bad asthma or something else?

[andrewjdavid2005]

Over the last few days it has been absolutely freezing here in sheffield, constant frost all the time, feels like it is going to snow!

I am getting afew chest pains, but i can feel a wheeze coming on and also a cough, any one know how to help a cough? i have been taking my blue inhaler alot more but it's not doing much, i am only slightly out of breath at the moment.

I know people will sigh at me bringing this up again but i cannot help it, would i have a blood clot? i don't have any risk factors but it is still not impossible for me to have a blood clot in the lungs although i do have less chance than people who do have risk factors.

I hate winter my asthma gets terrible this time of year, even worse around christmas time, i can never seem to prevent it no matter what i try!!

[Meg]

AD -

what are your peak flows telling you ?

I'm sure you know your ashma pattern. Have you had a review in last few years by a ashma nurse specialist ?


Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?

[andrewjdavid2005]

My peak flows are usually 350-400, average usually is around 350.

Today it is on 300 which is obviously quite abit lower than normal.

I had an asthma review around 3 months ago everything was fine then.

[andrewjdavid2005]

I have read a few stories where people have been misdiagnosed with having asthma but found out that they actually had a blood clot rather than asthma and a few people have died as a result of this.

Often people who go to their doctors or A&E who have chest pains and breathlessness and whezzing get diagnosed with asthma, and asthmatics themselves oftne get misdiagnosed with having an asthma attack when really they have a blood clot, that is what worries me as well if i did have a pulmonary embolism it might get misdiagnosed.

Although someone my age at 23 should not have a pulmonary embolism!

[nomorepanic]

Andrew

You have had this for many months though so wouldn't you be dead by now if you had it?

I asked you to go and see the doctor about it - did you go?

Nicola

[andrewjdavid2005]

I am hardly bothering to go to a GP anymore due to recent problems with my surgery, i am changing surgery's sometime this week.

[nomorepanic]

Ok but that has been ongoing for a while so why not change GP's and go and get a check up soon.

Nicola

[Quirky]

Andrew,
You've had these symptoms for months on and off. If it was a blood clot you would know by now. Blood clot symptoms would not come and go and a blood clot would also show an abnormality on an ECG. Did you get your ECG results?
Do as Nicola said and have a check up and maybe a chat about the asthma management too.
Take care,
Lisa

[andrewjdavid2005]

Don't know if anyone else experiences this but i get loads of symptoms almost 24/7 every single day.

These are all my symptoms:-

feeling tired all the time
shaky hands
dizziness
lightheadedness
no motivation to do anything
find doing anything is difficult
bloated stomach
aches and pains
breathing problems
headaches
feeling like i am living in my head rather than my body
muscle twitching
sometimes lack of concentration
feel like i am choking all the time

[nomorepanic]

Andrew

Yes we have all had them all the time

I think you would benefit from CBT - ask the doctor to refer you.

Nicola

[andrewjdavid2005]

What are the benefits of CBT? how long do you have to wait to have CBT therapy?

[nomorepanic]

benefits - u stop worrying about your health

waiting time - anything from 6 months - 18 months - depends on area u live in

www.nomorepanic.co.uk/therapy

Nicola

[Trish]

Hi Andrew

I am asthmatic, and have been for years, i am on 3 inhalers which i have to take more of during the winter months.

Even now after using my inhalers for so long, i get the shakes, lightheadedness etc.....i do believe this is side effects from the Ventolin and the steroid content.

Get yourself to the doctors and ask for a Spiromierty (spelling) test to make sure your inhalers are doing their job or you may need a different one.

Trish x

[andrewjdavid2005]

peak flow is down to 270 today so that's not good, that is very low!!

[Quirky]

Hi Andrew,
Yes 270 is pretty low and sounds low even for you. Mine is usually 500, it's 450 at the moment as I have a cold though. Do you have an asthma management plan? For example my peak flow should be at least 485/500, if it is above 400 I carry on with my regular treatment, if it falls between 350 & 400 I double my preventer (brown inhaler), if it gets below 300 I have to contact a doctor. This plan was set up by my asthma nurse based on my age and height. I double my brown inhaler when I get a cold too.
What inhalers do you take and when? Have you tried taking your relief (Blue, maybe ventolin?) inhaler and does that improve the peak flow at all. Do you have a cold?
I think it may be a good idea to have an asthma review as you may need a different inhaler or even steroid tablets briefly. A lung spirometry test would be a good idea too.
Take care,
Lisa

[andrewjdavid2005]

I have a cold yes, i have a slight sore throat and feel very tired and have a little bit of a sniffy nose.
I take blue salbutamol inhaler, brown beclamethazone 2 times twice a day and servent green inhaler 2 times twice a day.

My blue one isnt doing that much for me at the moment, if my peak flow drops below 250 then i will call a doctor out, but hopefully it wont get any lower.

[Quirky]

It may be the cold affecting it then Andrew.
I take the same blue and brown inhalers as you but I don't take the green servent one. I always double my dose of brown inhaler when I have a cold but I wouldn't do that unless your gp or asthma nurse advises you too.
Take care and hope you feel better soon.
Lisa

[nomorepanic]

Andrew

Go careful with frequent use of asthma inhalers. I think that you are using them when in fact you don't need to. They are, anyway, drugs/medication and you wouldn't keep taking pain-killers all day because you had a headache.

You are using them because you are mistaking the effects of panic - like short of breathe and chest pains with real asthma.

Go careful ok?

Nicola

[4sure]

I agree with Nicola dont mistake the shortness of breath from asthma with the anxiety one. Taking too much inhaler if its not necessary isnt good for you Andrew, can you tell the difference between the two?