God damn flu virus

[Jake25]

I'm so breathless at the moment with this flu virus which started on Friday. Managed to get the doctor to see me at this new surgery this morning as an emergency. I've been prescribed antibiotics and steroids. They have said that I can't have a rescue pack dueto the fact I've been diagnosed with asthma, but I haven't had any asthma tests and my old surgery use to give me a rescue pack. The doctor just looked at me when I said what asthma diagnosis, she said it's on my notes. I feel like I'm at risk as this flu started on Friday and I've only just got antibiotics and prednisone. I don't want to have to go to hospital our A&E is absolutely on its knees at the moment. Has anyone else got asthma /copd and not allowed a rescue pack?

[knitter]

yes , but I asked again , told my health centre that it would help to keep me out of A and E , if I could manage an exacerbation myself and understood when I needed professional help .

Caught this dreaded bug going around , so I had to start the steroids over Christmas . Will I get a replacement is the next question ?

[Jake25 in reply to knitter]

They know that emergency departments are overly busy, it doesn't make sense oh you can't have a rescue pack because of asthma but you have a infection I will prescribe what would be your rescue pack. 🤔

[Dottie11 in reply to Jake25]

Odd indeed. Knitter and comments re A and E make very good sense. Good luck.

[Mellie1981]

I feel your pain. I get the standard chest infection every year around end of Nov.. this year it started on the 26th of Nov. Dr's couldn't see me until 29th. I asked at the appointment for some antibitocs and steroids and the Dr said No... prescribed me a ventolin inhailer. Now every year I get this and every year it goes straight to my chest and I need steroids and antibiotics ( I only go to my drs once a year and it's just for this otherwise I'm healthy no issues.

Back to drs on the 3rd Dec again asked for antibiotics and steroids to be told I could have 3 days of doxycycline 🤦‍♀️ I ended up at hospital following day due to struggling to breathe. Given 3 nebs, ecg,bloods and chest xray which showed upper and lower infection in lungs. Told to continue the 3 days or antibitics. Cut long story short ive been back and forth to drs A and E in a month ive had 3 courses or various antibiotics. 2 courses of steroids ect and they still won't allow me to have a rescue pack... Just incase I need it it's been just over a month and my breathing still isn't right. The drs today have suggested I see a counsellor for Anxiety.. because apparently its that that's effecting my Airways 🤦‍♀️🤣 nothing to do with the infections

[Jake25 in reply to Mellie1981]

I feel that they are putting us at risk. Also they won't give me nebuliser medication which is standard when you are admitted to hospital. So i got the infection on a Friday and had to wait until Monday for the surgery to open to be then told there is no available appointment, so asked them to ring me a paramedic, then an appointment magically appeared. The thing is if I had the rescue pack I wouldn't of been as bad as I was on the Monday, I would of been on the road to recovery. Also pharmacies that's another story, unless you wait in the queue as soon as you come out of the doctors, you won't get your medication until 3 to 5 days even though they are aware of what the medication is. Things need changing its time they stopped controlling our condition.

[Mellie1981 in reply to Jake25]

You can buy sabutamol online thru planet pharmacy the sr at Aand E told me that. Then buy yourself a nebulizer if you feel you need one x

[Jake25 in reply to Mellie1981]

Thanks Mellie good to know for emergencies.

[AsthmaandLung Administrator in reply to Jake25]

We would not recommend purchasing medication online if you have not been prescribed it, as it may not be suitable for you. You are very welcome to call us and have a chat with our Clinical Team for advice about your diagnosis, and nebuliser use. If you are in the UK, give us a call- We are here Mon- Frid 9am-5pm 0300 222 5800 asthmaandlung.org.uk/helpline

We look forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes

Helpline Team

[Jake25 in reply to AsthmaandLung]

Hi I have not purchased any medication online. I doubt that I would get any medication that I haven't previously had prescribed anyway. Thanks for the message.

[Pwkav1]

Sorry to hear your not well. That doesnt make sense to me as im asthmatic and have had rescue packs when needed. So much is changing with doctors even inhalers. Its like we dont get a say anymore. Hope you recover very soon and wish you a happy new year. Karen. Xxxx

[Jake25 in reply to Pwkav1]

Happy new year yo you Karen 🎉🎉 things are changing I've also read on the Asthma forum that some people are not being prescribed the rescue pack too. We all know our own bodies I can understand their point of view too if not rescue pack's then put something else in place instead just to ensure we get seen and the appropriate care given. What's wrong with these people that make these decisions do so many people have to die first for things to change its a real worry at the moment.

[islande]

had 2 rescue packs last year then hospital consultant said he would be writing to my gp to make sure all rescue packs issued. made phone appt with gp who said leicestershire health authority dont recommend we issue them anymore.so when your ill you ve got to go through rigmarole of getting drs apppt then spending ages in waiting room.

[PaperQueen]

I am absolutely appalled by the number of people on this site who have difficulty accessing essential medication! How can this be!? I feel very lucky in that I have never had that problem. Do hope the antibiotics kick in soon and you start recovering Jake. xx

[Turnipgirl in reply to PaperQueen]

Thing is they won't help you nowadays unless you kick up a fuss at the surgery or your arms and legs are visibly falling off!

