Asthma attack with peak flow at 800? - Asthma Community ...

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Asthma attack with peak flow at 800?

Lee_vee11 profile image
14 Replies

I feel short of breath tight muscles around the throat area. Am I having an attack?

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Lee_vee11
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14 Replies
EmmaF91 profile image
EmmaF91Community Ambassador

Have you looking in to vocal cord dysfunction/inducible laryngeal obstruction, or looked into anxiety as an asthma mimic. Throat tightness with 0 affect on peak flow (pf) usually doesn’t suggest asthma (even those with Pfs that don’t represent symptoms usually find that it drops down from their best).

Have you used your preventer inhaler and if so has it helped?

However if you’re worried you go to hospital, or go and see someone urgently. I’d also suggest giving AUK a call and talk it over with them

Hope this helps

Lee_vee11 profile image
Lee_vee11 in reply to EmmaF91

I have anxiety as I worry over my chest and breathing.. I woke up twice last night with my breathing so I did my peak flow and it was 800.

Lee_vee11 profile image
Lee_vee11 in reply to EmmaF91

I’m on fostair atm have been using seretide and duo resp inhaler

Poobah profile image
Poobah

Hi Lee. I think Emma is right, a phone call to Asthma UK to discuss your experience will probably provide you with options as to what steps to take in order to address what's going on. All the best.

ChrissieMons profile image
ChrissieMons

Are you dealing with your anxiety? It might be as well to do something about that as well as check the physical symptoms.

Jolius profile image
Jolius

Hello Lee... Same thing is hapening to me for almost 2 years now.... I fill that my chest is so tight and that I cant breath in at all but my peakflow stays the same... also on fostair.... please let me know if you find any solution to this? It is driving me crazy and I dont know what to do

Lee_vee11 profile image
Lee_vee11

It’s driving me mad also I’m sorry to hear your suffering too.. do you have anxiety?

Jolius profile image
Jolius in reply to Lee_vee11

Yes I do

Lee_vee11 profile image
Lee_vee11 in reply to Jolius

Soo do I.

Itswonderful profile image
Itswonderful

Hi Lee. These are just my thoughts gained from my own experiences of asthma and vocal cord dysfunction. I had symptoms like your own, waking in the night unable to breathe in or out for years not knowing what it was and GPs, ANs and A&E were all puzzled. In the end I made a private appointment with a consultant who has an interest in vocal cord dysfunction particularly in athletes and he changed my life I was accepted onto his NHS list and I have had a very positive experience since. When you feel you can’t breathe it makes you very anxious indeed. Is it the breathing in that is difficult? Or breathing out? Generally speaking asthma makes it difficult to breathe out and vocal cord dysfunction makes it difficult to breathe in. Also, asthma meds don’t do much if anything for vocal cord dysfunction. You need to get an urgent appointment with a doctor and explain what is happening. Gastric reflux may be part of the picture. This can be silent so you may not be aware of it but acid from your stomach can irritate your vocal cords and they become swollen and can spasm. Your doctor can prescribe meds to reduce the amount of acid produced to get on top of it but Gaviscon double action can help but check with your GP that you can take it and avoid the mint flavour if possible. It also helps to raise the bed head end of your bed and avoid various foods and drinks. Also it is best not to eat your largest meal in the evening and eat early so you canDigest before you go to bed. I lost weight too and that has helped.

I wish you luck but know that you can get on top of this. Best wishes.

Lee_vee11 profile image
Lee_vee11

I get throat tightness during the night and only during pollen season. I don’t think it’s vocal chord dysfunction to be honest. As this only happens during pollen season

twinkly29 profile image
twinkly29 in reply to Lee_vee11

VCD can have triggers though so if pollen, for example, was someone's trigger then it might only happen in pollen season. Breathing in irritants (such as pollens) is one trigger but post nasal drip is another - this is often caused by allergies too. Dealing with the allergies would be sensible anyway if it's happening in pollen season. Anxiety about symptoms will also add to the feelings as anxiety can cause symptoms exactly like that.

Whatever though, it needs to be discussed with a doctor and the various facets dealt with - only they can decide something is or isn't something else and treating the wrong condition is never going to fix things.

Jolius profile image
Jolius

Hello Lee, just want to tell you that I have merting with my pulmonologist yesterday and I described my symptoms to her and she gave me fostair 2xmorning 2xevening and spiriva respimat 2xday.... She told me that I should be good now and if something is still hapening it is not asthma but my anxiety or smth. Else.... I will try this therapy for now... I also started to exercies and I am trying zo have healthy diet ... we will see how it goes... if you have any solutions please let me know...all the best!

Lee_vee11 profile image
Lee_vee11

Ok good. I woke up this morning very tight throat muscles and couldn’t breath in properly

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