Random asthma attack - reasons?

Hi everyone, I'm new to this site, but i've found it really reassuring reading some posts so i thought i might see if you can help me with something. I was diagnosed with asthma i think 8 years ago now when i got bad bronchitis (i'm 31 now). I've been taking budesonide - 1 puff morning and night since then and have had to use the reliever very rarely. My asthma's been well managed for years and i'd never actually had what i'd term a sudden 'attack' ever - till last night. My episodes were always of wheezing related to having a cold, or my pollen allergies and i'd only take my blue inhaler to kind of help that. But yesterday - having felt fine recently (no wheezing, nothing, i don't have a cold and the pollen count is low) - sitting on a terrace in a bar i felt something tickling my throat. I mentioned it to my friend but tried to keep talking, but then suddenly i could tell i wasn't going to be able to breathe. And i got my inhaler and in the first puff in i could barely take anything in. I slowly got OK after 2 puffs, but i was really panicked as this never happens to me and (as you all obviously know) being unable to breathe is horrible. I just feel worried - as I don't get why this happened. It seemed so out of the blue. Once I had calmed down i noticed there were several people smoking around me - so that could have been the trigger. But I'm around smokers a lot (i live in Spain so a lot of evenings drinking beers outside with friends' smoking) and it's literally never bothered me before. Has anyone else had a similar experience?

I feel very tired today, and i had felt tired yesterday before it happened. But my peak flow is normal for me (350-400) and i'm not wheezy. I can'0t tell whether my chest is tight or it's that i'm overthinking... as before this happened yesterday i wasn't aware of anything. I've taken an extra puff of budesonide in the afternoon to see if that helps and as a preventative measure. Because as it was sudden, i do feel quite anxious and scared now that it couild just suddenly happen again. Any thoughts? I'm not sure what to think - has my asthma suddenly got more severe?

[Emily-G]

It is a horrible feeling when asthma comes at you out of nowhere. My main trigger is allergies and if I am on a night out I often have problems with my asthma. I would look at what all the possible triggers could be - food, drink, perfume, cleaning products, etc and try to work out if that is what triggered your asthma. Sometimes I can't work it out, but sometimes it is something very random from a waxed jacket to a wet dog or a drink that had an ingredient I am sensitive to...

Maybe have a chat with GP or asthma nurse? Xxx

[Hidden]

Hi Hidden

Welcome to the community. Glad you've found the posts reassuring.

Sorry to hear your asthma has suddenly come back recently and that you're understandably feeling anxious and scared. As suggested on the thread, it sounds like it's worth to your GP or asthma nurse to take a look at triggers. There's more info on triggers here: bit.ly/2snLpp4

It may be useful to talk through your asthma management with one of our asthma nurses for some advice and support bit.ly/asthmacall. Please feel free to give us a ring on 0300 222 5800 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm).

Take care, Dita

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thank you. I'll go to the doctor and see what they say.

[M-D-F]

My attacks are random, and I can't decide what has triggered it, when you speak to your doctor mention "brittle" asthma. Don't go straight to the www, because you will only make the breathlessness fit the disease

[Hidden in reply to M-D-F]

Hi thanks MDF. I don't know what you mean by www ?

[M-D-F in reply to Hidden]

World wide web, people self read the entry and make their symptoms fit the ailment

[green881]

You can suddenly become allergic to a new trigger, it happened to me. Smoke sounds like possible, but it could also have been a new pollen on the patio you were at. Try go back there without smokers? bring your ventolin

[lindanut]

Aww it's so frightening and nothing ever prepares you for these dreaded attacks. I have found that keeping away from triggers is the only way, I know some of mine. Get to know yours as much as you can It may have had something to do with atmospheric pressures too. I have found when the weather changes I'm a little worse but thats me. try keeping an asthma diary and put down what you think it was that caused the tickle. Were you near any scented candles, for instance citronella to keep the flies away? anything so that you can refer back if there is ever another attack.

[_Ventolin_]

Triggers for sudden attack for me are welding rosin and some paints. The smoke of the cigarette or wet dog rare but happens.