Newly Diagnosed Asthma

[Kirsty979]

Hi all,

I recently got an asthma diagnosis that I saw coming, after I started having symptoms last year.

It’s been so stressful, because I have university work to think of and going on campus for lab classes, and now I’ve found that despite having an inhaler, my breathing is making little to no improvement. Chest is horribly tight, my throat keeps making me wheeze, I can’t study because of it...

It’s a bit miserable, and I was wondering if anyone else had struggles like this when they got diagnosed? It feels a bit like it’s going nowhere, at a bad time.

Hope everyone’s having a nicer time than me and having a wonderful day 💕

[Muldrew]

Hi Kristy979

Very sorry to hear that you are having such a bad time

Often GP surgery’s have Asthma nurses who have more time and could perhaps talk to you on the phone

Also Asthma UK helpline is very good friendly helpful and knowledgeable

It is very hard getting such a diagnosis at anytime let alone in the middle of s pandemic!

Good luck

[twinkly29]

Hi, this post might help for some newbie reading: healthunlocked.com/asthmauk...

This one about asthma mimics is good too

healthunlocked.com/asthmauk...

not at all saying you don't have asthma, but anxiety for example (both understandable and very common alongside it, especially when it's new) may well present in the same way but won't respond to asthma meds - so some of your symptoms may not go away if they're anxiety related (eg the going to uni stuff). Although additionally asthma meds take several weeks to kick in so they may not yet be fully effective - but hopefully will be soon.

[Poobah]

Hi Kirsty. It's important to talk to your asthma nurse or doctor if your medication isn't keeping your asthma symptoms at bay. The aim should be to have little or no symptoms on a day to day basis and that requires providing you with the best medication at the right dose.

Getting your medication right can be trial and error - there are many asthma meds and finding the right combo for you is key. What suits one patient doesn't necessarily suit someone else. So give a new med about 8 weeks, by which time you should see an improvement, but if you don't, then go back to your asthma nurse or doctor to arrange a different medication. It may mean having two or three meds, but once you're on the right combo then it will be worth the effort.

I agree that having a chat with Asthma UK will be helpful. All the best.

[Wheezycat]

That sounds hard. It can take a while before the optimal medication for you is found, and it can be a bit of trial and error. Try to think when you feel worse. Just a thought, depending on the lab work you do, could there be something around chemicals (?) that irritates your chest? Can you wear a filter mask if that is the case?

[Logo132]

Hi Kirsty. Sorry that your breathing is making your studies difficult. I’ve had asthma from childhood and a couple of weeks ago I was prescribed steroid tablets, as it got so bad. However, something that has helped me massively was a comment I read on this forum the other week about watching Patrick Mckeowns ideas on YouTube about breathing exercises and mouth breathing. He also has a good video about short breath holds we can try when anxious. Since trying his methods and making a big effort to breathe through my nose, my wheezing and asthma symptoms have stopped completely, despite being so ill just a week or so ago. I’ve also downloaded the free buteyko app which gives you some free breathing exercises to try. All of these resources haven’t cost me a penny and have some more to help my asthma in one week than 30 years of steroid inhalers.