Hi
I've posted in the healing forum recently but just wanted to explain my situation. I've been on and off sick for around 4 months now. I suffer with chronic sinusitus and I'm on permanent steroid nasal spray for it. I usually get over the sinusitus quite quickly, however last year I caught a viral upper respiratory infection. I went to see the doctor who could not give me anything for it. Now people who suffer with sinusitus and then get a URI or cold, its about 10x worse. The URI then developed into sinusitus, then an ear infection/perforated ear. Whilst I was on holiday in London I saw a doctor who prescribed me with penicillin and had an anaphylactic reaction to the medicine. For the first time I experienced wheezing during this attack. Since then I've been recovering and have had a persistant cough and sore throat, especially worse at night.
About 2 weeks ago I went to see my doctor. I mentioned the wheezing and he said that it was wheezing in the upper respiratory tract which goes in spasms. He checked my chest and all clear. However that night, I started to get sick again, but worse. My cough was so much worse, with lots of post nasal drip and catarrah and the coughing at night horrendous with lots of wheezing and tightness in the chest. At one point I considered going to A&E but put it off. I made an appointment to see my GP last Friday, who has arranged a blood test (done) and also tomorrow I'm having a spirometry test done for Ashtma.
However I've just woken up again with really tight chest and wheezing and the coughing just won't stop. I prop myself up on pillows but this does not seem to help. Are there any other means of helping with the shortness of breath. I've just boiled the kettle and tried inhaling and also drinking a warm drink. I find that in the morning the wheezing has eased however my test is at 11.30 and am concerned that the test is not going to show up anything. I am so desparate for this to be resolved and cannot go on anymore like this. Its frightenng waking up at night with a tight chest and I'm really on the verge of tears. Plus I'm waking up the whole household including our 14month old and I too am surviving on very little sleep a night.
p.s. my husband is at work and normally gets home around 2am, so if I wanted to go to A&E, I can't.
Thanks for listening
Aww heaven~spirit, I really can say nothing practical to help. But I want you to know that I'm feeling for you and sending you lots of courage to get you through this. It must be so dreadful for you, with a baby to take care of and your husband at work half the night. Good luck at the doctor's. I hope you can get this sorted. I have a chronic but stable lung disease so I know only too well what it's like to suffer with a cough and respiratory problems; it can be so miserable. All I can say is be strong.
xxx
If you are worried at all, call an ambulance, for your own safety, or get the on call doctor to come and see you. They may kick up a fuss, but under the Patient Charter they are entitled to visit you if there is a need.
Get lots of water through you, plain old fashioned water, if you are coughing and having asthma attacks this will be dehydrating you somewhat, which will add to this.
Your anxiety may also exacerbate these symptoms, it is hard to control when you feel fearful, having suffered in the past with similar symptoms, I can appreciate that the rational mind says calm down but the body doesn't respond favourably.. ust breathe gently as you can into it and focus on the out breaths, often in such situations, people breathe more shallowly, which adds to it.. so breathe deep, breathe in what air you can comfortably ake on board slowly, gently..
You may find sleeping sitting up easier. I don't know how you feel about complementary therapies, but my instant thought is to looking for a good kinesiologist in your area who may be able to work with your symptomology to help bring about some form of relief. If you do, explain what you have explained to us on the forum here and they will know exactly what to test..
If your tests show nothing that is good, they have ruled something out and are a step closer. If they rule something in, you can be treated and become healthier. Hang in there, the results will be soon, the doctor can support you.
just don't forget they can come and collect you, you can get to A&E if you need.
Aww heaven~spirit, I really can say nothing practical to help. But I want you to know that I'm feeling for you and sending you lots of courage to get you through this. It must be so dreadful for you, with a baby to take care of and your husband at work half the night. Good luck at the doctor's. I hope you can get this sorted. I have a chronic but stable lung disease so I know only too well what it's like to suffer with a cough and respiratory problems; it can be so miserable. All I can say is be strong.
xxx
Hi Sunanda
I've been reading about your constant cough and sore throat and wondering whether its this viral infection that is doing the rounds. Appparently my family doc (in SAfrica) stated that it takes around 6 months to get better. Great!
