For the past week I haven't been able to sleep properly or go to the gym and it's driving me crazy! I know it's because I seem to have a permanent cold right now that it's bothering me. I constantly feel short of breath and even faint at times. My pf has dropped from 450 to 340-370 and I've used ventolin about four times everyday eventhough it does nothing to help. It's not an attack or anything serious, just anoying symptoms!
All I've done this week is go to lectures, come back and have random half hours of sleep, not ideal with the amount of lab reports I have and the assessed presentation tomorrow. The silver lining though is that my flatmates felt sorry for me and made me cake
I know this happens every year and I could see it coming but it's so infuriating that a cold has this affect. Also annoying that the maintenance team are working on halls this week so that means painting, grouting, chopping down the trees behind my room and general noise and fumes. Every other year I've just ignored this and forced myself to carry on as normal because I didn't know it was asthma causing it but I'm starting to make myself recognise asthma so I guess I'm noticing everything more this year. Kind of makes me wish I hadn't bothered seeing anyone to get diagnosed!
Grrrr >
Rant over
Sorry if that didn't make any sense, just needed somewhere to type my annoyance and word won't open!
Written by
Janna123
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I've just been diagnosed and have a chest infection, and I feel for you, I'm just so fed up of it all, not even been a week yet lol.
Totally understand. I'm on a second lot of steroids at the moment for a flare up following a cold. I'm a lot better now, but at that annoying stage, when it's not serious, but can't carry on as normal. Gone past the don't care what the house looks like or what's not getting done because I just want to breathe stage, to the stage when I'm suddenly noticing that the house is a tip, I've got a long list of to do stuff to catch up on and haven't even thought about Christmas yet, but just don't have the energy to do much about it yet.
It has been suggested to me that I should talk to my doctor about upgrading my normal medication in preparation for the autumn/winter virus season, as I keep having these seasonal flare ups (i.e. one level of medication for spring summer and either a higher dose of the preventer inhaler or a combination inhaler to be started a couple of weeks before the children go back to school in the autumn). Maybe this is something that would be worth talking to your doctor about). It's certainly something I will be doing once i'm over this as I would like to avoid taking teh steriod tablets in future if possible. Have you gone to your doctor about this episode yet, if not it might be worth going, in case you have an infection or could do with a short course of steroids.
I've seen the nurse who said I just have to ride it out I did manage to get a few hours sleep, though this was more from exhaustion than anything! Fortunately I survived my presenation today Today I was generally better, until about half 3 when I suddenly felt like I couldn't breathe again Hate how it randomly comes on, I was sat in a lecture! How is that a trigger?!
Hope it goes of soon though, really want to start dancing again!
I don't think it's an infection. The same thing happened last year and I was told then that it was just a cough (and that I was wasting their time, though tbf I hadn't been diagnosed then!). Really wiish I could just ignore it though like I used to!
Rang the health centre this morning and got an appointment in about 3 weeks. So fed up. Used ventolin 3 times in 2 hours today and was still coughing through my lab this afternoon it's never been this bad before! Actually sat in bed last night crying and clutching my inhaler. Though that was probably to do with my lack of sleep and the time of month!
On the plus side, it's at its best when I'm sat at my desk so I'm getting loads of work done!
Sorry for only posting moans right now!
Moan away!
We all understand and I certainly regularly have a pity party for one
Seriously though, the good thing about this forum is that people have been there and really can empathize.
so glad I came across this forum, not quite sure what I'd be doing if I was on my own. Whilst my friends can empathize they don't really understand.
My flatmate has told me that I have to ring her if it gets bad at night in future! I used my reliever in front of her for the first time earier after a massive coughing fit and I think she got a bit worried! Managed to scare two friends by taking it in a lecture earlier in front of them too!
I'm also no longer allowed to cry on my own, no idea how she knows about that though!
Thanks
Feel free to moan, we all know what it's like and know that need to get frustrations with our asthma out to people who understand. You have my sympathy.
If you're asthma is bad, multi dosing reliever and it's been keeping you up at night don't be afraid to get an emergency appointment.
Your friends might look a bit worried when you take your reliever but don't let it put you off, they'll soon get used to it. My friends are used to me taking inhaler (with spacer too) and i just ignore odd looks from random people.
The thing is I don't feel like it's an emergency. Literally, I'm just fed up! Although, it did come in handy as an excuse not to go out tonight.
I've explained what it is so hopefully if I ever need it when they're around again they won't panic! Unfortunately I was in a lecture so I couldn't hide myself in anyway! Got a weird look from the lecturer too!
Thank you
Do the weird looks bother you?
Having poorly controlled asthma is far less trivial than a lot of things other people will be going to the doctor for with urgent appointments. I'd have expected them to make a bit more of an effort really to fit you in before 3 weeks.
