Hiya, I'm posting because I had an asthma review with my surgery's ""asthma nurse"" today (who has no formal asthma training!), which was a weird experience. I have never had a review before - I usually have to see my GP/be treated in hospital. I am currently waiting to see a consultant and am on stage 5 of asthma management. Just about everything triggers me and I don't have a formal management plan.
In the review today:
The nurse said:
You look well! My reply was, ""I feel well today, my PB PF is 550 and I'm getting 450-500 today :-)"", ""that very good, I'm not asthmatic and don't get that good!"" and then checked my PF which was 480. I discussed how I had to use my salbutamol after being outside, but it sorted it out!!
Nurse then spoke about how I need to AVOID pollen and that my work (I'm a primary teacher!) should put measures in place to stop this!!
She then went onto say about how I needed a management plan, but she didn't have one for asthma, but she did have one for COPD which ""would do"" and I could do it myself after the appointment and sow my consultant.
She also discussed that I seem to be very good at knowing when to call for help - at this point I explained that several times I have required hospital treatment, I have been told I needed an ambulance, but then driven myself!! The last time my PF was 30% and I had used 4 lots of emergency 10puffs of salbutamol through a spacer, plus a ton of it spaced throughout the day. I was then told about how silly this was (I know this of course!) and when I NEED help.
I discussed the ""no wheeze, no asthma"" issues I sometimes have and she was at a loss about this ""because you always wheeze during an asthma attack otherwis it cant be asthma!""
She feels a lot of asthma attacks are psychosomatic!
The only hayfever meds I can take is citerezine.
I asked about exacerbations requiring help whilst on my pred taper (then 10mg maintenance if I ever get there!!) and she said to expect them?! But I need to get off the pred ... my GP wont let me come off any quicker or drop below 10mg - this is an on going argument - I hate the stuff!!
She then asked me to record a pf diary ... going on to give me chart which goes upto 450 - 100 below my pb!
And finally she checked my inhaler technique and told me how I need to remember all my meds - I never forget because otherwise I end up ill!!
Sorry for rambling, needed to ""get it off my chest!"", I don't see any point in the review I had tbh!! At least cons apt is pretty close!!
Has anyone else has a frustrating experience at a asthma review?
She clearly has misunderstood some of the fundamentals. The PERSONAL best (ie yours will be different to hers) and the whole ""cough-variant asthma"" thing! Plus the fact that pollen can get basically everywhere! lol!
Sigh! sounds very frustrating. The only practical advice i can offer is that AUK have peak flow charts (in shop at the top i think) and so you could get one and fill that in!
I assume that GPs have either money for doing asthma reviews - or there is a target that makes them do them. I have to have them all the time coz my asthma is uncontrolled, and everytime i go we just sit there awkwardly and she has actually said that i probably know more about my asthma than her, do i have any questions (and then anything i do ask she says i should discuss with GP or Cons!) But i swear i get about 5 letters a week until i go, so i just book an appt for before a GP appt so its not a wasted journey! lol!
anyways, its not just you! lol!
I've had plenty of reviews which have gone the way you described. From my experience they tend to be designed for people who have well controlled asthma and do not regularly see docs/cons/nurses (which I was for many years). At my reviews now they just tend to say ""I have no idea why the consultant said that but you seem to know more about it than me.""
I was given a Desmond Dragon peak flow diary last time I needed one which only goes to 400 (although I haven't been higher for a while now). With the peak flows, I did find it useful when the hospital completed more thorough lung function testing and compared them. This then showed that while my peak flow was about average, other tests were well above (the consultant said this was because I breathe well due to my musical and sports training). I once made my own graph (it was my teacher brain) but they are widely avaliable.
How have you been finding the pollen today? I have just had two afternoons of sport and today had to get someone to ask the head to come out while I went inside to sit down it was so bad. Luckily my school have been very good about my asthma since they had to call an ambulance just before Christmas! I've got an appointment with the nurse tomorrow morning before school as everything is going downhill again but I will be mentioning the asthma plan again (my gp and consultant have told me different things about when to get help etc and as I am on Seretide 500 again, I can't alter dosages myself).
