Pregnancy-induced asthma - can any asthmatics give advice?

[HoldMeCloserTonyDanza]

Hi all,

I'm 24 weeks and for the past 9 days I've been short of breath, tired, and coughing constantly. I went to the GP 7 days ago after a rather scary night of coughing during which several times I struggled to draw breath.

He said it was probably pregnancy-induced asthma and gave me a blue Ventolin inhaler. I've never had asthma before (including during previous pregnancies) but it does run in my family (including very serious cases - I don't take asthma lightly at all!).

He told me to come back if it got worse, and not to hesitate to call 999 in an emergency. But he said that it could be an underlying viral cough just making things worse and hopefully I would just recover from that and get better.

The Ventolin does help a bit (the first few days I couldn't walk about/drive/go up or down stairs, now I can). I haven't had another scary can't-draw-breath incident. But I'm so tired, I can't work, a 20 minute trip to the shop drains me for the rest of the day. By 5pm I can't speak without coughing. If I sit very still and do nothing, I don't cough, but that's it.

My question here was 'should I keep waiting to see if I get better, or does this warrant going back to the GP?', but reading this all back I think it's pretty obvious I need to go back, isn't it?

I guess I'm a bit nervous about starting other medicine I've never taken before, and I wasn't sure if being constantly coughing and exhausted warranted a GP appointment - but when I write it down in black and white, it does, doesn't it?

Back to gp. I always get asthma but mine is significantly worse in pregnancy.

It isn't being managed effectively, you need to go back.

Just to add I've always had asthma and in the past I've been fobbed of being told I have viral infections and there is nothing they could do. Twice this has landed me in hospital as my asthma wasn't being managed properly and the virus was triggering attacks. I now have to be very firm and make it clear I need different/stronger meds.

I agree, you need to go back. If it’s interfering with your day to day life that much, it’s not being managed effectively still.

Thank you all so much! Going back to GP is the right call too, right? I shouldn’t just call the midwife team?

(Sorry if that’s a stupid question, I’m not British and the workings of the NHS can still confuse me!)

Yes, GP. Midwife won’t be able to prescribe you any asthma medication

Back to GP.
Ventolin is fine in pregnancy so don’t worry about that. What’s critical is that the asthma is well controlled. You should also be followed up for any cough lasting over three weeks.
It’s possible it is post viral coughing - I had an absolute sod of a cough this winter (and also pregnant) and have been coughing since January- it’s inportant you see your gp

Back to GP - my asthma got worse in both pregnancies. They also told me not to hesitate to go to a and e if it was bad.

I had pregnancy induced asthma despite never having had it before. I still have it now and DS is two.

Initially it terrified me as I’d never experienced not being able to take a breath in, my DH has it and I always thought it was something easily controlled if you just focused on breathing.

Keep your inhaler to hand and learn to use it properly as it really helps. I’d ask to see your GP for a review.

I'm asthmatic and it always gets worse in pregnancy (especially first trimester for some reason) Definitely go back to your GP - it doesn't sound like it's under control yet.