General Chat

yep sandra i am astmatic.it was a shock when they told me that i ahd it 13 years ago but if you take your medication properly then it will be fine.i have two inhalers now taht work well for me.i would say that seeing the asthma nurse regular does help as they can monitor it.love and hugsxxx(:

Sandra There are a lot of us about so don’t think for a minute that you can’t live a normal life. I have had it for 30 years and still work full time with less time off sick than many of my colleagues. My mother has had it for over 50 years. Here are a few tips from my own experience: Learn to use the inhalers properly Don’t worry that the steroids will have nasty side effects – they are low doses and pretty safe for most people. If you get better then on no account stop taking the brown inhaler. The effect takes days to work so it is important to take your daily dose. Use the blue inhaler about 5 mins before you use the brown one – this makes it more effective Have your free flue and pneumonia jab every winter If you get a cold or feel chesty then increase the dose of the brown inhaler. I have no evidence for this but I think the brown inhalers lose their effectiveness after a while so I always start a new one every month even though the old one isn’t used up. Get your doctor to prescribe two of each inhaler not one to save money on the prescriptions. Good luck Bob

We all do in our house. My hubby isn't so bad, he uses ventolin, my son used a nebuliser six times a day until he was six, now takes one tablet at night and ventolin, my daughter takes a steriod inhaler twice a day and ventolin and I take a steriod inhaler four times a day, ventolin and a tablet at night. M.

hiya everyone, sorry about shooting of but didnt realise it was late. well i stopped smoking 10 yrs ago. cos i was breathless. not knowing it was the start of asthma. i have a blue inhaler, which i might need about once every 3 mnths. i have had 2 bad ones(ambulace job) the first one was my fault cos i took a nurafen(didnt know not to have antiflmeries) bad spelling). the other when i had a bad crisis in my life.i needed a new inhaler cos my sell by date had run out. then the asthma nurse asked me to come and see her. she has come to the conclusion, that i have lung damage.not from the smoking she said , cos i was a chesty kid. she thinks i have had my asthma donkeys years.as i feel very well ,i am a bit bothered about this steriod one (i dont want to put weight on) and i think if its not broke dont mend it xx

Sandra, you won't put weight on with a steriod inhaler, you put weight on with steriod tablets. M.

I have a red steriod one 2 times a day and the blue up to 3 if needed. If you can manage to keep up the exercise I guess you shouldn't put too much weight on. I have put over a stone on in 12 month but had been poorly ages and had gone really thin so am prettty normal now lol!! (if that is possible) I shouldn't worry about the steroids as there are different ones and I believe these are don't add the weight too much (according to my brother who has had every lung treatment going) Germaine x

hiya all thank you. do you think i should use that steriod inhaler even if i feel well , and what are the benifits x

Bob - interesting what you say about taking the blue inhaler (Ventolin first) I have a grey inhaler (combivent) must try - have never taken them in any special order. However - about a year ago was told to use a spacer with the inhalers as this would be more effective and I believe it is. Then only yesterday I was told to throw away spacer after 6 months and use a new one even if I have been cleaning and maintaining it properly. (This was a Russian locum in our surgery). Any one got a blower at home which gives readings and which is your best reading and worst? Ann

Sandra - what colour/brand is it? Some are preventatives and to be taken daily. Ann

Sandra, you need to use the steriod inhaler every day, as directed by your GP. Ann, do you mean a peak flow meter? M.

hiya ann thank you, i will let you know tomoz, what it is called. went to the manchester meet up today. i tried to get my medicine there . but they were one short . so i will get next week in my town x

