tight chest, uncontrollable cough with asthma-NHS24 or wait for GP?

[redfacebigdisgrace]

I have mild asthma usually controlled with a steroid inhaler. I don’t often have to use my blue inhaler

I’ve had a cold for 9 days which has turned into a deep cough (mostly unproductive but I can feel congestion sitting in my lungs). I am still constantly blowing my nose too.

I had an awful night last night just coughing for hours and my blue inhaler hasn’t helped at all. I am using a decongestant cold and flu.

Should I call NHS24 or wait and try and see my GP tomorrow? I’m a teacher so I’m on holiday now anyway. So fed up of feeling like this and a bit panicky about the cough now. Just worried with the asthma.

Thanks.

Thanks. I’ll speak to the GP surgery about my asthma. The nurse was so rude and abrupt over the phone 1.5 years ago that I’ve never been in contact since! Just kept using the Soprobec. Very rarely have I needed the blue one. I do a lot of exercise and am pretty fit.

So you are pretty newly asthmatic then? Yes definitely go back and ask for a plan, you need to know at what point to increase inhalers/seek medical help. For example Im take 1 puff of the preventative a day, but up it to 2 in July and Feb because there are seasonal changes that hapoens that trigger my asthma so I need to be ahead of that iykwim. Ive been an asthmatic from childhood but developed hay fever on top of that in menopause and that can excerbate the asthmatic symtoms, anti histamines help. Do you know what your triggers are for asthma, any allergies?

Call 111 and get seen now. If not A&E. A normally well controlled asthma struggling, you should see a doctor now

@MILLYmo0se hi, yes I think I’ll make an appointment with the asthma nurse. Triggers are viruses and exercising in the cold air. I pushed for an assessment after being breathless a few times and once having a bronchiospasm (scary) whilst running in the cold air. I always got a cough with a cold too (smoked for 10 years, gave up 22 years ago).

I had my assessment and they said my scores were borderline but I should trial an inhaler and see if it helped. It has helped. It turned it I had Covid when I had my assessment so that may have impacted my scores.

These are the notes I made at the time, a bit meaningless to me now!

78% spirometery
402 peak flow age actual 407
Pheno 40 / intermediate. 30?

All within normal range
Don’t exclude asthma yet
Results back to GP- will suggest trial of steroid inhaler. Because of intermediate pheno result.

Update…

Thanks everyone! back from out of hours. I have a chest infection and my peak flow was crap (200 and something) very wheezy. My oxygen and bp were fine and covid test negative.

So I have a 7 day course of antibiotics and 5 days of steroids. She’s shown me how to use the sabutomal inhaler properly with a spacer. I had to do 4 puffs in a row and my hands were shaking like crazy- very disconcerting! I feel a bit more relaxed now and hope the abs kick in soon.

I'm asthmatic (pretty well controlled now) but steam can definitely help. I have a steam inhaler from boots but a bowl with a towel over the head does the job.

Glad you've been seen now but for future reference, don't mess about with asthma!

I had to do 4 puffs in a row and my hands were shaking like crazy- very disconcerting!
I find doing 4 in a row or taking several doses in 24 hours make me shake and get palpitations, almost as though I've drunk too much caffeine.

Just a tip I've learnt. After using the inhaler take a swig of water. It stops your mouth and tongue from furring up.

Glad you have been seen OP, hopefully you'll be feeling a lot better soon when the meds kick in. I echo others that it's worth trying to book in for a review when you're feeling better, sorry your experience was poor last time but they can be useful (fingers crossed you get someone decent this time). Lots of rest and fluids.

Oh great, glad you have been seen and gotten sorted, even just the relief of being checked helps. If they didnt mention it, try to take the steroids early in the morning as they can mess up your sleep. Agree with pp about the water after the inhaler and sometimes when you need the inhaler a lot it can make you sound hoarse so dont worry if that happens.
Ya the salbutamol 'quivers' are a weird sensation, better than the wheezing though!
The steam as mentioned above is a great help, Ive shut myself in the bathroom with the shower running many times! If you can sleep propped up a bit that should help too, and the cough often gets worse or suddenly gets worse around 3 or 4 in the morning so just have the inhaler on stand by. The oral steroids usually make a difference quite quickly so hopefully you ll be feeling much better soon.

@redfacebigdisgrace glad you are sorted for now. Just for future reference in case you didn't know, I've always been told that in an emergency (usual dose not alleviating symptoms) you can take up to 10 puffs of your blue inhaler. But yes, it will give you the shakes. Might just save your life though!

Good news OP. Get well soon.