This is not a particularly useful post but thought I would share my experiences!
Heya,
Thanks for replying its good to know that I am not the only person who has frustrating experiences!!
Soph: I don't think I have cough variant asthma, because there are times that I do wheeze and I get very SOB etc! She also said ""I don't see many *severe* cases"". Perhaps stupidly I don't see myself as severe, just poorly controlled! The personal best comment - I thought the same, everyone is individual!! I find it quite amusing when I am told that asthmatics should have a low PF!!
How are you doing now? Is it getting any easier with the uni cons?
Kayla: The nurse said that she will be interested to see what the cons says re my asthma!! I definitely agree that this was for well controlled asthma not as uncontrolled as mine is at the min! I mentioned about being a grade 8 clarinet/sax player and singer which means my breath control is good, but she still said that she was at a loss as to why my PF should be so good!! I have been struggling with the pollen also, despite pred, antihistamines and all the other meds I have still needed salbutamol/atrovent every few hours to stay ok! You're not the only one!! But hope you become more stable!! I am also on 1000mcg Seretide too, you'd think that would stop symptoms wouldn't you?!
Thanks for replies
L x
Hi lolli88.
I also had a letter to see my nurse at our doctors for asthma review.
She told me I was to.bad for her as just did preventer and reliever and I was under aasthma team and.said she wasn't a asthma nurse.
she was nice tough and a new nurse.xxxx
Hiya,
I think that when I contact my GP surgery at the min my name must come up red and flashing!! Even my GP has said that he is at the limit of what he is able to do with me asthma wise other than admitting me or increasing pred, which is why he has referred me.
The nurse today seemed really uncomfortable and said that she doesn't see ""severe"" people and that we would have to see what my consultant says.
The part of the appointment that really concerned me though is that she is expecting me to have a flare which requires emergency treatment whilst on the pred taper ... how am I ever going to get down to 10mg if they are anticipating this?!
L x
in reply to
The part of the appointment that really concerned me though is that she is expecting me to have a flare which requires emergency treatment whilst on the pred taper ... how am I ever going to get down to 10mg if they are anticipating this?!
L x
It is quite disconcerting isn't it when they have the expectation that your asthma will go downhill soon. It's also odd when they start saying that your asthma is severe or brittle, although I know I'm not.
I used to see the asthma nurse who was great, but when she'd given me seretide, cetirizine and montelukast she passed me onto the GP with an interest in asthma, who fiddled with meds a bit more and then referred me after I'd been on pred for a while and had had several back to back courses. He'd said ""hmm, I usually give asthmatics a couple of inhalers, maybe a tablet or two, and I don't have to worry about them, but you're different"". I raised my eyebrows and he said ""well, we'll review in four weeks if you make it that far"". I didn't make it that far, lol.
I think each surgery has to get every asthma patient reviewed each year. I haven't had any letters inviting me for review with the asthma nurse since 2011, but I guess that because of the many reviews I've had with GPs/nurse practitioner. Oh, and there's no asthma nurse at my surgery anymore (as of October).
Aww pred withdrawals arnt nice as have them lot but glad can ring my asthma team anytime.My doctor is great and if asthma problem Will get me in the same day or if ring him for asthma when Will do a asap call back so beeing well looked after.
Hope you see a consultant soon and asthma plan.
My asthma is bad all year round with lots of triggers and it can build up a day or so but can react fast with no warning that's scary.they think might have brittle asthma now so time Will tell with tests and consultant as got worse over years.
Hope the pollen season doesn't cause you lots of problems....lol
Hiya,
I am tapering off the pred by 5mg a week, currently on 30 until I taper to 25 on mon. I am not finding many withdrawal symptoms at the min, though I do get them when I have been on 40-60 for over a couple of weeks!! I have to stay at 10mg if I ever get there.
My asthma has deteriorated over a couple of years and now is ""uncontrolled and dangerous"", so my surgery are struggling and are a little concerned. Hopefully the consultant will come up with something which means I don't need the pred and can become more controlled!
