asthma & gastric reflux

i WOULD WELCOME ANY IDEAS ADVICE FROM YOU............ HAVE HAD REALLY BAD TIME SINCE XMAS - IN HOSPITAL 10 DAYS ETC, MEDS CHANGED3 TIMES ETC ETC. PEAK FLOW FROM 350 TO 200 IN A FLIP... WENT TO HOSPITAL TODAY FOR TUBE DOWN NOSE / THROAT ETC, BUT COULDN'T HAVE IT DONE - JUST TOOO AWFUL!!! AM REALLY WORRIED I WON'T GET BETTER - CAN ANYONE HELP ME?????

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Hi Lillibet, welcome to Asthma UK. I'm sorry to hear you've been poorly. It can be frustrating and confusing when you have so much changed in such a short period of time yet still feel you aren't better. When you say you were going to have a tube down your throat, I assume you mean an endosopy to look at your stomach? What problems did you experience that meant you couldn't have it done?

It's often difficult to see a way out when things have been bad for so long, but rest assured most people's asthma will improved eventually. Can you tell us a little but more about your asthma, how long you've been poorly, and what's generally been happening to you? (By the way, if you could just click off your ""Caps Lock"", that'd be just grand! Thanks).

I hope you find lots of support and empathy here.

CathBear

(Moderator)

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Hi Cathbear

Thanks for your reply - sorry about the capitals -using otherhalf's laptop and wasn't really shouting - honest!! lol

Ok - will try not to make this war & peace! I'm 51, overweight and menopausal - growl..! Asthma contracted 31 years ago on death of baby daughter - ten years ago hospitalised twice as it went off kilter and my Mum died after that - so it was all a bit odd for a while. Portsmouth asthma clinic and a fab GP got me back on track - was also started on the then new Singulair. Mostly ok barring the odd infection leading to anti biotics and short course steroids.

All fairly ok till just before xmas 07 when I got a heavy cold etc. Eventually 999'd in early January as I explain below. Had ECG and Barium swallow - told I have reflux problems clearly identified in the swallow Since then back and forth to consultant and GP - new one but quite good (I think). Today breathing dropped again to below 250 - thats really untolerale for me and I struggle badly. So another infection diagnosed now on pred again and erythromycin. Have spoken at last with Consultant tonight and he has referred me to 'difficult asthma clininc' in Southampton - no appt yet, but really really pleased as they are renowned and I feel they will help me get back on track.

Consultant asked today if I had the gastric test but when I said no - I just couldn't take it - he gently coughed and said he didn't think he could either..... lol. So I'm seeing him again next Wednesday.

In all of this I'm struggling with a ft job at a senior level and my partner and I have a pub - so life is far from normal for me at the best of times - but now its all a bit bizaare. The asthma I've had for years is behaving in a way I just don't understand + the reflux and the menopause - its all conspiring to drive me mad.!!!

As for why I couldn't have the test - I just gagged too much......... God it was awful!! So there it is - a sconcise as I can be..........

The asthma helpline nurse on Tuesday was amazing and really helped me feel more confident that I'll get better - but I just get very scared that I won't get better breathing and that this is how I'll always be.....

Thanks for listening