I had asthma issues (they seem to arise just prior to menstruation) about a week and a half ago. We upped inhaled steroids because it wasn't that bad. That seemed to work. I was seen for a follow-up at the beginning of the week. Yesterday I was shopping. I'd done nothing out of the ordinary.
As I was walking into the 3rd store I had planned to visit I realized I couldn't let out a deep breath nor exhale barely at all. I could still walk and thought maybe I could walk it off and the feeling would go away. I thought possibly a mucus plug (which would not be normal for me) or some random anomaly (I have some off and on again moments of being not able to breathe in my sleep but they happen so intermittently we can't pinpoint a cause). But this ended up being different. My chest felt beyond tightness associated with asthma. I drove to my dr's office which I wouldn't normally have done for asthma issues but this was nothing I've experienced before. I was seen right away.
I did use my inhaler multiple times prior to making it to the doctors office. I didn't have my nebulizer otherwise I would have done that to see if it passed. By the time I got to the dr's office my o2 saturation was fine (not sure if they had been lower but I was never blue); peak flow was higher than last week but slightly lower than normal; hr was elevated (but probably due to asthma meds); bp was slightly up (but in normal range). My temperature was not elevated. My lungs sounded better than the week prior. Dr. prescribed a prednisone burst. I took the first dose there. He told me to go home and rest after we made sure it didn't get worse. My chest continued to feel tight. I was yawning a lot but couldn't do the full yawn without pain. Laying on my side kind of help and the pain went away about an hour and a half to two hours after taking the prednisone and normal nighttime meds. I didn't do any cpt because I felt too awful.
This is not my normal asthma symptom, which is what my dr thought it was, nor anything else I've ever experienced. I very rarely have anything come on so suddenly. Anyone else experience asthma like this? Does it sound like something else? Pain was centered mainly around my breast bone as it dissipated but just felt like a super, super tight band prior to it lessening that prevented me from breathing in or out. Thoughts?
As I was walking into the 3rd store I had planned to visit I realized I couldn't let out a deep breath nor exhale barely at all. I could still walk and thought maybe I could walk it off and the feeling would go away. I thought possibly a mucus plug (which would not be normal for me) or some random anomaly (I have some off and on again moments of being not able to breathe in my sleep but they happen so intermittently we can't pinpoint a cause). But this ended up being different. My chest felt beyond tightness associated with asthma. I drove to my dr's office which I wouldn't normally have done for asthma issues but this was nothing I've experienced before. I was seen right away.
I did use my inhaler multiple times prior to making it to the doctors office. I didn't have my nebulizer otherwise I would have done that to see if it passed. By the time I got to the dr's office my o2 saturation was fine (not sure if they had been lower but I was never blue); peak flow was higher than last week but slightly lower than normal; hr was elevated (but probably due to asthma meds); bp was slightly up (but in normal range). My temperature was not elevated. My lungs sounded better than the week prior. Dr. prescribed a prednisone burst. I took the first dose there. He told me to go home and rest after we made sure it didn't get worse. My chest continued to feel tight. I was yawning a lot but couldn't do the full yawn without pain. Laying on my side kind of help and the pain went away about an hour and a half to two hours after taking the prednisone and normal nighttime meds. I didn't do any cpt because I felt too awful.
This is not my normal asthma symptom, which is what my dr thought it was, nor anything else I've ever experienced. I very rarely have anything come on so suddenly. Anyone else experience asthma like this? Does it sound like something else? Pain was centered mainly around my breast bone as it dissipated but just felt like a super, super tight band prior to it lessening that prevented me from breathing in or out. Thoughts?