Ongoing asthma

Hi, I wondered if other people live with daily asthma symptoms? I've had continuing asthma symptoms for about six months now and the doctors just seem to have no answer and that I get on with it. I'm so tired of going to the doctors and think what is the point now of going back. I'm on seretide 250 twice daily and take salbutamol 3 times (2 puffs each time) and atrovent 1-2 a day. I've also had 3 courses of steroids and 3 courses of antibiotics for infections since august. My question is: Am I being unrealistic to expect better control of asthma or is this how it is for other people? Thanks.

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Hi,

If you are new to asthma I've been told it can take a while to be controlled and on the right meds?

If you have an asthma nurse at the Dr surgery it may out your mind at rest to go in for a chat or the asthma uk helpline give great advise. It may be the weather that's affecting you, some people are worse winter than summer or vise versa.

I am new to asthma, late inset was diagnosed end of march last year after a terrible winter.... I had quite a good summer but Sadly this winter has been worse with chest infections and pneumonia I was off most of November and December. I'm back on seritide again and using reliever anywhere between 3-5 times a day 2 puffs each time. Post nasal drip and sinus pain are getting me down and feel worn out from coughing but I'm going back to see my Dr so hopefully he will shed some light on what's going on...... I'm going to write down questions I want to ask as I usually forget to ask something!

As a relative newbie all I can say is take each day as it comes and focus on what you can do rather than what you can't, keep an eye on your peak flow too.

Lisa

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Hi Sammie,

There are plenty of us who do live with daily symptoms, myself included. However, you're not being unrealistic in expecting to get better control. It can take a while with a bit of trial and error with different drugs. You have many more meds to try to get better control. You could change your seretide to another combined inhaler to see if that helps. There's montelucast, theophylline and other things too. If you've not been referred already then maybe now's the time as your doctors don't have any answers.

It's worth working out your triggers if you haven't done this already, to see if you can minimise the impact they have.

Hope you get some help and improvement soon. lou

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Hi, I have had late onset asthma for the last five years but this is the longest I have had a problem for, usually it is only about 3 months. One of the problems is the lack of continuity at the doctors seeing a different person each time, I do think I should be referred as you suggest. I'm going to start peak flow/symptom chart again to see if that casts any light (peak flow is down), good suggestion. Thank you for your replies. Sammie

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Hey Sammie,

I don't think there's any advice I can offer that hasn't already been offered by the other two, but I hope you start to feel better soon!

Ely

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Hi Sammie,

I understand what you are going through as I am going through even worse. Was in and out of A & E since August sometimes 4/5 times in a month! When its good for me I only go to hospital 2x a month. Peak flow generally rubbish, tried everything, getting referred back to hospital (without any hope). Just to say that this actually happens but I generally finish my salbutamol inhaler in a week as my asthma gets that bad between 4/5pm-12 noon that I could say I have numerous attacks daily. can hardly sleep, very tired, had to leave my previous jobs, can hardly cope with uni. I even went into a rather life threatening attack in 5-10 min, just started coughing, then the usual stuff came but completely out of the blue. On step 4 asthme treatment, but nothing helps for me really, and pek flow is just getting worse and worse. Last time I went to the dr she shouted at me as she got fed up after trying everything and getting such worsening results. But I take Salbutamol 5x a day (prescribed by Dr) Singulair, Symbicort (large dose), and Uniphyllin (this helps sometimes). Had many antibiotics, steroids and might get daily steroids started soon. I see the Dr every few days but still.. Been in A & E in this year 3x already. My norm peak flow 360 but generally 200 is good for me. I also live in a shared house full of asthmatics but all of them are fine daily. They hardly use any mediation. But one thing that sometimes helps me is some wicks oil in hot water. i inhale the fumes, it is very strong, so you start coughing for a while which will stop. This is the only way I can sleep for 2/3 h. Hope you find some way to improve your asthma. Let me know how you get on.

Yas