Does anybody know about asthma? So I'm 61 and a history of chest infection from childhood. I also have eczema and hay fever ( I take antihistamine all year round). Since a chest infect last November I've had a persistent cough worse with exercise ( like going upstairs) and at night and with bad hay fever season. I had a chest X-ray after 2 months which was clear . Eventually after months of this I went back and GP initially just said it's one of those things but then I queried asthma ( DD has it) and she said 'oh yes it could be' gave me inhalers and told me to see nurse after 3 weeks. Now I've seen nurse and she's told me to cut out ventolin except when I 'need it'. But all week my chest has been awful and my throat is sore from coughing and my chest is kind of sore too. I've used ventolin a few times. And yesterday decided to go back to 2 puffs morning and night. I have spyrometry test booked in 6 weeks ( earliest possible). I don't think I wheeze ( my DD doesn't either) but I often feel like I simply can't breathe and I cough so much sometimes that I'm almost sick.
Should I go back to GP? I know nurse is asthma expert and not querying that but nobody seems to have advised me what to do. I have a little niggle at the back of my mind because 7 years ago I had 12 sessions of bleomycin which could cause lung damage. My follow up has been poor since we moved to a very rural area who follows me up simply by annual blood tests. Am I being a hypochondriac? It just all seems odd. And it hurts and I don't feel well!