Asthmatics - have you had the 12 week text/letter/call?

[SistemaAddict]

I'm asthmatic on long term step 3 management with Fostair. I still need my reliever most days. For the past 3 weeks I've had some kind of virus and have increased the fostair to 4 puffs twice a day. I still need my reliever. My worry is that I've had prednisolone at least twice in the past year and that this might put me in the 12 week group.

Is anyone in a similar situation and had a text/letter/call? Is there any guidance anywhere?

I'm self isolating anyway at the moment but mentally I'd like to know what's what. My GP practice is down to one GP due to illness so I've not had a reply to my email yet.

@craddock287 I didn't want to bug my GP at such a busy time but I might try to call them next week if nothing has arrived on Monday.

That’s what I’m going to do as well. I think the letters should be coming from whichever diff asthma clinic you’re with- I guess some clinics are quicker than others, possibly depending on how many they’ve got off sick etc

Iv not received a letter and I'm asthmatic on fostair 200/6 listed on asthma UK as for severe asthmatics, gp said they are not issuing letters but recommend self isolate for 12 weeks, but no proof to employer.

Yes dh spoke to the gp today and was told he doesn’t qualify for a letter . He takes Fostair and montelukast . Recently had prednisolone and usually ends up visiting a & e whenever he gets a cold . Decided to isolate for 12 weeks anyway .

I defo won't get one only on symbacort and montelukast, but without anything from doctor still have to work with patients, shitting it.

New guidance from Asthma UK. Check your inhalers and medication s and their doses to see if you should be shielding even if you won't get a letter/text/call.

www.asthma.org.uk/advice/triggers/coronavirus-covid-19/#SteroidDose

My gp rang me today to confirm I am in the shielding group (Fostair 200) and will provide a letter if my (new, as of tomorrow) employer requests it. Im currently working from home as my job job cannot be done under normal circumstances in the community.

Do you take anything else Jean or have a history of hospital admissions?

Fostair, salbutamol, a few hospital admissions over the years, at least 6 episodes of severe chest infections most years requiring prednisolone and I had pneumonia and a collapsed lung twice last year. I'm still not as severe as many and my GP confirmed that I am in the highly vulnerable group.

I've had a text from gov.uk now to say they will share my details with supermarkets.

Goodness Jeanie! A collapsed lung sounds awful. Take care of yourself

Ahh Mendeleev, bless you , i'm ok, my asthma on a day to day basis is well controlled, i'm better than a lot of people, but I get quite ill if I get a chest infection, that's more of a worry to me x

After telling GP I thought I had a chest infection (rattles, creps, wheeze, low peak flow, completely breathless standing up) they gave me amoxicillin but refused steroids and wouldn’t see me to even take my saturation’s (I don’t have a monitor)
Thankfully I think I am on the mend but I do worry about damage to the lung that was already weak and prone to infections

I don’t think I qualify for severe either

My letter came today dated 1st April. It specified I was receiving it for my Crohn’s and made no mention of my asthma (I’m on fostair 200mcg x2 per day).

I waiting for letter to gave employee, got 2 daughters who are fretting as it says I should have can’t even get g p to say yes you will just keep waiting

My text just came through. I thought I had escaped/been overlooked.
It seems a slightly shortened version though, and doesn’t mention opening a window and staying 3 steps away from people in my house.
I wonder if they are now moving onto the next round of asthmatics, who didn’t fulfil the original criteria.

For those who have had steroids, I had these last week (not asthma related, I had a severe allergic reaction to something). GP told me that I was now vulnerable because of the steroids but once I'd stopped taking them that would no longer apply.

I am now more vulnerable than I was but not enough to be shielded. I had steroids last feb and now this round of 5 days but it’s not enough to immunocompromise me in the grand scheme overall I think which is why once you have stopped them it’s not a long term concern

Nothing here yet

I thought originally that DD would be on the list- history of hospital admission when she gets a cough/cold, most recently in Jan. Asthma UK seemed to confirm this. However the gp phoned this afternoon to say that she wouldn't because her steroid dose isn't high enough. We are still going to keep her home for the 12 weeks as her trigger is any kind of respiratory infection and having had a blue light ambulance for a cold induced asthma attack I really don't want to take the risk with cv19.

Mine is almost identical to yours even work said I should have a letter very annoying not to have got one yet and have to just wait let you know if I get one.....H

I don’t have asthma but another condition that potentially puts me at risk. I received a text today saying I am in the highly vulnerable group and saying I will receive a letter soon so I guess they are still working through lists of people sending these out. Good luck everyone, stay safe.

Morning,
The second part of the text came last night telling me only to open a window and not to put bins out. A letter will follow.
My surname is about two thirds down the alphabet. I wonder if they are working alphabetically.
Take care everyone.

I had the text yesterday and my surname begins with W - so I wondered about the alphabet possibility as well.

My surname begins with S and I had my text on Monday 23rd March - I think they got through the first list and then realised they'd missed a lot of people out and started on a new list.