Those of you that have asthma...

[Freetodowhatiwant]

Can you advise please? I think I am a little bit paranoid due to the current situation but I have needed an inhaler every day for about ten days now. I was never officially diagnosed with asthma but have needed an inhaler since a bad cough about 15 years ago. The cough and wheezing lasted months and eventually the doctor prescribed me a ventolin blue inhaler to relieve it. I need it quite regularly for about a year but then since then only sporadically. I can never pin point something I react to - doesn't seem to be particularly seasonal, occasionally happens in winter. I would say on average I only really need it about twice a year now.

BUT I have needed it every day for about ten days. This evening I feel like I can't quite clear my throat.

I guess my question is - to asthma suffers/other inhaler users - does this sound normal? I am thinking possibly something seasonal - there does seem to have been a change in weather. I actually got a tight chest and wheezing the other day when carrying a bunch of lilies for about 20 minutes. Could the lilies have been to blame? Maybe I do have a pollen thing...? Any advice appreciated.

PS my two children both have inhalers now. One has had frequent bouts of croup since birth that turned into frequent viral wheeze and an asthma diagnosis after he turned 3ish (he's now 5) and the 7 year old had a cough from September to January that seems to have responded well to a steroid preventer inhaler so presumably he has asthma too.

[Menora]

I don’t know the answer and you need to learn more about asthma really to understand it

Without knowing if you do regular peak flow and whether you are actually wheezing and whether the reliever increases your peak flow in this period you won’t know the answers

I made this mistake for a long time and just based my asthma on ‘feelings in my body’ and this was very wrong and I took way too much reliever when I didn’t need to and it was giving me palpitations. Sometimes it’s just mucous in your throat and not an attack or anything sinister.

Obviously flowers like lilies are the worst type of flower to have in your home (or be around) if 3 of you may have asthma

I am not a doctor although I think it’s common for bad infections to leave you struggling, my asthma I have had for 20 odd years has a pattern and distinctive symptoms if I have an infection (like I do now)

I take a preventor every day
So I didn’t feel great and started taking my peak flow before and after my inhalers. It’s usually 550, so I know when it drops I am struggling and it’s 400. I can feel I am congested and lying down I can hear a loud wheeze on one side. So today I will contact my GP. I have no cough but I can taste the nasty stuff down in my lungs. But I’m basing it on my peak flow which I have got to know well.

I would say you need an asthma review to discuss your asthma but I don’t know how easy it would be to get one

[picklemewalnuts]

It's quite likely to be anxiety.

I only connected that anxiety makes it worse when I started talking about something difficult and needed my inhaler several times as I spoke.

I was like you, very bad after colds, hay fever things like that. But not consistent. It turned out to be 'stress and...'
so I didn't need it after every cold, but just when I had a cold and some stress.

[Passthecake30]

If you need the blue inhaler every day, then I'd say it's time to have a preventer (brown). The pollen has stepped up here, I have hayfever already, which can affect my asthma if not managed. I'm really allergic to lillies, as is pretty common, so I'd avoid them!

[Milicentbystander72]

I agree with pp. I feel like you're asthma has not been addressed properly. Everyone who has a blue inhaler regularly should really be in a preventer inhaler. It's so important.

I'm 47 and have had asthma all my live and hospitalised a few times. I haven't needed my blue inhaler in weeks.. This is because my Asthma is so well managed with preventers and other meds.

Taking too much of your blue inhalers can make you feel 'wired' and shaky.

But yes, hay fever can definitely make you feel more wheezy.

When the time is right, I urge you to visit an Asthma nurse or asthma clinic at your local surgery.

[teta]

The guidelines are if you have asthma, even mild asthma, start using a preventive inhaler every day, not just a blue ventolin one. If you have hay fever start taking an antihistamine as well.
My asthma often seems to flare up this time of year too, maybe linked to the type of pollen around .
Stress can also make you feel breathless due to not breathing deeply enough. Try some slow deep breathing and a meditation app as these might help .

[Menora]

Nobody knows if you need a preventer or not and cannot tell you online

CV is making a lot of people anxious who have asthma. Thousands of people have been asking their GP for inhalers who don’t have a diagnosis either and last used or in 2009

Order a peak flow meter online
Start using it a few times a day and get to know your lungs
Contact your GP or nurse and ask for a phone review
Keep a log of things that might be triggers
Stay away from things like lillies

[woodencoffeetable]

do you have hay fever?
do you have pets? feather/down bedding? mould on walls?

could be allergic asthma.

[HarveySchlumpfenburger]

You need to phone your GP and ask for an appointment - over the phone at the moment.

If you are needing to take it every day then it isn’t controlled at the moment and it’s important that it is.