Any other asthmatics shitting themselves?

[HermioneWeasley]

I’m not even badly asthmatic, but a cold will usually leave me wheezy so I’m genuinely worried about needing hospitalisation, and even worse, the nhs being overwhelmed and not able to help.

I’m washing my hands regularly and dettoling my house and desk regularly. What else are others doing?

@Strandliv interested to hear in what way has it helped you?

I’m asthmatic. I have been hospitalised in the past but it’s well controlled now. My three kids are also asthmatic, we’re a wheezy lot.

I’m not panicking. But when I hear ventilators and shortness of breath mentioned on the news my tummy does a nervous flip.

@NorthEndGal I have Sarcoidosis too!

My lungs are damaged and I take meds that lower my immunity. Not panicking but being careful. Not taking any unnecessary risks .... I also have a severely disabled daughter at home who is at risk.

To be quite honest I have about 80% of the symptoms all the time!

Yes I have severe asthma monitored every 3-6 months by the hospital. I am self-isolating, whatever the cost. If I get this I expect I will be left dead or with permanent lung damage.

@chocolatespiders
From the age of 7-21 I took becotide and ventolin. I would wake up 2-3 times per night to take my inhaler. Thought that was normal. Then I registered with a new university doctor for my masters degree and they made me attend a specific asthma appointment. When they heard I was waking so often and that struggled to exercise, particularly outdoors, they said immediately we are changing your inhaler to seretide and ventolin. I started on seretide 250. And it was literally a game changer for me. I stopped waking during the night, and my ventolin inhaler wasn’t the first thing I grabbed in the morning. I stayed in 250 for 10 years and with a different doctor we decided to experiment lowering the dose. From 250 to 100 to 50. On 50 I started to get nighttime, early morning and cold weather asthma again, so we went back to 100. I’ve been on 100 ever since. I’m now 42.

@chocolatespiders
Forgot to add since seretide I have never had to go to a&e or been hospitalised because of my asthma.

Did you get side effects when you started seretide? I've technically only been prescribed it for this illness but he put a two month prescription and then as an afterthought said I should call when I've run out and ask them to extend it as I can't exercise without using my ventoline

@natsku I take it in accuhaler form (to make sure I get it all in, asthmatic for decades but have poor inhaler technique). The accuhaler powder can give me a sore mouth. So I take it before bed and then brush my teeth. And take it in the morning just before brushing bony teeth. No other side effects I have experienced.

Wow that sounds amazing, my dd 16 struggles with playing football in the cold and always leaves her with a cough afterwards. I remember hearing Paula Radcliffe talk about her asthma and saying she covers her mouth on cold days but I struggle to get DD to do this. Although she has been better this year and worn a snood a few times.

My DC has severe asthma and is on a strong dose of Fostair, two puffs morning and night. DC is having to using public transport to get to and from school. I’m very concerned.

I'm concerned for my 8 yr old ds who has been hospitalised (blue light's) after getting a sniffle, which triggers his asthma. We have emergency steroids and he's taking the preventer consistently. I also have no spleen, not sure if I'd be too affected by that as I seem to be pretty healthy with it.

It occurred to me though, that if my extremely sporty, typical 8 year old boy who happens to have asthma or myself were to die we'd be in the 'underlying health issues' stats.

I'm keeping the whole family isolated from school pick up onwards. Trying to get an Ocado delivery, but website is too busy to load 😢

@chocolatespiders
Might be worth taking her to GP and asking about trying it. I believe it works because it is both a preventer and reliever inhaler in one. But check it with a doctor. Like I said I was 21 when I started taking it, I don’t know if it is suitable for children.

Bagelsandbrie - my daughter also has adrenal insufficiency and asthma. Her adrenal insufficiency scares me rigid in terms of infections!! She even got cellulitis from a flu jab!!
I never know if addisons/adrenal insufficiency counts as immune suppressed..what do you think? Obviously replacement steroids and no fight or flight. So we treat her like it, just in case.

I too have asthma, and epilepsy. Plus a heart murmur. I’m terrified quite frankly!!

It really does not bother me. If I get it, I get it. I had a chest infection last year with rib fractures and dual pneumothorax that became sepsis. Shit happens and you roll with the punches.

Ive been pretty concerned, 42, lifelong asthmatic and have just yesterday been put on antibiotics and steroids for the second bad chest infection since xmas. Thanks for the reassuring links, its helped somewhat to know it’s not a massive increase in risk. Hoping I at keast get over this bout before I catch covid19 so im self isolating but ds still coming and going as normal so probably pointless.

Onehanded - are you asthmatic??

Hi @MadMumToThree nice to "meet" someone who understands! I have it in my lungs, lymph nodes and joints. Not fun, but thankful for methotrexate

@NorthEndGal me too but joints may be 'just' arthritis. They're not sure. And yes Methotrexate has been a life-saver for me. Literally lol

@Strandliv I had accuhalers when I was first diagnosed and did not get on well with them! I've started using a volumatic with my inhaler now so I should be getting the dose much better than I used to.

@natsku
I get on with seretide in accuhaler form, my ventolin is a regular inhaler. It’s surprising that even very experienced asthmatics (not the right term but you know what I mean) can still have awful inhaler technique (myself included). I had a volumatic whatsit as a child. Might look into it again. Thanks.

Yes bricking it. For the first time in years I've been put on oral steroids and I'm still feeling breathless with a dry cough. Seriously wondering if something else is going on because this doesn't feel like my usual asthma cough, yet I feel like I'm breathing through a straw. SebandAlice's post has filled me with slight relief though.

I’m on 4 puffs fostair a day, 2 puffs spiriva resonant, montelukast, fexofenadine, avamys (for comorbid sinusitis) and HRT (specifically to improve my lung function) with oral prednisolone for exacerbation. This combination has had things pretty stable for the last 4-5 months touch wood. However any respiratory infection (even a cold) could change all that ... Frightening times.

Hope you feel better soon @NewChapter11

I had a horrendous chest infection in jan that i needed steroids & antibiotics for. I was coughing all night until i threw up it was awful. Blue inhaler was only providing temporary relief.
Whenever i have my asthma review the nurse is always on at me to start the brown inhaler, going to get one tomorrow.
Being super diligent with hygiene.
Not much more i can do.
Someone in my workplace has just been sent home to self isolate too, and i was in the car with her at lunch! I literally sprayed myself with dettol after i heard she had gone home haha.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/api.nationalgeographic.com/distribution/public/amp/science/2020/03/these-underlying-conditions-make-coronavirus-more-severe-and-they-are-surprisingly-common

Yes it is a risk factor and yes I’m worried. I’m keeping asthmatic DC off school.