Heart rate

[Cutts2345]

Hi my heart rate on wrist blood pressure monitor machine is 127/81 pulse 94 I went to my asthma nurse told her I can't take my pump as it hurt when breath in and she ant gave me anything just told me that if don't take pumps will get worst what does that mean as my blood pressure and pulse is fine and today 8th day been without pumps I'm 22 and she want see me in a week or so for asthma check up why is my blood pressure pulse fine for when I haven't been taking my pumps and really need to no what she meant by it get worst if don't take my pumps I thought that blood pressure and pulse is not meant to be over 90 I thought it meant be less if haven't took asthma pumps but it is so why is that my heart does feel bit slow but it fine it 94 sitting

[ElizabethC]

Hello Cutts.

I don't know what inhalers you are taking so I can't comment on the specific meds you have. I will need to make an assumption that the type of inhalers are the pump ones where you breath in the medication through your mouth as you pump.

Separate to this is the pluse rate/blood pressure. It looks from your post that you are able to monitor these yourself?

I have had asthma since 2005 and was diagnosed as an adult. My mother, sister and grandmother all have asthma. My mother is also a nurse so understands the condition as a patient and as a medical professional. I have never been told by any medical professional or by my mother, to keep an eye on pulse and blood pressure as a marker as to whether the asthma is ok or not. Have you been told do so?

Whether you have or not, it would be a good idea to focus on what your Nurse is telling you - you must take your inhalers. Untreated Asthma, complicated by a "trigger" (eg environmental factors such as temperature, dust, smoke, pollen, viruses etc etc) can make you very ill, resulting in emergency treatment in A&E, hospitalisation and some cases, death.

So, you do need to take your inhalers. However, I note you say that when you take your inhaler, it hurts.

It maybe you aren't following the technique correctly. Its very easy to take it incorrectly. This link on youtube may help you: youtu.be/fHYTz-ZoRLw(Not working as expected?)

If you are following the right technique and it still hurts, may I suggest using a Spacer. This device holds the inhaler pump at one end. You can pump into the spacer your dose and then take a natural breath through the mouthpiece rather than the cordination of breath at the same time as pressing the inhaler. It is much easier to get it into the lungs with a spacer than without. When I am "ok" I can take it direct from the inhaler, but when I've had an asthma episode then taking through the spacer is much easier. Spacers can be found on Amazon or through any pharmacy. This is one I bought recently which is much better than my old one. I have it with me in work all the time now. amzn.eu/4EOYEXG

If you still find taking the inhaler hurts even when using it through a spacer, then you will need to discuss this with your nurse. A spacer can't be used for some asthma medications. Only the ones that you pump as per the video.

If you are concerned about blood pressure/pulse rate then you need to speak to your nurse or doctor about your concerns and to ask if they have any bearing on your asthma as well. A point to keep in mind, is if you have ventolin (Blue Reliever Inhaler) and have not used it for some time, it can cause you to get the "shakes" and feel jittery. Your heart rate may increase a bit. This is normal and nothing to worry about. The more ventolin you take the more you will get used to it.

I hope this helps a bit. If in any doubt at all - speak again to your nurse or see a doctor and be clear about what your concerns are. I strongly recommend taking your inhalers as directed.

Regards

Elizabeth.

(If you can't "click" on the links, copy them and paste into a browser window)

[Cutts2345 in reply to ElizabethC]

I never had asthma attack ever since had asthma and I'm 22 now so if did have attack it wouldn't be so bad and if I get to nurse quick whiles having attack then she can help me can't she I cold as well I been 9 days today without and I still ok just throat feels really tight does that mean airways tightening feels sore hard swallow feel breathless when eat as haven't took pumps I can't I tried

[ElizabethC in reply to Cutts2345]

When were you diagnosed with Asthma? It sounds like you have been diagnosed fairly recently. You may not have had a full blown attack but clearly something was wrong for you to be diagnosed with it.

You say your airways are tightening and you feel breathless - that means you NEED TO TAKE YOUR INHALERS, particularly the Reliever (Blue Ventolin) but also your preventer.

An Asthma Attack does not happen without you knowing or being acutely aware of it. You have described the early stages above - tightness and breathlessness. Hard to swallow. Untreated this can get worse: your airways, as you breath will feel "raw" and sore, you will get tired and feel you can't walk very far. Does this sound familiar?

You do not say whether you have had a recent chest infection. Often the intercostal muscles will get inflamed and very painful when you have been coughing frequently. This can be one of the symptoms of Asthma being uncontrolled. You take a breath which is difficult and it causes you to cough. It inflames your airways that makes it more difficult to breath and causes you to cough more.

You have to get past that pain in your ribs and TAKE YOUR INHALERS.

Or you will find yourself unable to breathe and end up in hospital. Believe me, its scary as I was there myself two weeks ago (not because I wasn't taking my inhalers, but because my asthma was out of control due to a cold virus and the inhalers were not able to stop it).

A more important marker for check if you are getting bad is your Peak Flow.

You can get a Peak Flow Monitor. This is a very simple device where you take a slow deep breath - as much as you can - and then quickly blow through the device. It will show you what your peak flow is. The average is around 400 to 450 but it does depend on each person. When you are not feeling "tight" or having difficulty breathing (eg when your asthma is controlled) you may have a personal best a bit lower than this. However, anything below 200 is a warning. When I was hospitalised recently, mine was 150. That is a huge red danger warning - hence why I was taken to hospital in an ambulance because I could not breathe properly.

I've just replied to your private message.

[Cutts2345 in reply to ElizabethC]

I feel tired all time breathless and sometimes can't walk far and headache cough sometime when I go to lay down at night time I get really breathless have to sit up to sleep if I did have asthma attack couldn't I just go to my nurse for it and would I get attack if there was flu going around my throat does seem raw and sore hard swallow it hurts I keep forgetting stuff because seem like my brain starving of oxygen don't no and I can't take my pumps yet till I see my nurse again and if i did have attack then it wouldn't be bad I will live then as being first attack yer I had asthma since 16 think