Any tips would be helpful

[soul-123]

Started on my rescue pack of prednisolone and antibiotics appear to be having exacerbation of Emphysema /Asthma breathlessness worsened with pain in the side and back. Im beginning to think its the dreaded pleurisy again, trying to avoid A/E any tips would be helpful.

[2greys]

It is a good idea to take the prednisolone first thing in the morning, they are notorious for causing insomnia. The earlier you take them the better the chance of getting to sleep at night.

[megannell]

Hello soul-123.I've just got over pluersy and found ehat helped me was a nice hot water bottle against my back and remember to drink plenty of fluids too..other than what your already doing... taking the steriods and antibiotics. ..keep yourself warm.....Megan..

[Whitechinchilla]

I hope you recover quickly and it is not so serious as pleurisy.

I too have a flare up at present and always get anxious that I am doing the right thing. As my phlegm is still white I am only taking the steroids to hopefully alleviate the constant coughing and breathlessness.

I wonder if anyone else has had the discussion with their gp that the BLF guidelines state we should have a written action plan for a flare up?

My gp dismissed it completely, which I found very strange,

The practice nurse told me that one can have a non infective flare up, meaning liiterally that there is no infection yet present so the ABs are not required.

Does anyone have any thoughts on that please? Be grateful for some more understanding of this illness.

Many thanks

[Louiss]

See GP soon as before hospitals get manic.

[hallentine47]

My GP agrees with the nursing team that if I have a temperature and mucus is colored then start taking AB's if not then steroids only but always take the steroids especially if wheezing. I have been on steroids for 3 years along with thrice weekly Azythromycin and this combination seems to have kept me free of infection and exacerbation. As we are all so different it takes a long time to sort out for ourselves what we need and this site helps a lot.