What is wrong with me?!

[Smokeycosmic]

I appreciate this might seem silly but I’m very confused!

I had a horrible flare up of hayfever not too long ago and was given some antihistamines by my doctor. I tried it for a couple of weeks but eventually it got to the point that I felt like I couldn’t breath without trying really hard. It was as if someone was sitting on top of me. I went to the GP and he had a listen to how I was breathing- he said I was wheezy so gave me an inhaler and it made a big difference so he gave me one for home. Now I just use it anytime I feel wheezy or like I’ve got that heavy feeling on my chest again and I just request a new one when I need it. It’s mainly around triggers like dust and pollen, I work with horses and farm animals so it’s a bit of a challenge to avoid it! We didn’t do any other tests and he never mentioned asthma so I didn’t think it was that.

But I was donating blood recently and they asked if i was on any medication, when I said I mentioned the ventolin inhaler she asked how my asthma was but i said I don’t actually have asthma, I just have hay fever. She told me if I have an inhaler I must have some form of asthma but I was told it was just for hayfever. I was really confused so I just said oh ok but it’s made me wonder, is asthma just part of hayfever? Is it possible I just have hayfever and not asthma? I have to take it occasionally in everyday life but certain things make it worse- I’ve noticed cold dry weather means I need it more, and I basically have to glued to my mouth when I’m with the horses and farm animals because I need it so much. I’ve unfortunately always had atopic things like eczema and associated things so I just assumed it was hayfever but now I’m so confused!

tia 🙂

YABU.

I have this. It’s not asthma but down as a ‘reactive airway’. I go through stages of needing an inhaler and long periods of being fine.
Can be triggered by dust, viruses, hay fever and sometimes alcohol.

👍 good stuff.

My DM has an inhaler, but she doesn't have asthma, she just sometimes has trouble breathing well. She's mid 70s, but it started about 15 years ago. She finds it frustrating because she thought that inhalers were for people with asthma, but apparently not.

Would wearing a mask help when you're with the horses?

That’s interesting! I’ve never heard of that before. It’s all very confusing when you don’t know anything about it isn’t it!

@Smokeycosmic yeah I’ve wondered about asthma too as I can also get triggered by cold air etc. but the reactive airway makes more sense. I am slightly allergic to lots of things really eg various animals and have oral allergy syndrome.

….and if I don’t have an inhaler caffeine really helps. Worth knowing if you ever get caught out.

If your lung function improves by more than 12% after inhaling 200 micrograms of salbutamol, you are likely to have asthma. www.asthma.org.uk/advice/diagnosis/tests/

The sitting on your chest feeling is like when I had acid reflux I think it's this

Can you wear a mask when around triggers to help?

If you're needing to use the blue inhaler regularly throughout the year, it's asthma. If it's a one off due to pollen or a cat allergy for example, then it's reactive airways. Either way, it doesn't matter, what does matter is that if you're using the blue inhaler regularly, ie. More than once a week, you need a brown inhaler too. It's harmful to use the blue on its own for extended periods, but completely safe if you're using the brown one too. Time for a discussion with your GP.

If you have an inhaler you have asthma. You need to book in to see the asthma nurse and get properly tested/dosed for your condition.

I was seen and tested for lung functions and then she kept altering my medication until I tested "normal"

I had much the same as you, "allergic" symptoms and symptoms I now know to be asthma....

I now am on a powder inhaler (so not the blue or brown one) and a tablet daily and have no asthma symptoms and no hay fever symptoms!

Hmm I did see the GP when the online pharmacy denied me my blue inhaler. I might go back next time it starts up.

Maybe you have allergy induced asthma - I know I do (allergens induce my asthma, but also respiratory infections):
www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/asthma/in-depth/allergies-and-asthma/art-20047458

A GP remarked on my periodic coughing and wheezing that she thought I had asthma & prescribed Ventolin, no tests or anything & it's on my records!😕I didn't renew the prescription as the wheezing went & returns occasionally especially during the spring. I take quercetin & I think it's helping whatever I have.