UPDAT

[KCATE]

I WANT TO UPDATE ASTHMA SUFFERERS WITH MY CONDITION - I KNOW WE ALL SUFFER DIFFERENTLY BUT I HOPE IF ANYONE HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE TO MINE - IT MAY HELP - PLEASE BEAR THIS IN MIND.

I HAVE ASTHMA AND I DID EVERYTHING RIGHT - INCREASED INHALERS, VISITED A&E, WAS GIVEN ORAL STERIODS ETC...HOWEVER ALL THIS MADE NO DIFFERENCE - INSTEAD I WAS CONSTANTLY BEING INFORMED "" ARE YOU ANXIOUS"" ""IS EVERYTHING OK AT HOME?"" LUCKY FOR ME I WAS INFORMED TO GO TO MY GP AFTER MY VISIT TO A&E - AND I MET A NEW GP THAT ACTUALLY LISTENED.

I INFORMED THE GP THAT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS ARE CONCENTRATING ON MY LUNGS ONLY, AND NOT THE AIRWAY GOING TO MY LUNGS - THAT IS WHERE I FEEL VERY TIGHT AND HAVING DIFFICULTY BREATHING - I AM, AS I SAID ASTHMATIC. I HAVE BEEN NOW DIAGNOSED WITH VOCAL CORD DYSFUNCTION (VCD) ALONGSIDE MY ASTHMA- TO PUT IT BRIEFLY SWELLING OF MY VOCAL CORDS DUE TO NASAL DRIP THAT WAS PARTLY BLOCKING MY AIRWAY (THERE ARE OTHER CAUSES SUCH AS ALLERGIES ETC... THIS CONDITION DID MIMIC BAD ASTHMA SYMPTOMS (TREATMENT WAS UNRESPONSIVE I.E ORAL STEROIDS ETC...

I NOW TAKE NASAL STEROID SPRAY COMBINED WITH MY INHALERS. I HOPE THIS HELPS SOMEONE - PLEASE BEAR IT IN MIND - I WAS REALLY POORLY. I CAN GET AIR DOWN MY AIRWAY NOW.

KATE.

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I'm glad you are seeing an improvement now you have been correctly diagnosed and treated appropriately.

[KCATE]

Thank you for your kind words.

Kate.

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Hi Kate

Your situation sounds very similar to mine.

Since July I've had regular visits to GP, Out of hours and admitted to hospital with difficulty breathing and it always starts with my voice. With my chest always sounding fine I've also been asked if i'm anxious repeatedly which is really frustrating when I know there is a problem.

I finally got referred to a respiratory specialist who thinks I may have vocal cord dysfunction too but ENT doesn't agree sigh........

Who diagnosed yours was it ENT or another specialist?

I'm glad your feeling alot better

[KCATE]

Hi,

A&E told me to visit my GP - my GP diagnosed my condition. I was not referred onto a Specialist. My GP PRESCRIBED 'MONETASONE' nasal spray, but warned me that it can take 4 weeks to work - I started feeling better after two and a half weeks. Usually only on spray in each nostril twice a day is the normal dose - I was prescribed two sprays twice a day. My GP saw me after four weeks and has asked me to try to reduce the dose if I can (I can only reduce the evening dose to one spray in each nostril yet.

It may be worth asking you GP to try the nasal spray? It may well work and control / sort out these symptoms, whether others agree or not with a diagnosis - at the end of the day if it helps your breathing difficulties. Ask your GP to at least try the nasal spray and see what happens - It after all, may work well for you - I hope it does.

Kate.