Being referred to asthma consultant - what to expect?

[wishiwasonholiday]

After being recently diagnosed with brittle asthma my gp has now referred me to a consultant as my asthma is very poorly controlled and I seem to spend half my time at the gp.

What I was wondering was what can they actually do different to my gp? Do they have other treatments gp's can't offer? I currently take uniphyllin, montelakust, seretide, salbutamol (lots with no effect) and antihistamines and have regular courses of prednisolone.

Anyone please?

Hi,
Sorry to here you are really suffering with your Asthma, I have had it for twenty years plus. It is worth going to the consultant as that will be his field and he will be bang up to date with the latest treatments. I have been told that there are new treatments out their, other than spending your life on steriods, but most of them are going on the preventative side. Do you use a nebulizor ( sorry cannot spell it). Also have they done the trigger tests as to what may bring on an attack.
Hope you see someone soon.xxxx

Hi thanks for the reply, no not had trigger tests had spyrometry and something else done. No nebuliser unless having an attack, sometimes I feel like a nebuliser would get the medicine in better but is that an option? Think my gp has just given up trying to find a combination that works.

Can't find the asthma support thread that was around a few weeks ago?

At my first visit to my respiratory specialist it was to get my history exact, review my medications and previous tests (spirometry/CT/ bloods etc). He sent for repeat chest xray (pneumonia had preceeded my brittle phase) and blood tests. My medication was adjusted and a follow up advised. I had several further visits with other medication tweaks allergy screaning, and later saw a respiratory physio ( private) all of which slowly helped. Your history is different to mine so the format of appointments will be different but hope that helps.
It is best to see the specialist for all the reasons Vena has mentioned. I hope that you will become less brittle too. Good luck.