I tend to build up over a while too, but can flare within a few hours too. But at least if its over a few days my GP will up the pred or send me into hosp!
In the past I used to have a review done with the asthma nurse at my GP surgery but she made two huge mistakes with my treatment that my GP told me not to see her ever again and see him instead.
Just chiming in to say that my asthma nurse is ace. She has fairly bad asthma herself, so she understands it from the perspective of the person up all night coughing as well.
Sorry your review sucked Lollie!
Heya,
Lou- I don't think that my asthma is severe or brittle either really, just poorly controlled at the min!! It's really annoying that they think its going to go downhill sooner rather than later!! I'm only on the taper then maintenance pred cos of the number of short courses I've needed recently because I flare everytime I finish them!! I see my gp, who is fab when I'm bad and have never seen the nurse. No one seems to have a specific interest or knowledge of asthma, they seem to see me and say ""you don't fit nicely into the usual box!"". That's a pain that you don't have an asthma nurse at your gp anymore do you still get support when needed?
Curiouser- glad your nurse is fab I am sure that when a medical trained person has fairly bad asthma themselves it makes them more understanding and makes you more likely to visit.
Asthmagirl - what did she do wrong?! It's good you have the support of your gp! I'm glad I do, he's been great these past few months!
As I said in previous posts, she seems to think I'll flare again, ugh, really don't want this to happen again (as no one does!!)!!
Laura x
in reply to
As I said in previous posts, she seems to think I'll flare again, ugh, really don't want this to happen again (as no one does!!)!!
Laura x
Ah, the joy of rebound. If you are tapering slowly enough then you cut the chances of rebound. Basically your immune system obviously needed X amount of steroid to squish it, being on the steroids reduces your own steroid production, so going to X-Y amount will give your immune system the opportunity to over react again, unless the trigger is reduced / absent.
The slower the taper the less rebound, but the more general immune suppression... and of course that leaves you open to an infection, which might not be devastating but might cause more inflammation, ready to pounce when you do the next reduction in steroid.
Round and round we go...
To totally thread-jack, I'm on maintenance HC 'for life' (of course there could be medical breakthroughs so beyond 10 years, who knows). I'm now having pretty bad hay fever (I think) asthma at night, enough to be using my neb a couple of times since Tuesday and a lot of salbutamol. I could (? should) double or triple my hydrocortisone to give me some anti-inflammatory cover - that would still only be equivalent to 10 or 15 mg of pred. But I have no faith that I'd be able to wean back down again without a rebound flare, as whatever pollen I'm reacting to has obviously only just begun round here. Plus if I up my steroids then I increase my blood sugar, which seems to make me more symptomatic, and certainly causes my oral-throat thrush to flare, which then gives me worse asthma... and the treatment gives me even worse asthma because the tablets give me reflux and the liquid has cherry flavouring in it... so I'm trying to put off increasing my steroids for as long as possible. Within reason of course!
I was going to see my GP today for something else and see what she thought, as she's seen me at my best and worst in terms of asthma symptoms, but - shock horror - my GP is poorly! Bless her, I always think a doctor must be *really* unwell to stay off work as they must get exposed to everything going and yet they're not off sick very often. So it'll have to wait until after the bank holiday weekend - and if it kicks off before that then I do at least have oral and injectable HC and a neb and my epi-pens, and a set of back up antibiotics if I start coughing up interesting phlegm... so I'm actually better equipped than my local hospital where getting any kind of medication over a weekend takes at least 24 hours
I should also stress that at the moment it's only a very minor flare without even any acute moments. PF sitting at 65-75% and no scary spiralling. I'm just really aware of how much balancing we have to do with the good-vs-evil of steroids! I hope your wean continues without you bouncing around too much.
Cx
in reply to
Lou- I don't think that my asthma is severe or brittle either really, just poorly controlled at the min!! It's really annoying that they think its going to go downhill sooner rather than later!! I'm only on the taper then maintenance pred cos of the number of short courses I've needed recently because I flare everytime I finish them!! I see my gp, who is fab when I'm bad and have never seen the nurse. No one seems to have a specific interest or knowledge of asthma, they seem to see me and say ""you don't fit nicely into the usual box!"". That's a pain that you don't have an asthma nurse at your gp anymore do you still get support when needed?