Its just frustrating not getting any answers from the doctors. They must think I'm a hypochondriac.
I am hoping for some resolution tomorrow otherwise I will request an allergy test as just want to get to the bottom of it.
I've been reading about your constant cough and sore throat and wondering whether its this viral infection that is doing the rounds. Appparently my family doc (in SAfrica) stated that it takes around 6 months to get better. Great!
Six months??:eek: Well, I think I got the virus back at the beginning of December so that's 3 months so far!
I'll be crossing my fingers for you for tomorrow. Let us know how you get on.
Get lots of water through you, plain old fashioned water, if you are coughing and having asthma attacks this will be dehydrating you somewhat, which will add to this.
Hi Gussie
Feeling a bit better, must be the hot drink or inhaling which I will do again before I go back to bed. But now I'm sitting at the computer the coughing is less. I have a very good kiniseologist to go too. I am allergic to grass pollen, bees and several other things but there may be more.
Thanks for your comments and concerns. Now that I'm ok-ish I don't have to call A&E.... which I dread being by myself.
xx
Sunanda, when I was recovering it was 2 months and then got sick again, so its brought me back to the beginning again.
I will let you all know how I get on.
I've also just taken some tissue salts for chronic asthma - which is Nat Sulph and Kali Salph but am going to take them throughout the night. I am willing to try absolutely anything to feel better again.
My bed is calling me now ... .Brrr!
Update: Called on line surgery GP call centre as my wheezing is worse in bed, I'm even sleeping straight but standing up its ok, but I cannot sleep standing on two feet, so I'm hoping that I can go to the GP Outpatients at the Hospital. Waiting for them to call me back.
Just come back from A&E, seen by a doctor and definitely wheezing in chest. Gave me some ventolin which helped immediately, checked my chest again and a bit better but not 100%! Said that if I use the Ventolin more than 4x during the night I must go back and they will give me something stronger. Gosh this is better than what I've had, so going to try and get some sleep now as exhausted.
Thank you Gussie and Sunanda for being there for me this early in the morning.
x
I fully understand as I've been through this myself. Ask your doctor for a peak flow meter. This cost me the price of a perscription. You blow into it to get your peak flow and then plot it on a graph. I found this helped for my evidence as when ever I went to docs during the day I was fine but I suffered really bad at night. Its also good to help to see if there is any triggers to an attack.
My worse trigger is going from hot to cold and vice verser.
Thank you whiteroom, will request this. I am feeling fine now and the nights are always bad, which is a symptom of Asthma. Not sure why they can't test at night.
They tested me but because I hardly have any wheezing during the day the reading is normal.
So they've given me a Peak flow meter to test for the week. I'm worse around 11.30pm so am going to do a morning reading and then a 10pm reading (bedtime), then a much later reading to see the difference then take the worst one as only 1 reading per am/pm.
I feel absolutely shattered today and not looking forward to tonight. The nurse said that if I need to use the inhaler a lot, then got to get to A&E. If it means me getting the medication, then I will go every night until its better. Grrrr!
Don't forget to test your peak flow before you use your inhaler and then around 30 minutes after you've used it this way they can tell if the ventilin is working and how quick it works.
Also keep a note of all the times you use your ventillin & most of all try not to panic, its very difficult I know but this does only make things worse.
Don't forget to test your peak flow before you use your inhaler and then around 30 minutes after you've used it this way they can tell if the ventilin is working and how quick it works.
Also keep a note of all the times you use your ventillin & most of all try not to panic, its very difficult I know but this does only make things worse.
Thanks - I am dreading tonight but trying to be positive and the Ventalin is a safety blanket.
you could also try this EFT video to ease constricted breathing
tigress
you could also try this EFT video to ease constricted breathing
tigress
Thank you. I was reading through the Respiratory forum and have heard a lot about EFT, so this will be helpful.
Ok I've just tried the technique and I was 5 at the start and afterwards 7.5 after doing the technique - amazing stuff!