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Original poster

Anyone with asthma had this ?

43 replies

tootyfruitypickle · 23/12/2021 21:08

Just posting here for traffic in case anyone can help

DD (13) has had mild asthma for a few years well controlled by a low dose preventative inhaler.

During the hot weather in July it flared up very badly during sports week and has never got better . She was put on a new inhaler but after a month of worsening symptoms, headaches and heart racing I persuaded the GP to change it and now she s on seretide. She was on 50 and seemed better for about 3 weeks but then got covid. She's now had two months of nightly breathlessness and 'aching' heart also sometimes racing . She's had her seretide raised to 125. She's been taking montelukast since the summer.

We do have a referral now but I'm worried . Also with the heart sensations worried about taking her for her first vaccine?

Tonight I gave her a dose of gaviscon in case the heart aching is indigestion, it did seem to calm then got bad again so I do t think it's that as surely that wouldn't cause heart racing in addition?. I can't find anything that relates asthma to it. And I can't understand why the inhaler isn't working it's so much stronger than what she was on just 6 months ago.

Does anyone have any ideas what could be going on?

I am going to buy a peak flow meter and start a diary with her in the new year of measurements and her symptoms am and pm (much worse in the evenings but not overnight ).

Tia

OP posts:
farnworth · 23/12/2021 21:33

Asthmatic for long time. Had same symptoms as your DD when I had covid. Have had to change inhalers several times to help (and increased dosage ). However some of the symptoms are maybe not due to asthma flaring up, but due to covid, so inhalers perhaps not always going to solve.
I also used mindfulness techniques to help with night breathlessness.
Three bad months with symptoms above.
Three up and down months but some good days.
Definitely improving after that.
Need to be careful not to overdo things. But at sane time try and gently and steadily build fitness up.
Keep telling her things will improve.

Terminallysleepdeprived · 23/12/2021 21:37

Severe asthmatic here too. Covid has proper screwed my asthma up. Well controlled for years and now constantly breathless.

I find the coughing causes me to syphon stomach acid into my wind pipe and at night I aspirate it. Try something like omeprazole as it is designed for acid reflux where gaviscon is more for heart burn.

The heart racing is probably the steroids. Mine does exactly the same.

But I would definitely speak to the gp and ask for a referral. Although NHS should prescribe a peak flow.

mumofpickles · 23/12/2021 21:49

Ventolin and some other reliver inhalers can cause a racing heart. I changed to Symbicort which is a combined preventer / reliver inhaler and the control is so much better and no racing heart. I went through several to find this one, including the combination your daughter is on so it's worth going back and asking for a review and a change of medication.

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Original poster
tootyfruitypickle · 23/12/2021 21:51

Thank you really appreciate the replies.

So it sounds like the heart aching thing is asthma not a heart issue so she should get her vaccine

She had the heart racing and aching before covid but the aching in particular is something she now mentions every single day . And she's breathless all the time.

Definitely worse with exercise

She was quite bad in august but i think some of it was inhaler side effects - headaches etc. seretide was immediately better but since covid seems to have no effect .

We have a referral but we're not seeing a consultant at the hospital. I've found a specialist I want her to see at a London hospital and asked for a referral to him as well .

OP posts:
AColdDuncanGoodhew · 23/12/2021 21:52

Agree with PPs about inhalers causing a racing heart, too much of mine does the same also. I have Fostair and Ventolin.

GoodnightGrandma · 23/12/2021 21:53

Salbutamol makes your heart race.

SpacePotato · 23/12/2021 21:57

I was swapped to fostair and the side affects were horrid for me. Racing heart, permanent sore throat and earache and a weird burning at the top of my ribcage just below the neck.

Got put back on clenil modulite and ventolin.

Original poster
tootyfruitypickle · 23/12/2021 22:03

Symbicort was the one she was given In August that gave her massive headaches and racing heart. Seretide just gives the racing heart . Not sure what the heart 'ache' is?

OP posts:
Original poster
tootyfruitypickle · 23/12/2021 22:06

She gets the racing heart in the evenings (before taking the inhaler)

OP posts:
Lemonlady22 · 23/12/2021 22:08

I plodded along for years with mild asthma then became really ill with it in 2017. No idea why, am now a member of the difficult asthma club. Has she seen the asthma nurse at you GPs? I'm lucky enough to be located near one of the best UK hospitals for respiratory disease and see a specialist. Contact PALS to hurry along her appt. People really don't understand what it's like to have asthma.

