I know I'm not the only one!!

[CRPD]

Hi there I'm 33 and have had asthma since I was about 8 years old. The past 2-3 years have been a nightmare and every winter, bang on comes the asthma attacks. The thing I find so strange is that most of the time my SATS can be normal even when having an asthma attack they can still be 99%. Also my flow meter can be normal, I do get rare times when it's down. Yet I'm tight chested, finding it hard to breathe well and obviously when having an asthma attack, I can't talk properly. But the paramedics and Drs say well your sats are fine etc etc etc! Who else has the same problem and how do you deal with it?

[Hidden]

Hi CRPD

I've asked the nurse team at Asthma UK about your query. they've said sats just measure whether oxygen getting into blood stream so good sats are reassuring and only really plummet when things are much worse so not particularly useful except if you're in hospital setting.

Peak flow does not always drop during an asthma attack which is why we encourage people to assess asthma control mainly through symptom occurrence and Ventolin use.

Are you using a preventer inhaler regularly?

It's probably most important to look at triggers at this time of year that you might have eg mould spores, colder air. If you have a mould allergy then look at talking to your GP or pharmacist about anti-histamines and for any nasal symptoms possibly trialling a nasal spray.

Our advice is to treat/avoid triggers, take your regular preventer inhaler and book full asthma review with your doctor to get a full medication review.

Hope that helps,

Dita

[CRPD in reply to Hidden]

Hi Dita

That's the thing I've no idea what has triggered this. Out of the blue on Saturday night I had an asthma attack and I've been struggling since. I've got a chest infection so I'm guessing that's what set it off. But my chest infection has come out of the blue. No signs it was coming on it just hit me.

The other thing is I hardly ever wheeze so medical staff think that my inhalers and steroids are working. However at the moment I'm constantly tight chested. Taking 10 puffs of my reliever wasn't relieving the tight chest at all. The GP yesterday said I'm to take 2 puffs of my reliever at a time until taken 10. Then if still no good do another 10. I'm using my reliever over 20 puffs a day at the moment. I'm on two types of antibiotics and today was the last of my steroids. I'm still feeling very ill, temperature and cough getting worse. I'm going back to the GP today to see what she says.

Everytime my asthma flares up, which is usually winter time I hardly ever wheeze, flow meter usually ok and I really struggle for medics to understand.

Caroline

[Hidden in reply to CRPD]

Hi Caroline,

Sorry to hear you had an asthma attack. How did your GP appointment go? It sounds like your asthma isn't controlled at the moment - and you've mentioned it normally flares up about now. A lot of people here mention that they don't wheeze and it's difficult to explain to your doctor how you're feeling and ask for a medication review. One suggestion would be a symptom diary, there's a link to one you can use here: bit.ly/2qcy3Ge or even recording/videoing yourself on your phone when your symptoms flare at home so you can take it to the doctor.

As mentioned on the thread already, it's important to tell your healthcare team how you're feeling and do call the Asthma UK helpline for advice and support on 0300 222 5800 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm).

Hope that helps,

Dita

[Jamesd1986]

Hi CRPD

Sorry to hear you're having a bad time. It sounds like we may be in a similar situation. (I'm 31 and had asthma since I was 12)

however my asthma has got much worse every summer for the last 2 - 3 years. I also have a great peak flow and and oxygen level when doctors test me. I don't have trouble excercising but having asthma attacks every single night, apart from 1 or 2 good nights when I was on 3 courses of steroids. I've not been prescribed fexofenadine anti-histamine which could be helping a little + montekulast for night asthma but isn't working.

My advice to you would be to keep pestering your GP surgery and stressing how worried you are etc. If they have a in duty phone triage service, keep requesting that and eventually they will start taking you seriously. Although I haven't found an answer yet, I'm hoping there's a different inhaler plus some solution to be discovered soon.

Good luck and sorry if this wakes you up. I've been awake since 4 am with astj

[CRPD in reply to Jamesd1986]

Hi James1986!

My gosh poor you having asthma attacks nearly every night. It's very frustrating isn't it when the doctors look at your observations and you would appear to be fine! The GP I've been seeing has been great and can see I'm suffering. I was at A&E Saturday night. The ambulance gave me a nebuliser which stopped the attack. However I got to hospital, they checked my observations and said you're fine to go home! No chest x-ray or bloods just crazy. I really think they just don't know enough about asthma, they panic and turn you away and say go back to your GP. Because on admission to hospital with an asthma attack, doctors are meant to re asses your asthma plan and review inhalers to see if they can improve your treatment. I've never had this done!! I'm on montelukast at night and that has been brilliant. I'm also on a symbicort turbo inhaler and a sprivita inhaler. Normally I'm fine apart from winter time that hits me. But this time round it's really hitting me hard and my infection won't go despite being on two lots of antibiotics and steroids and asthma no change. I think there needs to be more training for medical staff on asthma especially in hospitals and I think Asthma UK nurses should train them as they're brilliant.

Hope you can get some better help soon. I'm going to ask GP for a chest x-ray.

[Jamesd1986 in reply to CRPD]

Hey, thanks for your concern although it sounds like you've had it worse than me and I am really sorry you've had such a trauma going to hospital etc.

I think I may be using the wrong terms. I've been waking up every night strugglng to breathe but perhaps the term asthma attack only means when you can't get relief and have to go to hospital? Although on Saturday night I was up for 3 or 4 hours and used my ventolin about 30 times in total before it really calmed down. However last night I only used my ventolin about 6 times for half hour and got some good sleep. I don't understand it.

Thanks for explaining your medication and it's reassuring to hear there are other options

For you it sounds like your best bet is to keep calling your GP. Hassle them and let them know your suffering. You can push for the respiratory team at hospital for tests. This is my next option after my x-ray and blood test results come back.

The respiratory team sounds promising and different to A&E emergency who probably don't have time to deal with us asthmatics once they know we are breathing. NHS crisis is also a problem and a whole separate issue.

Hope you get sorted and let us know your progress