What would you do? : Okay. So last... - Asthma Community ...

Asthma Community Forum

21,688 members24,469 posts

What would you do?

Queenpink profile image
18 Replies

Okay. So last Wednesday I went to the out of hours GP for what I thought was a chest infection however I was rushed round to A&E and kept in over night on a nebuliser and put on steroids. The one doctor stated i could possibly have had a virus. When the consultant came to see me, she asked me to see her again monday just gone. She believes my asthma has come back from my childhood, kept me on steroids and I’ve had an inhaler.. she’s also said I need to get another one as soon as it runs out. She’s also asked me to go back to her asthma clinic all I need to do is wait for my referral note. I went to the GP today to get a sick paper as I’ve been off work since last week.. my sick paper says ‘asthma’ and all the notes on my record is stating asthma and nothing more. I’m going to Egypt in may and need travel insurance so I’ve said put asthma down cause of this and my partner reckons no. Would I put asthma down or? I don’t want to risk it if you get me

Written by
Queenpink profile image
Queenpink
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
18 Replies
Melanie1989 profile image
Melanie1989

I would definetly put asthma down, as you have it on record as asthma. Untill asthma is ruled out you have to assume that is what it is. I have had several admissions due to asthma and it hasnt affected my insurance prices that much. If you dont put it down and something happened (fingers crossed it doesn't!) You would not be insured. Good luck with everything and enjoy your holiday! 😊

Queenpink profile image
Queenpink in reply to Melanie1989

Thank you so much x

elanaoali profile image
elanaoali

All evidence points to your asthma coming back. You had a shock but I see you had the NHS take great care of you and in the process of getting sorted.

I think you would be wise to say yes you have asthma. The question is to protect your health and declaring your asthma will do so. It doesn't mean your asthma will make it expensive. You have time to get your asthma under control. Concentrate on getting well again. Then you will be in a better place to make a logical decision based on facts not feelings.

Birthday60 profile image
Birthday60

The important thing is to be 100% honest with your travel insurance. I take 3 preventative inhalers and the usual emergency ventolin and pay a £23 extra to be fully covered. I would also make sure you get proper preventative meds.

Be safe not sorry. Tell them that you have asthma. If you find out that is not the case after the holiday then fair enough. Tell them because you might need their assistance while away. Good luck with the holiday and getting the answers you need

Queenpink profile image
Queenpink

Thank you everyone. I’ve worked it out and it’s only £35 for travel insurance with all my conditions including asthma. I genuinely believe it has come back though cause how I have been and the way the consultant has been with me. She has put me into her clinic as well.. why would she do that if she doesn’t believe it’s my asthma come back

If you had asthma as a child and grew out of it it doesn't mean it disappeared. It means your lungs developed and we're better able to cope in adulthood.

A wide variety of things can trigger asthma INCLUDING viral and bacterial infections.

Your consultant is probably correct that it's asthma. Once your infection is over after a short while you may feel ok. They will likely ask you to have a preventer and reliever and you find you need reliever because your ok.

You mind find you only get bad if you get infections.

When diagnosing asthma I was asked

a) do you have a cough - no?

b) do you wake frequently during the night?

c) how many infections have you had in last 6 months?

d) do you have asthma in the family?

e) do you get Hayfever and or eczema?

I answered yes to d) and e) and c) I'd had a lot of infections.

They did a peak flow meter for a month (I felt normal this was as a result of a new patient assessment when I moved).

After a month looked at peak flow told I have asthma and put on ventolin an Becotide (this was 1990) and from having regular infections once diagnosed and on inhalers I had not one infection in 2 years then went into final year Uni stress and infections started and attack in final exam. Changed meds etc.

I was diagnosed at 19 but with hindsight I realise I had my first attack at 15 - always lived around smokers (I am a non smoker).

My cousin (maternal side) had childhood asthma and grew out of it.

My maternal grandfather had asthma (diagnosed adulthood)

My mum and her sister both have asthma both suffered with bronchitis from childhood but when they were young asthma was often misdiagnosed as asthma mum was diagnosed in adulthood as was my aunt after a bout of pneumonia

My uncle (paternal side) had childhood asthma and grew out of it.

Having read a number of posts it is clear people who had childhood asthma and grew out of it are surprised when like you after an infection a doctor says it is asthma.

It is apparent a number of different variants of asthma and as many triggers as types of people.

As others have said best to be 100% honest as you have asthma on your records anyway from when you were a child.

