Lifetime with Asthma, using NHS, possible urine infection, antibiotics, latest 111 experience, A and E and Pharmacy interaction.

[becky3344]

Hi. I'm totally new to this community and forum. This is my first post on here.

Maybe this long detailed account of my experience this week, might help some other asthmatic who is or will be going through a similar thing and is feeling worried and scared.

I've had a lousy week with my asthma and feeling really unwell and being diagnosed with an urine infection.

I'm on steroids, about to finish 3 day course of them. I was on 2 different types of antibiotics to treat urine infection.

First lot was 'Amoxicillin' which has penicillin in it, and i'm allergic to it, luckily i didn't take any of them. Got them swapped for a different antibiotic.

The second lot i tried was 'Ciprofloxacin' i noticed not right away a day or so later, i was itching a finger, and it was going a little red. ( I've had hives before for 6 years for taking antibiotic amoxicillin. )

Which was the first one my doctor prescribed me this time. I thought the name looked familiar, but i was so unwell, but luckily like i said it said penicillin actually on the front of the box so i knew not to take any of them. But my doctor should have seen on my records i'm allergic to penicillin. )

So on the second lot of antibiotics Ciprofloxacin, i've only taken 3 tablets so far, sleep was bad so 5.45 am i phoned 111 having problems breathing, and already being on 2 days of steroids for my asthma and my asthma is not getting better.

I phoned 111 woman was nice, when doc phoned me back he was totally unhelpful unsympathetic and wanted me to calm right down so i could be totally relaxed, while he went on to ask me a million questions...

i told him i can't breath, i'm finding it hard to breath, can you understand that, i can't be relaxed and calm how you want me to be. Anyway he went on with the same line of questioning and wanting me to be calm, i asked him if he has asthma he said yes, i said so you understand what it's like. His reply i'm giving him a hard time basically, so if felt totally exasperated so i hung up. I had to go to work, the phone did ring but i couldn't answer as i was driving, and i felt so let down by the doctor. I did go to a and e later as i asked my dad to phone a and e, and the doc i think had agreed for me to go there.

After work, of 5 hours solid driving, once at a and e my stats were good and they wouldn't nebulise me. But the nurse was so understanding and helpful, i was still wheezy and i couldn't understand why my stats were good but i still felt wheezy and still worried and with being on steroids, usually they always make my asthma feel better within 24 hrs, but it had been 48 hours and i'm still wheezy and my inhalers weren't working.

The a and e nurse had with out asking me made me an appointment with my doctors surgery to see a doc and to suggest i mention to them if there's a link between taking the new antibiotic and why asthma is still bad while still being on steroids. To which i liked her forward thinking to help me.

I had wondered about the second lot of the antibiotics myself and with the hive itch and redness i'd seen with taking the 3rd tablet. And when i mentioned this all to a pharmacist she suggested i stop taking them and ask to speak to duty doctor.

But i see now it was the second lot of antibiotics which i'd taken 3 tablets in total which had flared up my asthma, i believe the nurse and pharmacist both saw the link straight away which seeing more clearly now is an likely reason, why.

But seeing the same doctor who prescribed me both antibiotics, took some persuading to convince her that's what made my asthma worse. It turns out that i didn't have a urine infection after all, so i didn't need any antibiotics. The doctor thought the antibiotics might of helped. It would take more persuading for me to believe that.

What have i learnt from this experience from the top of my head, it has put me off calling 111 again, and it's also made me think about buying a nebuliser for the first time ever.

It has also made me think that i need to try and think more when i'm really not feeling well, to think about the medication i'm currently taking, especially any antibiotics and then try and see if there is a link between that and why i'm feeling so unwell and wheezy. But when i get wheezy and i'm already on steroids and when my inhalers aren't working i get scared, and go into survival mode.

I don't see how i can relax if i get the same doctor or a similar doctor another time. I just hope it works out.

I'm a 46 years old woman and i've had asthma all my life, i've never thought about buying my own nebuliser before.

I've always been used to the nhs system, the old nhs system of using the phone out of hours number and speak to them they say 'yeah come on down', they only asked you acouple of questions. Now you have to speak to a nice lady then wait for the doctor to call you back within the hour, and then they precede to ask you a million questions, which at the time seem most of them seem to be irrelevant.

