Hi, hope this doesn't sound self-indulgently long, but please can I have some objectivity and optimism as I'm not doing much of either. I did debate whether to put this on mental health, as it's about a bit of both physical and emotional difficulty.
I had allergic asthma which caused me problems as a child, but basically I have been well for about 25 years (I'm 44). Over the last couple of years I've had a series of 'life events' - bereavements including my dad, as well as having a second child. Recently I have got very anxious about my DS (5 next week) as he has asthma and allergies. Usually I am more rational and robust but I think loss has pitched me into an anxious place.
Maybe it was just a short step from worrying about DS to getting breathless myself, but I don't want to minimise an actual problem with asthma and not give myself the right amount of meds. For 10 or 11 days I've been feeling breathless. I think this does happen for a couple of weeks some winters, but this year I am not dealing with it well. I don't usually take a preventer inhaler and rarely use a reliever, but I immediately went onto a few puffs of my beige inhaler, not sure it's helped. A couple of days ago I got a peak flow meter - not having used one for 10 years I've nothing to compare it with, but basically when I'm feeling short of breath my peak flow is slightly above the suggested average for my age and height and after reliever it's considerably over. I feel fine at night and have no cough or wheeze. When I get up in the morning I start to feel breathless and its pretty persistent but is better when I'm trying to focus on something else and succeeding IYSWIM. I saw GP this AM and she said I could be having exacerbation of my asthma and to keep a peak flow diary. I took DS to a swimming lesson this afternoon and felt like I was having asthma. 4 puffs of reliever seem to have helped. My plan would be to not hold back on the reliever, and maybe up my preventer.
But I am wondering if this just another phase in my anxious illness. Looking back, this part of November has not been great for me for a few years - 2005 miscarriage, 2006 DS born after difficult laboour and emergency CS, 2007 my dad broke his hip and was in hospital, 2008 DS admitted via A&E with viral wheeze, 2009 my uncle who was like a grandfather to me got very ill and died early Jan, and I had various illnessess and problems in early pregnancy, and last year my dad had his final illness and died the week before Christmas. I have DS's 5th birthday party tomorrow and cannot be ill, much as I would like to go under the duvet indefinitely.
OMG, sorry this is so long but any similar experiences or advice just to manage over the weekend would be so welcome.