My asthma used to be simple. Periodic periods of tight chest and breathlessness.
Then it worsened and they diagnosed asthma, many hospital visits later and i got up to severe asthma with poor control.
Then I realised that my breathlessness was not simply asthma.
There were very sharp attacks that my fostair made worse but I found I could control with my breathing exercises and salamol, and I was better half an hour later. More a breathing dysfunction than asthma, my physio says.
There were moderately sharp attacks, with some worsening beforehand, that responded really well to fostair mart and breathing exercises helped, but did not solve and went on for a while. So probably asthma.
There was general breathlessness, that just happened if I did too much and did not pace myself. I was just knackered per the physio and the solution was to pace myself, rather than inhalers.
Then there was the prolonged periods of low peak flow, breathlessness and tight chest, my mainline asthma, to be treated with whole gamut of meds
Today I can only do approx 10 minutes in the garden before becoming breathless and sneezing, so I have decided it is hay-fever related and have taken cetirizine. But it could be I am knackered and have a cold.
Do other people have this puzzle of working out why they are breathless, because until you know the cause you cannot treat it.
Written by
Homely2
Administrator
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Yep, I like to know the cause so I know what I'm dealing with. It's hay fever atm , so Cetirizine. I have a mouldy house, so clean that, sometimes just plain asthma, Ventolin. It's a 'treat the usual suspects' here. I'm allergic to everything so triggers could be anything!🤷♀️
Oh yes - always tricky! I have had breathing dysfunction issues but that wasn't the main issue. However, it was often all blamed on that anyway and badly managed, leaving me confused and reluctant to take my inhaler.
I'm all for not overtreating with the inhaler, but now I have the opposite problem because of being told so often that what was actually asthma was dysfunctional breathing, and that I was overreacting/being dramatic/overusing inhaler. I still tend to hold off because I've internalised that, but if it's asthma then it's not a good idea to hold off inhaler for ages, I find. It just hangs around and gets worse and then needs more reliever.
I also find that my peak flow is not especially helpful here as it doesn't react neatly to asthma in my case. Others may find it useful, in which case keep using it! But of course after years of being told that I should ignore symptoms with a peak flow above 50% (terrible advice from a doctor, DON'T do that ), I still tend to give it more weight than I should in my case. I would tell anyone else to pay attention to symptoms as well as peak flow and look at the context, and I know that but I find it hard to do.
It is hard and can be a steep learning curve. I would say to those more experienced in how your body reacts to asthma, or not-asthma, that you aren't automatically wrong and you do know your body better than you think. By all means try breathing exercises, but if you feel your body is behaving like it does when you get asthma, pay attention to that!
And since I've seen someone else on the forum mention that they had breathlessness from a cardiac issue as well as asthma, don't ignore breathlessness that doesn't feel like asthma/isn't relieved by asthma medication - may be dysfunctional breathing but may be something else. If it carries on, see your GP and make a point of saying you do know how your asthma behaves, it isn't responding to asthma meds, and you've tried breathing exercises and you still get it.
This post may be helpful for anyone who has anxiety that affects their breathing, and/or dysfunctional breathing, alongside their asthma. healthunlocked.com/asthmauk...
(Anxiety and dysfunctional breathing are NOT the same thing, you can have one with or without the other, but I've found they're often shoved together and it's assumed breathing pattern disorder/dysfunctional breathing is due to anxiety even if you don't experience anxiety. It's often just a mechanical attempt by your body to compensate for asthma that lingers when you don't need it - breathing fast during an asthma attack is to help you breathe, but you don't need to do that when you aren't having an attack).
Thank you for saying that for you peak flow is not a good indicator because I was getting worried that I wasn't being taken seriously by some doctors because my peak flow rarely drops by more than 20% even when I can't talk due to breathlessness and have trouble moving about, and they say "I don't really want to give you steroids because of the side effects, and your peak flow is not too bad, see how you are in a few days" 😠
I'm exactly the same... Even after a more severe attack I can still have a decent peak flow score. Thankfully I've come to understand my own peak flow and know if it drops to a certain point that's when I'm heading into trouble. For me the best indicator is if I'm struggling to do any activities including eating or talking.
I also have the same issue with peak flow. Mine only drops when the attack is so bad that I need medical intervention. I wonder how many asthmatics have the same issue.
ReedB Gareth57 CANINE12 I definitely find there's a lot of assumptions about peak flow, that it must drop and if you're above 50% you can't be that bad (especially tricky for me when 50% of my predicted would be only 35% of my best since my best is much higher than predicted.
