accepting the fact i have asthma, i cant.

[louisebugsy]

hello, i was diagnosed with asthma after my spinal surgery in September 2017. my mum, sister and brother have asthma and ive made it to 28 before being told actually the problem i have is asthma after ruling out everything else. ive been so used to the chest pains and tightness, constantly clearing my throat at the same time on some occasions and poor cardio ability but because off my limited activity due to my spinal problems and the medications i was on meant the problem with my chest was masked for even longer and at one point before i started a peak flow diary it was put down to anxiety. so i do my peak flow twice a day and record it best out off three attempts. so im on clenil and salamol inhalers. recently ive noticed a huge increase on phlegm on my chest after taking my inhalers. i dont have an asthma nurse and haven't really spoken anyone apart from my gp about it so im littrally not taking it seriously. i generally do stick to my inhalers apon waking and going to bed and do my peak flows before my inhalers to see what mu lungs are doing and ive shown my go months of readings on a chat and the are so erratic so for example i could do a 460 in the morning which is my pb and hardly get and that night do a 320? or 430 and 380 you get the idea the lowest ive been is 260. i have the chest pain and tightness. painful to breath like so painful in fact i take shallow breaths. i work as a volunteer community first responder so i know all about asthma and copd ect but i seem to associate it with very poor people or very obvious signs and symptoms. ues i openly admit i probably dont give my problem the respect it should have but thats because i dont want to believe i have the problem. now today im coming to the end of my second week of couch to 5k challenge and i notice a different in my ability... i had a stitch just warming up and just didn't feel like i was coping well with my breathing (trying the 4 seconds in 4 seconds out) i just couldn't settle i found my self swallowing a lot and had lots of silva in my mouth. id complete my run and walked off relieved id finished but really sore in my chest. i didnt think anything off in at first post work out related maybe but then i started feeling really heavy im the chest and coughing up loads of phlegm. thia went on for a couple of hours before i was able to get home and take my inhaler which has helped im some way but not others. i currently feel like my horse has squished my chest up against the wall, it feel like a trauma it hurts to breath but im breathing through my nose which is helping a but its my whole chest. spoken to gp aboyt the phlegm thing and apparently thats good because it means my body it getting the help it needs from the inhalers it open up the airways and get rid of the phlegm. but what about the other symptoms? il be grateful for any advice.

[emmasue]

You don't sound well. I don't think coughing up phlegm is a sign that the inhalers are working. Phlegm is a sign of poorly controlled asthma. I would ask to be referred to a specialist myself. If you feel worse, you should go to A&E. Don't leave it until you get worse. That's what I have found with my asthma. When I leave it, that's when I end up really ill. If I keep on top of my symptoms, I can keep from getting worse.

I have had asthma all my life, have always been active, have good peak flows because I used to play brass instruments. Asthma isn't a sign of being poor or not taking care of yourself. Asthma is caused when the lungs react to a trigger. My triggers are mostly air born allergens, but humidity makes it worse too. Other people react to exercise, cold air, stress, heavy lifting, and many more. If asthma is controlled, you should be able to breathe normally. If you are not breathing normally, something is wrong and your doctor should be treating the symptoms. You probably need to see a consultant to find the right combination of treatments so that you don't have exacerbations. Does this all make sense?

Also, a great source of advice is the Asthma UK helpline. asthma.org.uk/advice/resour...

Good luck and I hope you feel better soon.

[louisebugsy in reply to emmasue]

many thanks for your reply. i really appreciate the time you took out of your day to give me some much needed advice. my actual gp is workimg tomorrow but im on a 12hr shift at work so unlikely il manage to speak to him but i think i should become im still having issues with my chest. if im totally relaxed im not to back but as soon as i start moving about i straight away feel my chest. im not aware of triggers yet im currently trying to work out what is a trigger. there is not set location or activity. one thing that makes me feel uncomfortable and has done for donkeys years is when i partner spray his deodorant on him self when im still in bed. that dose make me feel odd but i guess passes but im fine most of the time using deodorant on my self. unkes i use way to much them i do feel it. but it doesn't last long at all. but this episode has been going now since 11am i just cant seem to shift it and it was after id finished my cardio out side im the country side. yet for the last week or so ive been completely fine.

[emmasue in reply to louisebugsy]

I can't deal with spray deodorants either. It's a pain because I like them. But I would rather not get wheezy.

Is there any way you can see your GP tomorrow? Could you do a telephone appointment? I know our GP's surgery does these and I find it useful if I have to work. Otherwise, you don't sound too good and really should see someone. If any small activity makes the symptoms worse, that's not good. You may have a chest infection. Do make an effort to see a doctor soon, if not tomorrow, then Thursday. Don't leave it until you get so bad that you can't get up. Take care of yourself.

[louisebugsy in reply to emmasue]

update.... just seen my gp peak flow erratic and way lower that my normal. symptoms continued.abf i even even had to resort to emergency control with my salamol inhaler (1puff every 30 seconds until id had 10 puffs) this did help but is extremely short lived. any way gp has given me steroids tablets and this my asthma will neds a review after this course and my inhalers changed to stronger ones. i told my gp i dont normally pay attention to the "warning signs" because im used to having them before i was diagnosed. but i think he see the fact starting to realise i have a problem.

[emmasue in reply to louisebugsy]

Glad you are now getting help. Hope you feel better soon.

[Wheezycat]

I agree with Emmasue. You don’t sound well, and I hope you have got some help by now. Afterwards, once you have the acute situation sorted, it may also be worth your while talking to the Asthma UK nurses. They are great! I have learned loads talking to them.

I also found it hard to believe I had asthma, and was thus unwell once for months before finally ending up in hospital for some days. It is not something I recommend, good though they were. Had I taken my own symptoms more seriously I believe it could have been avoided.

And, by the way, I avoid anything that comes out of a spray bottle, as too often they are bad news.

[louisebugsy in reply to Wheezycat]

update.... just seen my gp peak flow erratic and way lower that my normal. symptoms continued.abf i even even had to resort to emergency control with my salamol inhaler (1puff every 30 seconds until id had 10 puffs) this did help but is extremely short lived. any way gp has given me steroids tablets and this my asthma will neds a review after this course and my inhalers changed to stronger ones. i told my gp i dont normally pay attention to the "warning signs" because im used to having them before i was diagnosed. but i think he see the fact starting to realise i have a problem.

[Superzob]

Not everyone's the same, but I had problems with increased mucous with Clenil and other aerosol inhalers, and finally settled on Symbicort Turbohaler, which contains no propellant. Oddly, though, I don't have a problem with salbutamol, even though those inhalers must also have a propellant! Might be worth asking the GP or nurse whether you could try a non-propellant inhaler, or get you referred to a specialist. I see many posts on this forum where diagnoses seem to based on guesswork rather than a proper series of tests. I consider myself lucky in having had all the tests and a flexible approach to treatment - I hope you have the same experience as we all deserve proper care.