What should I do ?

[Memoc]

Hello again, I just finished yesterday the 5 day course of Prednisolone and three days ago I finished the Clarythromicin -7 days course and today mostly now I am fully blocked nosed again , very tight chest moments when is difficult to breath and as much as I try cough is getting even worse , measured my peach flow, hardly gets to 350, sweating when cough, lungs started to hurts, ventolin barely working after 5 puffs.what should I do? Should I go to A&e? To do what? But on the other side if I don’t’ tho now tomorrow where should I go as the Gp can’t do more..? And sure my symptoms won’t improve ...i now from experience..

[elanaoali]

My advice is call 111 immediately and get advice. Use your asthma plan or look at the one on asthma uk

website asthma.org.uk/globalassets/...

Your in the amber zone and need to get immediate help.

You are obviously not better and the golden rule of asthma uk is if Steroid tablets

If you’ve been prescribed a preventer inhaler and are using it correctly, you’re less likely to need to take steroid tablets. But if your asthma symptoms do become worse (where there's increased inflammation and narrowing in the airways, and often a sticky mucus or phlegm is produced) and/or you have an asthma attack, your GP or asthma nurse may give you a course of steroid tablets. These come in dissolvable or soluble form, and contain a much higher dose of steroids than a preventer inhaler.

The dose and length of the course of steroid tablets you’re prescribed will depend on your age, how you respond to the treatment and how long it takes you to recover. For adults, steroid tablets are usually prescribed for at least five days. For children, steroid tablets are usually prescribed for up to three days. The course may be longer depending on how long it takes you or your child to fully recover.

Getting the best from your steroid tablets

It is important that steroid tablets are taken as prescribed and that you continue taking your preventer inhaler every day. You should also make sure that you don't stop taking your steroid tablets before the course is finished or you're fully recovered. If you don't finish the course, or you finish them but you're still not fully recovered, your airways may still be inflamed and your asthma symptoms may come back again. This means your risk of having a potentially fatal asthma attack will go up.

How to know when you’re ‘fully recovered’:

Having few or no symptoms of cough, wheeze, tightness in the chest, or difficulty breathing

Not needing to use your reliever inhaler (usually blue)

If you use a peak flow meter, your peak flow reading is back to above 75 per cent of your personal best

If you or your child finish a short course of steroid tablets but you're/they're still not feeling better, see your GP or asthma nurse straight away to review your/their treatment. A longer course of steroid tablets may be needed to get yours/their asthma back under control, and it should be started as soon as you or your child finishes the first course – or as soon as possible. This is to make sure the inflammation in your lungs, which the steroid tablets are helping to control, doesn’t build back up again.

Taking a longer course of steroid tablets

If you or your child needs a longer course of steroid tablets, your GP or asthma nurse will make sure these are prescribed at the lowest possible dose. You may need to take them for weeks or a few months at a time, depending on the number of steroid tablets you’re prescribed, or how long it takes you or your child to fully recover. Remember, you should continue using your preventer inhaler daily when taking steroid tablets to help reduce the inflammation in your airways.

[Memoc]

Good morning.last night was a loooong night! As I was saying I was not feeling good,so I called 111 who after half an hour told me that I have to go to A&e as they have no appointment to offer in my area as it was late in the night..so after I put my son in the bed I took the car and went to hospital...altogether I waited 5hours until 4 :20 in the morning -payed £8,30 for parking, waiting hours next to drunk men sleeping in the floor, making snore contest..Anyway,they did a chest scan again(last I had two weeks ago),blood tests, listen to my chest , blood pressure and all this, and they told me is no sign of infection this time and it might be my asthma that is not well managed..so they sent a letter to my Gp regarding a specialist referral and a sputum test.i have appointment with the Gp 4 o clock(after I rang 150 times in the morning to get one:)) )...so hopefully I ‘m on the way to find some answers..

P.S I have a toothache from a tooth extraction from two days ago.. I read the ibuprofen is not good for asthma, but I never had problems using it ...

[Emer1000]

Clarithromycin is great ... I took it for 20 years until it stopped working, I guess I became immune to it but I used to find 2/3 days on it I was getting better. Eventually I was on 2 x 500mg for 2 weeks to clear inf. When it stopped working I had just finished 2 weeks of it and I keep getting worse. Now I take Taravid and it's great 2/ 3 days I'm better but obviously finish the couse. My point is ... Clarithromycin if you have taken it for a long time maybe you need 10 days instead of 7 or 2 weeks .... or worst case a diff antibiotic. You are still sick you def need to go back to doc.

[Memoc in reply to Emer1000]

I’ve manage to get an Appointments at the chest clinic on 9th February and Gp sent for a sputum test. Hopefully I’ll be ok until test results at least to know what kind of antibiotic I need.