Mine doesn't even drop below 50% of best in bad attacks most of the time. I've been sitting there attached to IVs and wires in resus with dodgy ABGs and back to back nebs and my peak flow is...380-400 (60-63% best).
I judge it by how well I reverse and how long that lasts. If I'm not getting much if any response from salbutamol or it only lasts a short time then I need to get help. And hope they take on board that my peak flow isn't what they should use.
Lysistrata I'm the same. The lowest I've ever recorded my peak flow was 380 when I was having regular nebs. Took months to get right after that. Unfortunately, even when it comes to asthma plans peak flow plays a massive part. Every time I get my plan updated at the hospital by an asthma nurse the numbers they write on it are pointless. I just get told they have to write it this way... 🤦♀️
LysistrataAdministratorCommunity Ambassador in reply to ReedB
Oh honestly that is such a copout from them 🙄 they do not have to write them that way and at the very least they should use the numbers that work for you and compare with best if they do use peak flow. They are definitely NOT supposed to be using predicted for someone who knows their best.
But I do find by the book types tend to refuse to believe my best is real. I had an asthma nurse once 'bargain' with me over what to use for my best. I said 600 (it's 630 now). She said I'll put 500. I said no, it's 600, that is the best I get. Her: 550? Seriously?? We aren't haggling in a shop here. The best I blow is 600. Use that.
I think people like that just see the 'action plan reduces hospital admissions 4x' and just think any plan is fine. Yeah no that says PERSONALISED asthma action plans do, not ones that are template.
I've never had much luck getting a sensible plan. I had a great asthma plan once with a hospital asthma nurse who listened to me and went by what works for me. Sadly she then left. I showed it to the cons and she said it was nonsense and took it away from me. I didn't have a record of it and if she was saying no it wouldn't have been official anyway.
I have recently managed to get the hospital to use the document I wrote as an asthma plan. Which I didn't expect but yay!
These comments are all reassuring, I've given up with action plans , they have all been generic rather than specific (the worst was by a young chap who didn't know which inhalers I am on and so put down the wrong doses). As for peak flow, my best is around 600 but if it drops to 480-450 (75%) I'm in need of prednisone.
During Covid I had an exacerbation and phone consultation and the doctor I spoke too panicked and sent me for ecg's etc and on one of these the doctor said I had either an 'athletic' heart or heart disease several tests later they said all was good, so I think I may have 'athletic' lungs as they don't seem to conform.
8 years .... its taken me 8 years to get to the bottom of constant chest infections (I could write them on a calendar) but after a number of specialists, I'm going to say thousands of tests,it's probably more like hundreds... but its more than I new existed at the start and now I've had most of them more than twice.
I've also got EDAC ... Excessive Dynamic Airway Collapse ... so my "larger airways are quite literally held open by the air in them" ... and asthma causes airway inflamation and mucus... the mucus effectively gets stuck or squished down into the smaller airways ... and getting a chest infection every 2-3 months was the "norm"
Being diagnosed with EDAC created some treatment options; so I'm now on Hypertonic saline 6% (super salty) and azythromycin 3 days a week .. to fight inflamation and help kill of any bacteria that may be starting to brew (ive had a few issues in the 12 months so far but much much better)
I've got a rescue pack (requested by the hospital) of antibiotics and steroids ... and I'm glad to say it's been in the cupboard for a year (much to my surprise)
No im afraid not, I could quite literally go to bed OK and wake up not being able to catch a breathe and my left side would feel like someone was playing rugby with it (it's always my left lung/side)
But if I do catch a cold/flu/viral it does always go straight to my chest and I end up needing antibiotics (less so now I'm already on them) and quite often steroids.
Hi Homely, I'm the same today! All weekend I've wondered if I've had a cold or if it's pollen related. Fexofenadine alongside paracetamol for the last few days. I'm sure for me at the moment it's the pollen. The treatment for either is to take more of my Fostair. I take Fexofenadine more or less all year round and double up when needed.
Whatever I'm reacting too tends to share the same symptoms... Sore throat, sneezing, coughing etc....
I have severe asthma and my peak flow doesn't always drop when my asthma is playing up. I have been diagnosed with breathing dysfunction in the past after a chest infection. After help from an asthma physio I have managed to improve that and remember the exercises I was taught. I used to have a tight chest, wheezing, feeling like I'm drowning and sometimes coughing. Now my symptoms have changed, I don't always notice a tight chest so much but I do know it's asthma when I'm feeling like I'm drowning and have asthma mucous. Ventolin relieves the symptoms.
