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Original poster

Sudden wheezing and coughing attacks

59 replies

Nortam · 26/08/2023 19:00

For the last, I'd say, 9 months, a year maybe, I've had these random episodes where I've started wheezing with no obvious cause. (Literally sitting on the sofa ect) not felt breathless or anything and a slight cough. Normally this disappears after a few hours tops.

Today I had the same except I had a huge coughing fit, wheezing very loudly and struggling to talk as my throat was so irritated. This lasted about 20 minutes and slowly eased until I was just wheezing. Wheezing completely stopped within 2 hours. It was quite scary as I had to cough with every breath.

I never took much notice if the episodes I previously had but this one was a lot lot worse. I'm being investigated for.another health issue at the moment so I don't want to go to the GP unless absolutely necessary. Does anyone know what this could be please?

OP posts:
cherryassam · 27/08/2023 20:37

I wouldn’t wait to see the GP, it might just be allergy triggers right now but you could develop other triggers - my menstural cycle can be a trigger, for example, or cold weather is one for me too.

If it is asthma, every episode you have is causing further damage to your lungs. It would be good to get started on preventative medicine if that is appropriate for you.

EmmaPaella · 27/08/2023 21:52

Nortam · 27/08/2023 19:38

I'll try an antihistamine if it happens again before I see the gp

I’d book a GP appointment this week and ask for inhalers in case it happens again.

Original poster
Nortam · 27/08/2023 22:07

Thanks everyone for the advice I will be calling the GP on Tuesday morning. I have been coughing a lot today and my throat has been tickily. Nothing like yesterday but not quite right. I will update once I've spoken to the GP.

OP posts:
Overrunwithlego · 27/08/2023 22:12

Any chance it could be related to the weather? Thunderstorms in particular seem to be an issue (google thunderstorm asthma).

Original poster
Nortam · 28/08/2023 18:08

I don't think so we haven't had any thunderstorms here. I did Google it though and that's bizarre!

OP posts:
Original poster
Nortam · 29/08/2023 11:45

Just an update, I have a phone appointment in 2 weeks. Will let you know what they say.

OP posts:
Original poster
Nortam · 12/09/2023 10:54

I had my appointment and have been prescribed an inhaler and have an appointment for a spiro-something, I can't remember the name now!

Since I had that bad episode a few weeks ago, I've been having the coughing and wheezing every few days but nowhere near as bad.

OP posts:
gingeristhenewblack43 · 12/09/2023 14:01

Spirometry - they ask you to blow into a tube while a machine measures your output.

Hope the inhaler helps!

off · 12/09/2023 14:28

Is it a reliever inhaler or a preventer?

And if it's an MDI/aerosol/squirty type inhaler, have they given you a spacer to use it with? (No spacers needed — or possible — for powder inhalers.) My asthma nurse started pushing 🌟spacers for everyone🌟 a while back, and I felt like a little kid at first, but now I quite like them Grin They're… medically controversial when it comes to their helpfulness for adults, but I find the technique easier, and if you're new to inhalers you might too. You can ask for one, or buy them for not much — I have Aerochamber Flow-Vu (I think that's the spelling) ones.

But ignore all that if you have a powder inhaler or already have a spacer, or have already had a discussion about spacers with them and decided against.

Good luck, and hope you're doing better soon!

Original poster
Nortam · 12/09/2023 17:31

It's a reliever inhaler. Nothing was said about spacers or how to use it.

I had to use it today as I started coughing and my throat was feeling tight ect. I felt as though the 'puff' just went on my tongue. Does this mean I'm doing it wrong? I will definitely be looking into a spacer, thanks @off

OP posts:
cherryassam · 12/09/2023 17:50

Which inhaler is it? There are different types of inhaler which will have different techniques

off · 12/09/2023 17:53

Yes, if it felt like it went on your tongue, it probably didn't get quite as much of the drug to your lungs as it could've, though some will have gone in. There's definitely a technique to using inhalers, and different ones might need to be used slightly differently. Ideally you should've been shown proper inhaler technique, as it's sometimes difficult to work it out from the package insert (tho easier with the powder inhalers IMO). But there are a lot of decent videos on YouTube by health professionals demonstrating how to use them — if you go on and search for whatever inhaler you've been given, there'll probably be one for your specific inhaler, or if not, one very similar. Or there might be a link to a video printed on the leaflet? There's a bit of a trial and error/practice component to learning how to angle it, too — you'll soon get the hang of it though.

off · 12/09/2023 18:20

You'll probably get the knack of it quite quickly, and even if your inhaler is one that can be used with a spacer, you'll most likely be fine without it anyway. Until recently, they seemed to mostly be reserved for children Grin It's just something that can sometimes make it a little easier, I think.

cherryassam · 12/09/2023 18:31

I had my asthma review last week and they were really pushing me on the spacer, as they have for a few years. I declined as I did try as an adult and I just can’t be arsed with the maintenance / faff. I have used the same inhalers for probably 15 years now though and the technique is muscle memory.

