Are there any Asthmatics on the board who claim IB or DLA?

katholicos

ALIBOBSY wrote: »

Sadly around 800 people a year die from asthma or asthma related problems.

Despite being a severe and ongoing health problem, the government still insist asthmatics don't need free prescriptions (although thats another issue).
I have been asthmatic since childhood and also get hayfever, excema and several allergies (of different degrees- but luckily non requireing an epi pen).

I would urge anyone with asthma who is suffering on a daily basis to see their GP urgently,asthma uk state with modern medicines and new drugs coming out all the time no asthmatic should suffer in silence.

After years on higher and higher levels of the standard ventolin and various steroids I complained to my GP. They referred me to an asthma clinic where they suggested I try one of the newer drugs. It was explained to me as instead of an instant "reliever" like ventolin it is a 12 hour reliever and a different type of long term dilator "like the steroids you used to take".
Can list the actual drugs if anyone wants but it may not be the best treatment for everyone, but the point is there are better treatments out there.
They are strong though, remember the first time you took ventolin and the shakes? Even more of that at first, and a bit "buzzy" if you know what I mean for the first few weeks.

This has changed my life, really.
I still have a ventolin just in case, but go weeks if not months without using it. One suck morning one at night and all done. For the first time in years able to breath right in all the way without even that little wheeze at the bottom.
Didn't even need an inhaler during my most recent childbirth. Amazing.:D

ali x

Thanks so much for sharing all this with me! I'm very pleased for you that you have found a medication plan that really works for you, and congrats on the newest addition to your family!

To give you my asthma medication history, i started out the normal asthma route of ventolin (blue) and becotide (brown), basically that didn't do much and so i was put on Ventolin (blue) and an Orange preventer inhaler (flovent, i think), then that didn't work and i was put on Montelukast lung tablets, ventolin (Blue), Salmeterol (green and the orange inhaler....and then that didn't work either so I was put on the ventolin (blue), Salmeterol (green), Seretide (purple) and Montelukast tablets.

Then that didn't work.

Now i'm on Montelukast, a combination inhaler called Symbicort (a white and red 12 hour steroid preventor which is 2 inhalers in one: budesonide and formoterol fumarate) and of course, my reliever which is a Salamol Easi-breath inhaler ( blue).

All this is interespersed with various steroid tablets in times of chest infection and my daily intake of Codipar for chronic daily headaches.

I use my reliever regularly throughout the day and night and you are so right that it's really scary when it just doesn't work. I try to stay calm and I pray a lot.
:eek:

kianicky

katholicos wrote: »

I'm sorry you were ventilated. I have had a couple of close calls but so far have managed to stay out of the Emergency Department with my asthma. Some nights though, I lie in bed and it is so bad that i pray to God my kids won't find me dead in my bed in the morning. It might sound melodramatic but i think my fellow asthmatics will know exactly where i'm coming from.

I'm pleased you were successful in your claims for DLA and IB.

god no, it's not melodramatic. it's something every asthmatic has to live with the fear that they could die it's not a nice feeling and still scares me even now at 31.

rammy007

My Asthma has been a total nightmare for the last 2 years but touch wood it has been a lot better since the doc put me on a Spiriva inhaler,this is as well as the symbicort inhaler,ventolin evohaler and accolate tablets.The amount of steroids i have been on is ridiculous and i too was hospitalised but the spiriva seems to have made a massive difference,the hospital consultant said my airways are now fixed and will not improve like people who have COPD.

SuziQ

I am not currently working and have just lost a small job i had for 3 years, earning £20 pr week to top up my benefits. My daughters father died when she was a baby and i left my son's father 9 years ago (he does not work and gives us no financial support). After I got ill and became debilitated by the daily headaches and asthma i decided against applying for disability and instead, stayed on income support (so no tax credits).

But I still don't understand (sorry if I am wrong,I can be dense around benefits)

I am on income support-and I get Child Tax credits (not working tax credits) they are the biggest portion of my income.

