Hi All,
Diagnosed with late on set asthma at 60. Prior to this had been told my upper respiratory congestion was due to post nasal drip. But things got worse, climbing hills, any rapid change of pace etc. I am a survivor of breast cancer in my 40s, when I had lots of chemo and radio therapy to left side of chest and clavicle nodes, plus mastectomy and left side axilla clearance, so I'm not sure if problems relate to longer term damage from treatment. Had chest X Ray and all was clear, but just back from a holiday abroad where I had Ventolin inhaler with me, things got really hairy, terrible thick mucus, that I couldn't get up, inability to get my breath at night etc etc. Got home and was in A&E with low blood oxygen levels, peak flow below 150. Put on nebuliser, given ECG, blood work etc and set away with brown inhaler. Saw GP yesterday and she's added oral steroid, which I have twice before with antibiotics for what they thought was chest infection, but now think was earlier flare ups, to calm things down and waiting to see asthma nurse for spiral test. Major trigger for breath tightening seems to be city traffic fumes. Also had building work in the house, which GP thinks may have "switched on" the asthma. Had really bad hay fever as a child, and my paternal grandmother was a chronic asthmatic who died before I was born.
I have always been a fit and active person, so finding it quite difficult to adjust. Just want to try and get things under control a bit better. Any advice on how to help achieve this would be welcome. Thank you.