Hi everyone,
Just wanted to see if anyone has advice here as before when I've posted I got some pretty good advice and to be honest I'm out of ideas right now.
Was recently told I don't have asthma, having been told by GP 3 years ago that's what I have. It was a resp doctor who told me it wasn't asthma, after I got referred in there following a trip to A+E with "asthma attack" that didn't respond to prednisone after 1 week. In fairness my spirometry shows obstruction that isn't meeting criteria for asthma and my mannitol challenge was negative but showed evidence of hyperreactive airways and small airways disease.
Still using all my regular meds, still needing Ventolin daily. PF's barely drop (380 if I wake with shortness of breath in middle of night, 420 during day if short of breath. but if I feel well I hit 480-500). Today I've used Ventolin 30+ times, been using it 10+ times daily over last week. Have appt with GP Monday but trying to get through the weekend. I just dread going to the doctor because they don't seem to realise what I mean by shortness of breath (and I'm bad at standing up for myself or explaining how bad it gets at night too in fairness) as most times I've been I am breathing fine, just feel a bit tight when I'm there. And I've never wheezed. For the past 12 months I've used Ventolin nearly every single day but the doctors keep thinking it's a compliance issue with me not taking the preventer daily (which I do).
Resp doctor says the cough (which has been a constant companion for 4yrs) is due to post nasal drip and partly worsened by me thinking it's chronic, and the shortness of breath+ chest tightness + dull ache from breathing that I get is just a "subjective feeling I perceive" and there's no reason for it.
All I know is that the Ventolin does give me relief...but it's not lasting a few hours like it used to, now it's only lasting 1-2hrs at a time. Just wondering if anyone can suggest anything in terms of how to cut down on Ventolin use or get through the day without getting concerned that I feel I am fighting for breath all the time. The resp doctor suggested I exercise, which I do when I feel well, but honestly when I'm tight and feel like my breaths are insufficient it's the last thing I feel capable of. I try walking but that usually makes me feel worse, and certainly is worsening my coughing due to the cold weather at the moment.
Sorry for the long post and rant that got put into it...just a bit fed up and hate feeling like I should be able to just stop feeling caught for breath. If there's anyway to learn how to expand my lungs and exhale properly I'm all ears!