Original poster
tootyfruitypickle · 23/12/2021 22:12

It does make sense that covid has worsened it as I had covid and was breathless for a week after while well and I don't have asthma (certainly gave me empathy with everyone that does), so I can imagine that effect lasts longer in those that do have asthma. She was up and down with it before covid though for about 3 months and quite often had to miss her sport because she got too breathless . The GP advised her then to use her blue inhaler before doing sport which has helped in most occasions. She doesn't like using her blue inhaler so isn't using it in the evenings when breathless, she just puts up with it and seems to be able to sleep.

I'm so annoyed as I kept asking if she could have the vaccine due to her asthma not being well controlled but it had to be done centrally not through GP and so she caught it before she had a chance to have the vaccine

OP posts:
BungleandGeorge · 23/12/2021 22:13

Didn’t they ask her to do peak flows when they changed treatments? Has anyone checked her inhaler technique? Has she been seen in person? Have they checked out her heart?done a chest X-ray? If she’s struggling then she will be using the muscles that aid breathing a lot more than usual and that can cause pain in the chest.

BungleandGeorge · 23/12/2021 22:15

Unless she’s also had multiple oral steroids she wouldn’t have met the criteria for covid vacc due to asthma

Original poster
tootyfruitypickle · 23/12/2021 22:15

They have never mentioned peak flows and they're cheap to buy so I thought we could start a diary as her appt at the hospital is in feb . She did see asthma nurse in person then the GP. Asthma nurse checked her technique when switching her onto seretide but hoping hospital doctor will as well. I'm hoping they will do a proper lung function test as well. She had an X-ray which was fine

OP posts:
Original poster
tootyfruitypickle · 23/12/2021 22:17

@BungleandGeorge I know it's not GPs fault just so frustrating. But we are where we are I guess

OP posts:
Original poster
tootyfruitypickle · 23/12/2021 22:18

Weirdly she has 100pc oxygen on tests they did

OP posts:
HSHorror · 23/12/2021 22:27

Have they done blood tests?
Could be anaemia - heart racing
Which could be iron or b12.
Has she recently started periods?
Covid also affects iron.
Or become veggie/vegan?

BungleandGeorge · 23/12/2021 22:28

I’m quite surprised they haven’t asked her to do peak flows. The practice should also have done spirometry (lung function). They should be checking inhaler technique every time they see her if she’s unstable (you can ask your pharmacist to do it too). Check out the NICE guidelines for the flowchart of treatments www.guidelines.co.uk/respiratory/nice-asthma-guideline-chronic-asthma-management/453885.article

Maybe think about changing GP practice to one with better support for asthma?

BungleandGeorge · 23/12/2021 22:30

Oxygen sats only tend to drop in asthmatics when they’re very acutely unwell (emergency type situation).

Original poster
tootyfruitypickle · 23/12/2021 22:32

@HSHorror yes I thought that as I am prone, she has vitamins and an iron sachet a day now, she's had her period for 4 years but they are heavy . So she shouldn't be anaemic with the iron she takes

OP posts:
Original poster
tootyfruitypickle · 23/12/2021 22:36

@BungleandGeorge that's interesting thank you, it's a village and the only GP but yes I don't feel that supported with this. They're just so busy I think. I'm going to ask the doctor we see at the hospital to do all those tests because we have no idea what her lung function is at the moment and I would also like her technique really checked as I think she can be a bit lazy with it .

OP posts:
BungleandGeorge · 23/12/2021 22:52

You might be best trying to observe her when she’s unaware! There’s loads of films of technique on YouTube m.youtube.com/watch?v=iO8HpORGHOA

Also watch whether she’s using it as prescribed by checking the dose counter. A lot of teens are not keen on using their meds, it’s just a phase most go through I think!

Allthatyouhave · 23/12/2021 23:00

I was not asthmatic. No existing conditions either.
I was admitted to hospital with Covid/pneumonia in July and I have the same ongoing symptoms.
I'm now on fostair and ventolin. The 'aching heart' description is exactly what I've been trying to explain.
I'm still an outpatient. I've had X-rays and I'm booked for a lung function test in Feb.

Toomanyradishes · 23/12/2021 23:15

Which type of iron sachet, i took spatone and was still struggling anemia, floradix works way better for me

I used to have very mild asthma, didnt need a steroid inhaler just a blue inhaler just in case, since getting covid i have needed a couple of coyrses of steroids and im on fostair

Is she using a spacer (i think thats what its called) its easier to use an inhaler properly with one of those

lisaandalan · 23/12/2021 23:36

I've been the same since having Covid. X

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