Chest infection and asthma?

[wiggal]

Hi all,

I went to the Drs this morning after feeling very breathless and 'off' for the last few weeks and he has said that not only do I have a chest infection, but he is also not impressed at having to give me an inhaler to help me breath at my age due to asthma (I am 22 btw!)

I had to breath into the funny tube thing (if you know what I mean) and he said that it was not good at all that I did it twice, once sitting and once standing and could not get up to 400 - not that I know what that means!

I have never had asthma before or atleast it has never been mentioned, so could this just be another part of the chest infection?

Many thanks!
A very breathless Wiggal! :-)

[Sqad]

It sounds as though a chest infection has initiated a bout of asthma which can happen for the first time, particularly in your age group and that is the reason for the inhaler. Only time will tell whether this is a "one off" attack or whether you mat get repeated bouts of asthma in the future.

[daffy654]

Sounds like bronchial asthma,you may find that once your infection has cleared your breathing will be fine. I was diagnosed with asthma at age 21 and have suffered with it ever since (20 years now).
The tube he made you blow into is called a peak flow metre and it measures your forced expiratory flow,basically how much air you can force out of your lungs quickly,mine is never above 250 these days.

[wiggal]

Ah right, thanks sqad!

So I have the inhaler to use now along with my antibiotics, but that doesnt necessarily mean that I will always need it now? It may just come and go?

:-)

[wiggal]

Hey daffy, thank you too for your answer, it appeared whilst I was typing!

So it is very much a case of taking the antibiotics until my chest is better and then seeing where we go from there really?

[Sqad]

wiggal

/////So I have the inhaler to use now along with my antibiotics, but that doesnt necessarily mean that I will always need it now? It may just come and go? /////

Exactly

[wiggal]

Oki,

Thank you both very much!

I could do with the inhaler now but I have been good and read the booklet and said never use before driving until you know how it affects you - And I have to drive home from work at 5pm :-(