newbie with asthma or copd

hi, i am an ex smoker up unti lrecently i have had 3 inhalers (brown green blue) my asthma has been pretty uncontrolled am breathless almost all the time, when walking my children to school (1 mile up a steep hill) am out of breath unable to hold conversation and sweaty (it takes me an hour or so to get back to normal, i have been started on a new inhaler of sere tide 100 (purple round inhaler),i am not sure what i have asthma?copd i am 50 years old with lots going on young children a mother with dementia etc, i smoked for about 35 years and used to have bronchitis 3 or 4 times a year, am generally a lot healthier although i am overweight,ym question i think is am i on the right medication and have the right diagnosis as some docs say copd some say asthma is there a definitive way to find out or should i just expect to feel like this at age 50?

thanx

echo

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Hi Echo, none of us can say whether you have the right diagnosis or are on the right medication - we aren't doctors, and don't know you. These are questions you need to ask the doctors treating you - do you see a hospital consultant, or is your GP treating you? If its your GP and you are concerned that things aren't improving, or that your diagnosis and treatment is unclear, you can ask for a referral to a respiratory consultant at the hospital. They can do a range of lung function tests (in addition to spirometry) to find out whats going on, and what the best course of treatment is. However, the reality is, whether its COPD or Asthma, most are treated with steroid inhalers, and it can take time to find out which one works best for you as an individual.

Unfortunately, as Im sure you know, 35 years of smoking will have taken its toll on your lungs, and its not uncommon for long term smokers to have recurrent bronchitis and lung problems. That you have stopped smoking is fantastic, as that in itself will stop things getting worse, never mind all the other benefits to your heart, and other organs

Lynda

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Hi Lynda,

Thanks for your kindness, I have just moved areas back to where we lived about 4 years ago, my new doctors surgery is very good but the asthma/copd clinic is run by a hca who is lovely but not sure how experienced she is in lung conditions and she is newly qualified in asthma related stuff, I have been pretty ill for last 3 weeks chest infection, ear infection, prescribed steroids and 3 x antibs, still unable to hear properly and also have vertigo and wooziness feels like waves in my head, due to all this have been to docs 4 x in past 2 weeks and don't want them to think I'm a bit of a hypochondriac, I am doing more physical activity so maybe just doing too much,