Last Monday I wandered off to collect prescriptions, a seven to 10 minutes wal. Though the walk is completely flat, and it was a sunny and fine day, I got very breathless quickly. I struggled on regardless, but got home completely exhausted. Since then I have felt the same kind of breathlessness, often not so bad when not moving, but really tiring if I am up on my legs, active. Two friends, one a doctor, one a long standing asthmatic, both spontaneously commented on my breathing not being quite right. But my PF which normally reflects pretty well how I feel is just a tad depressed, well within the top 20%. I feel unwell a lot of the time. This has been going on for a week. When someone reminded me, I used Ventolin twice, first on Monday (four puffs), then Wednesday, two puffs, but I haven’t generally as I am rubbish at remembering it even when I have a good reason to use it.
I am truly not asking for a diagnosis here, but any comments that could be useful for me when I see the gp tomorrow would be welcomed. I have wondered if this could be a Montelukast effect? I was started on it last May when I had a bad episode and nearly admitted to hospital, but haven’t yet had opportunity to test it with a cold.
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Wheezycat
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Generally I find my asthma behaves completely differently if I have a cold/chest infection (or one brewing). For example last week I had a mild cold, and not that symptomatic asthma wise, however PF without vent was at 50% or below... most of the time it felt like I should be at 60-70% symptom wise. 2 vent would send it up to 80-90%.
And as someone usually with good PF reliability I have been feeling bad prev but with a good/ok PF. If you’re finding the ventolin helps symptom when you take it it’s possible that something is triggering you airways just in a way that’s not affecting your PF.
It does, thank you. And I know so many on here are far worse off than I am, but I am fed up feeling this lethargic and noticeably, but not really, really badly breathless when I do anything up on my legs. Yes, I am doing the Ventolin trials. It was suggested to me on Friday, so there won’t be much before Monday. As my pf doesn’t fall badly, my pf does not go up with vent spectacularly either. As I have ended up in hospital before just ignoring these kinds of things and just muddling on, I am working hard at noticing.........but, by gum, it is hard to become properly aware! In many ways it is easier to live in denial, that is until it really does get bad!
It won't be the Montelukast causing the problem. I have learned if it's not a virus which can make asthma bad, then the lungs are inflamed and causing breathing problems. It took me months and months seeing different doctors who had no idea what was wrong with me. I asked for a referral to the hospital as i was so desperate and the hospital done some tests and found the problem straight away.
One thing is GP's put people on the cheapest preventer they can and i suffered for it for over a year. Now i am on the right medication i am so much better.
If it does not improve and you keep struggling to breathe, get a referral to the hospital, they do proper tests and find out the cause. GP's and asthma nurses have no clue.
I had a pretty good experience today. And on the whole my surgery has been good. Possibly also due to my age , and more than basic asthma meds, they seem to take me quite seriously. So today I got a message to say my appt was cancelled, unforeseen circs, and as I tried to decide what to do next, they rang and as I had mentioned breathlessness as reason for appt they offered an urgent one instead, which I took up. Saw a nurse practitioner, who checked all the sensible things, including my heart (I am 70). Blood pressure up, nothing else to notice, so they also sent me for bloods, and fixed another appt in 2 weeks. But as she said it could just be one of those viruses that do not give much in the way of symptoms, as I don’t have a cold etc. I have had that before, takes ages before it goes. So for now I feel ‘met’ but if it goes on I could well be keen on a referral.
My first inhaler wasn’t right for me - and I haven’t been on it for some time now. This one (Symbicort) has worked well so far, especially as I can vary it as needed and am encouraged to do so.
That's good news, i was on Symbicort for 20 years, not longer works for me. The doctors are good but asthma is a complete mystery and many doctors don't have the knowledge or equipment to diagnose it properly. Being on the right medication is everything with asthma.
Indeed! Just now my lungs seem fine though I have felt significantly breathless when walking etc on and off, but they are keeping an eye and encouraging me to seek further help urgently if something goes worse. Just now it is neither fish nor fowl - not good but also not really bad. Just tiring and frustrating.
GO TO YOUR DOCTOR. Asthma isn’t the only thing that can do this. My sister ignored it and found that she had clots in both lungs. She could have died.
You are quite right! So I have already been, this morning. My blood pressure was up, but nothing else out of normal. So sent for blood tests and given a f/u appt, and told to seek more help if things worsened. Still feel rubbish, but nothing clear yet.
Well it should put your mind at rest that it’s being checked out. Good luck!
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