Struggling

[Fannyannie85]

Hi all, hopefully you can give me advice. I’ve had asthma for years but it’s always been stable using clenil, salmeterol and salbutamol.

Beginning of March it started to play up and over the following 2 months I had 2 courses of antibiotics and 2 courses of steroids which seemed to settle things down but they still weren’t quite right. 3 weeks ago it started kicking off again, asthma nurse gave me fostair 100/6 to use as mart regime and gave me a peak flow. Things seemed to settle down again and was getting good peak flows of 500. Now the past week my chest has been really bad.

I saw a gp in the car park who done all of my obs and said that everything seemed fine but changed me to fostair 200/6 to use that the same as mart but only for a week which I have been doing. Yesterday and today breathing has been the worst I have had so far but my peak flow is staying at 500, I’m so confused.

He said to call them again if things don’t settle down but I really don’t want to take another course of steroids because they make me feel really poorly.

I’m so confused as to why my peak flow is normal and I’m struggling so much?? Asthma nurse said next step would be to refer me to a specialist as I’m maximum they can prescribe me.

Thank you in advance for any replies 😀

[Troilus]

Hi there,

It might be an idea to go back to your GP. If you don’t he will think that your treatment is working. Also, he might refer you to respiratory clinic.

They have a range of tests they do to shed light on what is going on.

[twinkly29]

Absolutely agree about calling GP. It's hard to keep doing but you need to to be safe and to get control. Grass pollen has been very high this year so potentially that that's causing recent issues. Worth asking GP about. But if not that they need to know.

[Junglechicken]

Hi. I’ve been struggling this week too (salbutamol once of twice a day)but with absolutely perfect stats. I have times of being very poorly with a high peak flow and times with a low flow feeling absolutely fine. We are all different I know I’ve lost control again but I’m hoping that it will pass. The weather is so hot and humid, the air thick with pollen. There has been some strong gusts every now and again which is stirring everything up as well. I was ok this morning until I popped into the garden for a few moments. My chest has tightened with a slight wheeze and cough. It feels very strange when you have great stats but you do know yourself when something isn’t right. It’s sad and worrying that some medics don’t realise that. I sometimes feel that they act like we are making it up or being over dramatic. I’ve been validated by my consultant and the fact that a more comprehensive asthma treatment plan, put together by my consultant held me stable after a very nasty flare, which my GP consistently said was anxiety and I was panicking over a little wheeze! I’ve been so unhappy with my treatment, I’ve changed GP practice recently who seem to have more systems in place for the care of chronic conditions. We are all very knowledgeable about our condition (I knew about treatments that my GP didn’t eg azithromycin) I recently read the current Hippocratic oath which states that you should treat the person not just the charts. Asthma is a complex condition and doesn’t always follow the “rules”. Take care.

[twinkly29 in reply to Junglechicken]

Many many asthmatics don't drop their sats even in severe attacks, so having good sats when mildly unwell is highly normal I would say - and personally wouldn't even bother checking them.

I should add when I say "mildly unwell" I don't mean to dismiss how you're feeling - was just thinking relative to a huge asthma attack requiring hospital treatment.

The consultant I saw this morning stopped for a chat after the junior had gone (I know him from a different ward) and was saying that he has 2 weeks every year where he is plagued by hayfever issues. This year it's been 6 weeks so far and not done yet. Pollen isn't good, people who've never had issues seem to have them and people who have had are suffering more. It's quite possible that many people with asthma are suffering more at the moment because of it.

[Hidden]

They diagnosed me with late onset Asthma in my 50s (69 now) But a CT scan proved I had Bronchiectasis. I'm not suggesting you have this, but it might be good to have a CT scan to find out exactly what is going on.

[tigga61]

Hi, this sounds exactly like me ive had 3 lots of steroids and antibiotics, since end of march im fine when im on them, but few days without im struggling to breath, im usually quite fit and do a lot of walking at the moment I can barely make it up the stairs, had chest X-ray last week all clear, sats fine, hospital specialist in November added in. a incruse inhaler, normally used for copd. which I just got last week so far having no effect and im still struggling to breath, back to drs next week. for me, please go back and see yours obviously something is going on that needs sorting. xx

[hilary39]

Peak flow meters only measure the big airways and a lot of the time severe asthma manifests in the small airways. This is one reason the reading may not change even if you feel awful. The only way to check small airway function is through a spirometry test.

I completely understand. I’m in a flare now and tapering off steroids. There are times when I’m gasping for breath and my peak flow is 450-500 which is my green range and better than my height and age. It’s confusing.

Definitely talk to your GP and keep us posted. Sending a hug

[Coughingnic]

Echo above comment, my stats often offer a glowing report on my health, yet breathing is hard work. Grass pollen and the start of air pollution after lockdown have caused havoc for me this year. Worth getting a referral, the specialists understand what the symptoms really mean. Can your gp switch you to symbicort, its biosimilar. I only suggest because I have no response to fostair but symbicort works very well. Chin up and hopefully you recover soon.

[cathmc58]

Hi you know your body better than gp or nurse, our bodies don't follow text books, mine definitely doesn't a few years ago resp clinic put me on to symbicort for a month, after 1 week I couldn't walk 3 yards, I rang gp who said to stop it immediately, he put me onto tiotropium and montelukast, huge difference, yes I have good n bad times, but gp said, trust your body it knows you. Go back to gp please don't wait x huge hugs xx