Anyway, in the meantime, I hope all goes as well as can be and you're back to normal asap. Take care. x
hehe I take my inhaler in lectures, no idea if the lecturer notices but we had another lecture about, umm, how to give a lecture and the guy delivering that one said it was amazing how in a large room you would always notice the people who were falling asleep or not paying attention or otherwise doing something odd! So I guess he does notice lol - but your lecturers will probably get used to you taking it when you need and stop looking, and so will you.
I do get where you're coming from; I don't have lots of severe attacks like some people which must be awful, but day to day symptoms of poorly controlled asthma can be really frustrating too and quite limiting; if I'd had all this at uni I think I'd have found it really hard!
So I'm 100% with Lou on this one: you need to get it sorted and shouldn't have to wait 3 weeks. In uni terms 3 weeks is a LOT (would have been nearly half a term for me) and you don't want to be missing out/not doing as well as you could because of this. Plus you shouldn't have to wait, and just looking at your post above 3 times in 2 hrs is not at all good. They really need to get your preventer sorted out as that should (crossing fingers for you) really help.
The weird looks did bother me a bit since I didn't want to attract attention, but it probably won't after a few more times. The row of girls asleep at the other side f the room got weirder looks than me!
haha I had a presentation on how to give a presentation the other day! I tried to wait until he was messing with the computer, since he always breaks it, since then it wasn't silent and no one was really looking forward but he looked up to ask if any of us could help! Fortunately, my timetable is about half as much now as t was at the start of the semester, next week I only have 14 hours, in comparison to 26 before so at least I have time to do everything. Plus most of m classes are labs where only the write up is assessed. If I can't see anyone sooner I'm going to email my tutor (who is the nicest person on the planet!)and explain. Not sure what they can do exactly but I'd rather them know. She told me to leave a tutorial last week and go to bed since I didn't feel well!
What is interesting is that I fet exactly the same this time last year. At the time I ignored the cough for a month and then saw a nurse who said it was nothing. I woke myself (and 2 flatmates, oops!) up coughing 3 times last night, exactly like last year!This morning my pf was 340. I've been looking for a walk in centre or something nearby just because it's getting worse but there doesn't seem to be one according to the nhs website, however I know my friend went to one that's about 10 minutes away!
I agree 3 weeks is too long,and I'm going to call on monday and ask if there appointments on that day. I suppose everyone is ill right now though!
Thanks
lol. Glad to hear the sleeping girls got a weirder look than you.
I think it's a good idea to phone for appointment on monday. The things you've said above (your pf still low and dropping, symptoms/reliever use frequent or increasing and you woke everyone up 3 times in one night) should prompt them into giving you an urgent apointment to get it better controlled.
Sounds like you'll be able to put your feet up a little next week
Last night I had a massive coughing fit whilst drifting in and out of sleep! Quite annoying! Today was a lot better, though I told I a friend who I hd previously agreed to go to the gym with that I didn't think I should go. I only had issues when I went outside I was debating whether I need to go tomorrow or not, especially since my pf was 360, so an improvement on before. I think it'll depend on how tonight it!
SO happy I had to post this- I slept all night without waking myself up coughing once Now to get rid of the flatmates...
I decided not to ring this morning since I was better last night, and this morning I considered cancelling the other one since I felt ok and my pf was back up to around 400. Unfortunately that didn't last all day so I'll hang on to the appt for now. Pf back down to 360ish and coughing again
But, I slept for 9 hours haha it feels so weird that that is something to be pleased about! I woke up at 8 and worked solidly until 1. I didn't even have to be in uni until 2! Some kind of weird miracle going on there!
Not sure tonight will be good with how much I was coughing today. I also started coughing stuff up today
Coughing completely ruins wearing a facemask!!!!
I'm seeing the nurse next monday. They must be able to do something about this cough!
Thanks for sending out some good sleep. After taking a couple hours to settle I slept well :). It feels so much better doesn't it.
If you're coughing up muck that goes yellow or green then it's probably a chest infection, which can make lungs have a right wobble. Look after yourself and take things easy. x
I'll try sending out some more if it worked :)It's amazing how much a few hours sleep helps!
I have no idea about the colur, I was in a lecture so had to swallow It's not happened so far today, I just feel as though there's loads of stuff in my throat Think I have a bug or something at the moment though.
I'm sleeping better now, my pf is 400 and I'm coughing much less. I was worse on fri so managed to get an appt for wed with the nurse but I'm not sure that I need to go now. Is it worth keeping it?
I have had similar issues and made my self unwell. From joining this site I now realise that not doing anything really is detrimental to long term recovery.......
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