I’m new to this group, and it’s the first time I have ever joined a forum.
I was wondering how everyone with asthma are finding their annual asthma reviews going ? or maybe they are not.
Our gp surgery here in the south west of England was really good with asthma reviews. I used to see a wonderful asthma nurse who was really up on all the info. And new medications etc…. However, she left the practice, and my last review in 2023, was carried out by a really nice woman, but it came across as just a box ticking exercise. Any concerns I had, she said would be passed over to the surgeries clinical pharmacist, and they would contact me. I never had anything back.
I have an overdue asthma review at the end of this month, which I am not looking forward to.
Any advice ? I have just started to get over an awful chest infection which started in December 2024, so I’m feeling rather deflated. 🫤
I’ve had asthma for around 50 years, but obviously as I age, it has got a little worse over time.
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Jambore
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Welcome to the forum Jambore. Hoping your review will be much better this time. I’m carer for my husband Pete who has COPD, asthma, heart disease and chronic back problems. His asthma review is a bit of a box ticking exercise too.
Thank you. It’s so difficult. I don’t want to land up in hospital with an asthma related issue, as I am in remission with a remitting / relapsing cancer, which I was diagnosed with 5 years ago at the age of 57, so my immune system is rubbish. I could go in, get something else, and not get back home. I do try to look after myself, but rubbish asthma reviews do. Not help. Keep well both of you
Our surgery has also started dreadful box ticking exercises over the phone. We never have any sort of spirometry any more. I insisted on a face to face after Covid as I had not had one for some 4 or 5 years and the nurse was awful to me. She made me feel like a total nuisance. I recently had another face to face. I saw the same nurse but she was actually quite nice to me and went through things thoroughly, including discussion of the new inhaler I had just been prescribed. I think this may have been because I had a complaint about some other sub-standard aspect of that surgery going on at the time.
I’m really pleased to hear you had a much better review this time. It really makes such a difference when you feel heard. Good to hear that you spoke out. I always find that difficult to do. I do t want to come across to whomever I see as rude, incase I get blacklisted !! However, I feel rather left high and dry regarding my asthma. It has got a bit out of control since having a chest infection in December. Had steroids and antibiotics, but I’m still getting over it. My review is booked for end of this month, but I had to force the issue. Keep well
I can't contribute to this discussion as I'm a newbie too. However, I have read with interest your post and the various replies. This in turn has got my grey matter churning over !
So, is there a clear cut set of stepping stones in diagnosing asthma or asthma copd overlap syndrome ?
I've had my spirometry with reversibility tests and have the results. Tomorrow I see my GP for a prescise and 'official' diagnosis. Any input anyone can make would be helpful.
COPD and COPD overlap with Asthma are simple and yet quite complex to define. COPD ‘alone’ is quite a complex condition and varies so much between individuals. COPD overlapping with Asthma is even more complex to define.. mine was diagnosed by the consultant after many months of acute breathlessness some years ago.
Asthma has some reversibility, COPD does not.
Can I advise that discuss with one of the specialist respiratory nurses on the Asthma + Lung U.K. helpline. They are very experienced and so helpful. I am sure they will be able to guide you through.
A warm welcome to the Forum, and as Pauline has advised - do fee free to call us at the helpline for advice and support -asthmaandlung.org.uk/about-...
For the first time I declined a face to face asthma review as there was a choice on the annual review form. I find the asthma nurse at my surgery disinterested and rude. She tells me she doesn't have time to listen to my asthma problems, even though there are no other patients waiting outside. She just ticks boxes. I had a chest infection with an awful, persistent cough and she didn't want to know. I want to see a nurse who genuinely cares and is interested in my condition. I had a letter from the surgery saying I should only require 3 ventolin inhalers a year. I suffer with Rhinitis and this can sometimes bring on sneezing. I need ventolin after an attack. No amount of antihistamine tablets or sprays is going to totally prevent me from sneezing! Yet, the asthma nurse just tells me to wear a mask to prevent sneezing through allergies, which I can't tolerate. Going out in the rain can make me sneeze and need ventolin. One size doesn't fit all! I'm really fed up with the lack of understanding by my surgery.
I too have been had up for having 3 blue inhalers over the last 12 months. I really hit the blue inhaler hard last month, just like you I had an awful chest infection which gp did diagnosed, so I did not diagnose myself.
