Shielding chat continues - thread 2

[AuntieSocia1]

Shiny new thread for anyone shielding.

You can vent/moan/cry/chat/lurk whatever you need.

(and I haven't even crossed the doorstep out the front. Worried this may develop from reasonable-shielding to unreasonable-agoraphobia over time!)

@Is2020OverYet Here it is, updated 2 days ago.

www.asthma.org.uk/advice/triggers/coronavirus-covid-19/shielding-advice-high-risk/

I had a shielding line phone call - think it was a scam though as all they were interested in was knowing my address and they could not provide any information about me (not even my GP surgery or illness). Checked with GP surgery and they thought it may be scammy too.

[quote ReincarnatedDodo]@Is2020OverYet Here it is, updated 2 days ago.

www.asthma.org.uk/advice/triggers/coronavirus-covid-19/shielding-advice-high-risk/

I had a shielding line phone call - think it was a scam though as all they were interested in was knowing my address and they could not provide any information about me (not even my GP surgery or illness). Checked with GP surgery and they thought it may be scammy too.[/quote]
They knew my address so wasnt a scam although it sounded like one

Don't any of your friends come over for a chat ? Out the window or at the front door ?

Thanks @ReincarnatedDodo

It seems to have only been changed in England (confusingly) which is probably why I hadn't seen it.

@YummiestBut
I'm in a top floor flat - bellowing out the window isn't practical or fair on my neighbours; can't do the front door as it's a really confined communal hallway and one of my neighbours is fond of having multiple visitors.

Ok - I don’t take continuous or frequent oral steroids for my severe asthma so does that mean I can stop shielding tomorrow? Or should I wait until 15th June? 30th June? Till someone contacts me?

This is all a bit.. shambolic.
@Egghead - I hope you get an answer to that soon. Is it worth speaking to your GP GP etc?

I know this isnt helpful, but Scorland has only ever advised people on oral steroids for asthma to shield. It sounds like England is now falling in line with this?

I wouldn't stop till you speak to your consultant or GP though. Asthma UK have got it wrong before and caused mass panic at the beginning of all this.

I do take oral steroids but Not frequently/continuously. I’m going to stay shielding until I hear officially or until 30 June I think. I don’t fancy catching covid (again) and I’m working from home anyhow.

I can’t believe there was no mention about ‘that text’ on the briefing tonight?

Just marking my place on the new thread.

The ‘frequent steroids’ thing is confusing isn’t it. I’m on DuoResp 320 3puffs x 2, Montelukast and Tiotropium. I generally need Pred over the winter months - so last year I was on it from late November til mid February (you can imagine how thrilled I am at the prospect of this winter!) but during the Spring/Summer don’t tend to need it at all. I got the shielding letter and my GP has confirmed I definitely should be. I’d check with your GP if you’re concerned or unsure.

it definitely is confusing. I calle dmy gps today to check and they said im still under shielding rules. Im on 4x puffs of Fostair twice a day, Montelukast and salbutamol and ive had five doses of pred int he last five months and its looking like i need another dose this week, i woke up last night and had an attack, took 10 puffs of salbutamol to get right again, i was about to ask for an ambulance when i started feeling better but its not the first time in the last week ive woken up needing my salbutamol. HAyfever season and all the grass cutting kills me coupled with the warmth. Im bad int he winter as well, i always get a chest infection in either september or october depending on how wet they are and usually one in january when the cold turns really dry and icy. I thought i was goign to get a taste of freedom but denied

@Methtones No England were previously saying anyone with any ITU admission (at any time of their life) or a hospital admission (in the last year).

Oral steroids advice hasn't changed for us. It's always been the same.

@OneNightTimeMenaceStrikesBack That's sort of been my experience (I take prednisolone twice a month i think usually). Woke up the other night with severe chest pain, spoke to 111, decided to walk to A and E as wasn't breathless - got into triage with sats of 75% so back on prednisolone and two antibiotics. I knew my peakflow was down (below 200) but I actually didn't feel bad and had just the day before told the GP I definitely did not need to go to hospital!!!

Thats a point, i need to ask for a new peak flow meter, mine broke, it got stuck behind a drawer and got crushed, ive just forgotten to ask for a new one. Ill ask tomorrow when i ring to speak to the asthma nurse. I have no idea what my peak flow would be right now but i now it will definitely be down on what it should be, ive never blown above 400 ever on it no matter who has done it. gues si have shitty small lungs haha

ReincarnatedDodo wasnt England initially blanket according to what inhaler you were on, or was that just asthma uk jumping the gun?

Scotland is long term oral steroids or injections. No ITU admissions mentioned at all. I wonder if ours will change, its stayed fairly constant throughout.

@Methtones No, one section (I think there were five/six, cannot remember) was on the inhaler type - but you could hit any of the other four/five categories as well.

I tried to do a cache search but it's not coming up with the initial advice.

I can't remember exactly but if you hit one of the list you were shielded - I hit all of the list so from memory it was something like:

Taking a steroid inhaler (at a certain dose)
ITU admission in the last year (then changed to any, now removed) or three hospital admissions in the last year (now removed)
Taking a biogenic agent
Frequent oral steroids (changed to high dose steroids over 20mg) Frequent was then clarified as over three times in the year I think
Taking an add on drug such as monteleukast.

I am slightly worried they are changing it to get people back to work though... Its weird its changed so much for asthmatics but diabetes hasnt really been included yet.

@OneNightTimeMenaceStrikesBack Yes to ask, I lost mine with a rucksack during a hospital admission (hadnt done readings for a while)

My peak flow meter came quicker than my extra steroids so I think they are prioritising them.

My peak flow can be "man high" around 600, last three hospital admissions its been below 200 though so I have been told to do it every day now properly (four times a day).

Ill definitely ask for one tomorrow. I know my highest readings have only ever been about 300 but they are usually lower or at least were until i went on the montelukast. its been a while since ive had the peak flow done though since mine broke so i better get one. Just hoping i dont wake up with another attack tonight, it was awful last night, i thought i was goign to die, ive never had one so bad before

@Prettyprettyplease I saw this on Facebook, it’s dated a week ago but gives an age and gender breakdown.

ReincarnatedDodo ah I see. For us you had to hit both - the oral steroids were a requirement from the get go.

morning all. barely managed 2 hours sleep last night, it was just beyond me last night. plus its injection day today and i dont usually sleep well the night before its due.

Have to go back to the hospital this afternoon, they want to repeat my hand xrays as they didnt come out very well apparently. so a tiny taste of the outside world again

Thank you @MadisonAvenue. That's really interesting to see. So getting on for 100 000 shielded under 18s, and more than half of shielded people being under 70. So why do so many people think that the shielded are elderly and dying? (That question is not directed at you!)

Very good interview just now on R4 Today Programme with someone from Macmillan Cancer Support. He highlighted the lack of support and unclear communication to people shielding.