Asthma

anksta · 6 May 2013 at 17:49

Anyone on here got asthma? I've always had it but it's never affected me in anyway except for a couple of weeks, a month or so of the year when hayfever kicks in and brings it on.

Last night and today I've proper struggled to find my breath, my heart has been racing pretty much none stop for 2 days and my chest is killing as I'm trying to take a deep breath all the time and nothing is working.

I've got an inhaler and I've taken a hayfever tablet today even though they normally make me proper drowsy but it's getting a bit unbearable.

Anyway, I've got a job interview tomorrow and I reckon I'll be pretty nervous anyway but I really don't want to be struggling to breathe while I'm either waiting to go in or even in there.

Anyone any tips for making it easier? I'm not asking for medical advice, this isn't a severe problem, it's something that happens every year and passes in a couple of days, just wondered if anyone had any pearls of wisdom like carrying some orange peel on them or something.

Metalface Mark · 6 May 2013 at 18:03

Take more of your preventative inhaler. Standard asthma practice is to double the dose If you are using your ventolin too much (which could be causing your heart to race )

anksta · 6 May 2013 at 18:09

Metalface Mark said:
Take more of your preventative inhaler. Standard asthma practice is to double the dose If you are using your ventolin too much (which could be causing your heart to race )

I've always found that when I start use the inhaler more often (one inhaler normally lasts me at least a year or 2 I use it that infrequently) I can quickly become dependent on it.

And like you say, it causes my heart to race which is not going to do me any good in a stressful situation.

LordSplodge · 6 May 2013 at 18:17

anksta said:
I've always found that when I start use the inhaler more often (one inhaler normally lasts me at least a year or 2 I use it that infrequently) I can quickly become dependent on it.

Psychologically dependant maybe. Look into breathing methods such as mindful meditation. It appears you're suffering more from nerves than asthma.

When my lungs ar bad I can go through a blue inhaler in a week. My last asthma attack (thankfully years ago) put me in resus at A&E. so if you are worried about your lungs go see your GP.

anksta · 6 May 2013 at 18:44

LordSplodge said:
Psychologically dependant maybe. Look into breathing methods such as mindful meditation. It appears you're suffering more from nerves than asthma.

When my lungs ar bad I can go through a blue inhaler in a week. My last asthma attack (thankfully years ago) put me in resus at A&E. so if you are worried about your lungs go see your GP.

Yeah I do suffer much more from anxiety than I do asthma, it's just that a symptom of anxiety is struggling to get my breath so even a mild aggravation of asthma exacerbates the anxiety.

It's annoying as it's hayfever that's exacerbated the asthma. Can't win.

It's a blue inhaler I've got and I've had it for a while now and it's still pretty full, I think I'll just pull on that a fair bit before I go in and then deal with the consequences after.

Destination · 6 May 2013 at 18:54

This Is a medical thread so it'll be closed.

The blue inhaler is NOT your preventative inhaler, if you make one last a year then they likely haven't issued you with a preventative steroid brown inhaler.
It isn't psychological with the blue one, its a direct effect on your nervous system, one of the cycling lassies pumps herself up on it before winning a gold at the last Olympics.

The brown inhaler is meant to stop attacks happening as often.
Asthma is not a breathing illness, it is an inflammatory immune response illness which happens to effect the lungs. With other allergens around, especially hay fever pollens, then you are likely to suffer a double effect, if you also are allergic to the pollens.

Take antihistamines, to prevent the pollen response, and your inhaler as required.

Nitefly · 6 May 2013 at 18:57

I once saw a green inhaler. What the **** is that shizzle!

anksta · 6 May 2013 at 18:58

It's not a medical thread, I'd much prefer just general anecdotal advice to try than specific medical solutions, most of which I'm aware of.

It's like me saying what do you do when you get a headache other than take stuff, see a doctor.

pieman109 · 6 May 2013 at 19:08

I'd go to the doctors and explain the symptoms and get the correct treatment. I've had asthma all my life though not serious and I use a preventer in the morning and at night and I find I hardly use the reliever (ventolin). Too much ventolin causes the heart to race due to the adrenalin in it so go easy on it.

anksta · 6 May 2013 at 19:10

pieman109 said:
I'd go to the doctors and explain the symptoms and get the correct treatment. I've had asthma all my life though not serious and I use a preventer in the morning and at night and I find I hardly use the reliever (ventolin). Too much ventolin causes the heart to race due to the adrenalin in it so go easy on it.

yeah that's why I wouldn't mind a different approach, obviously can't go to the doctors between now and tomorrow morning.

I'll be humming on the adrenaline anyway as I always get proper edgy until I'm actually being interview so I don't fancy giving myself a chemical buzz on top of that.

physichull · 6 May 2013 at 19:29

I take my inhaler before I go running, sometimes get a touch of it with hayfever or a bad cold. Other than that, I get very few problems thankfully.

Ma'am · 6 May 2013 at 19:44

You need professional medical advice asap.

w3bbo · 6 May 2013 at 19:52

As a fellow asthma suffer you really should go see the doc. Only he/she is qualified to give the correct advice.

Closing this thread.