Heavy handed with the Salbutamol?

Phew I was lucky this evening. Recently diagnosed with copd and prescribed Salbutamol on 2nd July as was breathless. GP said chest sounded ok so no antibiotics and she prescribed me 7 days of Prednisoline 6 5mg a day. I am now on day 5 and still breathless. This evening on taking Salbutamol found it was empty.......... why isn't there a gauge to let us know when we need repeat prescription? I thought, great just as we are going into weekend. Phoned surgery and it was 6.15 so didn't think they would still be open. Receptionist I spoke to was so helpful. It was 6.15pm and surgery closed at 6.30pm she said. She kindly said she would fax prescription to Asda pharmacy and I could collect this evening. My son drove us there and we picked it up. I could hug that wee receptionist as couldn't have gone into weekend without it. I need to get savvy to this and not let that happen again. Ask GP to have repeat ready so that I have one in drawer when other runs out? 17 days it lasted me so that gives me some kind of benchmark. I feel so blinking ignorant to all of this and such a learning curve. I hope you are all coping with this heat.

17 Replies

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twinks1954

5 years ago

Isnt it funny. Pafrt of my mind is thinking............... I wish I knew more about copd and other part is thinking............... I wish I had never heard of the darn thing. But it is what it is. How are you coping Libby with your breathing? Is there anything you can do to help it? What inhalers help? I know I am asking wrong questions - sorry.

I sat down last few days, well to be honest, I couldn't do anything else *smiles*. Did a lot of thinking and revaluating. I am 59 and work with homeless. As my wee Mammy tells me on the phone.......... you have worked since you were 15 hen now think of yourself. I made decision to give up my job. From posts I read on here, it is recommended that you keep working and agile but I cannot risk picking up infections and going from moderate to next stage quickly. In work we go down like flies with infections etc and cannot take the risk. I hate if only's and mine is............... if only I had given up smoking sooner. Don't want another if only of.............. if only I had given up work and not run risk of infection and moving up a stage earlier than I could have. FEV1 reading 73 and classed as moderate. Why would reading be 73 after inhaler and 71 before - not much difference?

I am sorry to all of you for making this heavy-I don't mean to. I just want to be here for as long as possible and not be taking silly chances.

libby7827

in reply to twinks1954

Hiya twinks, well I'm classed as end stage, 20% lung function at the last test ages ago, so any variation in the weather hits me quite hard but this heat is making me very breathless. Got a bit of a cool breeze from the window now and have the front door open with the chain on which creates a bit of a through draft so much better than earlier. I'm on all the inhalers and other drugs that are available so it's just a question of hoping to keep well. You just never know though what germs I come in contact with just by other people coming to the house. Don't keep yourself locked away for fear of germs, it will only lower your resistance. I only gave up smoking three and a half years ago though, very stupid, but am quite pragmatic about it and tend not to think "what if" - I made my choices and knew the risks. Anyway, I'm raving on here! Just try to keep active and healthy, you're only at moderate stage and could have many years without worsening too much. All the best to you. LIbby

Hi Twinks, I was diagnosed 18/19 years ago, probably mild/moderate, although I was never told officially. Unfortunately, I carried on smoking for many years (did try many times to give up) always believing I'd give up before things got too bad. But it was a bout of pneumonia that sent my lung capacity down further quite suddenly and I still carried on with the cigs. When I got to 24% I did give up but have had a few more hospitalisations with infections since then and have now been told I only have 20%. At 24% I was struggling a bit, but still had a fairly normal life, work, driving, shopping, cleaning, all the usual stuff. But losing that extra 4% has made a massive difference, I'm now more or less housebound, went out for a hospital visit a couple of months ago, that night I felt pretty ill, 2 days later I had an emergency ambulance to hospital for 8 days. I reckon it was being exposed to all those people at the hospital after living in my little bubble at home. That was maybe 6 weeks ago and my lung capacity seems to have dropped more again. That's why I said earlier, don't cut yourself from living a normal life, not subjecting yourself to germs actually makes you more susceptible to catching something. Good luck twinks, I'm sure you have many good years ahead of you, just take the precautions others have advised. Libby x

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