Asthmatics, I need advice

[trampoline123]

Hello,

Background is I have no history of asthma and I'm 38. My sis, mum and niece have it though.

I've had a cough since Christmas, had chest X-ray a few months ago which was clear.

Have been on steroids and a variety of antibiotics, a brown and blue inhaler over the past month and I'm still so breathless.

I was blowing 200 which improved to 300 over the course of a few weeks but feel I've got worse again as very breathless just walking or talking.

I have an asthma test early august but surely if I was asthmatic the inhalers would have helped by now?

That sounds horrible, I’m so sorry.

Which inhalers have you been on?

Have you been offered alternatives?

Some inhalers do nothing for me, others are like wonder drugs.

Similarly the dose does make a huge difference, I need a much larger dose of brown for it to be at all effective if my lungs have not been functioning well for a while.

It will take some time for the brown inhaler to work, it has to ‘build up’ so to speak. I think even so you’d hope to have seen a difference in a month.

Have you got a review with your GP / asthma nurse booked in?

I would be getting back in ASAP as it sounds like whatever it is, it’s not controlled right now.

What’s your peak flow reading now?

Is it a spirometer test you’ve got booked in?

I have to take antihistamines at this time of year pollen aggravating my asthma. Do go back to the GP. Your asthma nurse may be the best person to see.

How is your inhaler technique? That can make a difference. If it helps use a spacer tube ( I dare say they have a proper name) or ask for an inhaler which you ‘drag’ on rather than one where you have to ‘catch’ the puff as it were.

Has your Dr suggested an antihistamine at all? I take one Zyrtec daily, or when necessary Piriton.

I also take Montelukast , which is not useful for everyone , but helps me.

It sounds like you may need to try other drug combinations. Sorry, it is shit when it’s not improving.

I think you need to go back to your doctor really, although the asthma nurse maybe more helpful.
Sometimes it takes a while to find the right inhalers and as another poster mentioned, inhaler technique is very important. You may need a spacer device to use with your inhaler too.
Following covid I had to try new inhalers. Also montelukast tablets help me a lot.
It is a long journey to get the right treatment but worth it in the end💐

For years I used brown inhalers as preventers, moving up through the dosage options. They helped, I never fully got on top of my asthma. Then I was offered seretide (purple inhaler) in my early 20's, and it's been game changing. A peak flow of 300 would still be a good day for me, but I basically don't wheeze any more.

So I'm another one saying go back to your GP/asthma nurse and ask for a review.

Thank you all for your replies.

I have a blue Salamol inhaler which I take morning and night, 2 puffs and as and when needed.

I do the brown 3 puffs morn and night.

I use a spacer as I struggle to hold my breath.

I just keep coughing up phlegm too and just feel quits crackly and short of breath.

Just don't get why it's not improving, I'll book an appointment- it was on my to do list today but got busy at work.

I will echo the some inhalers don't work well for some people. I just need blue and brown but neither of this do anything for my adult DD so she's on a Fostair regime (pink inhaler) and takes Montelukast morning and night.

It definitely sounds like a review is needed. Asthma is annoying in that there isn’t one regime that just works for everyone, but I have found that once a regime that does work is found, it can make all the difference.

Ask about Montelukast if you’re finding phlegm is a key problem.

The brown steroid ones come in different strengths and there are much newer more efficient powder Inhalers like relvar which I take.
I would see the asthma nurse rather than the gp they are far better with up to date treatments and getting your asthma under control.
Second or third whatever number I am at taking an anti histamine as well if you don't already my asthma is worse at this time of year because of hay-fever.

Is you mucus discoloured?

Are you sure you don’t still need antibiotics if you are coughing up mucus?

Would a nasal spray help as you may have a post-nasal drip?

The phlegm is green and very thick and has been like it since Christmas.

I do have a nasal spray but not been as on it with that, I forget and need to be more consistent.

I'll call to book an appt with the nurse.

It's good to know about certain inhalers not working for each person so maybe they will try a different one.

The way I feel, I imagine the peak flow thing would be back to 200 tops- I just want to see some progress, and we could do without not keep having to get these prescriptions. Spent nearly £100 over the past few weeks.

If you’re in England, get a Prescription Prepayment Certificate! It saves me so much money. I pay £11 a month for as many prescriptions as I need.

Also they can give you a peak flow to be able to track it at home, or if you don’t want to wait they can be bought from Amazon etc.

If the phlegm is green, I would second asking whether you need more antibiotics. It sounds like the infection might still be lingering and your airways may be inflamed for this reason.

Green phlegm sounds like you still have a chest infection so you need to go back to the doctor. For my symbicort was the preventer that worked - becotide and servitude didn't touch me. If you're needing to use your blue inhaler regularly then it means your asthma is not under control. I'd suggest finding out if your surgery has an asthma nurse or a doctor who specialises in asthma.

If you have a chest infection, and with green phlegm it's highly likely that you do, then you might find that you start to get more control once you start antibiotics.

As pp said, there are far more inhalers available to you if the current ones aren't helping. When it comess to controlling your asthma, bear in mind that an experienced asthma nurse is typically far more helpful than your gp.

Oh, and Asthma UK have a helpline with brilliant asthma nurses who can be a great source of advice and support.

Green phlegm does have the makings of a chest infection OP.
Your GP should prescribe antibiotics for that to shift it and maybe a short course of oral steroids to bring down the inflammation in your lungs.
No inhaler will work effectively until the chest infection has cleared.

Saw the nurse again yesterday and I was blowing 230 and BP a bit low.

More steroids, antibiotics as a precaution as I have a low immune system ( they said excessive green phlegm doesn't always mean infection and I don't have a temp so she doesn't think I have one), been given the purple inhaler to use instead of brown. Chest sounds wheezy and crackly. She said if I get worse to go to AnE as I'm on the highest of everything they can give.

Hope it helps! I don't usually respond to steroids as I've been on them so much due to another illness. Is anyone in a similar boat with that?

What does an asthma attack feel like? Are there warning signs?

How are you feeling @trampoline123 ?

Much better, thank you for asking.

I could actually walk to drop my kids off today without being out of puff.

@trampoline123 I've had montelukast sitting in the bathroom cabinet for a few weeks didn't want to take steroids but the hayfever exacerbated my chest was coughing up gunk. I started taking them, the cough has practical gone. Driving with the windows open yesterday set it off a bit. The nurse said yesterday she's had hayfever for the first time this year and they've hàd many more patients needing help. I've also started taking strong antihistamines.

Maybe I'll get some antihistamine too as this cough is driving me mad and so much gunk!

Thanks for the tip.

Yes, nurse said this is the worst their clinics have been.

Can I also ask if, as asthmatics you breathe normally ever again? Can you exercise? Not sure if I'm expecting too much, but I'm still crackly and short of breath. I have a follow up appt tomorrow.

Yes definitely but sometimes Ventolin is needed before exercise.