I've bought a nebuliser wearily, i wasn't sure if i would be able to get the medication for it. But i thought it's there as a back up incase i can get some on prescription sometime. Another time i will phone 111 and i just hope that i get a doctor who is more understanding.

I know i the benefits of going to into A and E at hospital than nebulising yourself at home, you can be monitored at hospital and the social interaction with the nurses i always like too, it feels like i am being cared after and in good hands. And you get to see the doctor at the end before you are released, and the doctor can write you out a prescription if you need it.

So the nebuliser at home is there for emergency if i get a stubborn doctor on duty at 111 and i will use it at home if i can and if i feel there is no other option for me.

When a doctor on the phone is the only person who can help me, and he's expecting me to be relaxed and calm, before he will talk and ask me questions, and then he precedes to want to ask me a million questions, and wants a nice relaxed and calm answer every time, that is like torture to me. I don't think that should happen.

I know i will have to phone 111 another time, i just hope i get a more sympathetic and understanding doctor next time.

I've a cough, big hoarse cough now, and coughing up yellow phlegm. Wonder if that means i have a cold. I maybe needing nebulising at sometime soon if it gets onto my chest

Asthma is like a friend who appears from time to time, and makes me have to work harder to help it out so it can go back to normal, nice and relaxed.

Becky.

[Madoug]

I can totally understand everything you have said. I have had a similar experience. Never had asthma in my life. Until last August,it started with an annoying cough. Antibioitcs were what i felt "feeding it". 5months later,3 hospital admissions,one where i actually collapsed an they diagnose severe asthma. Thankfully i am now on inhalers an medication that work. Just need to battle with fitness now. Can i say, pester the living daylights out of them until you are happy with whats going on. No one really understands the fear of not being able to breathe. Hope things get better

[becky3344 in reply to Madoug]

Hi Madoug.

Thanks for your reply for your input and for sharing your experience with me. I don't have any friends who have asthma who i can talk to about asthma and share experiences.

Q1. Did the health professionals test you for asthma at the time? Where you short of breath or wheezing while you had the cough? And did the antibiotics make you feel worse do you think?

Great to hear you are now feeling much better now sorry to hear you've been diagnosed with severe asthma. But least you know what it is, and now you can control it well now hopefully.

Q2. Did you feel the health professionals weren't listening to you, or do you think they really didn't know what the matter was with you at the time?

Since i stopped taking the antibiotic Ciprofloxacin my asthma hasn't got any worse. It's still there but i don't feel scared to sleep at night now. I'll keep taking the inhalers through spacers and hopefully it will go soon along with the cough.

I thought other asthmatics would understand the fear of not being able to breathe properly, but the doctor who wouldn't admit me, he had asthma as i asked him.

People cope and deal with asthma differently or talking about it anyway. If the same doctor was having an asthma attack i wonder if his attitude would have been the same towards me. But who knows..

Q3. I don't like to pester, is that what you did? But i will do something about it if i know i need help.

Best Wishes

Becky

[Madoug in reply to becky3344]

No they didnt test me for asthma until 4 months later on. I felt the antibiotics, 3 dufferent ones over 3weeks were just feeding what was going on. I still have a cough but i can manage it now. If i start to wheeze, i have a gp who i go to and actually listens to what i say. She seems to understand. I too have got over the fear of going to sleep at night, the mental side of being asthmatic is a mine field. I should have said that i am a nurse in orthopeadics but felt out of my depth with asthma. And i was advised by my gp to pester my consultant and his secretary to get things done. I'm not usually as pushy but I had been off work for 6 months and had haf enough of being ignored. On a good note I have seen a very good consultant and we agreed to straight talking, which i prefer. Fingers crossed the new inhalers and stuff keep working. I do think its trial an error to get the right medication. Please keep in touch, its good to speak to othets who know exaclty what you say and feel.😊

[becky3344 in reply to Madoug]

Thanks for your reply. That's interesting about you being a orthopaedic nurse. I can understand why you wouldn't know alot about asthma unless you needed to beforehand.

Please tell me if 'm asking you to many questions at once.

Q1, Did you think you might have asthma before they tested you 4 months later?

