Asthma in pregnancy

[Keyboard91]

So in the past I’ve been told I had ‘mild’ asthma, but needed no treatment really, had an inhaler with one cough that wouldn’t budge a loooong time ago. I actually assumed it was a fitness issue!

I’ve had a cough for 7 weeks (12 weeks pregnant). I’ve had several covid tests as a result, all negative. Zero other symptoms. My 11mo and partner haven’t caught ‘it’. More pronounced at night, some days I don’t cough at all. But every night it’s waking me multiple times 😴🥱😴 dry, and nothing I’ve tried (elevated sleep, fluids, humidifier) is really helping.

Midwife thinks it could be asthma that’s been exacerbated by pregnancy so asked me to book in with GP. I was incredibly breathless with my LB but assumed it was pregnancy tbh! And I’m fitter now than I’ve been in a long time thanks to lockdowns with a baby! Can currently become breathless and tight chested just sitting in the sofa.

Called GP this AM but phone consult isn’t until Thursday.

Does this really sound like it could be asthma (which sounds quite scary tbh, no experience of it within my family apart from when we were kids) or could it just be a random virus that my LB (who doesn’t mix with anyone due to covid) just happens to not catch and is hanging around? I don’t want to Google if I can help it(!) as I know what can happen when you do that with zero knowledge(!)

I was referred to a consultant in pregnancy as I’m asthmatic. I had an appointment at 16 weeks and was told for some people in pregnancy their asthma stays the same, some get much worse, some get much better. Luckily my asthma wasn’t affected but do ask your midwife umm if you could be referred to a consultant

Pregnancy did make my asthma worse too. But don’t worry, all the medications are ok to use while pregnant.

This sounds exactly how my asthma presented before I was diagnosed. Please do make sure you speak to your GP in case it gets worse. I don't want to worry you but after months of the cough i ended up being unable to walk around the block because my chest was so tight and I'd get so breathless. The GP kept treating me for bronchitis initially, which obviously didn't work!

I developed asthma like symptoms during my last pregnancy having no previous history. Negative covid test. I was prescribed a blue inhaler which I needed to take a lot. After my baby was born I was prescribed a brown inhaler which I used twice a day for two weeks and once a day for two weeks after that. Haven't needed an inhaler and have been fine since.

I've had mild asthma since childhood, and can often go many years without needing to use an inhaler. However, pregnancy (and early pregnancy specifically) has always triggered a noticeable flare up and my doctor told me it was relatively common.

It's good that you're seeing your doctor - don't be worried about taking medication. And it may well pass as you get further along (mine did)

I was diagnosed with asthma at 33 after my pregnancy. I was obviously living with it my entire life, but pregnancy exacerbated it. It’s normal as I understand it.

Yes - it sounds like the asthma symptoms I get with my mild asthma - often presents as an annoying tickly cough. If I run out of my preventer that cough is usually the first sign of it returning for me.

Yes. My asthma (well controlled til then) went nuts in pregnancy with DD2. Breathless and non stop coughing. Kept being treated for chest infections, took me ending up in a&e on a neb for my shit GP to treat as asthma flare with higher dose steroid inhaler and prednisone which helped keep it under control. Don’t be scared, is easily treated, but do please get to the appointment w your GP and get some proper asthma meds. You’ll start feeling better v soon.