So, I'll just preface this by saying my GP does know this and I'm waiting for a referral. Basically, I'm constantly going into the yellow zone of my Peak Flow daily, often multiple times a day. How can this stop happening? I'm currently taking Fostair 200/6 2 puffs twice a day and an additional 2 puffs as needed, Montelukast, Ventolin, a bunch of antihistamines (also carry Epi-Pens), steroid nasal spray (Nasonex) and will be starting Carbocisteine on Monday. I do daily nasal rinses as well. Anyone got any ideas or can give me an idea of what this could mean? My personal best for PF is 420, I tend to hang around 390-400 as my usual max during the whole day and I've been regularly going to 230-280 everyday for one reason or another, usually multiple times a day, it just won't stay stable.
Yellow Zone: So, I'll just preface this... - Asthma Community ...
Yellow Zone
Whilst you’re waiting for your referral ask your GP about Dymista nasal spray or Flixonase nasal drops - my ENT consultant prescribed those for me, but your GP will be able too. I think everyone is really struggling at the moment, my Hayfever is driving my asthma at the moment. Also are you coming down with something? Perhaps got an infection brewing - are coughing anything up?
Thanks, I'll ask them about changing my nasal spray when I see them next! Nope, no infection, had a blood test and a chest xray on Monday in A&E, they found nothing there infection wise. I'm pretty sure I'm confusing my GP with this particular problem because I can't seem to stay green at all.
I think it’s the time of year - I’m struggling at the moment, no infection either but lungs are grumbling!
Hi Floating. Have you done your peak flow before and 20 mins after taking your inhalers? It would be good to know what impact your meds are having on your PF - does your PF improve or decline? That sounds daft, but in some cases a medication may not be helping. And this is any easy way to rule that out.It also sounds like your nose is either stuffed up, leading to mouth breathing, or you have post nasal drip which triggers symptoms. Either can lead to shortness of breath.
How bad is your rhinitis? It sounds like you have severe allergies. Hopefully your referral will help identify your specific triggers so that you can lessen your exposure. Getting the rhinitis under control will definitely improve all things respiratory.
Yeah, I do if I use it during the day, my GP has told me to do that. It improves typically by about 30%ish each time on average, sometimes it stays like that as well, other times it doesn't and it goes back down fairly quickly which I know already as my symptoms match more often than not what my PF is doing. It's the same with the Fostair and the Ventolin. Definitely, my rhinitis doesn't help at all, in fact I'm pretty sure it contributed to me being in A&E on Monday!
I do see respiratory physio. part of that for me is learning to breathe correctly, so I don't mouth breathe anymore, and didn't too much before either, but I do have post nasal drip which isn't helping the situation either.
My allergies are pretty severe yeah, I see my allergist fairly soon, so I'll update her on the respiratory front. She might have some ideas!
Thanks!
It might be worth trying breathing techniques when you're symptomatic (before using reliever meds in case the symptoms go away with those, or after reliever has kicked in anyway in case it helps in addition, to knock on the head any breathing pattern issues that are trying to join in with asthma symptoms). If your pf is improving with reliever it's not going to be entirely breathing patterns of course but as you're struggling and kind of stuck at the moment, if it helps at all that might be good.
My asthma nurse has recommended that I now have daily probiotics, at very least if I'm on antibiotics, as it becomes clearer that our gut health (microbiome) plays an important role in all sorts of ways. Since we had that discussion I've read more about it in order to know more. There's lots if info online, from good sources, about research which has identified a link between microbiome and allergies. Obviously more research is needed and we don't know or understand the many factors at play as to why we get allergies, but anything we can do to change things for the better is progress. Here's one such article. allergicliving.com/2017/11/...
Ohh, interesting, I am on probiotics (I have a lot of digestive issues...), not sure if I've personally noticed a change in my asthma or allergies though. Wonder if my GI could help with that? Thanks for the link!
The latest thing I've been looking at are oral probiotics, specifically for oral health and potentially nasal health (looking for an alternative to nasal steroid spray). Oral probiotics are available for the treatment of oral thrush. I know that research is ongoing and they've also looked at the microbiome of the skin and noticed that those who have eczema have an imbalance. It takes so long though for treatments to be recognised and approved.
Maybe you don't need to check it quite so often as it might be making you a bit anxious. It's your overall condition that matters and tension makes everythingworse.
Perhaps, but I'm just doing what my GP directed me to do. Ironically, as much as I do have Generalised Anxiety Disorder, my health doesn't make me anxious, I've accepted it for what it is. Having said that, my background anxiety probably doesn't help, nor does it help when things are bad! I'll keep this in mind. Thank you!
I am also getting wild variations in my peak flow & FEV1 at the moment. I really think it's the pollen count as I find that the low's come when I do my evening PEF, which is just before I take my daily Anti-Histamine. Dymista nasal spray mentioned before is really good, with Nasal rinsing, and if you need it nasal drops. You could try keeping a symptom diary of when you notice the drops and what you have been doing prior to them, ie perhaps going outside. Also washing & changing clothes after being outside can be helpful. With Allergies it is like a detective game.
good luck
R
Pollen is awful this year! Might be worth speaking to your GP/Consultant re: anti histamines, I take mine multiple times a day to combat my issues. Do keep a symptom diary, my specialists all appreciate it when I'm able to as it gives them a rough idea of how things have been since I last saw them! Ah, haha, we are still religiously changing clothes coming in from outside anyway as I'm only half vaccinated (got my first COVID jab in January but had an incident, so had taken a while to get it sorted!). Until that's sorted I'm still too high risk according to my doctors (for more reasons than the asthma!).
Hope things improve for you soon and thanks for the insight!
I had a daytime antihistamine added, Fexofenadrine. That really helped me as it sounds like this might be allergy driven.
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