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.

Thanks @BigTikes hope it turns out to be nothing which it probably is but we are all understandably on edge.

I am nearly finished my course of antibiotics for a chest infection got one day left my chest is improving will be a bit less anxious once my chest is clear as at least if I catch corona then I won't catch it on top of chest infection.

yes it's a horribly anxious time and not great that anxiety itself can cause fast heart rate and shortness of breath/ tight chest. Feel fine now, glass of wine helped. Hope your chest clears soon and you can relax a little. How long have you had COPD?

Sorry for being rubbish in my support while hoping for some. Breathing really bad today. Filled in online questionnaire. Was told to ring. Now waiting for a call back.

Only one year I'm 32 October 2018 I presented to doctor with my third chest infection in 3 months and was tested and told about July 2019 that I had copd. They thought it was asthma at first but then discovered it was copd but they took so long to diagnose because of my young age. So kept taking me for spirometer tests which I had to have been 6 weeks of antibiotics for each one.

36 hours since I last took oral steroids and suddenly my breathing is much better

I don't know if this helps or makes things harder to understand!

digital.nhs.uk/coronavirus/shielded-patient-list/methodology/medicines-data

Thank you for the thread, my dd has asthma and it has kept me awake at night worrying about how she will manage if she catches CV. She also has terrible hayfever that triggers her asthma, so this part of the year is awful for her.

We are on day 16 of isolation, we decided some time ago she would not be going out for 12 weeks beyond a walk, and therefore none of us would be, whether we receive the letter or not.

We have invested in some things to help: An oximeter, an oxygen system, a nebuliser and strict dusting routines in the house. We have asked her not to run around too much, and to tell us immediately if she feels even slightly wheezy.

She take her inhalers each day, hayfever tablets to control that.

I am doing everything I can to limit her risk.

I feel for everyone worried about this.

@Theodoreb I’m also on the last day of amoxicillin for a chest infection. Glad you are feeling better, sounds strange but I can’t tell if I am? Not bringing up so much gunk but my chest is still so sore :( it radiates from my sternum and feels like a mix between my whole chest being bruised or every muscle been pulled. And I wasn’t coughing that much to warrant pulled muscles! I’m wondering if it’s partly my anxiety, although I’ve gone down by 100 on my peak flow....

@NeurotrashWarrior that's a useful link, thanks. And although my inhalers are not on that list, it does suggest that my use of montelukast is a factor for them to consider.
Wales letters may still arrive tomorrow so I will wait and see.

Thanks for that link @NeurotrashWarrior, I see that Fostair 200/6 is on there, as per the Asthma UK site earlier in the week. I haven’t had a text or letter though, anyone else? I’ve booked to speak to my GP on Tuesday so hopefully she can confirm one way or the other.

wailed I think you also must have had pred prescribed between July and December to be deemed severe.

I have had numerous severe asthma attacks but somehow managed to avoid one in that time.

@mendeleev you may well be right. I’ve (thankfully) only had that twice in the time period, so perhaps that’s why.

I'm starting to think that I won't get a letter despite Fostair but we are all individual. My lungs are feeling so much better since the air started to change and air pollution has dropped.

I’m still taking my blue inhaler two to three times a day, despite all my meds. I will try to speak to my gp this week.
Obviously, the way they are identifying people is going to overlook some.
For me, it’s just be good fortune that I’ve avoided any nasty viruses between July and December. If I had caught a cold, I undoubtedly would have been on the pred.
wailing do you mean you’ve had pred twice between July and December?

@wailedAndNearlyLevitated I'm not sure but I took my last antibiotic and I still feel slight symptoms. Less coughing less gunk but my voice is still different and I still have minor aches and cough symptoms so don't really have any answers for you just a hand hold.

Can I ask I'm in Wales and I been on prenidosone at least 3 times but don't have a letter

Thanks @NeurotrashWarrior
That’s helpful. I couldn’t understand how ‘severe asthma’ had been defined.
My inhaler is on the list - Ellipta 184/22 but I have never been prescribed prednisolone.
It seems that no prednisolone (4 prescriptions between July -December 2019) = no letter/text.

I’ve been on prednisolone four times this year but before that not for years. Not gotten a letter and expect I won’t, despite my asthma being very poor this year. I think we all have to be as sensible as we can on our own.

I have asthma but whether I get the letter or not, I'm going to have to go out. I'm living with someone far more vulnerable than me and we have to eat and both need prescriptions collected. Its a worrying time.

@Mendeleev yes unfortunately. But I read it needs to have been at least 4 times. So I’m thinking that perhaps I’m not in the category after all. Which is a good thing really

The link above suggests it is a 2 step process to identify 'severe asthma' ...

1. Patients likely to have severe asthma were identified, using medicines data - this includes the list on inhalors that Asthma UK mentioned. Then...
2. From the above list of patients, those who had been dispensed 4 or more prescriptions for prednisolone between July 2019 and December 2019 were identified and considered to have severe asthma.

So inhaler (prescribed 3 times on more between Jul and Dec 2019) + predisolone 4 times or more = severe asthma.

Looks like Asthma UK missed stating the prednisolone componant.

Ok thanks for the clarification.

This is really good clarification. Thank you all.

I think many of us should definitely still follow the advice for shielding if possible.

Stay safe everyone.

But I have ended up on the shielded list and I haven't taken prednisolone in well over a year.

Although I do take tiotropium which was a COPD drug but which has been licensed for asthmatics since? Maybe I have been misclassified as having COPD because of my drugs rather than falling under the severe asthma umbrella?