Swollen/closing throat question

[Flowergirl78]

Hi, I wanted some advice from other asthma sufferers. My asthma has recently returned and not particularly under control, mainly due to hayfever. I had a 5 day course of prednisolone 2 weeks ago. Today my throat really felt like it was closing and my cough got a lot worse. I feel like I have stuff on my chest I need to cough up but it wont quite come up. As my throat got worse I ended up taking 3 puffs of my ventolin which really helped and feels like my airways are more open. Still not completely but feels much better. Is this asthma as have also read a lot of people say its anxiety? I would like to understand my asthma more and if it is asthma I will contact my gp as finding I need my ventolin a lot more for my triggers when normally I dont. If it is anxiety I probably won't bother the gp.

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador]

Are you talking any antihistamines and do you feel like it’s working? Allergies like hayfever can cascade into asthma flares as you know. The cough/mucus/throat can all be caused by allergy/hayfever which in turn is flaring your asthma hence why you felt better after the ventolin but not completely fixed.

Remember for anxiety attacks; a) you have to feel anxious/panicked at the time/pre attack b) it would only last 10-30 mins and would self resolve and c) it would not respond to asthma medication. Anxiety also doesn’t usually cause mucus/coughing.

If you felt like when you were on steroids you were better controlled and didn’t experience this, then it’s work discussing a prescribed antihistamine and maybe an increase of your asthma medication over the summer to see if it stops this issue.

Hope this helps.

[Flowergirl78 in reply to EmmaF91]

Thank you for replying. I am on 180mg fexofenadine and last year asked the doctor for something stronger as its not enough and I still get all the symptoms. Dont get me wrong the fexofenadine does help just not enough. I was told that's the strongest and basically told to be on my way but I have read on here that people have more for there hayfever.

I did contact the surgery on day 3 of prednisolone to say I felt worse but was told a) I could talk on the phone 2) he couldnt hear a wheeze (I never do) 3) implied I must be anxious so take ventolin 6-7 times a day 4) if I couldnt breathe that night go to hospital!

Luckily that night the steroids felt like they started to work and I started feeling better but yes you are right the hayfever is flaring up my asthma which then is not helped by other triggers which alone would be ok.

Will try the doctors again and hopefully get it different one from last time 🤞

[ReedB in reply to Flowergirl78]

Hi flowergirl78.

When my allergies are really bad I sometimes take different antihistamines. Usually fexafenadine 180 but when the grass pollen really hits I found my symptoms respond better to fexafenadine 120 twice a day. Am and pm. Or take fexafenadine in the morning and piriton before bed. I'd advise taking to your gp though before taking any mix of antihistamine!

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador in reply to Flowergirl78]

Do you have any other antihistamines etc? For me I have fex 180 twice a day during hayfever season (+/- an OTC antihistamine if I need it... my team are aware I do this and are ok with it). I also use dymista nasal spray (has an AH in it) in the summer (otherwise it’s avamys steroid). As ReedB said maybe fex 120 twice a day would do the trick, or discussing an additional AH.

Steroids can take a while to actually kick in. And if your GP thought it was anxiety then ventolin should not have been prescribed. As I said anxiety will not respond to ventolin. Trigger jenga is a fun game and it sounds like you’re playing atm 😉😅.

Give them a call and see what they say. Good luck

[Beach_48]

Hi, i take fexofenadine for hayfever and like you i've had a tight throat, sore throat and earache. I couldnt work out if i had a cold or was suffering from hayfever. Also. As i have more time on my hands i feel i am more anxious as opposed to being at work. I try to keep busy in my day and go for walks but that just aggrevates my hayfever. I would contact your gp if your unsure. Good luck

[Flowergirl78]

Thank you everyone. Spoke to a gp and she said with everything I've explained it is due to uncontrolled hayfever. I have been prescribed montelukast 10mg to see if that helps. My daughter has montelukast 5mg daily so i know of it. Will see how this goes!

[Riddickfan]

Also consider hayfever/allergy nasal sprays as well as the pills. You can take both.

[Tre]

My hay fever makes my asthma flare to the point of been considered severe so I am luckily under a wonderful consultant & I’m also under the care of an allergy team at the same hospital. This year the tree pollen has been extremely high, I’m usually under good control n the tree pollen season but unfortunately not this year.

My daily meds are Fostair 200/6 2 puff twice a day, Montelukast 10mg at night, Fexofenadine 180 up to 4 times a day, Dymista twice daily, I also have another add on inhaler of Alvesco 160 2 puffs once a day this can only be approved by the consultant if taken alongside Fostair. I always have rescue steroids at home & of course the ventolin, my consultant also recommended to take up to 10 puffs of ventolin during an attack via a spacer, he doesn’t approve of home nebulisers.

It’s taken me a long time to get the level of care that I now receive, like you & many other asthmatics I don’t wheeze so trips to A&E are a nightmare & thankfully now much less frequent. I certainly wouldn’t advise anyone to up any of their meds without medical say so, but I hope my situation shows how far ,with the correct supervision , meds can be given.

Unfortunately after speaking with my asthma nurse yesterday she agreed that it was also time to use the rescue steroids as this current flare up is not under control so I am now on a 7 day course with a telephone review at the end of the course - I don’t usually get a review but it’s no bad thing.

Hope you feel better soon & get the correct balance of meds .

[Flowergirl78 in reply to Tre]

Thank you for your reply. Yes tree pollen is what affects me most too. Maybe once I can get back to seeing an asthma nurse I will get somewhere further. I find my doctors always fob me off with I'm on the max dose for fexo and cant do more.

Sorry to hear you are having a flare up. Take care and i hope that you get it under control soon.