Low-grade symptoms

[anjyil]

For the last couple of weeks, I have been having constant low-grade symptoms. I would say on a scale of 1-5 that it hovers around a 1, sometimes a 2. It is a constant light pressure on my chest and getting short of breath doing simple things like trying to clean, going up the stairs, etc. During classes, when I teach, if it goes over an hour my voice gets weaker and weaker.

My peak flow is averaging 545-550 (This is the time I usually feel these kinds of symptoms) and I find that I am taking my relief, Meptin Air, at least 3-5 times a day. Been watching my breathing and it is usually slow and steady until I do something. Sometimes it seems like I have to remind myself to breathe! I'm constantly doing breathing exercises throughout the day as I think of it, too. SpO2 is hovering at 97-98 and my heart rate is around 90 unless I start moving (that means typing, too), then it bumps up to 120.

Any ideas of how to manage it. I don't feel like it is worth going to my doctor, especially with the end of year coming on and them being closed. Just keep taking my emergency and breathing and take it easy? I am reluctant to take my relief more than five times---heck, five times seems like too much to me. Still working on that. I know I can take it a bit more, and even more frequently, but I tend to wait a couple of hours to see how it goes before bothering to try again. I take my daily religiously, though.

[emmasue]

I would still contact your GP. Do you think you could do a telephone appointment? I do that sometimes with my GP. It's best you get it treated now, or you may end up with a chest infection. That's what happens to me. Now, I have an agreement with my GP that when I feel like you do, I increase my steroid tablets. That's been a great help to me and so far I haven't had a chest infection. With my asthma, it's best to be treated early, but everyone is different. Good luck and hope you feel better soon.

[anjyil in reply to emmasue]

Sadly, Japan doesn't work like that--at least not around here. :/ But taking my reliever for the symptoms as often as I needed seems to have helped. Today, the symptoms began to go down mostly and I could do some stuff like normal.

I worry about an infection, too, especially with all the people I had coming in with colds (and a couple just barely finished with the flu!) that came in. I do wish Japan was a bit more patient friendly.

[emmasue in reply to anjyil]

I hope you feel better soon. x

[anjyil in reply to emmasue]

Thanks! I am feeling better--just now got a sore throat XD This is my winter every year. I was just hoping for better ideas as my doctor isn't always as helpful as I think he should be and we have almost no options for a second opinion unless we don't mind an extremely long drive to like, Tokyo or something.

[emmasue in reply to anjyil]

You could try taking a daily 1000mg vitamin C. I think Zinc is good for preventing colds as well. I take a daily Vitamin C and a multivitamin as well to try to stay healthy. My GP said it can take time before you feel the effects, but I do think I have avoided more colds than I've had. My kids both have coughs at the moment and so far I've escaped. Good luck. I wish I could offer more advice, but I don't really know the Japanese system.

[anjyil in reply to emmasue]

hehe read my mind. We recently got a vitamin supplement that has a little bit of everything in it. I am not sure how much VC it has, but if not enough or any, I may ask my husband to get one of those, too. I have found that with asthma, I seem to catch colds far more readily than I used to.

And thanks, I don't understand the Japanese system as much, either. I just know that everything is covered under insurance (yay universal stuff--I would have died if I had stayed in the use, if anything financially!) All I know is that ER (UK calls it A&E?) won't take me unless I am less than 50% of my best peak flow, and that my doctor's days off are his days off and there isn't much we can do outside of that.

[emmasue in reply to anjyil]

I know what yo mean about the USA system! I grew up in America and fortunately my dad had health insurance through work, but the last 10 years he's been unemployed a few times and the insurance costs have been a nightmare! He's having to work past 65 just to make sure my mother is covered until she is old enough to retire (just 3 more years). Although my mother works, she doesn't get any health insurance (it would have been inadequate if she took her employer's option). It is better in the UK, but I have problems going to A&E too. They don't seem to understand asthma very well. At least my GP and asthma consultant are good.

Anyway, good luck with your health. I hope you stay healthy into the new year! xxx

[anjyil in reply to emmasue]

I guess everywhere has their problems. I keep reminding myself how bad it could have been had I been diagnosed in the states--gives me hope XD But thank you so much. My cold hit me full on, and my asthma is just dying to get free lol. By the time i go in to my doctor next week, I will be right as rain lol

I hope you had a wonderful new year!

[emmasue in reply to anjyil]

You too.