I'm so glad I've found this forum so I can talk to others who have asthma as I am the only one out of all my friends and family so I feel a bit lost when I try to discuss it.
I have had asthma for around three years now and I was diagnosed at 24. Despite quitting smoking and dieting. As I heard that may help? My symptoms aren't easing. It's not so bad during the day but in the morning and at night I'm really wheezy and I cough up mucus. A lot.
I've been put on steroids 3 times and although they helped a bit , it's still making my life a misery.
I try exercise but I just get such a tight chest and I feel so breathless I get so disheartened and embarrassed. I don't think I've come to terms with the fact I actually have asthma yet to be honest,
I was wondering if any one else has the same symptoms as me, I.e waking up with a rattling chest at night?
Did anyone find loosing weight helped ease your asthma?
Any tips on exercising with asthma and how to control breathing?
My asthma nurse is totally not helpful so I really hope someone on here can give me some advice.
Thanks in advance everyone βΊοΈβΊοΈ
Hope your all having a good day !
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Bella89
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Hi Bella Welcome! Sorry to hear that your not doing too well!
Just wondering how you were diagnosed. Speaking from experience I was told by my GP that I had exercise induced asthma at 13 and was given meds, had my first attack at 19 and increased meds, then recently had over a year of multiply attacks (ranging from moderate to life threatening) all without an official diagnosis. I ended up playing the system to get a referral to a hospital consultant as my GP wouldn't refer me (went at night to a&e knowing that I would be admitted for turning up at that time [instead of waiting til the next day like I had been doing] and any admittance to hospital leads to a resp consultant appt). I only got officially diagnosed as asthmatic last year (aged 24) using the spirometer machine and reversibility test). Everyone I met were appall esp as it's delayed me starting a drug that they wanted to put me on as I wasn't officially diagnosed (now on a waiting list for a trial 1 year after it was first suggested). However a lot of people get 'diagnosed' with asthma who may actually have a different condition so if you haven't been tested (Peak flow doesn't count as that's different for everyone) then its worth asking to be referred for testing, esp if the meds you're on aren't really working.
If you are asthmatic and still getting symptoms (especially waking up at night with them) then it's a sign that you are not being controlled adequately. A controlled asthmatic should be able to exercise with just pre-exercise ventolin (2 puffs 15 mins prior) so once your asthma is controlled that should help.
If you're having issues with the asthma nurse, speak to your GP, and keep going back to the doc until the matter improves or they refer you, don't let them brush you off (I got told that my asthma was doing better when I was having to go the get a neb from the GP every week , they didn't understand that my quality of life was 0 and I was constantly asthma-ry and not sleeping etc. I have changed practice since then and now have a brilliant support system with docs that understand my situation).
Mucus wise I have a lot (yuck! π¬) because of the allergic aspect of my asthma though I am now on several different meds to help control it and stop in sitting in my body long enough to cause an issue (sinus/chest infections are common for me due to this but the have reduced significantly!). It sounds grim but if the doctors not listening offer to provide a sample, so they can test what's going on down there!
I'm now a severe difficult asthmatic (meaning it's bad and that meds don't always work) and during flare ups my symptoms do wake me at night but is always a sign to start my steroids and see my doctor so I think it's really important that you see someone soon.
I understand that the condition can be hard to accept and embrassing when you're in public and have to take your pump (the number of times I've had to explain what my spacer is, why I use it etc) so I have had to develop a tough skin (been told that I'm looking for attention, Asthma's not that bad, there are people dying from cancer so I should just deal with my problem without complaint etc). I did however get my friends to do the straw challenge so they understand a bit better how I feel (hold their nose and breath through a narrow straw for 30 secs) and I get a bit more support from them now they 'get' it a bit more.
Weight wise I can't comment cause all the drugs I've been on has caused me to gain weight π However CONGRATULATIONS on quitting smoking!!!! πππ
Hope this helps and you get the help that you need x
Thank you so much for your reply , I wasn't even expecting one so thank you very much!
And thank you for the congrats πππ
The steroids have definitely made me gain weight too and I'm on the contraceptive pill so that doesn't help either! But I'm feeling strong and determined to shed a few pounds. It's so nice to hear that you understand where I'm coming from when I say it can be embarrassing. My blue ventolin is with me as much as my mobile and I feel like I get funny looks when using it or carrying it on me but I get anxious if I don't have it ,I need to get a thicker skin for sure.
And as for the straw test! What a brilliant idea! I'm going to get my boyfriend to give that a go as I'm sure he thinks I'm overreacting about my asthma. Because I've not had it my whole life and just suddenly got it, my family, friends etc just don't understand it.
