Lifelong asthmatic

[westie22]

Hi, I'm a lifelong asthmatic and until fairly recently didn't realise that my asthma is severe. It also seems that I probably have bronchiectasis - diagnosis incomplete due to the advent of coronavirus. What I don't understand is why some medical people are not concerned about when my peak flow drops. Had so many occurrences last year and had at least 4 or 5 times when I had to go on to prednisolone, yet there is this wait before I'm put on an antibiotic. Anyone else in this sort of situation? I am on Relvar Ellipta, Ventolin, montelukast, fexofenadine for allergies. According to the British Lung Foundation, I should have been among those selected for shielding but because I had a couple of "better months" this year I wasn't. Confused I am.

[Kitkat64]

The problem is they kept changing criteria. I did get a text because I met the criteria and then they added the steroids between certain dates. I usually have 3-4 doses every year but last year I didn’t for the first time in years so now I wouldn’t meet criteria. It seems very unfair when they created a time slot for steroids- I’m on Fostair 200, Salbutamol, Fexofenadine 180, Chlorphenamine and Montelukast. I’ve been under respiratory and allergy clinics last year and just referred back for uncontrolled asthma- which I think should count. It seeems very unfair .

[westie22 in reply to Kitkat64]

Thank you. Good to know that others have similar experiences

[twinkly29]

It sounds like you could do with discussing things with your GP. 4 or 5 steroid courses a year is very different to within 6 months, hence I assume the time frame being added. For that reason you wouldn't have come under the first phase that the NHS was able to flag up directly, but GPs are supposed to be looking at patient lists to identify other patients who may be at risk - high, medium and low risk actually. These could be more borderline/less obvious cases, for example where there might be more than one thing going on, or where it's just been missed before - or where things were ok last year but less ok more recently.

So might be worth talking to GP to weigh up your risk.

Anyone who's had a letter for asthma does not necessarily have severe asthma. Severe asthma was used originally by the government as an example of a lung condition where people might be asked to shield, and so lots of people now think they have severe asthma (I don't mean you by the way) or that the criteria for having severe asthma has changed. It hasn't. The guidance for highlighting those who may be high risk if they get coronavirus had evolved - severe asthma is one example of those at high risk but not everyone with asthma with a shielding letter has severe asthma.

[Smoggy1990Boggy]

I think the governments response has been inconsistent the same as everything else for Covid 19. It doesn't seem to take into consideration the fact those people with other chronic health problems. GP's have also been left confused by the criteria that has changed for shielding several times