Asthmatics’ during Covid19

[BigTikes]

Would anyone like to join this thread for asthmatics during this outbreak?

I’m mid 30s in England. Have had asthma since childhood, hospitalised a few times (not for 5+ years now) and the odd course of oral steroids for flare ups plus daily inhalers. I got the extremely vulnerable text message today.

If there’s another thread already going please let me know. I just feel it’d be good to pool support somewhere

Good idea. I’m on fostair 200, montelukast and use ventolin several times a week. I haven’t had the text though so am assuming I’m not included. Only had steroids once in past year though several flare-ups. How do you feel about the text *Bigtikes?

There is, but it got knocked right down the page due to a rather busy evening. :)

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/3857723-Asthma-uk-website

Ah yikes. I did think it was strange no one else had started one. But I could really use some company right now. Wasn’t expecting the text and not sure if I’m in denial or really at huge risk!?

Currently blaming my asthma nurse for making me take a fostair when I’d previously survived without any inhalers!!

Bigtikes do you think it’s the Fostair that triggered the text?

When were the oral steroids? Have you seen asthma uk's advice for the things that (theoretically - there's a little disagreement on some gps who aren't advising exactly what they are) should have acted as triggers for the notification.

I'm on sweeties accuhaler (500mcg) montelukast and be til in several times a week. Last had rescue steroids about 6 months ago but not for a while before then.
No text here yet, assume they deem mine well controlled enough? Unless the texts are coming out over a number of days?

Hi - I’ll join. Severe asthma and got the text this evening. Also developed a dry cough yesterday and spent this afternoon and evening queuing for 111 for 3.75 hours (they said they couldn’t help and i needed specialist advice), trying to get hold of my specialist (no luck) getting hold of my gp and being told to phone 999, phoning 999 and being told I needed an ambulance but there were none, walking to A&E and sitting in a waiting room full of coughing people just to be told I’ve probably got CV but only to come back if I really can’t breathe and only then if I’ve tried 111 and my Gp first .
Now having chocolate and a glass of wine to recover.

*seretide accuhaler. Not sweeties (quaraneating has clearly swayed my autocorrects!)

Hi everyone, I have severe asthma - on biologics, azithromycin, tiotropium, revlar ect. But haven’t had this text. Does this mean it’s not severe enough? I’ve been in itu many times, so sort of assumed I would be .... but everyone seems to have had texts today. Any ideas? Wait.... and it’ll make no difference to what I do anyway. Just anxious and curious

So pleased to see a thread to support asthmatics. I'm only mildly so, but my son has extremely brittle asthma, which when he was a child caused the Full Monty numerous times (blue, completely out of it, voided bowels/bladder - screaming ambulances etc). As an adult, he remains wheezy and requires inhaled steroids/ventolin, with prednisone on occasions. He is frontline in a hospital, managing sterile services, though as things get more frantic he will have to be more hands-on. He has not declared his condition to the hospital - they have no idea that he is vulnerable. I've told him he's an idiot-but he's a grown-up and needs to take care of himself - right? ( :()

I've very similiar Weare....
Seretide but 250. Montelukast. Antihistamine. 2 lots of steroids after chest infec in Dec. Don't normally need steroids apart from the Seretide.

The gov said 'Write to you', not send a text, so I'm waiting for a letter or no letter. I imagine GP practices are particuarly swamped as it is at the moment so I'm giving it the full week before assuming I need to phone them and chase it up with some advice.

Not looking forward to the restrictions it brings, so hoping I'll get away with it.

I think it depends on your area whether you have it yet. Expecting mine at some point

but only to come back if I really can’t breathe and only then if I’ve tried 111 and my Gp first

Oh great, well what's all of the fuss about being in the high risk group and getting medical advice before symptoms become worse if they just turn you round and send you home and how badly do you have to be breathing to get help then, did they say Egghead?

Get well soon

If you are on tiotropium you will get a text.

I am on fostair, tiotropium, fenefexadine, montelukast plus avamys and HRT solely to improve lung function.

I had/have some possible cv symptoms but I am wondering if they were anxiety (I have intermittent disordered breathing pattern on top of my asthma, like around 1/3 of asthmatics).

FoirTeaFallout exactly. It was shit frankly and I am worried I have caught something in the waiting room.

She said only come back when your breathing is really laboured and you can’t cope at home with inhalers. She also berated me for wearing 2 masks and using fostair as a reliever (!) and when I said I was nervous about exposing myself to germs in the waiting room she said “well what about me?” I am afraid I said “I sympathise but I am guessing you don’t have severe asthma which makes it a whole lot worse”

I’m struggling. Usually well-controlled. No hospital admissions, antibiotics maybe once a year. Usually take Beclamethosone 100 2 puffs twice daily and rarely need my salbutamol. Currently - cough since Thursday, had to discuss with my GP and start on steroids today and start on Duoresp spiromax when they’re done. Breathing is a labour even with salbutamol.

Taking Relvar. Have had a cough for two to three weeks but we have had builders in and lots of dust inside and out( path and bathroom) so put it down to that. It has changed about five days ago to some tightness but not sure if that is anxiety as going through a stressful time anyway. Otherwise feel fine and no other symptoms have self isolated for over a week and wasn’t out much before that. Shopping for food.
Worried about me as I have three other things on the list, BP, immune problems/allergies and age/ flu injection. Also worried about DS1 grown man but chronic asthmatic since a baby. He has had to say no to work but went in to do stocktake and deep clean kitchen first. Aaaarrgh! He is self isolating now as Managers told to go into work two at a time. To prevent ransacking. Has declared vulnerable now.

It is really worrying isn’t it? We had contact with someone whose child started with it the day after so I am worrying that the tightness is it but it could be anxiety.
Expecting a letter tomorrow. Would be good for DS1 as then he can use it as evidence.
Luckily we have a garden so have been out in that for a couple of hours today and yesterday. DS1 has a small garden/ yard in small city.
I hope people will listen now.

Oh good. I’m pleased to see a page for us wheezers!
No text here in SW London but suspect I will get one (or a letter) at some point.
I take fostair 200, montelukast and salbutamol several times a week. I also carry a high dose steroid card.
However, I haven’t been hospitalised for about 5 years but have had various prescriptions of pred since then.
I swing from feeling quite complacent to utterly terrified.
My kids and husband are also asthmatic but husband is still insisting on going out to work, house to house, as a (self employed) plumber/heating engineer. I’m becoming more and more on edge about this.

That's not good. I hate any of the drama about my asthma and I have a bad habit of not getting help as quickly as I should but I was resolved not to fuck around with this virus and follow the rules. But what's the point if you have to be on your arse anyway?

I’m 60 and use Relvar Ellipta 184/22 daily and occasional use of salbutamol.
I’m not sure if I’m classed as severe or not.

I'm on Fostair 100 and had a very nasty pneumonia a couple of years ago.
Not sure if I'll get the letter. I've been hiding indoors for the past week.

I'm on Seretide 125, Montelukast and use my Ventolin maybe once a day. Had 3 hospital visits in the last year, but not overnight stays. Most recent was January when I needed 3 courses of antibiotics and steroids for 3 weeks. Unsure as to whether I'll get the letter or not. Shall wait and see.

Oh, last Wednesday, when I went to my GP surgery, no one knew about letters being sent out. Didn’t fill me with much hope!