To go to A&E about hayfever problems

[peachesandpears3]

Please don’t judge me for this!

I’ve had horrendous hayfever over the last few days. I can tolerate the eye watering and itching but what is really making me struggle is the symptoms in my chest. Hayfever usually makes me a bit chesty but this feels more severe this year.

it’s like a tight feeling and it sounds husky/whispery when I breath. But I CAN still breath, it just feels challenging and I have to open my mouth really wide and use my shoulders to get as deep a breath as possible.

I have asthma but was only diagnosed with it a few years ago so it’s still all relatively new to me. But this is how my attacks and flare ups usually feel. Im on 4 puffs of luforbec everyday which usually keeps it bay. I also a use a spacer for it. I have my blue inhaler but until recently I rarely used it because the luforbec was controlling it. But I’ve had to use my blue inhaler so much over the last few days especially tonight. It seems to help slightly but then the symptoms start again.

but I don’t know what to do- this is still all new to me and I’ve never had a ‘flare up’ like this. When do you go and get help for it? Or do I just keep taking my blue inhaler intermittently to keep the symptoms at bay and go to the GP tomorrow. If my blue inhaler wasn’t helping I would obviously go to a&e but it is helping which makes me think a&e isnt appropriate, I’m just unsure as I’m having to take it a lot for it to work and then it wears off and I have to use it again. But it’s the hayfever causing this so would it be unreasonable to go to a&e for this? I don’t want to be a timewaster and if I was having an attack and my inhaler wasn’t working I would know to go to a&e but because it’s hayfever causing it I’m really unsure!

I’ve been on fexofenadine for the last 2 weeks too which has been the most effective AH I’ve found so far

any advice would be gratefully received 👍🏻

111 can advise you better than Mumsnet.

Your asthma is not under control and you should get that looked at asap.

111? A pharmacy?

Yes go. My nephew was admitted to hospital for 2 days cos hayfever kicked off his asthma and his oxygen levels were only 88%

That sounds horrible and I can see why you're thinking a&e. I have asthma and i would be concerned in your situation.

How long is the blue inhaler helping for? If its hours at a time before you need another then I'd say leave it until you can see GP tomorrow

If it's more like minutes before the symptoms are returning I would call 111 and see if you can at least get an out of hours GP call out

They might tell you to go toa&e anyway as you might need steroid shots

I tried to get through to nhs 24 to ask but the waiting time was through the roof and the call rang and rang and eventually I convinced myself I didn’t need it. I’ll try and call again and ask them

there are no pharmacys here open at this time either unfortunately

A&E if you're having trouble breathing. They dont tit about with asthma.

Stop talking hay fever and start taking asthma, for a start.

You need either A&E or an out of hours GP appointment. If you can't get through to the GP, A&E it is.

You don't fuck around with asthma, ever. You're probably in for a very long night but you will get treated and better that than needing an ambulance or worse.

This s asthma I think, not A&E.
any breathing difficulties out of hours of course warrants A&E.

While heading to A&E you could enter your details and symptoms on the NHS24 website. They may ring you and give you an out of hours GP app while you’re waiting to be seen in A&E. It stops you having to wait on the phone.
I definitely agree with others though that it isn’t worth messing around with Asthma. You need to speak to a doctor tonight so they can assess you and especially your oxygen levels.

You'd be unreasonable to go to A&E about hay fever. But this isn't that - it's about asthma that isn't being effectively managed, isn't it? You're never unreasonable to seek emergency treatment if you cannot control your asthma - the ability to breathe is ever so slightly crucial...

PS Sending sympathies. I don't know what it is this year, but I feel bloody miserable. It's the first year in a long time that fexofenadine hasn't kept the hay fever at bay.

Seek help if you’re struggling to breathe

It's not clear if you are taking an antihistamine for your hayfever?

As a fellow asthma and hayfever sufferer I sympathise. If the blue inhaler is working, might be worth seeing GP in the morning. If it's not working and you are struggling to breathe, then get yourself to a&e!!

Ask about Avamys nasal spray too. One airway principle.

Hi, just a quick post to say I feel a lot better today. I ended up waiting for the GP as I started to feel better. I just took my blue inhaler on and off all night as and when I needed to. I think i took it 4 puffs at a time several times so Christ knows how many times in total but it wasn’t close to running out so it was fine. I eventually felt better around 5, fell asleep and woke up and was too late to get a GP appointment for today- completely my fault as I’m well aware that if you’re not on the phone by 8.30 on the dot you’ve got no chance. But I actually feel a lot better today so I’m not too bothered about not getting an appointment, hopefully that’s the worst of it passed.

There is a type of asthma that can be set off by thunderstorms and pollen, perhaps worth looking into in case it helps in future.

https://www.allergyuk.org/news/thunderstorm-asthma/

Good you are feeling better!

No, that isn’t fine. The max you can use your blue inhaler is 1 or 2 puffs at a time for 4 times in 24 hours.

Any more and you risk other complications.

Have you rung the GP and explained that that was the situation overnight? I wouldn't be putting off further review tbh, whether you feel better or not.

What you have is asthma being exacerbated by pollen sensitivity. If you're using your blue inhaler that much it suggests you're at risk of asthma attacks if not that you have already had one.

If you had to keep using your blue inhaler throughout the night that suggests to me it meets the criteria for an asthma attach per the NHS site below:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/asthma/asthma-attack/

That will depend on the individual care plan she has. Ds can have up to 10 puffs every 4 hours before we need to consider getting medical attention. Every asthmatic should have a personal care plan in place.

im not saying it wouldn’t be sensible for the OP to try to get in touch with the asthma nurse or similar as she is struggling but saying over 8 puffs of ventolin in a day is dangerous is simply not true

It is still dangerous, and should never be gone over without prior medical instruction (as your DS has).

OP is not safely or appropriately handling her asthma.

OP you need to see a GP.

DH was overusing his inhaler and it made him really unwell.

No! Not an accident. Not an emergency. Why do people think it's OK to misuse resources?

I mean, it did feel like an emergency when I couldn’t get a proper breath. Albeit a controlled one with my inhaler.

Uncontrolled asthma IS an emergency, you may well need a course of oral steroids, you should see someone.

You need an urgent asthma review and to have an asthma care plan agreed with your surgery.

Next year take hayfever preventive measures much much sooner. Ds is asthmatic and he’s taking montelukast and his preventer Symbicort inhaler (his usual asthma meds) and then fexofenadine, beconase nasal spray and eye drops to keep the hayfever under control. As well as that he showers and changes his clothes as soon as he gets home, we dry his laundry indoors and don’t open his bedroom window.