Hi everyone
I gave up smoking 4 years ago and I had no side effects from smoking, I'm currently 52yrs old. I then started training for a half marathon and struggled breathing. I was wheezing, coughing and felt as though I was going to collapse. I went to see my GP and after a few test, and because my mother had COPD, I was diagnoses with COPD. I disagreed with this diagnosis because I nursed my mother with this and I never get out of breath except when I'm running.
However, I continued taking my GP advice and she put me on clenil 200/2 daily straight away. This was my first inhaler and it did help but not completely. I was on this for at least a year and half before I was called in to see the asthma nurse, who I had never see before or been assessed. I told her that I did not have COPD, however, she documented this but thought I was in denial. She changed my inhalers to incruse because I think she realised that I should not have been put on clenil straight away. However, my lungs appeared to be used to have a daily inhaler now even if the diagnosis was wrong. I get mucus stuck in my throat and have to clear my throat a lot and cough a couple of times to clear it. The incruse along with reliever ventolin didn't help, I was running less miles (could run up to 8 miles, now only 2-3 before struggling) before I couldn't breath and had to take my reliever every time I went running. The inhaler was changed again to my current one which is fostair 100/6 along with a tablet called montelukast for hayfever/allergies. My asthma nurse has now told me that she thinks I have "asthma" with maybe a "little bit of COPD !!!! cause the steroid inhalers work best for me. I'm convinced that I only have exercise induced asthma but what do I know. I've been taking inhalers for that long now that my lungs are used to them now. Anyway, I'm still having to use my reliever 2 puffs before I go for a run and have to take it after 2 miles before I can go on and do more. I seem to be doing less miles and deteriorating instead of improving. The fostair 100/6 inhaler is not helping, I shouldn't still have to use my reliever every time I go for a run, should I ? So I've made an appointment for tomorrow to see the nurse again to ask for another inhaler but not sure which one. any ideas ?
You could ring the Asthma nurses on Asthma UK website for advice.
asthma.org.uk/
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm on 0300 222 5800 (Option 1).
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I'm just waiting to see what the surgery nurse comes up with first but I will definitely phone when I've tried everything I can