Definitely have a look for a video as PP suggests, they can be helpful. Also I have to consciously breathe as deeply as I can after a puff to make sure the medicine is getting in as far as possible - I know that’s easier said than done with a reliever though.

cherryassam · 12/09/2023 18:32

Oh and asthma nurse said apparently you can get up to an extra 20% benefit with a spacer, which I took to mean I could get at least 80% of the benefit without faffing with a spacer so it’s not worth it. I’m not sure that was the message she was really giving me but as my asthma is well controlled, I feel confident in my decision

off · 12/09/2023 20:56

The evidence on the actual tangible health benefits of spacers (as opposed to just greater drug delivery or something) for adults who can achieve an acceptable technique without them is, I believe, a lot less definite than your asthma nurse implies, cherry — at least, as far as I could find out a year or so ago.

I only brought them up with the thinking that if it's a squirty-aerosol MDI, which can be awkward at first, and as OP is still so new to inhalers and may not be using this particular inhaler long enough to get comfortable with the proper technique (and, as she later explained, hasn't even been given any instruction), it could maybe be useful to raise it as a possibility, that might raise confidence and make it easier. Though I may have just unnecessarily complicated matters instead 🤣

But you're right that, long-term, they can be a bit of a faff sometimes. They first tried to get me on one years ago, when it was a giant dismantleable double-cone performance of a thing 😒 I've come to like the smaller ones tho, cause I'm not the best at angling my steroid inhaler to avoid mouth surfaces, and for me a spacer seems to make it easier to breathe in the salbutamol during an asthma attack too. Also my Qvar has a stupid uncomfortable cylindrical mouthpiece.

cherryassam · 12/09/2023 21:00

That’s really interesting, and to be honest I should probably know more about my asthma than I do.

I do think a spacer can be very helpful, especially for the reliever inhaler in situations you describe @off - I think it was an important recommendation for the OP and I have to say I’m surprised at the lack of info / help they give when first prescribing an inhaler.

my MiL was prescribed an inhaler for the first time, it was over the phone and she had no instructions / training or anything.

cherryassam · 12/09/2023 21:01

also the mouthpiece makes such a difference doesn’t it! During Covid my preventer started being made in a generic shell rather than the brand specific one and it had this horrible square mouthpiece that had sharp edges sometimes. I never did get on with it properly

off · 12/09/2023 21:20

It really does! Taking my Qvar straight from the source is like suckling on a giant hollow phallic stick of rock Hmm

And yes, I'm unimpressed by the apparent lack of guidance given, even accepting that OP has an upcoming spirometry appointment where they may do patient education stuff on inhaler use. Without it, for some patients that inhaler prescription would be useless. I once came across a woman who started to get wheezy, took out a brown steroid/preventer inhaler, opened her mouth, and squirted her inhaler towards it from about three inches away while breathing in. She had no clue she was doing anything wrong. I'm reasonably confident OP's technique is significantly better Grin Could only be worse if she stuck it in her ear.

off · 21/09/2023 10:51

Hey @Nortam , how's it going? Getting on with the inhaler okay? Have you had your spirometry appointment yet?

Original poster
Nortam · 24/09/2023 20:29

Hi @off sorry for the late reply. We've had a sickness bug in the house and with 4 DC, it's been a horrendous week!

I think I've gotten slightly better with the inhaler. I know I'm still not using it properly but getting the hang of it slowly! My appointment isn't until mid October but I'll update when Ive been.

With your asthma, do you get a kind of tickly/irritated throat where you just need to cough? Should I use the inhaler for this?

OP posts:
off · 24/09/2023 21:30

No need to apologise, that sounds gruesome! I hope you had a lot of buckets…

Glad to hear you're getting the hang of the inhaler — I hope it's helping at least a bit.

I'm sorry, though, I don't really know whether you should be using it when you have those symptoms; people's symptoms can be so different even when they've got confirmed asthma, and I only really know my own 😔 Does it feel like it's doing anything useful if you do take it then?

Original poster
Nortam · 10/11/2023 08:23

I had to cancel my spirometry test last month as I was really ill but rearranged it for today.

Does anyone know if I will get the results today?

OP posts:
StillOrSparklingMadam · 10/11/2023 08:49

Nortam · 10/11/2023 08:23

I had to cancel my spirometry test last month as I was really ill but rearranged it for today.

Does anyone know if I will get the results today?

I should think so, normally they talk about it with you immediately as they do the two tests and then compare them on the spot. That's always been my experience.

off · 10/11/2023 09:22

Yeah I agree with Still, they usually talk with you about it straight away, so I'd guess that's probably what will happen.

I suppose it's possible that the spirometry will be carried out by an HCA and you'll have a follow-up booked with an asthma nurse to discuss the results, but I guess you'd probably already know if that was the case. I don't know if HCAs can carry out that kind of testing, but I've definitely had appointments for reviews where an HCA did all the in-person physical stuff and then I've had a phone call with the nurse to discuss the results.

Either way, good luck and I hope you get something useful.