good) so I contacted asthma helpline and they agreed I needed an urgent appointment at GP the same day but because of what gps are like when I phoned they said come in the morning between 8 and 10, so I went and was seen quite soon and I got prescribed steroids and antihistamines fexofenadine and a nasal spray. So I went and collected prescription not thinking that the nasal spray was discontinued 😕. So I picked up the other prescription and took that no relief from steroids so I thought ok maybe hayfever causing it so went back and was told to take my symbicort inhaler two puffs 3 times a day so I did for a couple weeks and was still needing my blue inhaler 4 times a day so I thought this ain't right? So I went back to my GP and said I needed more steroids but my GP didn't share the same opinion and said she didn't understand there was no wheeze and so she sent me for a chest Xray. That came back clear so just left it at then yesterday morning at about 4 woke up and my chest felt sooo tight! Couldn't breathe so I took my inhalers did my peakflow and it was 290! ( my normal is 600!) so by this time I'm like what is happening why ain't my inhalers working so I took my blue again and man the cough I did was awful!! So tried to get some sleep and just kept waking up so at about 12 in afternoon I decided to call asthma helpline and they agreed I needed to be seen with in the hour! And that I should make an urgent appointment or call 111 so I opted for the second option and I spoke to somone really helpful and they arranged an urgent call back so i spoke with the nurse and she advised me to go to A&E and I'm so glad I did! I was refered to a department an hour later called AMSDEC which stands for acute medical same day emergency care so when I saw what it stood for I was like damn must be bad. I had a few attempts at a blood test but both were unsuccessful because I have very shy veins. Then I was seen by a consultant and she was very thorough she did a successful blood test and then placed a canula and sent me for chest Xray that came back clear but because my bloods must of come back showing something abnormal and my peakflow was so low I was admitted for observation. Turned out I'd had an acute exhaberation of my asthma!!! So I was so out of breathe at this point just talking was exhausting! And didn't sleep well had obs done every few hours kept waking me up 😂!

To cut a very long story short I was refered to virtual ward that starts Monday and now take 3 different inhalers and high dose steroids ( now on salbutamol, symbicort and tiotropium. Feel so much better already!! 😅 Had to do physio before I was allowed to go home walking up the stairs to see how my obvs changed and they didnt drop Hardly at all which was good but my heart rate was high because of the inhalers increasing my heart rate. I have been majorly over doing it so will be resting for a week. I also need an urgent asthma review. So was glad I went to hospital dread to think what would of happened!! 💔😕.

Apologies for the really long post! If you make it all the way to the bottom I appreciate it x

[djbctla]

Very interesting, it goes to show we know our bodies, and must act as necessary speak up to help ourselves. Well done I’m glad everything worked out well in the end.

BERNARDINE xx

[knitter]

I can sympathise ……I was getting more and more breathless , had appointments with nurses , gp, contacted ALUK, went to A and E ….xrays , blood tests ….but because no wheeze , oxygen levels high, x rays OK they wouldn’t prescribe higher dose steroids . Warned of dangers etc of pred …..been taking low dose for decades !

Ended up 4.30 am visit to A and E , could hardly speak, just 5 minutes away thank goodness and got nebuliser , steroids and antibiotics . Bad reaction to AB s though , but no tight chest now . Been practicing my gentle , gentle nose breathing …low and slow .

[B0xermad]

Oh poor you how really scary and at least you didn't take no for an answer ,good job you got seen in hospital as who knows how you would be feeling by today ,I wish you a speedy recovery and thank goodness you listened to your body

[Izb1]

That must have been scary for you Yumz and so glad you dialled 111, seems like some doctors/nurses are just not upto it. Hope you continue to get better x

[PaulineHM]

Now that is quite a journey for you ! Sounds like such a tough time. So pleased that you are beginning to feel better.

Are you being followed up ? When will your asthma review be ?

Look after yourself won’t you. Keep in touch here.

Go well,

Pauline

[Ergendl]

What an awful tale. So glad you're back home now with the right treatment xx

[Alberta56]

I'm glad you saw a decent consultant at last who got to the bottom of things. I hope her findings will give your GP some inkling of how to manage your asthma. best wishes for a much happier future. xxx

[GintyFerguson]

Glad you acted on your instinct. We get to know what our bodies need. Onwards and upwards now!

[Yumz199725]

Thanks so much everyone I feel so much better I slept through the night for the first time in months 😭 😅♥️. Couldn't belive how quick I'm starting to feel better xx

[watergazer]

What a journey you’ve been on. It shows we need to persist if we feel poorly though we’re told we’re ok. I’m glad you had a good nights sleep and feel improved. Take care Yumz x

[min-min]

Hi my condition is different to yours. I have copd and emphysema along with lung nodules. Salbutamol for me is to use up to 4 times a day. 2 puffs. I've also taken different inhalers as well as salbutamol and eventually find I'm OK on trelegy which I take 1 puff each morning. I use the salbutamol when I get breathless mostly when walking or using stairs. As far as flare ups I haven't had one since taking the trelegy up to now. My last flare up was around December I think and I was prescribed antibiotics and steroids which do the trick for me. I hope things settle for down for you. Best wishes

[min-min]

