What happens next ?

In the space of one week I have had two very severe sudden shortness of breath, it’s been the worst I have experience, first time I was at work and somehow got through as I didant want to let on this was happening ( I still manage to hide my illness due to being dismissed from my last job) second time it was at home one evening thinking “at what point do I actually go to the hospitial “ had my bag ready to go, I had decided who I would take with me although my whole family was home I didant want to worry them less I had to. Well I got my self through this with extra fostair 15 puffs of the other and took some steroids I found, and within an hour I felt this was getting better I was so pleased to be feeling normal although these incidents left me tired, tearful and scared of another happening, I managed to get a online appointment I told her what’s happened and she upped my fostair strength and gave me 5 day steroid course which seems great, I feel very good and my cough has stopped I’m hardly using my blue inhaler and only slight breathlessness here and there, but now my course is coming to an end and what happens next ? How long till the steroids wear off and will I have these horrible episodes return ? And also what would cause these episodes and would they be related, Wondering if any one has had this and is it possible that the sob won’t return due to a short steroid course and it the meantime I been referred back to chest clinic which is only a two month wait!

Thanks for reading 😁

[knitter]

Have you been told by a health professional what to do in a situation like that.

How many puffs of reliever into a spacer, for example. When to get help ?

Can you ask for an earlier appointment at the chest clinic....a cancellation maybe.

Maybe you need a review of your medication, some inhalers work well for some people and not for others.

On line appointments can be useful, but they do not allow your chest to be listened to, or your SATS measured, or your breathing pattern analysed.

I can understand your worry about your job too.

I would contact your surgery today and explain your concerns.

The BLF have a helpline for those in the UK ....03000 030 555 ...they can advise .

Take care.

[Hidden in reply to knitter]

I think we all have an action plan in case of an emergency but like I said when do we know when it’s time to go to A and E, luckily my own plan of action worked “ don’t panic and take everything you possibly can “ I’m due a new reading that would be interesting as my last X-ray 3 months ago said empysemous changes noted and bullea changes too so I shall see chest clinic in two months and wait 6 months for results, it’s the waiting for results that is a killer. Question to all, bullea changes meaning ? Have they grown ? Anyone else had this ? And I do have multiple but don’t know how many this actually is, more than two I guess.

Thanks

[Darceydoo]

Hi have you spoken to Lung UK?

[Hidden in reply to Darceydoo]

I have spoken to them b4 but I know they get very busy and there are a lot more people out there in more need than me so I’m happy with all my replies from you all out there after all we are all experienced as we are all living with this and sometimes we ask questions for reassurance and for people to tell us what we all ready know. I guess it makes us feel less lonely and I’m the sort of person who don’t want to worry my family unless I have to.Thanks for your reply 😁

[2greys]

The fact that steroids have helped you so much and have not been given antibiotics is indicative of inflammation without an infection. You may have inhaled something that was an irritant to have triggered these events, or have even developed an allergy.

The strength of the corticosteroids in my Fostair was increased as well because my Eosinophil count (a type of white blood cell) was high, indicating I had an allergy that was causing inflammation. Although the cause for you may be entirely different altogether and only your Consultant or GP can diagnose it.

A simple blood test can show your Eosinophil count, you may have to wait until you see your Consultant at the Respiratory/Chest Clinic for that to happen though.

[Hidden in reply to 2greys]

Funny you should say that as my count is very high and has been for the past two years so I should feel better the just the higher dose of fostair now then? And it’s inflamation only maybe oh and amongst all the other stuff going on but on this occasion i could have set myself off and why would I always be inflamed then ? I remember doing reasearch when I had the high result and I did see inflamation being a reason but no one else seemed bothered, once again it looks like we have to find our own answers 😁

[2greys in reply to Hidden]

Very often it is a case of finding the source of inflammation ourselves, trying to find a common factor. I have not found the source of mine yet, mainly because my inflammation is under control.