Advice for a newbie

Hey,

I've had asthma since 2007 aged 23, apart from winter and colds, flus etc I've had it under control using Clenil 50 2 puffs a day and Ventolin 100 when needed.

In the last three weeks my symptoms have worsened and last Wednesday the doc put me on Clenil 100 taking 800 micrograms per day again Ventolin when needed.

After three days off work I returned Saturday and had an attack and again on Sunday ( both times I managed to control it myself).

I went back to the docs Monday and he put me on Pred 5mg 6 x a day and Antibiotics even tho my chest sounds clear.

I'm taking both inhalers at 800 micrograms a day but I'm still feeling terrible, I haven't gone back to work as I am only able to get out of bed for short periods of time.

When I'm up and moving my chest tightens, I get out of breath and cough. I'm also experiencing hot flashes ( could this be the Pred?)

I'm not used to feeling like this and really need to get back to work, I work as a Supervisor for a clothing store and my job is very active! I'm finding it very difficult.

I don't know what to do next if these steroids do not help!! At my surgery you never see the same doc and neither doc I've seen have been very helpful.

Sorry for waffling on, as its pretty much been under control I'm not used to feeling this way and what to do.

Any similar experiences and/or advice would be greatly received

Thanks

Sarah Amy x

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Hi Sarah Amy,

Your post sounds very familiar as my asthma goes through very good and very bad periods. Do you know what triggered this flare? You mentioned antibiotics so the doctor must be thinking there could be a infection (they usually just give these out) but has anything else changed that could trigger your asthma? This is something my doctor always explores when I am getting worse.

Have you had pred before? It usually kicks in quite quickly for me and I am usually feeling better after a few days. However, there have been times where it has only improved things slightly and I have needed another five days to really get better. The nurses on the adviceline usually recommend that I go back to the doctors if I'm still bad at the end of the five days (ie my pf is not consistently back to normal or still getting symptoms). If lack of control is an ongoing thing there are several other medications they could try - I believe the next step would likely to be trying a different inhaler with the steroid but also a long acting version of your reliever (eg Seretide,, Symbicort, Fostair).

All in all, I would recommend going back to the doctors. My surgery is very large and works over several sites which mean I often have to see different doctors. The asthma nurse tends to be quite consistent or I have recently been told to ask for a specific doctor (especially as I am needing more continuity of care). This usually means I have to wait a few days but it is well worth it as I don't have to explain everything or deal with different ideas. You could also give the AUK nurses a ring on the advice line number - they are very knowledgeable and well worth a chat.

Take care

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Hi Sarah

Although awful to hear, after a rough few hours I felt not so alone by reading someone going through things similar to myself. My asthma is normally so well managed through a combination of Clenil 2 puffs twice a day, serevent 2 puffs twice a day and montelukast once a day. I hardly ever have to use my ventolin but in the last 4 weeks I've been on 2 courses of antibiotics and now on my 4th week of steroids. Just when I think it's getting marginally better it's worse again. If there is anything that you find helps please let me know and I'll do the same, I'm looking into all sorts at the moment.

Consistently at the doctors/hospital and struggling to do normal day to day tasks without struggling for breath.

Hope you feel better very soon x

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Thank you girls for your replies!!

KaylaCP I'm not really sure what has triggered this. Nothing has changed in my daily routine, tho my grandad did pass away last month so I'm

wondering if it is that. Since I've been bad I have noticed that triggers that don't usually bother me, are!!

Earlier the smell of bleach set me off!

I've only had to use Pred once before and that was when I was diagnosed, from what I remember it worked pretty quickly.

The doctors don't think I have an infection but put me on them just incase, and tbh I don't feel like I do.

I've got two days left of the steroids so I'll go back Monday if no improvement. X

Lisa M sorry to hear you're feeling the same way!

As I don't usually have flare ups I'm finding this very frustrating, at work I can easily run up and down two flights of stairs with a load of clothes on each arm.

But these last few weeks, within half an hour of being there I am dizzy and in a world of my own. One trip up the stairs not carrying a thing, my legs are like lead

and aching and I have to sit down to catch my breath.

Hope you feel better soon and as soon as I find something I will let you know! X

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Thank you girls for your replies!!

KaylaCP I'm not really sure what has triggered this. Nothing has changed in my daily routine, tho my grandad did pass away last month so I'm

wondering if it is that. Since I've been bad I have noticed that triggers that don't usually bother me, are!!

Earlier the smell of bleach set me off!

I've only had to use Pred once before and that was when I was diagnosed, from what I remember it worked pretty quickly.

The doctors don't think I have an infection but put me on them just incase, and tbh I don't feel like I do.

I've got two days left of the steroids so I'll go back Monday if no improvement. X

I'm exactly the same with different triggers if I'm struggling - especially with perfumes/chemicals etc which I am usually ok with. At the moment, I think I am being triggered by everything possible. When the doctor asked for some examples, the list was endless!

I would go back to the doctors to look at different treatments etc. It maybe that you need more/higher dose of pred for the short term (when I have been prescribed 6 tablets of pred a day, the auk nurses have always said that it should be 8 a day) or a change of inhaler in the longer term.

I hope you are feeling better soon.

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How long does pred take to get out of your system? I took 7 days and stopped on Monday because of the side effects.

I've never felt this sick in my life! Thankfully my asthma is back under control now.

Any tips on getting back to normal?

Thanks

Sarah Amy