Too old for screening

Hi all I haven't been on here for awhile .My last appointment with consultant was April and they discarged me as lung nodules were stable. Apparently they are 6mm. I told the consultant I wasn't really happy about being discharged as a cousins daughter was going back and forth with lung problems and sadly she had lung cancer. There are several kinds of cancer in the family and I did have cervical cancer in my 30s which resulted in hysterectomy. The consultant understood my concerns and said she would get the radio ologist to go over my scans and xrays to make sure they haven't missed anything but to go on getting scans while lymph nodes are stable is pointless. That's when she said you are too old for screening. Wow so just like that it seems once you hit 75 its all over. So I just have to get on with it don't I. I still have coughing fits and are still breathless I told her and she replied because of copd and emphysema I would likely always have a cough and I'm prone to infections anyway and the good thing is that if I should need scanning in the future they have all my scans and x rays to look back on. Sorry for ranting. I just feel a bit abandoned. Hope all you lovely people are doing OK with your procedures and medications. Best wishes to you all

[Ern007 in reply to min-min]

Wow a copycat of what happened to me, I have bladder cancer, now seemingly under control but I remember going for my BCG treatment about 2 years ago - Nurse said NO - and a docter came and wanted a word. I had an something show up on X Ray and Lung Cancer was suspected, it was 6mm and I went to lung consultant who ordered more tests - He left to go back home. another one came and said it was scarring on my lung, that was it. I still don't know what it is.

At 70 I really don't exsist - I have Thyroid problems and I had to go to endocrene clinic every 3 months, that stopped when I was 70 ish - I got telephone calls, for a while and they stopped. My GP did a blood test found my T4 was low as was T3.

I thing I became invisible at 70 or thereabouts.

[min-min in reply to Ern007]

So sorry to hear that Ern007. So I'm not alone in thinking that we become invisible after a certain age. Yes people are living longer these days but we have paid our way in society and deserve respect and dignity in our later years (I'm not saying old age cos many of us still feel young at heart) it's awful though isn't it. I wonder how many others feel abandoned by the medical profession because of how old they are. Yet they insist on trying to prescribe you statins saying you have 20 percent of having a heart attack or stroke. I'll take 20 percent of waking up each morning ha ha. Let's hear your thoughts x

[Ern007 in reply to min-min]

I am on lots of drugs, most are needed . Riveroxiban, statins/ Mononitrate / Nicorandal are nessessary because of COD./ 2 leaky valves and Amioderone for AF - They seemed to have kept me alive but, these days down to GP Except for BC I have not seen a consultant in years. If I had a poor GP, I really would struggle.. I need statins along with Blood thinner as I have three condition that probably would cause clots - I really don't need that.

To you point - I think taking statins as a precaustion probably is wrong, and should be left for patients to decided

I have three inhalers which are good Fostair, Atrovent and Salmanol - I am fed up having to refuse Trimbow, I had the new pharmasist revies for medication and he wanted to change strength of my inhalers, why woud I want to do that and get galloping palpitations. That's a reason I would not have Trimbow.

[min-min in reply to Ern007]

Ooh you do have a lot going on don't you. My heart goes out to you. How are you on the statins or can't you tell considering everything else you're taking. I agree with you taking medication as a precaution needs thinking about but if you need them then you need them. I was on trimbow and it didn't help at all. Now I'm on trelegy and that seems to be helping. My husband was on a lot of medication and the doctor always told him that they were his lifeline, so yeh they're keeping you alive. So sorry you have to go through all this though. My thoughts and prayers are with you. X

[Ern007 in reply to min-min]

Thank you Statins have no bad effects at all, I have been lucky that way. Except Azithromycin I was in bed puking into a bucket for three days. I am scared of one drug, but not to take it could have consquences. Riveroxiban. To be honest I am used to medications,. My wife Anne doles them out and I take them, really is automatic. You take care min-min x

[min-min in reply to Ern007]

Glad you're not having side effects from statins but sorry cos you have them with others. Sounds like you're lovely wife takes good care of you. Hope you do well best wishes

[Ern007 in reply to min-min]

Thank you/ Both my wife and I at various stages had problems with "Simbostatin" - Atorvastatin really has had no bad effects at all, in my case over 20 years. Take care,

[clematis5932 in reply to min-min]

I also have a 6mm lung nodule found on recent CT scan although stable I have to have a scan for the next two years; I am 77 years old. This nodule was first found in 2014 when it was 4mm also had a further 2 scans remained the same for another two years. Sorry to disagree regarding being abandoned as well as lung problems I developed Epilepsy at the age of 73 have received wonderful treatment from the NHS including my GP.

[min-min in reply to clematis5932]

I'm glad you're getting the treatment you deserve. I do feel like I'm left to get on with it. Upper back pain was according to them posture related. Hope you continue with the good care you are getting. Best wishes

[T1gerTim]

I have has acute events also which not happy trend to reduce represcribing salbutamol relievers I usually on Fostair inhaler but know some months need additional support Saying should only have 1 salbutamol inhaler every 4 months is like depriving diabetic of insulin

[T1gerTim in reply to T1gerTim]

Have HAD

[min-min in reply to T1gerTim]

I know what you mean. Sometimes they can't get hold of a certain medication and you have to do without. Best wishes

[pepparuby1]

I did read to the end how awful for you hope you feel better soon

[JigsawAddict]

First of all, I'm glad that your feeling better. My partner has severe COPD and part of your story, unfortunately, sounds familiar. He knows when his chest isn't feeling right and that he's coming down with something or going to have a flare up. The number of times The number of times an health professional has said that his chest is clear and that there's nothing wrong, that he doesn't need to start his emergency pack (steroids and antibiotics). The number of times I've had to call an ambulance for him in the evening due to extreme breathlessness after a visit from an health professional saying that he's fine. My partner knows how he feels and I think that you've got to trust yourself. Best wishes to you and I hope things keep improving for you.