Laura x
I'd stopped seeing the asthma nurse before she'd left. So it's not a pain for me, but I'm sure there are a lot of people on the steps 1 to 3 or 4 that'll be missing her. I see a few different GPs (usually the one with an interest in asthma) and a very good Nurse Practitioner. I don't always fit the usual box either, well, maybe I should say the wheeze box, so a couple of the GPs that don't know me just don't know what to do and usually end up asking me what we should do. Lol.
Great that your appoinment is soon. I remember looking forward mine too, I think it was the thought of going somehwere/to someone that could make things better. Let us know how you get on next week.
I really think asthma UK should start a ""not all asthmatics wheeze"" campaign and perhaps a ""personal best is PERSONAL"" campaign.
I also have a very high personal best peak flow for height and weight: 480 L/m = 127% predicted according to ERS reference equations. That ""extra"" 27% is not optional.
I need at least 115% predicted (440) to sing a line of a song musically. Below I stop being able to sing because I don't have enough breath support. If I go several days not being able to blow more than 100% predicted (378), I'm quite ill and at high risk of having a serious flare. I certainly can't sing. If I talk, I cough or my voice fades in and out so people have trouble hearing me. I'm too tired to work - even to do brain work. Ventolin probably isn't lasting more than 1=2 hours, and I'm spending a lot of time putting breathing on manual control until I can do another neb.
Like you, I am not strictly cough variant. I also sometimes wheeze, have SOB, or the feeling of a tight chest. But my wheeze appears to only be audible if my symptoms are mild and sometimes when I'm more severe, one can still hear a wheeze at the end of a forced exhale. Sadly though, the times I don't wheeze but still have some air movement are in fact the times when i'm more ill, not less.
All I can say is hang in there. Hope you get to see a cons soon and have a good one.
I have seen the red flashing 'asthma review overdue' on my surgery computer a couple of times, but they never make me book one - which is sensible given that I'm in about something asthma-related more often than every 6 months plus I am under a cons so they clearly think it's pointless. I also see the asthma nurse for blood tests for something else every so often and she usually asks about how things are going and gets me to do a PF.
Curiouser - I hope your flare stays minor and clears up - what a balancing act you have to deal with! I suppose you have to be organised even if you hadn't been before but I honestly think I'd land myself in hospital all the time in your position just from being disorganised so am fairly impressed that you somehow keep it in check enough not to do that. Hoping for some kind of improvement on at least one side of things soon.
I really think asthma UK should start a ""not all asthmatics wheeze"" campaign and perhaps a ""personal best is PERSONAL"" campaign.
I also have a very high personal best peak flow for height and weight: 480 L/m = 127% predicted according to ERS reference equations. That ""extra"" 27% is not optional.
Beth, I'm with you on this! A campaign for a more consistent standard of when to get help would be nice too - I am fed up with being confused and told different things, not to mention potentially avoiding getting help when I need it because I feel I'll be dismissed due to mostly lacking wheeze or PF drop (I tend to express any drop there may be in percentage terms and try not to use absolute numbers unless pressed).
I hear what you say about it being sometimes thought 'optional' - my PB of 600 is so high that apparently there is no way, as a woman, that I could possibly have that as a predicted, and I do often feel that the 'extra' is treated as a cushion, so that even if they acknowledge I can do higher than predicted, it's felt it doesn't really matter as if I can get beyond predicted I must be ok and anything in that gap or close to predicted isn't a problem. As I've said before, I somehow doubt that a man with a predicted best of 600 or higher (my housemate who is about my age but shorter than me has a predicted best of 670, 200 higher than my predicted) would meet with this attitude and while there may be finer points I'm missing, not being in any way an expert, surely this hypothetical man would potentially struggle at 470 (my predicted) because it is below the full capacity he is 'used' to operating with. I would be interested to know if there is any actual difference between the lung function and the effect of restriction between two people with the same best where one is predicted and one is 'extra' from sports, music or whatever (don't know if anyone has researched this specifically).
in reply to
As I've said before, I somehow doubt that a man with a predicted best of 600 or higher (my housemate who is about my age but shorter than me has a predicted best of 670, 200 higher than my predicted) would meet with this attitude and while there may be finer points I'm missing, not being in any way an expert, surely this hypothetical man would potentially struggle at 470 (my predicted) because it is below the full capacity he is 'used' to operating with. I would be interested to know if there is any actual difference between the lung function and the effect of restriction between two people with the same best where one is predicted and one is 'extra' from sports, music or whatever (don't know if anyone has researched this specifically).
