analysing asthma-a bad thing?

i hope your all well. i have this dilemma and its thanks to my three doctors who are still contradicting each other.

My original gp was terrible and gave me all the wrong medication and i saw a different gp who was much better. then he refered me to a hospital doc who has asked me to keep a peak flow log and a dosage log so i do. i'm confused (And living up to my user id) as my practice doctor just said could be bad to analyse asthma so much and to not check my peak flow so much. he's got me thinking as there is a psychological connection to asthma and panic attacks.

i'm actually becoming confused (More so) as a few weeks ago another doctor at the surgery called me in as she was reviewing the first doctors files (Some routine thing they do) and she have gave me an additional inhaler and told me to keep an eye on it. has anyone been told they must keep a log?

honestly the log helps as i was able to detect another dip which resulted in a sinus infection i'm just paranoid about attacks anyway. help!

10 Replies

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  • READINGS

    DONT WORRY MY GP ASKED ME TO KEEP READINGS ALSO

  • I say do what works for you. I've been asked by specialists Gp's and asthma nurses to keep a peak flow. I've never been told it may be over analysing. I know where they are coming from but it's important for doctors to understand if it helps it helps. Anyone who's told you otherwise is wrong in my opinion. I hardly ever use a peak flow now as when i do it only ever confirms how i actually feel. Strange as it may sound i do have the odd urge ( only when im feeling well) to keep an eye on my peak flow just to see how my lungs are doing long term.

    it's also the only way to get confirmation of how your medication is working for you. I'm sure if you visted the doctor who told you not to over analyse and told him your medication wasn't controlling your asthma the first thing he would suggest would be to keep an eye on your peak flow.

    Hope my waffling helped..Mark

  • hi

    thanks for the reply pimpmyhaler (lol!) Mark, it kind was the context he said it - (almost word for word here) 'your on the highest possible dose to combat a fluid build up in your chest and we cant add more, keeping the logs is not beneficial at this stage to monitor what the readings are it more about how you feel' (something like that)

    I was tempted to ask how im supposed to record the juggling of my 3 inhalers without it but i really didnt want him to know i am O.C.D and/or O.T.T with my flare up prevention mission!

    Who reccomendation do you follow the GP or Consultant?

  • record keeping

    hi.

    Personally, and partly as I'm a nurse I would follow instructions from the consultant after all he is specialist. Peakflows record patterns so consultant is probably wanting to see if yours has a pattern and what that indicates about your asthma.

    I don't always keep my own record but I did for several wks last year when I was ill and until I saw consultant. He was also able to look back over some others I'd done previously. This showed a pattern and that he should be considering something else.

    Hope that helps. Catherine

  • My normal GP has also got me doing a peak-flow dairy and logging all the dosages I take on my inhalers as well as why I have taken the inhalers. They are still trying to get my asthma back under-control and yesterday started me on Singulair which is stage 4 out of 5 in my doctors surgery practice for asthma treatment. I also would say to follow instructions even though it is a pain in the back side but if it is going to help them in the long run finally get the asthma controlled and get you on the right treatment then surely it is worth it in the long run. Take care

  • I've always kept diaries for day to day stuff and now have small set for the asthma readings. Recurrence of symptoms recently, I could go back through and identify similar set of readings which means go make an appt with asthma nurse before getting any worse.

  • Hiya :)

    I have always kept a log, but TBH I don't really look at it. It's more for my consultant. They use it to see how well managed I am and I only use it to determine my prednisolone dose.

    Hope you get it fixed

  • i use computer software to record peakflows, FEV1, meds usage and potential triggers encountered along with any symptoms. Have a record dating back to Autumn 2008 when I was diagnosed. What have I learnt from it, well in the early days what meds worked and what the main triggers were, now just nice to see how it compares from previous years, and for me to pick up any downward spirals that could be troublesome.

  • I don't think there's a right or wrong answer to this. For some, keeping detailed records will be helpful and productive; for others, it may cause them to become over-obsessed with every single nuance of a condition, many of which have little or no significance. On the other hand, some people will not need to keep any sort of record; others may benefit from keeping peak flow diaries or similar in order to track changes and pick up on exacerbations early, as Woody says.

    Try it and see; if your consultant's asked you to do it, I'd do it till you next see them, and then you can discuss whether it's been a productive exercise for you or not.

    Personally, after getting to grips with asthma I stopped keeping records; however having recently changed my treatment, I've been keeping a peak flow diary in the changeover period.

    In short, see what works for you :)

  • Thanks for all the replies. i am going to keep up the log and may buy a digital peak flow as my doctor refused to give me a prescription for one.

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