I'm sorry to hear you have a difficult time with your asthma too! But looks as though you finally got the help you need! I will definitely get myself back to my GP to have a more thorough look....although I've been diagnosed as asthmatic I'm so worried it's something else. I was told I had allergy induced asthma which I personally couldn't understand, I have no allergies otherwise so I was suprised to hear that, i was just made to do the peak flow tests then given ventolin and clenil and my steroids when the mucus gets particularly bad.
I wasn't aware of using the ventolin before starting exercising so thanks for that βΊοΈ I'll give that a go and see if that's helps.
I think ,like you said, I'm not being completely controllled and I do feel like I get brushed off by my gp so I'll be going back and being more firm with what help I need π
Also this may sound silly but what is a neb?
I've read it on a few posts and don't know what one is? I need to brush up on my asthma knowledge I think! Or get a better GP lol
Hi glad its helped! It's never nice when you don't have anyone that really understands, so when you discover a community of others suffering similar issues it can be a god send!
Neb(s) just short hand for nebuliser (the treatment you often get at docs/hospital with a face mask and 'steam'). You'll also often see peak flow written as PF/PFR (r= reading) in case you stumble across that. We are a lazy bunch!
It's definitely worth badgering your doctor or see a new one (if you're at a mixed practice) to try and get some help, the nurse I have at the hospital once said to me controls not about just getting by, it's about having a life that isn't focused on your breathing, where you can do what you want without ending up in the hospital! Some docs are just cautious to refer due to budget restraints/targets from the government I think, so you may have to push for what you need.
Don't worry, many of us on here also always have a vent with us at all times (I coach kids so my meds are all in a butterfly pencil case that they can all recognise and grab if I tell them I need it and can't get it (aka am busy catching flying gymnasts!).), although finding bags to go 'out' out with can be a pain - they are either too big or too small for what I need ππ
Any other queries feel free to ask! If I don't have an answer someone else will!!!
Hi Bella, I get the impression that you might like to do a bit of exercise. May I suggest looking on youtube for some simple yoga sessions? If you use your Ventolin before you start it may help. I find I get embarrassed about exercising in a class because I may get a fit of coughing but if you are at home, you don't need to worry.
If you are near the sea, walk along a prom. There is a long embankment fairly near to us and I find that I can walk there without worrying about diesal, tree pollen etc. I walked fairly briskly for about 40 minutes recently and was pleased until I hit some cigarette smoke and collapsed into a coughing heap!
Yes I really do want to incorporate more exercise into my day as I'm desperately trying to shift some weight. But I do feel asthma holds me back.
I've never tried yoga but I'll give that a go for sure thanks. I hadn't thought about YouTube actually so thanks for that tip, and I'll use my ventolin before.
I live right on the coast so plenty of shore fronts to walk along so I'll give that a go this weekend.
I used to be a smoker but I've quit :), the smell of the smoke makes me feel sick now so I can feel your pain there lol!
Ref your Mucus, many Asthmatics get it without any underlying infection due to inflammation of the airways. It can also be caused by an infection more often a virus rather than bacteria (in which case antibiotics have little if any effect). Sometimes Asthmatics take longer to recover from a recent infection and therefore suffer longer from a cough and / or Mucus relating to that earlier infection. If you've not already had a Sputum Test and Blood Test, you might want to ask for one. Standard Sputum Tests only disclose bacteria based infections, not viruses or fungal infections. There are some advanced Tests that can be undertaken if a standard Sputum Test does not disclose anything, but non disclosure may simply be due to there not being anything to disclose. Take it a step at a time with your GP. Good luck.
Hi There I got diagnosed with asthma at 37, never been asthmatic then, it wasn't a problem til a year ago, when it turned very unpredictable. What meds are you on? I went onto Singular and that helped with the night time coughing.
Muscus do you have a steroid spray? That helped the excessive mucus.
Also do you have any food allergies?
I found egg, dairy wheat upset my asthma terribly.
Yes losing weight will help. I am a Personal Trainer. Anything I can do to help please let me know.
I am in the process of rehabbing my lungs and losing weight.
It's nice to hear someone else got asthma later on In life.
Sometimes I feel like the only one.
I'm on ventolin to help relieve symptoms and clenil inhaler morning and night.
I struggle to exercise without my asthma really playing up.
I'm desperately trying to lose weight and I am but very slowly, I've tried online yoga as someone suggested earlier but I'm more of an outdoorsy person.
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