Hi there. I had a chest infection that seemed to clear with anti-b's about a month ago, but ever since I've not been feeling tip-top. It's like I have hayfever and a cough.
This is the first winter I've had since my diagnosis and although Ive always caught colds and flu I've never felt this bad for such a sustained period of time. However I don't feel unwell enough to call in sick and have only had 2 asthma attacks in the last fortnight which I managed to calm down with Ventolin.
Do you think this sounds pretty normal, or do you think I'm unnecessarily suffering when I might gain from a GP review? Am currently on Seretide and Loratadine. I'm also getting a new bed and bedding, and trying to eat really well.
It seems your fairly new to this asthma malarky as you say this is your first winter since diagnosis. You dont say how recently you where diagnosed though.
If its a fairly recent diagnosis you may just need a different combination of inhalers, this cold weather we have had has knocked a lot of us off our feet a bit recently and there are a lot of hideous bugs flying around. It can never hurt to have a review by your doctor. Your doctor i am sure would rather see you and check you over to make sure things are ok than you keep struggling and end up really poorly because you have struggled through the warning signs of your asthma worsening etc.
If your still struggling and generally feeling a bit unwell with it or finding things are more difficult than normal i would go see your doctor or if you have a respiratory nurse call them as they are usually great at giving advice and assessing how bad your asthma is etc.
You say you've had a couple of attacks in the last couple of weeks - even if they did settle with your ventolin this is a sign that your asthma is poorly controlled at the moment. Its great they did settle etc but i would go see your doctor and see what they say. It may just need a tweek of your meds or another med added on as they can give you long acting relievers aswell or a combination inhaler etc. It may just be that your meds are not quite right yet if your recently diagnosed but please do go get it checked out by a medic.
Hope that your feeling better soon and sorry for the rambly reply-bit tired after my late night and early mornings routine... You can tell its exam time lol!
Take care and get better soon.
Lv kat Xx
Hi Kat - thanks for taking the time to reply.
You're right - I am new to this (just over 6 months diagnosed) and before that I'd not been near a dr for over 5 years, so it's really hard to tell whether I am worrying over nothing or need medical advice. I can't tell the difference between being allergic or having a cold - it's so confusing.
What I posted about originally has turned out to be some kind of flu and I ended up calling in sick yesterday. I spoke to my GP on the phone yesterday and have an emergency appointment today, so I will try and see if there's some changes I could be making to my meds.
I wouldn't mind having asthma so much if I understood better how I was feeling. But it's still so confusing.
I've just had a flare up too. Yesterday I felt absolutely awful, had been up all the previous night coughing myself silly. Was convinced it was a chesty cold coming on. However, that was not the case, just my asthma. Have managed to get it under control again. I have a red inhaler which is one of the combination ones, which up until yesterday was keeping my asthma at bay. I know I can use it up to 6 times a day, but I only use it morning & night as I'm not altogether happy being so reliant all those chemicals. Does anyone else use one of the combination ones?
Yes I'm on Seretide at the moment, it's a combination one.
It was mostly working for me until the weather got really bad and all these bugs were flying about.
I would say that if your concerned then it is probably a good idea to have a word with your doctor. Remember, they would rather see you more often just to make sure everything is OK than hear that you have been in hospital and had a really bad time of it. My GP has told me off about not seeing him enough because I don't want to be a pain, but there are times when my asthma is so grumbly, although I am not always wheezy.
Hense why I call my lungs Lumpy (R) (full of scarring) and Grumpy (R) (has some scarring, but just carries on because it can I think).
Lumpy and Grumpy are being themselves at the moment so I am shattered and just want to get some sleep.
Just got back from the dr. She wasn't my usual one. My usual one told me to go in for an emergency apointment. The dr I saw pretty much said I was wasting her time. I'd just waited an hour past my appointment time to see her, and because I wasn't sure whether to go in I had checked 1st on the phone.
I cried.
aww sorry you had a bad time at the doctors,
have you got a asthma nurse at your practice?
I would keep going back until they listen to you and give you
the help you need if your asthma is not responding to the meds you are on
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