Do I have asthma??

[Quinteszilla]

I know I cant be diagnosed online, but please indulge me.

I am home from the doctors, with steroids to take for 5 days, sabutamol inhaler and amoxicycline (sp). She said chest infection with exacerbated asthma. (or something to that effect)

The doctor heard bubbling, crackling, and an asthmatic wheeze when listening to my chest.

I have slept upright, with coughing fits so bad I am incontinent (sorry tmi). I feel I cant fill my lungs with air, and tightness of my bronchis.

Same thing 6 years ago when I had double sided pneumonia. Steriods and inhaler.

Doctors in the past have listened to my chest and asked if I have an asthma diagnosis. 4 times I have been told my chest sounds asthmatic.

Every time I have a cold, I wheeze when I walk up the stairs. Earlier this month when exercising in the park in the cold morning air, there it was again, that wheeze.

So, is there a chance I could have asthma, or is it just a case of my chest behaving asthmatic when I have a cough/cold?

I only have experience of asthma in children as my DD is asthmatic, and I don't know if it is the same or adults. In children, they can get 'viral induced wheeze' and 'exercise induced wheeze' but the rest of the time they are fine. If this is the case in children, the viruses and the exercises are the triggers for the asthma, so it could be the same for you.

I think your best option would be to make an appointment with the asthma nurse at your practice. They tend to have more time to explain things clearly and you could ask your questions and hopefully have your mind put at rest. She could do a peak flow - you blow into a tube and the reading gives an indication of whether you are asthmatic or not.

Hope that helps and you feel better soon.

Thanks. It makes sense.

Do you know if I there is any reason why I should not combine prednisolone, Salbutamol, Amoxicillin with a Lempsip sachet?

I've been diagnosed as asthmatic, but have never had an asthma attack.

I'm on the symbacort (sp?) inhaler. I weeze like a good un. I get regular chest infections, and when I have a cold/virus/flu, I'm really unwell with it. I never used to get like this, but had a lot of stress about 7 years ago due to my mums cancer. It made me very unwell, to the point I was coughing constantly, almost peeing myself, it felt like I couldn't bring up any phlegm, weezing all the time.

Has your gp told you to use the inhaler everyday?

I have been told to take 1 or 2 puffs 4 times a day, and if that does not relieve my chest seek further help. It is not a repeat prescription, just to see me through this chest infection.

Quinteszilla I don't know if you can combine those with a lemsip. I would ring the pharmacy where you got your medicines from and ask the pharmacist, just to be sure. Lemsip has a decongestant in it which may interfere with something - if they say no, you could ask them if what you could take instead.

Maybe I will err on the side of caution and just take a paracetamol.

My DD is asthmatic and when she said that when hers flares up it is breathing out, not in which causes her a problem. I was surprised as I has assumed asthma caused problems inhaling. I'm not sure if this is how asthma presents in all cases, but it surprised me at the time.

The way my chest feels now, when I breathe in it feels like I cant fill my lungs and I dont get enough air. When I breathe out, it feels tight, and it might bring on another coughing fit. My coughs sound like high pitched dog barks.

The way the asthma nurse described it to me to help understand DD's symptoms was that it is the same feeling as when you are blowing up a balloon and you can't blow out anymore. I think it is common to have problems breathing out.

The dog bark cough sounds familiar, I'm afraid.

Colds and viruses are known to trigger asthma symptoms. Different people with asthma have different triggers.

I have asthma. Most of the time I am fine, but if exposed to my triggers I wheeze and/or cough. My triggers are things I am allergic to - cats, horses, dust, dust mites.

I second the advice to make an appointment with the asthma nurse, if your GP practice has one. Otherwise, you could contact the Asthma UK helpline 0800 121 62 44 and speak to an asthma nurse over the phone.

Sounds like it to me op.

Second advice to visit the asthma nurse - mine's amazing and I'm currently fine even though it's the start of my hayfever season.

this'll be a bit of a ramble....dd has asthma, it only really flares up if her hayfever is bad or she has a cold, but the asthma nurse said if she has to use her inhalers (the blue reliever) then she should follow up with the other one (brown preventer) for a minimum of 8-12 weeks to reduce the inflammation

also I had the flu last may and a chest infection, that took into the autumn to feel right and ever since then every single bug has gone right to my chest, i am wheezing and coughing like i don't know what for about 3 weeks, even after a small cold.

Soooooooooo to me it sounds like you could do with a longer term course of something for the wheeze to get you back to normal.

Hope you soon feel a bit better at least. xx

At the moment I cant speak to anybody. I just end of coughing.

I am going to the practice late on to pick up a "sick note" for my uni tutors - I am supposed to write my home exam, and my brain is all goo and I cant think. I can ask if there is an asthma nurse.

Quinteszilla I think most practices have asthma nurses now - so hope you are in luck. If you are going out, wrap a scarf around your neck and chest - sudden changes in temperature can set things off.

I have an appointment with the asthma nurse next Wednesday....

That's good news - she will be able to do your peak flow and if she thinks you are asthmatic then will prescribe you a preventer inhaler (usually brown or orange) which you take each day. Then next time you get a cold/exercise you won't come down with the breathlessness and will feel so much better.

I am feeling really conflicted about this.

Ds2 got an asthma diagnosis when he was just one year old. He used the brown preventer, and the blue inhaler when needed. Between October and April used to be terrible with chest infections, and steroids. DS1 had his tonsils out when he was 5, after several bouts of tonsillitis, in fact, ever second month. I had chronic sinusitis, and used allergy spray, and had sinus infections or chest infections every 2-3 months.

When Ds2 was three years old, in 2008, we moved to the North of Norway. We threw away his inhalers within a month of moving there. Doctor told us to. In the three years we lived there non of us needed antibiotics for an respiratory illnesses. Back in London, we are back to needing antibiotics for respiratory illnesses every 2-3 months. Ds1 currently has a chest infection and antibiotics, but no wheeze. He had tonsillitis before Christmas, for February half term, and a chest infection for Easter.

I dont know what to do.

That all sounds like a lot of illness. Are you feeling conflicted about living in London?

FWIW dd's dad had a similar experience, throwing awayhis inhalers after he moved out of London, but he only moved to Sussex.

I am. Dh is not keen to move. I have suggested everything from Scotland to new forest, Devon and ldle district.

What a fab auto correct! Not idle district but Lake District!

Maybe towards the coast?