Since Covid, every year’s asthma review has been different. I have asthma, bronchiectstasis, ILD, rheumatoid arthritis disc issues in my lower back, spinal stenosis and adrenal insufficiency. In the last 3 years I’ve had the box ticking exercise by a gp, the review face to face with a nurse, and the following year by the pharmacist at the surgery. This year I had an online questionnaire, followed by a doctors appointment. Before I got to speak to a dr, I was told a paramedic would do a home visit. Although he denied this, it was last Friday, and I think he was checking how warm my house was. The paramedic had 2 pieces of equipment I’d not used before, to see how well I can blow and suck. I passed the review with flying colours!
Welcome. I can not help with a response concerning Asthma, But I know it is difficult to get re-assessments for COPD the wards and doctors at hospital are run off their feet.
I have breathing equipment and monitors SO, if they go beep beep beep... My wife calls 999.
BUT, I`m still breathing and intending to keep it that way.
Good luck to you, I hope you get things sorted out to your satisfaction..
My recent COPD reviews were definitely just box ticking exercises. I think some of these reviews are really just looking to see if the medication can be replaced by something cheaper and/or more environmentally friendly. As my local area only offer one inhaler for my condition, it seems a bit pointless. The invitation letter said they would lose funding if I didn't go for my review.
I understand the money aspect, and I care about the environment as much as the next person, but my airways are my priority, so I need what works best for me.
My last revue, almost a year ago, was strictly box ticking. This year I said I would settle for a telephone appointment, as I do not feel it is worth trekking into the surgery. Last year the nurse said she could not talk about my bronchiectasis as she did not know anything about it. Honest but disappointing, since my bronch is far more troubling than my asthma.
I funny enough have got my Asthma review this morning with the nurse at my local surgery.For the past 4 years I have been going in complaining of shortness of breath.They insisted I had Asthma.They prescribed me with inhalers .Absolutely useless.It was only when I was desperate that I took myself to A & E .after X-ray it showed up ILD lung disease.For 12 months I have been trying to make amends for the wrong diagnosis,but probably too late .So the Asthma review should be interesting.xxx
My Asthma reviews are good, it is the one time of the year when I see the GP Asthma nurse, when I am not having an asthma attack, which is lovely.
It is a really good opportunity to get the nurse to check you are taking your inhalers correctly and to review your inhalers.
If you have doubts re your review, have a chat with the asthma UK nurses beforehand on 0300 2225800. They can give you some ideas of what to ask for at your review. The asthma uk nurses are superb.
Hi Jambore, good luck with your asthma review. You would think that an asthma review could be a really useful opportunity to ask any questions and to discuss your asthma situation from the last year, but last year mine was just a box ticking exercise and the nurse didnt appear to have any particular knowledge about asthma at all. Referred questions i had to a pharmacist who changed my meds with no discussion with me, so i found the whole experience problematic. It is due again i dont know whether i want to go for it, but have questioned who in the group of practices is the respiratory nurse, as that is the person i want to see. I want a discussion not box ticking! I think being on here shows the huge discrepancies of levels of service provided around the country.
One thing i have been wondering is if having your review in mid winter is the best time to have it. I suppose it is as its a time when we are likely to have more problems with the freezing cold damp weather. Are they always done in the winter??? Does anyone know?
As regards timing of the review, mine is always in the summer. I assume it relates to the anniversary of when I was diagnosed. I have 2 reviews. One for asthma and one for COPD. Both feel like a box ticking exercise. I am also under the local COPD team. The review with them is in the winter and much more thorough.
Mine is in June when my asthma is bad due to bad hay fever so probably whenever can be a bad time. Here too it's a questionnaire sent online with a curt message saying failure to complete will affect repeat prescriptions so I fill it in..Last year as a result my medication was changed and I was referred back to the hospital still waiting for the June 2025 appointment
Our surgery's 'chronic condition reviews ' are annually on your birthday, or thereabouts. I get a text inviting me to book. I used to have a really good respiratory nurse and have f to f appointments, now it's box ticking by phone.
Hello Jambore, It’s all quite a nightmare at the moment isn’t it ?
