struggling a little bit - any advice? [extra question, 2/1/2012]

I have a really nasty check infection, I'm taking two courses of antibiotics for and steroids. I only usually get given steroids when it flares my ""asthma"" up and I end up in A&E with infections. I saw my gp today for another issue who checked my peak flow & said I wasn't far from needing A&E - my peak flow was 290 and my cut off point is 250 for needing hospital attention. I have a horrible wheezy painful cough which isn't shifting with anything, I have two more days left on the steroids. the gp who i saw today said that if my breathing got any worse to ring back and explain the situation to the receptionists during opening hours, or if it deteriorated after hours to go to the hospital. I wouldn't say I'm needing hospital, yet. the coughing is becoming really painful, I've pulled a muscle in my chest and cracked a rib on my left hand side. its taking quite a bit of salbultamol to make the coughing ease up and its coming back within half an hour.

The reason I say ""asthma"" is because my consultant isn't fully convince its fully asthma, if even asthma at all.

What would you do in this sort of situation?

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I think I'd be getting off to A&E.

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Hi, go with how you feel and are breathing duck xxx hope you pick up soon and might need extra few days of pred xxx

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Sorry to be the Xmas grinch. But u ar not allowed to seek medical advice... It's against the guidelines of auk...... If anyone has any concerns over their asthma and symptoms then all we can say is seek medical attention from a medical practitioner who will be a ble to do a physical examination and then say what treatment you will need

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I was wondering if anybody had any suggestions, on what to do as chest doesn't feel too bad when I'm not coughing - its the pain which is getting to me more than anything.

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I'd be calling NHS Direct for advice on which painkillers I could safely take for the cracked rib & pulled muscle, probably trying a warm water bottle or wheat bag to ease the myscle tension actoss my chest, and be sitting propped on pillows rather than lying down.

Hope it starts to ease soon!

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Good point Gussypoo, Cathbear (moderator) has posted ""Gentle Reminder: Requesting urgent medical advice' too.

Back to the original question, we cannot really give medical advice esp if more urgent/emergency which this may not be but anyway. I haven't had the same situation with GP/close to A&E as confuse them with no wheeze but I have had odd rib/lung friction/rubbing & rib pain. As others have said, try painkillers you can take, heat pads... & go back to GP for more pred if needed i.e. not better when nearly finished. Did they give you any advice on pain or was the focus more on breathing & your other issue?

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Sorry to bump this - I don't want to make a new thread, but I have a few questions.

- can singulair lower the amount of infections you get?

the reason I ask is because I've had a few infections since coming off of it, and they're harder to shift than they were before. I got taken off them because I didn't feel they were doing anything and I felt bunged up on them.

I've had an infection, I've been on two courses of antibiotics and a course of steroids. My chest still feels horrible and like it hasn't fully cleared up. I've got a day and a half left on one set of the antibiotics, and I'm due to finish the other set tonight.

- do I ask gp about it, or do I wait it out a little bit longer?

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Hi Confused,

I'd hazard a guess that Singulair doesn't directly influence the development of an infection, but rather that if your asthma is more controlled on it, and your lungs are therefore working more efficiently, you're less likely to develop an infection as there's less mucus sticking around deep in your lungs - the stuff is moving around rather than festering, and not giving any bacteria a chance to multiply.