Low Peak flow

[Emily-G]

Hi Everyone - hope you are all keeping well.

I’m not wanting to bother my gp or asthma nurse... I have everything I need to control my asthma here... my peak flow has been low the last 3 mornings - it picks up with inhalers and I am not unwell, just tired and out of breath.

I have home nebuliser (which I’m on now) that will sort me out for a few hours.. I have 2 packs of rescue steroids... I’m worried about taking them tho and lowering my immunity - I’ve been on steroids pretty much once every 2 or 3 weeks this year... so would love to not take them.

I’m thinking the right thing to do is to keep up with the nebs and let things settle..

I’m so tired tho it is making me a bit emotional...

Hope you are all doing ok

Hugs to anyone who needs one

Emily xxx

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador]

Please contact your GP/AN when you can. They are there for these issues, and by not telling them you’re putting yourself at greater risk.

Home nebs (unless instructed otherwise) are for emergencies and are unlikely to give you back control. If they aren’t fixing the issue, and you’re needing them every 4hrs/still symptomatic after them, you need A&e.

You need to start your steroids, because not taking them will put you are greater risk of dying of asthma, or if you do catch covid you’re starting from a much worse state.

The tiredness/emotional-ness is because your body is now struggling to cope with what’s going on. Please start your steroids +/- get help. Recent information/stats/news out there shows that people are dying from normally treatable conditions cause they aren’t seeking help as they are worried about covid (asthma, strokes, heart attacks, sepsis, appendicitis’s’ etc). If you ignored the current situation, what would you do normally like this? Do that.

[CANINE12 in reply to EmmaF91]

Thank you for this, I've been thinking along the same lines as Emily-G. Lovely hayfever is affecting lots of people at the moment. Fortunately my PF is ok but I'm a bit short of breath, if I get worse I'll go back on the steroids.

[Emily-G in reply to CANINE12]

It’s a bit of a worrisome time. Pollen has my lungs all upset too. I’m lucky my GP practice is really small and they phoned me last week to check how I was getting on.. Look after yourself xxx

[Emily-G in reply to EmmaF91]

Thank you Emma - makes sense... I’m not thinking the clearest... my pf has come up a bit now the right side of 50%. Will start steroids tho and if as low again tomorrow morning will phone for advice. Really want to avoid hospital just now.

Look after yourself, hope you are doing ok xxx

[CANINE12]

I've been worried about the same thing, I am not too bad at the moment. I hope you start to feel better soon.

[Js706]

Please don’t delay seeking help because you’re worried about everything going on with coronavirus.

Hayfever sets off my asthma and I’m currently in hospital with it (coronavirus swab negative) and honestly it’s been fine. I just made sure to tell them about the additional risk etc and they’ve kept me separate from any potential cases the whole time.

As Emma said, there’s no point avoiding coronavirus if you then get in a situation where your asthma could kill you.

[Emily-G in reply to Js706]

Thank you - hope you feel much better soon and get home - take care xxx

[Sherrill]

I am like you in having breathing problems. Mine is not Asthma but Tracheobronchialmalacia. It feels similar to Asthma but the problem is breathing in not out. Although it affects my peak flow. Which is currently older 50% of normal. I am having nebulisers of Sabutamol and Ipatropium along with Antibiotics. I have been on Steroids for around 10 days but they have stopped those as they are not giving any improvement. They are now changing my Antibiotics to try and get control of this flare up. I’m also on Oramorph to try and relax the tubes as with TBF. The tubes close up. I have been ill for 2 weeks now. I have spoken to the GP several times including yesterday. They are not too happy with the way things are going but I have refused to go in hospital. I have been self isolating and I am terrified of going into hospital and getting Coronavirus from the hospital, I know that PPE is in short supply there. I was in A&E last Tuesday with this and I was really scared.

I have been in hospital multiple times with these episodes and it hasn’t bothered me before. My husband is more scared than I am about me going in hospital. When I went to A& E he said he was worried I was walking out the door and would never come back.

So I understand your reluctance. On top of that I know they will only patch me up and send me home. Not actually stop these frequent episodes. The only thing they can hive me that I don’t have is Oxygen and at the moment my stats are a little low but not too bad. Or a CPaP. ,machine but they are in short supply.

Sorry for the long reply

[Emily-G in reply to Sherrill]

Hospital is a scary thought at this time. My peak flow has come up a little this morning compared to last 3 days so I’m hoping if I rest up a bt that today will be better...

Hope you feel better too - take care xx

[Angelgoth]

I have called my GP twice in the last week, needed help with pred and a chest infection and they called me back and were very helpful, they asked me to call again tomorrow to see how I am doing. We are important to and should definitely call our GP if we need to or go to hospital.

I hope you feel better soon and Happy Easter

[Emily-G in reply to Angelgoth]

My gp practice is really small and they are very lovely. I may well give them a phone on Tuesday - I feel bad for them, they are very stretched just now.

PF is up on last 3 days this morning so I’m hoping things are turning around. Look after yourself xx