Clearly there are folks walking around with a PF of 250 quite happily, and others who would be on their knees at anything below 300, so - as I understand it, the point is really about knowing how quickly you are winning or losing the breathing game, and whether you are trending up or down on whatever treatment you're currently on. Such a big part of peak flow is about coordination anyway, hence why small kids can't 'do' it well even if they can breathe perfectly. I think your policy of giving out percentages is a good one!
I now have a letter from my consultant that says what my spiro was at my last appointment, ""well above predicted"" etc. Hoping I never have to use it
The resp consultant I have now said he uses very-bad peak flow as a definite red, green-zone as a definite green and the yellow zone values just tell him that he needs to be making a judgement based on other factors.
Hey there!!
Just a random thought, is there anyne who is specifically trained in asthma or at least respiratory at your surgery who could potentially see you instead just so they can give u a little more logical advice and make u feel like u should actually be attending these once in a life time random reviews c;
xxx
Heya, thanks for replies and experiences etc.
I got a letter through the post today saying that my consultant appointment has been brought forward from the end of next month to next week. I *should* be on 25mg of pred then, assuming that I don't flare again before then!
Beth: I an in agreement with you, with both the wheezing and PB campaigns ... is there a way of asking AUK to do this lol. I always get a weird look and a funny comment when I say what my PB is, and its difficult to explain about lung capacity etc when really struggling I get the same thing with the voice fading in and out, meaning I get a lot of comments about ""you're losing you're voice again miss?!"". I get all the usual symptoms, just not necessarily all at the same time, the ""no wheeze"" drives me mad! I am step 5 management, but don't have at home nebs (I wouldn't trust myself with them either :-/), so when bad reluctantly get myself help and use an insane amount of salbutamol until I can get one in hosp! My GP has hurried up my appointment with the consultant ... so only a week away, the asthma review seems less annoying now knowing I have this next week.
Curiouser: re the pred, how long do you have to be on it before adrenal suppression occurs and how slowly do you have to taper without the effects? Up until recently (only newly step 5) I only got the tiredness etc withdrawal after being on it for a couple of weeks and then stopping. I am now reducing by 5mg a week, with a view of getting to 10 (on 30 at the min), though I am not ever asymptomatic when I taper ... feel like a ticking time bomb! With your symptoms, is there any chance that you could contact your consultant(s)? Sounds like you need some help, esp with it being a bank holiday! Its a shame you're struggling because you were saying you hadn't needed to use your neb for a few days *hugs*. Its good that your consultant takes PF with a pinch of salt, yet uses it when you really need it. My GP is great, I hope my cons is too. This referral malarkey is still new and quite daunting.
Philomela: thanks for that, I often feel they are thinking ""whatever?!"" when I say about my PB. I hadn't thought of them using the % above predicted as a cushion, but this makes sense, I think from now on I will be talking about % rather than symptoms!
Charliewarlie: There isn't anyone with specific asthma training at my surgery, yesterday was definitely ""once in a lifetime"" and not something I want to repeat. I doubt I will go to my next review tbh, especially if my consultant is good!
Thanks again!
Laura x
in reply to
Curiouser: re the pred, how long do you have to be on it before adrenal suppression occurs and how slowly do you have to taper without the effects? Up until recently (only newly step 5) I only got the tiredness etc withdrawal after being on it for a couple of weeks and then stopping. I am now reducing by 5mg a week, with a view of getting to 10 (on 30 at the min), though I am not ever asymptomatic when I taper ...