Sandra, you MUST keep using it even you feel better. If you go on feeling better you can go back to your doctor and discuss trying a slightly lower dose, but do not stop on your own. I have used the orange one twice a day for years now, ever since I had pneumonia and it sent my previously mild asthma completely berserk! So first lesson, have your flue jab every winter and a pneumonia jab (only needed every 10 years I think). I foolishly let myself run out a few weeks back, and thought I could manage for a couple of days until my new prescription arrived. WRONG! After 24 hours I felt really bad. Shan't do that again. Use a spacer (sort of like a goldfish bowl) to breathe the inhalant in through, its better for your mouth. The only side effect I have found is that it has affected my vocal chords, so that I can no longer sing and my voice is always slightly husky. It's a cheap price to pay, though. It took 6 months to get me right after the pneumonia and I never want to go through a time like that again. Weight is a problem for me - but I think it is more to do with my unhealthy lifestyle than the medication. If I lose weight, I need less medication. That's a lesson in itself! So why have I not learnt it! Above all, don't fret over it. Really not worth worrying about. Tina

Morfyyd - peak flow meter - could not think what it was called - does anyone use one and which is your best and worst readings. Ann

Ann, I have used one but I don't anymore. I think my best was about 550, my worse about 290. M.

As to 'running out' or finding you do not have your inhaler with you. I argued years ago for my repeat presecriptions always to be for 2. I carry a ventolin and combivent in my car as in my husbands at all times ( but swop over regularly so they do not run out of date). I have a set in the house and in my medicien drawer when I begin to use the last inhaler I order new. Asthma Clinic praised the way in which I have all these back-ups and did say that if more people worked that way less emergencies at A & E. However although there is a Clinic at the surgery - one only sees the nurse - I think it would be of more benefit if there were a general chat one like this. I personally do not know another asthmatic and never have. Ann

I too have asthma - been diagnosed for around 4 or 5 years now but only gone onto the brown inhaler through the spacer, morning and night, since last year. It certainly helps as I was getting breathless just walking to the shop, or going upstairs. Am slightly overweight but that is in my genes and was helped along by HRT which I no longer take. I have turned into my mother physically, but she was never diagnosed with asthama although had rheumatism and arthritis which I have (arthritis and fibromyalgia.) She also had high blood pressure which I don't have and had angina, finally leaving us after her third heartattack. Maybe it would be useful to have a thread for us asthma sufferers as we have for fibromyalgia sufferers. You could adapt this one?

Yes Sandra always use your steriod one it will be your prevenative. I don't have a spacer as I have the turbohaler, Oh and don't forget to rinse your mouth after using them especially with the turbo haler ones. It can cause oral thrush and though not a big prob isn't very nice. You can get off doctor something to clear this but also can buy Daktarin from the chemsit which is good. I have a peak flow thing. I was told I should be about..450. Best lately 250 worst 150. Had the doctors baffled last year couldn't sort me out. They think that this has come on so slow that my body has got used to being without oxygen so is coping with less. Had a course of steroids last week. Feeling good at the moment. Germaine x

I am another of you I have had it all my life i'm almost 51 and nearly died when i was 3 so I thank my lucky stars and take my meds. my eldest son also has it took my 9 yrs to get him diegnosed hes now 31 keeping fingers crossed none of the gran kids get it. take care all Josie

Two other things I keep in my handbag and have used when I have gone into bad spasm without warning (like getting car fumes in my face) are a paper bag and a hand held battery operated fan. I expect all of you know what the bag is for and both of these items help if you feel at all panicky which we all can do. My best reading is about 350 and worst 150 - GP said on Friday if it ever hits 100 get to hospital immediately. I was told a few years ago by Asthma Nurse that like so many of my generation who had asthma as a child - lung damage was done then as there was nothing but nothing to ease an asthma attack except lots of pillows and 'steamers'. Reading the advice and questions on this thread I think it would be a good idea to keep this running as has already been suggested. Ann

It is interesting to read all the experiences here. I forgot to mention in my tips list about keeping spares around in case you need them in a hurry. About peak flow meters – This is only my opinion but I think they are useless. I know when I am breathing OK and when I am not. I don’t need a gadget to tell me. If I go to the doc because I have a chest infection then what will they learn from the reading? Another tip is: If you are admitted to hospital (possibly for something unrelated) some nurses will try to take your medication away “It’s hospital rules”. Resist. Don’t let them take it. You manage for years at home with self medication and then some nurse treats you like an imbecile. This is from my own experience and it happened to my mother as well. Does anyone else have a bad reaction to Asprin? Bob