Asthma and anxiety

[Jayneb73]

Hi my name is Jayne I'm 42 I have asthma which was controlled but I had a cold over Christmas which has left me with a persistent cough and breathlessness I'm not sleeping .i was on a brown steroid inhaler and have now been given a ventolin but I can't seem to shake it off I'm having constant Pulpitations and panicking x

[Staceyj1959]

Hello Jayne, try not to be too anxious, I know easier said than done when your chest is tight and you feel like you're never going to get any air in your lungs! From my experience, and I have to say I'm a newbie on here, your palpitations are probably caused by using your blue puffer frequently. I've found by spacing out the times I use it even by 5 mins or so reduces the side effects and also it seems to work better for me, although everyone is different.

I had a very bad attack in June and it left me very frightened every time my asthma flared up and I'd go to a&e and they'd treated me like an attention seeker - I didn't care though and It set my mind at rest and quite frankly of you feel you can't breathe go...don't worry that you're bothering them. Definitely get an appointment with your GP. Read lots on the Asthma website...and trust yourself and how you feel. I found after being on this board that my anxiety has lessened as other people's experiences are similar and there's such good support, I realise that I can be in control of my condition. I also saw a respiratory nurse last week armed with loads of research and felt for the first time someone was listening to me.

You probably need some antibiotics and some predislone unfortunately to get it under control again.

Sorry for the long post, but take care of yourself and try to relax.

X 😀

[Jayneb73 in reply to Staceyj1959]

Hi thank you so much for the reply I just feel like this cough has dragged on and has really got me down I can't function properly I hope that you feel well soon and get it sorted I appreciate you talking to me x💕

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Hi Jayneb

I would go back ti the GP at the earliest and have a med review. You get used to Ventolin but get an aerochamber it helps to control the method and the content. You can ask the doctor for a prescription for the aerochamber.

[Jayneb73]

H yes I'm ringing first thing in the morning thanku for your reply I appreciate it very much x

[ChrissieMons]

Stress is a recognised trigger for asthma - how you deal with it can have a huge effect on your physical health. I know it is easier said than done, but you need to talk to someone about why you are working yourself into a state, as my mother would say. Once you find a way to talk out your worries and a way to manage your fears so you don't panic, you will feel a lot better.

It is true that over-use of Ventolin will give you the shakes, but they calm down. If you feel the need to keep using it, your asthma is not properly controlled and your GP will have to look again at your prescriptions or refer you to a specialist. For years, I used Ventolin as a panacea, and I had to be weaned off the idea, more than the stuff itself. I still use it, but not in panic mode.

It seems that long term coughing is doing the rounds, whether you have asthma or not, and it will get better eventually.

I do hope you get some reassurance from your GP and some practical help and advice. If you are still worried, do call the nurse at Asthma UK.