Asthmatics’ during Covid19

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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.

I am 17 days in and still wheezing significantly. It is not clearing on its own

Finally GP is putting me on pred and another course of antibiotics

I’m 17 days in too and still sick in bed. Horrible virus. Get well soon Menora

Get well soon Menora, AnnaC and egghead. I’ve requested a call back from my GP again. Has anyone else got abdominal pain? I started with right sided abdo pain yesterday. I’m hoping it’s just constipation but if it carries on I’ll have to talk to the doctor....I’ve had similar before and been admitted which I’d really rather avoid at the moment!

I hope you are ok - I did have a bad stomach way back before I was officially ‘sick’

I am very tired of all the differing advice about prednisolone. Today a GP told me that it wasn’t a significant dose to compromise you at 40mg for 5 days so why did I have to wait nearly 3 weeks to be given it?

Yes I had abdominal pain and there have been reports of diarrhoea.

It seems to come and go, stabby pains. I’m taking paracetamol and laxatives to try to shift things in case it’s just constipation.

I’ve just spoken to a nurse practitioner at my practice, I’m being put on Montelukast alongside my Qvar inhaler. Does anyone know if that puts me into the shielding group?

I don’t know to be honest. The new guidance is that your GP will go through the second round of flagged patients and make decisions on them. I don’t think I will fall in either

R.E Spacer No. I haven't been told anything about it. I usually don't need my inhaler unless it's winter and very cold. Spoke to GP today. Very much wait and see. they don't want to prescribe anything else because it's not bacterial and doesn't seem to be linked to the asthma. Call 111 if symptoms get worse. If I get drastically worse, 999. Day 17/18 now? My chest still feels like it's being crushed and I have hormones in the mix now too. Ugh.

Faith you’d need to ask your asthma nurse or GP but no I don’t think Qvar + montelukast would put you in the shielding group, unless you’re on a very high dose of Qvar and have had 4 courses of pred recently (or equivalent) and/or recent hospital admissions. Your asthma nurse/GP will know though (or at least I hope they will - the guidance from Asthma UK and Gov seemed to change several times!). Hope the montelukast helps.

Viral infection finally gone woke up this morning first time in about 4 weeks with a clear chest

Great news Theo!

Me too the pred has worked wonders after 2 doses!

Thanks both don't think I had corona as was too healthy and wasn't bad enough but at least now if I catch corona I have a better chance.

Glad to see you’re improving.

I’m taking my first dose on Montelukast tonight.

Glad you’re both feeling better!

So..update from me. I tried to go back to work but my asthma got worse again (damn Montelukast wasn’t quite the magic cure I’d hoped for although I’m better than I was two weeks ago). Then I finally talked to someone from my occupational health department who asked me why I wasn’t shielding? I explained I didn’t think I met criteria. She said based on the updated information (I’ll attach a link), the fact that I’m needing my salbutamol so much, have had two courses of steroids and have another course on standby (see how I go) and I’m on Montelukast she thinks I have ‘unstable Asthma’ and should be shielding. She confirmed with people with respiratory knowledge who agreed...so I’m now at home for the duration. I feel bad that I can’t help at work but to be honest I’ve felt so awful the last few weeks that it’s a relief to be told to just stay home and ride it out. DH is fit thankfully, he’s WFH and only going to the local shop if we need essentials (observing distancing) so I’m fortunate in that respect.

I’m glad you are at home safe @FaithInfinity.

Hopefully being advised to shield is a relief for you, Faith - at least you can take the time you need to rest and fully recover.

I've been on Montelukast for a few years now so my memory is slightly hazy, but I'm pretty sure when I started it my asthma nurse said that it wasn't at all an overnight 'cure' and the benefits of taking it build up slowly over several weeks. So you may still find that it works for you. (Apologies if this is wrong - like I said, it's been a few years since my asthma nurse and I were discussing it!)

Thanks egghead, how are you doing?

Yes catkin, before it wasn’t clear. I’d gone from what I perceive to be generally well controlled ‘mild’ asthma, I’d only had steroids once before. Now it’s poorly controlled but I felt some pressure to go back to work to chip in (not that my manager was pressuring but just generally you know? I’m a nurse not working in a pandemic!). But yes, there’s a sense of relief that how I’ve been recently has been recognised as putting me in the vulnerable category so I can hide away at home! It’s pants not being able to go anywhere but we have a nice house and garden so I don’t feel too stuck.

Day 27/28 of Covid-19 for me and having a much better day today thanks. Feeling so ill has made the shielding much easier - no energy to go further than the sofa anyhow!

Sending good wishes to all.