Rest assured you won’t be considered a nuisance if you address this tick box asthma review effort by your local surgery. It is just not acceptable. My two most recent annual reviews of ACOS ( COPD Overlap Syndrome) haven’t been a tick box, but a loose chat! Not helpful at all.
Your issue you can take up with the practice manager, Healthwatch and if need be, depending on where you live, your local Integrated Care Board (ICB) . If the local services are not aware of the direction of poor care then they can’t do anything about it. Your local Patient Participation Group at the surgery can support your complaint on behalf of respiratory patients in a general rather than personal sense.
Here in the link are the components of an adequate asthma review. It might helpful as a guide for you.
I would take someone with you to your asthma review. I have found that medical professionals are always more attentive when there is a witness plus they can confirm that your condition is deteriorating.
I would also request a spirometry or maybe a lung function test at your local hospital? I know that both have become problematic to get these days but I think that it's important that you get an up to date assesssment of your asthma, especially as your immune system is compromised as you have said below in another comment.
One hard lesson that I have learned is that the NHS mostly does the bare minimum to keep patients well these days so it's up to us to gain knowledge about our health problems and ask (demand) for appropriate tests and drugs.
Good luck and let us know how your appointment goes?
I took myself off this years ago as the nurse didn't know anything about bronchiectasis. When the doctor queried this with me , he agreed it was pointless having a review for bronch. I found the whole exercise quite useless if they dont listen to your chest or talk to you about your condition. I think some admin boff has dreamed up this tickbox excerise. We used to have these at work and proved a complete waste of time. I do hope your nurse is like the ones we used to have and does a proper check up x
I’ve just had my asthma review in December. It did seem to be a box ticking exercise, no spirometry( but was told they don’t do that anymore in a review?) .
I assumed my review was so quick because I had recently seen a respiratory consultant at the hospital and my medication had been changed.
Hope your asthma nurse is a good and thorough one. X
Hi Jambore, welcome to the site. I have COPD /asthma plus other illness. Our surgery has an annual reveiw policy for repeat prescriptions and controlled long term illness. You are reveiwed every year at birthday time, however that often fails if there are no appointments plus these are done by practice nurses who don't always record the results. I've just had my inhaler changed to a different brand without reveiw same drug just different maker. In the past this has sometimes caused issues. But things have definately changed for long term illness care.
Hi like most have already said it’s mostly a tick box exercise for which the practice gets paid to do. My Asthma has always been mild so I never attended for years but started again about 6 years ago then Covid hit & everything changed. No more peak flow tests just a quick chat & off you go. I hope your appointment goes well with a good well informed & helpful nurse. Take care.
Hi Jambore. Like you I lost my dedicated Asthma Nurse who was super knowledgeable and these Annual Reviews have never been the same since as clearly the nurses that run them here (I am in West Devon) are not specialists in the subject. During Covid it was an on line questionnaire. I did have a Clinical Pharmacist phone me last year though and she was great and seemed to have a very clear pathway back to the GPs. In fact she sorted out my problem of being told that I would have to come off Seretide 250 for a cheaper powder inhaler that I did not want. Whatever she did my inhaler was not changed so the Community Pharmacist was helpful in this respect . Yes it can feel like a tick box exercise or you have to show them how you use your inhaler. Visits to my Consultant at the Hospital Chest Clinic are the important ones I have found and definitely move things in tne right direction for me
maybe we have the same surgery as my experience is exactly the same.
During the tick boxing exercise she asked such questions as during the last week how much exercise, housework, walking etc have you done. Each time I had to explain that I was in a lot of pain as I had recently had a prolapsed disc causing bad sciatic nerve pain and spasms and that usually I was very active.
On my medical notes it now states that I had done no exercise, housework, minimal walking etc with no reason as to why or that it was just temporarily that I wasn’t able to do those things!
No spirometry, my asthma was being controlled well with the inhalers I was using and that was it.
Next time I picked up my prescription the inhaler had been changed, I tried it, had problems and so asked the GP if I could be changed back and he agreed.
There was absolutely no point in having the review. Like you I found the previous asthma nurse to be very thorough and the new tick box review takes about the same amount of time.
Poor you. All that going on, and then changing your inhaler without consulting you is just not on. Sciatica is awful. Had it for 10 years all through my 30’s so I sympathise
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Bronchiectasis and Asthma
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