Q2. Can explain what you mean when you say the '3 lots of antibiotics where just feeding what was going on?' Do you mean they didn't do any good, but didn't do you any bad either, as in they didn't make you wheezy at all?

That is so good that you have a GP with who you can trust and turn to to listen to you when you need a GP there.

Sorry to hear that you've been off work for 6 months, and fed up of being ignored. Yes i would too.

I like straight talking too...

Q3. Are your inhalers which work for you are they the first ones you tried or did you need to try some other ones first to see if they worked?

I've tried various inhalers over the years. With improvements in the inhalers, sometimes GP's i see ask me if i want to try a new one. But usually when i do try the new inhalers. I find i don't like them as much as the old light blue 'Ventolin Evohaler 100mg' and the not so new 'Qvar Aerosol 100mg' preventative inhaler with the 'AeroChamer Plus' spacer attached to it.

They say using the spacers with the inhalers is more efficient and more of the medicine goes down into your lungs with using the spacers.

I've tried the purple inhaler, the emerald green inhaler, the dry power inhaler.. It's good to try new ones i guess.

Q4 Do you mean asthmas a minefield for you mentally due to other people not understanding, or you not understanding it as well?

I feel this both with other people, friends, family and also the health professionals sometimes. Although normally the health professionals i come into contact with are very caring, understanding and seem to know what they are doing on the whole.

Which makes me feel safe and that i can rely on them to help me feel better.

Yes does feel good to share asthma stories, and to give each other some support, advice and to know there is someone else there who may understand and be going through a similar thing.

Becky

[Madoug in reply to becky3344]

Never too many questions. No I never thought i had asthma at the begining. I was treated for a chest infection with antibiotics, went back after a week to gp as it was getting worse, so they sent me for an xray and tried different antibiotics. Went back a third time and as well as wheezing they said there was crackles on my lungs. Given a third different antibiotic, but by this time i was coughing all the time, day and night. I got sent into hospital by gp to get scans,blood tests and more xrays done. They would only say thete was something on my lung. The next day at home i coughed so bad i stood up and passed out, hitting my dinning room table,luckily my husband and son were there to help me. Next day i was re admitted to hospital and given another scan as they then suspected a clit on lung, thankfully not. I had bruised my ribs which added to more pain and shortness if breath. I was sent home on steroids and strong painkillers. I was on steroids for almost three months. Then sent for all the lung function tests. The final straw was the begining of octobet when i took a really bad attack an my son had to phone fir an ambulance as i was so shirt of breath and actually felt i would not make it till morning. My husband was on nightshift. They kept me in hospital for 5 days getting regular nebulisers. Two days after i had a meeting and then told they were going to treat me for asthma. They had me on clenil and salbutamol inhalers and weaned me off steroids. Begining of December the consultant still not happy that i was not any better so started incruse and revlar as well. They seem to be working as i have been on all since. I have learned a bit of what triggers the tighness in my chest thro paying more attention to my own surroundings. Cold, damp weather at the moment is a pain. It should be interesting when summer comes along.

oh the question about what was on my lung to begin with will never be totally answered, i had thought it was a tumour to begin with, thankfully not the case.

[cath_hypo]

I'm allergic to quite a few things (including penicillins). Although my GP has the list, things can slip through. I always get prescriptions from the same pharmacy, and they have a system with my allergies on it, and flag things for me. I tend to find the pharmacist better for picking things up. It may be worth checking with your pharmacy to see if they will help you.

Cath

[becky3344 in reply to cath_hypo]

Hi Cath,

Thanks for your reply and your experience. Yes i do try and keep going to the same pharmacy.

I didn't know they will pick things but as in allergies you have, so not to give you anything like that.

It's expensive if you get given a different antibiotic unless you've not opened or had a tablet, then they might swap it for a different one.

But if you've already started them and you find out you're allergic to another different antibiotic, you will have to pay for a new prescription.

But yes i found the pharmacist was very knowledgeable about antibiotics and some others i could try which hopefully wouldn't give me an allergy.

[Hidden]

Hi Becky

What a story..all those mistakes with antibiotics it is scary..poor you..Lucky you are strong and persuasive and you met this nice nurse..

What we have to go through to get medical care..

You take care Becky x

Fran

[becky3344 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Fran. Thanks for your kinds words.

Becky