Back in May 2023 just after I received a letter off the bailiffs saying they were coming in to evict at the end of the month I was absolutely terrified and one Wednesday morning I had had enough and stormed down to the housing office kicking and screaming and made a massive fuss there and the manager had come out to see what the fuss was about and I said I wasn't being thrown out of my home at the end of the May by bailiffs when I had done nothing to warrant it!

Then she asked me would I like to live in the place where I am now so I said yes I would take it and how I can always move again in future if I don't like it and how circumstances aren't fixed and forever and could I have the offer in writing?

Yes I did receive what was agreed in writing and took this place and moved in on the bank holiday Monday at the end of the May of 2023 and I haven't looked back since!

Word to the wise always ask for things that have been agreed to get put in writing!

That was a lesson I learned at a previous job where they would promise all kinds of things which never happened and a friend there said to me next time they start promising things get them to put them in writing!

Nowadays when unreliable people come to me full of promises I ask them to put the promises in writing!

Another one is back in the March last year when Boots lost my prescription and what I did was I went to the surgery and I made a fuss and did the doctors appointment that I had booked anyway and got a years supply of repeat prescriptions from them!

Then a month later I received a message from Boots saying my prescription with them was ready so I collected it and took it as a lesson not to go near that Boots shop again!

On the prescription there was a note asking me to go in for a check up which had already been done so I happily ignored the note and threw it in the bin!

[KC2222]

I luckily get rescue pack after consultant wrote to GP.The practise nurse said they were told to stop rescue packs because symptoms can be similar to a pulmonary embolism which needs immediate care and symptoms very similar to an exasibation

[Jake25 in reply to KC2222]

Thank you all for the replies its nice to know its not only me with these difficulties. I have now sent an email to the surgery asking the doctor in charge of the practice if they will change their mind, if not I will take it further. I don't see why we have to suffer.

[Turnipgirl in reply to Jake25]

I kicked up a right fuss at the surgery last year when a prescription of mine got lost!

Thankfully no harm done and the lost prescription turned up a month later after I had gone to my booked appointment at the surgery and got a years supply of repeats!

That was a lesson in always having lots of time to sort out prescriptions and not leave it to the last second!

[Yvonneh1234]

I’ve got copd emphysema I can’t get a rescue pack either I have to wait for gp to give it to me after sitting on phone trying to get an appointment to be told try again the next day 🙄 I’ve even been discharged from respiratory clinic at hospital as the telephone appointment they said I sounded like I was doing well 😡 so now I would have to go gp then if they refer me wait again 😡 I think it ridiculous when that’s what they going give you anyway ,I hope you feel better soon and happy new year 😊xx

[Jake25 in reply to Yvonneh1234]

Awe thank you Yvonne doing my upmost best to stay at home. Its absolutely scandalous the way people are being treated. The hospital A&E departments are currently bombarded with this flu virus, I hate how these GP surgeries are dictating when we can have our medications, if I had a rescue pack I would have been on the road to recovery. Instead I'm laid up feeling rotten with tight chest headache, running nose aches and pains and won't be going back to work this week so loss of wages. Anyway on a brighter note I'm looking forward to spring. Hope you have a happy new year. ☺️🎉🎉

[Yvonneh1234 in reply to Jake25]

Me too best season for my chest 😂 get well soon better health to you and your family in the new year 😊xxx

[Patk1 in reply to Jake25]

Get well soon Jake25

[Jake25 in reply to Patk1]

Thanks so much Pat Happy new year 😊🎉🎉

[Patk1 in reply to Jake25]

Thanku.happy new yr to u too x

[Turnipgirl in reply to Jake25]

One thing I'm looking forward to is when I can switch the central heating off!

[Biker88]

rescue pack antibiotics will only work on bacterial infections, if it’s a viral infection they won’t help. This is why I don’t get a rescue pack as the infection could be viral or fungal. It took 6 weeks and several courses of anti viral and antibiotics to shift my infection a few months back

[Jake25 in reply to Biker88]

Hi BikerYes I am aware that antibiotics are only for bacterial infection, but everytime I get any kind of virus it sets infection off on my lungs. And because I waited for the GP surgery to open on the Monday I was so much worse this time even the Dr said my lungs were infected. You know yourself when you have this condition when your breathing really starts to diminish. This is what puts a strain on the emergency departments. How many people do you think will die because they have left it until the very last minute to seek help? because I didn't want to ring 999. The Dr seemed concerned saying if you don't feel like your getting any better in a day or two ring 999 don't wait. It's a very fine line. By not giving out these packs I think people will die. And yes you are right there are people getting these packs and taking them when it's not appropriate. I've had this condition long enough to know when I need the antibiotics and steroids. I don't mind if they don't give them out but change the way you are seen in the surgery in an emergency, not to get there when they can see you can't breathe to tell you sorry there's no appointments today. It's worrying times when you can't even get through on the telephone, even some 999 calls are not being answered because they are overly busy. It's very concerning. Things need to change around managing long term health conditions.

[Germantara]

I have copd and up to now never had problem getting steroids