I think I've got used to the asthma symptoms over the years that I'm less aware of a tight chest maybe. When I take a course of steroids I feel much better, less unwell and more energy. Sometimes the asthma symptoms creep up on me and it's not so noticeable. Other times like last weekend in the supermarket I felt really well until I got to the bakery section. They had burned something they were baking and within 30 seconds I was having an asthma attack which fortunately my reliever helped and I was able to get away from the trigger.
I find nasal douching 30 minutes before taking a nasal spray helps. I take Fexofenadine year round and a higher dose as prescribed by my consultant. That helps with most of my hayfever symptoms.
So in a nutshell I thought that I had my asthma worked out, now it's changed after 30 or so years and I'm having to learn when I'm unwell and what has triggered it.
Any new symptoms or breathlessness that doesn't respond to a reliever is important to get checked out.
Sorry to butt in but just saying the level of sats where you should get help is usually different for asthma vs COPD. With COPD it's typically lower.
I'm saying this as while I'm sure Ern007 knows what his ok level is, most people with asthma and not COPD probably would need to be doing something at 94%. I wouldn't want anyone reading to get confused - especially given sats don't always drop at all in asthma for a long time. So with asthma, also don't wait for them to drop before you get help if you have other signs of an attack!
I got asthma for the first time in November. It got very bad very quickly, and I was using an inhaler 14 times a day. Was put on a steroid inhaler which helped a lot.
I found out that it was being caused by a drug I'd started in April, called finasteride. Many posters on Reddit claimed that it made them breathless, but there's nothing in the side effects section of the leaflet to indicate this. Stopped taking finasteride and no more asthma.
I can’t always pin point why but I think my asthma is a one or a combination of, stress, anxiety, dust, humidity, reflux, hayfever, weather, I just try and tackle as many as I can the usual dehumidifier, cleaning, de cluttering, certrizine for hayfever. I’m trying to get fitter and lose some weight as I get bloating and feels harder to breathe then anyway.
My asthma got worse at menopause and I think there is possibly a hormone connection, my theory for my asthma is one thing from the list makes me a bit twitchy then two things can make me a bit tighter then the anxiety kicks in and my breathing becomes faster which then makes me feel more stressed etc etc.
Stress is the worse trigger for me so I am trying to concentrate on that and prioritise my time for more relaxation sleep etc, and eating well and drinking water.
Also trying to remember to breathe through my nose when I start to feel stressed. One other thing is that at one point when I really felt breathless the doc took some bloods and I was really low in b12 so had injections and that seemed to help me. I think it’s good to rule out any possible other reason for breathlessness esp if you’ve always had asthma and it gets worse as there might be something else going on.
For me with regards to hay fever, when my eyes get itchy that's a clear indication that I'm being infected. Sneezing comes second as my dose of Fexofenadine fortunately (fingers crossed) works at the moment.
On top of asthma/ COPD/ emphysema/ 35% lung function, I was recently diagnosed with VCD - Vocal Cord Dysfunction, as I’d sometimes been having problems with swallowing, speaking and trouble clearing my throat. This had been since I’d been intubated twice in ICU for respiratory failure. My concerns were never really taken seriously, until last year, when I was referred to ENT, and then referred to Speech Therapy. Yet another learning curve to have to keep correcting posture and lots of different breathing exercises and awareness, neck and shoulder exercises with self myofascial release. Am currently dealing with another episode of this, as well as never having recovered from bad Covid and a chest infection last December.
VCD is very often mistaken for asthma, which is why asthma meds can do something for your asthma, but not the VCD, which is restricting airflow through the vocal cords.
Forward head posture, eg. sitting at a computer, or looking downwards, eg. mobile phone for long periods of time, affect your whole posture, therefore breathing, and can make VCD worse. We are all guilty of this these days!!! If you try to become aware of how your posture and breathing patterns change when using your laptop or phone, you’ll probably be surprised.
Check these out, and see your GP if you think this might apply to you. It’s worth ENT checking it out. Your GP may or may not have heard of this though!
For some reason, I can’t copy and paste a simple but very informative article from The Cleveland Clinic, just titled “Vocal Cord Dysfunction”, but you could Google it.
Can’t find the great video I watched, but was able to copy and paste this one on YouTube.
YouTube video - “All You Need To Know About Vocal Cord Dysfunction - SLUCare ”
Hope this might be of help to you, or anyone else reading this. Take care and hope you can get back to enjoying your gardening and doing the simple things in life again 🤗 👍
that’s great that your controlling it a can point to one of your triggers, mine is spirits as soon as I have a shot iam tight chested and have short breath beer is ok in moderation I’ve been working in garden but no problems.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Covid causing Asthma flare 
Flixotide causing anxiety?
Weather causing breathing issues
atrial fibrillation caused by fostair?
Covid causing an asthma flare...
