Who to ask

one and a half years ago I saw my dr because I felt short of breath or not quite right and he couldn't hear anything in my chest but said, ""You might have mild asthma"" take a blue inhaler, so he wrote a prescription and off I went.

Then I went back and asked, do you think i really do have asthma and he did spirometry and it said borderline obstruction which no one was concerned about. (I felt fine on that day anyway).

He said, if it becomes a problem you can have a dose of prediserone (sp) or something like that. If inhaler works, here is prescription for another one.

In last few weeks, I have had some wheezing and many dreams that I am suffocating, although I don't wake up so they could just be dreams. I feel like I need to cough but mostly I don't because if I do cough I need to more but nothing comes out. I'm not desperately out of breath of a day, but my lungs often just feel, well, wrong, like they are made out of tighter than normal elastic or something. Not free and easy and light like they used to when I never even used to notice breathing!!

I phoned the surgery and asked for repeat script for inhaler and they just sent it out and said they didn't need to see me.

Basically, I'm afraid to go back to doc in case they say it is in my mind (which they did seem to imply before) although now I am not the only one to notice as my friend has also heard it. I feel like I get out of breath easily and wheeze very quietly but not all the time. Compared to you all here I feel a bit pathetic but also, not sure what to do. Even though it is mild, it is just, well, tiring and I'm thinking it could be got rid of, so why be a martyr!

Anyway, I don't know whether to go to my normal doc, who said prednisorone or whether to change doc and start afresh with someone new.

I am especially dreading hayfever coming up because last year i was too scared to go to sleep because i kept thinking I was dying breathing in the night but i couldn't wake myself up til i drempt i died. but antihistamine did help that. i think it was congestion rather than lungs.

So, should i just take blue inhaler and go back to doc when it runs out, go to same doc or go to new doc or can you suggest something else. I don't even know if it is asthma or not but they don't seem happy to commit one way or the other. Should you take inhaler at smallest odd feeling or at a certain point (and what is that point? is it a certain peak flow or certain amount of time?)

I don't communicate well with docs so need loads of info so when I do speak to one i know what i want to say and i already thought about things.

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Hi

You need to go back and see your GP, tell him about your symptoms now and see what he says. Asthma is difficult to diagnose thats probably why he seems none committal. Your surgery may have an asthma nurse/clinic you could book in to there, the nurses are often more approachable and often more helpful

Good luck

Truly x

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Thank you Truly

I am building up guts to go to doc but hard for me because they intimidate me with their judgmental ""why are you wasting my time"" attitude. Since he didn't make clear diagnosis, I can't see asthma nurse because you need a diagnosis for that.

I appreciate your reply

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I'm at a relatively large practice with quite a few different GPs. If you ask there might be a doctor who has an interest in asthma/respiratory problems and you can ask to see them. If not it might be worth asking to see a different Gp anyway if you can. You may find someone who hasnt been involved in the diagnosis previously brings a fresh pair of eyes to the situation and is more helpful. I only say this because I have had many different experiences with different doctors and nurses saying different things.

Hope you get it sorted cause its frustrating when things like this get in the way of your life.

Em

xxxxxx

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Hi

I had experienced problems with chest infections, shortness of breath etc for years and everytime I went to see my Gp they would say it was just a virus and was to take plenty of fluids and rest. Last year I moved to a different Gp in a totally different Gp surgery and she finally diagnosed asthma, and I have had know problems whatsoever in going to see her and talking through how I feel etc and she is always there to make sure that when I get unwell with my asthma that she will try her best to get me better and it doesn't matter how many times I have to go and see her she will always tell me that she will see me every week until my symptoms disappear.

Maybe the way forward is to go and see a different Gp, just explain to them how you are actually feeling, it took me years to get a diagnosis and feel so much happier now that I know what I am dealing with and that I am not just being struck down by a virus every few months.

Sam