This varies according to the individual apparently, I had a conversation recently about this topic with consultant, since it was worrying me. Oral steroids cause adrenal suppression whilst you are on them, which is why they should be tapered slowly, but with regard to adrenal insufficiency, he said some people tolerate long term oral steroids with minimal issues, and others get adrenal insufficiency following shorter courses. Likewise with side effects.
With regard to adrenal suppression, this is also individual. They affect me very quickly, I cannot have a weeks course and simply stop them or I get terrible withdrawal issues as my own adrenal glands have gone to sleep. Despite this Im told that generally, people can have a two week course and stop with no taper and no problems because thats not long enough for marked adrenal suppression to occur... I like to be different. Its one of the reasons I detest having pred, because I end up on it for months, and then take weeks and weeks to taper. Last time I was tapering by 2.5mg per week.
Im rambling now, tired.com haha
in reply to
Curiouser: re the pred, how long do you have to be on it before adrenal suppression occurs and how slowly do you have to taper without the effects? Up until recently (only newly step 5) I only got the tiredness etc withdrawal after being on it for a couple of weeks and then stopping. I am now reducing by 5mg a week, with a view of getting to 10 (on 30 at the min), though I am not ever asymptomatic when I taper ...
This varies according to the individual apparently,
+1,
Also, my pituitary scan is bonkers (well, 'unique') and I had growth hormone deficiency and seem to also have diabetes insipidus. I also have had lots of problems related to other pituitary hormones (LH and FSH). So, I think my pituitary was either damaged at birth, abnormal congenitally or damaged/diseased over many years.
It's possible that the steroid injections I had in my uni days are key, but looking back I think I've been insufficient for many years, possibly since childhood.
The pred is definitely not to blame (I haven't had enough of it) - it's possible that seretide has made things worse but again it's unlikely to be the whole story.
They also still haven't totally ruled out auto-immune addisons, or congenital adrenal abnormalities. So it might be nothing to do with asthma drugs at all.
Thanks :-), I'm tapering by 5mg a week. After 2 weeks I feel withdrawal.
I hope the cons sorts me out next week - half looking forwards to it (cos hoping to get some control etc), half dreading it!! I don't like it when they use the ""severe"" word lol
Hiya,
Just thought I'd share a positive experience of OOH this eve!!
My lungs appear not to like reducing the pred or the current pollen count/bbqs and about a million other triggers that they are being exposed to at the minute.
I have been going downhill for the last week or so, I become more symptomatic the more I lower the pred - by 5mg per week. I am currently on 30mg, which usually I am fine with!
On Friday I had a hair appointment and had an asthma attack in the salon, later realising it must be down to the aerosols etc, I then went walking with a friend and the dogs, who was concerned and at one point (when I needed 4 puffs of the salbutamol lol), wanting to call paramedics.
Over the weekend I have struggled more and more, and the salbutamol (and then atrovent - I don't like using it!) started lasting for less time and my PF refusing to come out of the yellow zone. This morning I woke up really struggling, with blue extremities and used a fair bit of salbutamol, which eventually brought PF up to top of yellow zone.
This afternoon, I had an attack which brought my PF to around 33%, coughing to the point of almost being sick and going blue, salbutamol working for around 10 mins etc, so rang 111 who could hear that I was struggling. They wanted to send an ambulance, but understood my reluctance. Instead they made an OOH appointment.
The doctor I saw at OOH was amazing!! I had stabilised a lot by then - PF 70%, O2 94% and talking properly, listened to my chest ""no wheeze!"" and listened when I said I RARELY wheeze. She then spent 40 mins making sure I knew the potential severity of these attacks and what I need to do if it happens again tonight, reassuring me that not all asthmatics fall into the ""nice normal asthma box"". She has put me back on 40mg pred for the next 2 days, then to taper to 35 (not to do my planned taper to 25mg tomorrow) and stay at 35mg til my cons apt on Thursday. Her words were ""there are just too many triggers for your lungs to cope with at the moment"", she has also doubled my Seretide to 2 puffs every 6 hours so that the LABA is *more effective* ... a slight concern, as this means I am now on double the recommended amount, though if it stops another attack I'll be happy, and I only have 4 days to wait til the cons apt!! Roll on Thursday!
