Allergy Asthma (pollen)

[loise1]

Hi, Does anyone suffer badly with allergy asthma (pollen)? I saw the consultant earlier this year and have moved onto Flixotide and Spiolto Respimat inhalers on top of previously prescribed Montelukast, uniphillin and of course certrizine. With the view that if I didn't make much difference I would be referred to the allergy hospital at Birmingham. It hasn't made much of a difference so have an appointment to see respiratory consultant in July, hoping to be referred and sent for immunotherapy. Does anyone know what to expect with referrals to allergy hospitals please?

[emmasue]

I have allergic asthma, but I haven't had any specialist treatment since I was a teenager. Currently I just see my GP and the asthma nurse at the hospital. I would be interested it what happens. x

[loise1 in reply to emmasue]

How are you finding it at the mo? I've been struggling last few weeks now coughing a lot & have pleuritic pain on one of my lungs. Went to france last week didn't realise it would get such high pollen when we booked, so it topped up my already inflamed lungs

[Jenzzie18 in reply to loise1]

I have severe atopic allergic asthma and have been struggling the last few weeks a little more too. I have spent the past year in and out of hospital trying to work out all allergies and a solution to avoiding triggers and the best medication to be on. With allergy testing that I had done they did it via blood tests and looked at tree and grass pollen as well as other air born and food allergies. The other way they sometimes do it is through skin prick testing. Hope that helps a little. X

[loise1 in reply to Jenzzie18]

Thanks Jenzzie, I've had the skin allergy tests & it showed tree pollen & grass. Hadn't heard of atopic asthma before now, heard rain is on the way so should be a bit easier maybe! I don't think I've had any food allergy tests yet so that would be interesting as long as it proved I could still eat chocolate x

[Jenzzie18 in reply to loise1]

Ah mine has shown a dairy allergy and citrus fruits. Citrus is more tricky than I first imagined. Never mind good to know what to avoid. X

[emmasue in reply to loise1]

At the beginning of May, I went for a bike ride and ever since I have been really bad. I ended up with a chest infection and two lots of antibiotics. I think it's finally come off my chest. I was still wheezy at the weekend, but the weather seems to have turned and I feel a bit better, finally!!! Hopefully the worst is past. I know how you feel Loise. It's been a bad time. x

[Sarahjane123]

Hi loise1 I also suffer with allergy asthma am allergic to dust and pollen am on montelukast which really helps me am having food allergy test next as I also suffer when eating dairy

[Lindahj203 in reply to Sarahjane123]

Also allergic to dust and pollen, and found it helped when I was put on Montelukast

[loise1 in reply to Sarahjane123]

Hi Sarahjane, I'm glad the montelukast is helping you, it's good when you know what it is that's causing the irritation isn't it. I so want to feel well enough to get a part time job so I'm out of the house for a while and mixing with others and be able to go back to yoga/swimming being able to join in more with my family and not have to plan for pollen.

[Tre]

I suffer with allergy related asthma & have been struggling since the 1st week in May now, usually I can get through May ok & just become bad June/July, but this year I have been worse than any previous years, I'm 52 now & have been suffering since I was 4 years old.

Regarding allergy hospital departments the one I was referred to was Wythenshaw in Manchester & they were absolutely brilliant, I continued on to the immunology program & had the 1st lot of tree pollen injections although due to quite an adverse reaction they had to half the dose so I ended up attending much longer than planned. Then we came to the grass pollen & my reaction was so adverse they couldn't couldn't safely continue with the treatment, I was extremely disappointed. But I would still recommend it to anyone as it has been hugely successful for so many people, unfortunately just not for me. I am now waiting to see a consultant at the difficult asthma department at Wythenshaw lung centre, fingers crossed in the next week or two, as this year the only thing that is keeping me well is steroids. I hope you are suitable for the immunology , they usually just do skin prick tests but tell you not to have any medication the night before, if you go ahead the treatment is done out of season.

Hope this helps & I've not put you off, good luck x

[Jenzzie18 in reply to Tre]

Sounds like you are suffering Tre what injections were they doing for you? I have been on maximum steroids for a year now alongside all other Inhalers etc. I have just been started on xolair which although hasn't solved it so I can come off of steroids has certainly reduced the number of hospital visits and stays I have had. Just wonder if xolair is something that might help. It's an anti IGE therapy. X

[Tre in reply to Jenzzie18]

It was the immunology injections of tree pollen then grass pollen which I had, I am hoping I can be put on the xolair, my gp won't let me remain on long term steroids, he thinks 3-4 weeks is long term!!!! You must have things very bad, sounds much worse than me, I can usually avoid A&E I have non wheezy asthma therefore many Drs dismiss me & tell me I'm having a panic attack, when you can't breathe & they don't believe you, by God you soon do start to panic!!!!

Keep well & take care x

[Jenzzie18 in reply to Tre]

It has certainly been a rough year with 22 a&e visits 7 stays and viral meningitis. I think things are on the up but finding it emotionally quite challenging now. The xolair is good and if you can push for it I would say give it a go. Hope things resolve a little for you. Xx

[loise1 in reply to Tre]

Thanks Tre for your message, hope you strike gold at the difficult asthma dept, I shall bare in mind what you've said about immunology, my consultant said that my allergy tests weren't that bad so he wasn't sure if I'd be offered that, although I'm finding it bad. When the pollen strikes I feel my lungs becoming more inflamed, I get a very tight chest, whezzy, coughing a lot of mucus and it gets to a point where I struggle with walking, sitting up and talking become more laboured, eating is harder etc. My respiratory nurse said the consultant was referring me to the poorly asthma hospital in Birmingham, I suppose immunotherapy maybe out of the question. hope you get what you need though, i'm hearing more about xolair although don't know a lot about it, do you? Good luck too x

[Tigerpaws]

I thought that was Hayfever and therefore totally different drugs should be prescribed!

[S4r4L0u153]

You may find swopping cetrizine to Fexofenadine will help a bit. That's a better antihistamine. That's prescription only. Also, have you a nasal spray? That may also help.

[loise1 in reply to S4r4L0u153]

Hi, I'll ask for it when I see the respiratory nurse next, I use a nasal spray twice a day. Thanks for your reply.