LDloveslattecoffe profile image
LDloveslattecoffe in reply to LDloveslattecoffe

Ps there are some typos hope get gist as was unable to edit after sent it

Queenpink profile image
Queenpink in reply to LDloveslattecoffe

I’ve had 2 infections in 2 months, I also have psoriasis and yeah I wake in the middle of the night a lot unable to breathe so I try and sleep sitting up

LDloveslattecoffe profile image
LDloveslattecoffe in reply to Queenpink

Classic asthma, people only seem to think of asthma being the attack. The difficulty breathinf/shortness of breath etc

If it's a long time since you grew out you might have just forgotten what leads up to the attacks.

Eczema and Hayfever are linked to asthma.

I've heard on this site of Cough variant asthma where peak flow can be normal but regular cough, then brittle asthma and eosinophilic asthma.

My triggers are cigarette smoke, dust, cold weather, sometimes exercise and always infections. If my Hayfever is bad it will aggravate my asthma. One year my Hayfever was so bad thought had infection GP gave me antibiotics no joy but changed my antihistamines and cleared up straight away.

LDloveslattecoffe profile image
LDloveslattecoffe in reply to Queenpink

Def think asthma and sounds like need inhalers if not on them.

Queenpink profile image
Queenpink in reply to LDloveslattecoffe

I have been given steroids and an inhaler

Saassii profile image
Saassii

Be careful of that trigger. It sounds like you did contract something that had triggered a strong response from your lungs and you're obviously still sensitized to it for the breathing restrictions to remain.

It sounds to me like you've been exposed to microbial contamination, which is a combination of mold, bacteria, virus and the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that they give off. If you've been exposed you'll want to now ensure the source is removed to ensure there's no further sudden "unexplained" worsening of your condition!! If a Dr isn't knowledgeable in environmental illness they may not even consider it. It could be life saving for you to consider it now.

A very short exposure decimated my life, my lungs haven't been the same since. Look at your environment critically closely, because even if it were not the trigger (which is virtually impossible) then expedite from here could be fatal in any case. You're considered an extremely susceptible individual now.... And incidentally, the experts you're seeing didn't know to tell you that.... Right?

Queenpink profile image
Queenpink in reply to Saassii

They asked about my living conditions which are fine. Both my son and partner have asthma and neither of them have had infections or any issues. My son hasn’t had an asthma attack since he was 3.. he’s now 7.

Saassii profile image
Saassii

All three of you experience breathing difficulties? Maybe you need an expert in to help you locate the source? I was looking for mold after a Dr prompting me, I couldn't find any problems. I repainted the house removing wall paper just in case, laid tiles instead of carpet in case.... But never saw a thing..... Then one day there was a leak and that brought a plumber and he found an old mold nest lurking under the dishwasher. After remaining in that house with the new water damage present for a few days short of a month, my entire life changed and has never gone back. Please don't discount this, it may be lifesaving for all three of you.... Although I sincerely wish I were wrong....

Queenpink profile image
Queenpink in reply to Saassii

Right hold it there. My son has had asthma since he was a baby. My partner has also had asthma since before I met him. I have been with him almost 5 years. We have only just moved into a new house. We had a full check when buying it. We paid for the extra where they look for everything. I appreciate what your saying but it’s not mold

Saassii profile image
Saassii in reply to Queenpink

Good deal. Keep away from it now then since y'all are so reactive. It's interesting that a mycologist was telling me that many asthmatics are told they're allergic to pollens, yet when air samples are taken there's often a low pollen count when asthmatics are symptomatic. Generally this is spring so there is an assumption of pollen as the trigger. He told me microbes are also incredibly active at that time of year, they love all that fresh water and growth also. Good luck finding your triggers.

Nimueh profile image
Nimueh

If you don’t put asthma down they may use it as a reason not to pay out if anything were to happen to you. If all your notes and your doctors are saying asthma then certainly as far as the insurance is concerned you have asthma.

You may also like...

What would you do next?

lying down. Yesterday the out-of-hours dr said I could go into a&e before bed for a nebuliser but I...

What would you say to her?

run I get out of breath (I have seen her run she’s not asthmatic) I just looked at her stunned, she...

How would a rational person deal with this? What would be their thought process?

medically it has been more or less put down to anxiety. I have kept an eye on my peak flow 24 hour...

what free exercise do you do?

regime (as well as swimming). However, the pollen has put a stop to this. I’m trying to find...

What to do after prednisolone rescue ended?

anyone any advice how to get back down to my normal dose of inhaled steroid after a short...