So, thank you to the Dr I saw tonight
Thought I'd share the good work our NHS can do, because the care I received tonight far outweighs the negative experience I have had of late
Laura x
Lollie88, I think I really needed to hear this story tonight. Thank you.
Ahh Beth I know you're really struggling too and it helps to know people are in a similar position. In my case I get all the usual pred side effects so don't think I have the same tolerance issues as you, I just think my lungs want to have a paddy ... will just have to see what the rest of the evening/week til cons brings, cos struggling again.
But they were fab tonight.
How are you feeling Beth?
Laura x
Laura - really sorry to hear how much you've been struggling! From the sound of it, I think an ambo this morning would not have been out of place at all - I know I probably wouldn't have called one for myself but still...
I'm glad though that you had such a positive experience and that you shared it. I am increasingly 'gun-shy' when it comes to doctors/emergency care - I either feel I don't need it or even if I do I will just be dismissed so good to know it can work
Thank you so much for this message and the positive OOH doctor appointment you had.
I also really needed to read this message tonight, esepecially as I am going through a rough patch myself at the moment, on Friday afternoon I phoned my GP surgery to see if it was OK to start another course of antibiotics because of a chest infection that I thought had not cleared up fully, Receptionist at my GP surgery arranged the doctor covering emergency appointments to phone me back, when the doctor phoned me she wanted me to go and see her straight away.
The doctor I saw (was not my GP) but she listened carefully to what I had to say, then she read the recent notes from the last admission to hospital I had, I got the talk about not taking risks and about the severity of my recent asthma attacks. She confirmed that I have a ""raging chest infection and it will take quite a while to clear up"" of course, I was told to start another course of antibiotics, she arranged for me to have a chest x ray and to see my GP on Wednesday.
Like you, Laura, it was nice to have seen a doctor who was sympathetic to my current situation.
Hiya, I'm glad it's helped sharing that experience!! I find it all too easy to whine about a negative experience, but I'm trying to focus on those positive ones because the erratic nature of my asthma at the min, plus a focus on the negative is a dangerous combo!!! I just hope that the consultant can come up with some bright ideas on Thursday of how to stabilise it and get me off the pred!!
Philomela - should probably have called 999, but I don't like to - the embarrassment factor and also knowing that someone might need the help more than me! Plus I am so erratic at the min, the cons will have a field day with my pf haha!
Asthmagirl - so sorry you're still really unwell!! Chest infections always crack me off too, but its good that the gp was helpful! That feeling of whether you're going to be taken seriously is not a nice one, especially when feeling rubbish!
I'm gonna take it very easy for the next few days, thank goodness it's half term! So as to hopefully not start again and be ok for cons
Thanks for support Laura x
Hi Laura,
I'm so glad you had such a positive experience and shared it on here. Like others I think it is so good to hear about these - focusing on the negatives is never good and does make you think twice. I thought I was going to have to phone OOH yesterday but held back due to recent experiences (and being with two members of my family who are doctors). Luckily, I managed to stabilise myself to the point where they would probably send me home to speak to my GP in the morning but reading your (and others') posts has helped me to remember that there are some doctors who are willing to listen. I am also thankful it is half term so we can take it easy (I have am sitting writing reports with my windows firmly shut!)
I hope you are feeling a bit better and that the consultant can provide some ideas on Thursday. I remember really looking forward to my first appointment even though I was quite nervous about it!
Take care.
Kayla
I've discovered that my surgery has two asthma nurse's, who seems to know what she's talking about. Though from the looks of things work in the mornings. Maybe its an idea to those that have difficulties with one nurse, to see if there's another who can do the review for you. To see if they are better.
The new nurse has told me to double up on my preventer and has asked me to take PF readings for 3wks. This is the first time, that I've been asked to take PF readings. As my reading at diagnoses was 290, and it's still in the low 300. So she wants to make sure that its low because of the flare up, and not low because I need more treatment.
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and I could do it myself after the appointment and sow my consultant. 
do you still get support when needed?
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