Surely you are getting Child Tax credits? Perhaps there is a different form of IS I am not aware of (I am just on bog-standard £60.25 a week) so sorry for my ignorance.

I'm sorry by the way if you felt my post was a bit strong-from your op I thought your GP had refused referal to specialists and you weren't getting pecialist care for your asthma.

As for your headaches,I am a qualified reflexologist and I had great success treating a lady with recurrent headaches. In fact she contacted me just recently as they had returned since she moved too far away to see me,unfortubately I am not practicing at the moment s I am anaemic and waiting for surgery. She had tried everything over many years but the reflexology sessions worked after the very first session.

I know they are expensive,but if you get the current course prospectus for local colleges,they will have sessions for members of the public to have reflexology sessions plus the students would kill to have you as a case study! My headache lady actually came to me when I was looking for case studies. The first time I went to her home to treat her,her husband rolled his eyes and gave me very short shrift.
The following week he ran to the car as I pulled up,grabbed my chair etc and carried it all in as he couldn't believe the change in his wife!

katholicos

SuziQ wrote: »

But I still don't understand (sorry if I am wrong,I can be dense around benefits)

I am on income support-and I get Child Tax credits (not working tax credits) they are the biggest portion of my income.

Surely you are getting Child Tax credits? Perhaps there is a different form of IS I am not aware of (I am just on bog-standard £60.25 a week) so sorry for my ignorance.

I'm sorry by the way if you felt my post was a bit strong-from your op I thought your GP had refused referal to specialists and you weren't getting pecialist care for your asthma.

As for your headaches,I am a qualified reflexologist and I had great success treating a lady with recurrent headaches. In fact she contacted me just recently as they had returned since she moved too far away to see me,unfortubately I am not practicing at the moment s I am anaemic and waiting for surgery. She had tried everything over many years but the reflexology sessions worked after the very first session.

I know they are expensive,but if you get the current course prospectus for local colleges,they will have sessions for members of the public to have reflexology sessions plus the students would kill to have you as a case study! My headache lady actually came to me when I was looking for case studies. The first time I went to her home to treat her,her husband rolled his eyes and gave me very short shrift.
The following week he ran to the car as I pulled up,grabbed my chair etc and carried it all in as he couldn't believe the change in his wife!

Suzi, thanks so much for posting. To be honest all i know is i get about £60 Income Support a week. I went to see a lone parent adviser at the job centre today and she showed me the breakdown of what I get, on the computer screen and it just said £60 Income support and then so much for each of my children.

She asked me about any disabilities i had and showed me a screen which had things like 'can't carry heavy objects, can't walk long distances etc' By the time she had finished ticking boxes she asked me if I had considered applying for IB.

I said i didn;t know much about it, she said that if I wait till november when these Income Support changes come into effect i will find myself on Jobseekers Allowance and having to 'sign on' every two weeks, but that as it didn't seem that my health would enable me to be fit enough for work that I should think about putting a claim in for IB.

I asked if i needed to have worked within the last couple of years, she said the Government were bringing in a new thing whereby people who are not well enough to work still basically get income support, but that you have to apply for IB first.

I've made an appointment to see the Doctor tomorrow and i'm going to try to get my asthma improved and then if it is still significantly debilitating i will apply for IB I think.

About the headaches, i will think about what you have said. My mum saw a reflexologist years ago to do with her RSI and it did wonders for her. Sorry to hear about your anaemia and forthcoming surgery.

My son has just been diagnosed as having beta thalassemia and has been anaemic for some time, unfortunately it isn't the kind of anaemia that can be treated with iron supplements as his thalassemia is the result of a gene abnormality that has only just been discovered despite him being born with the gene.

Hope you go on okay and thanks for your help!

katholicos

rammy007 wrote: »

My Asthma has been a total nightmare for the last 2 years but touch wood it has been a lot better since the doc put me on a Spiriva inhaler,this is as well as the symbicort inhaler,ventolin evohaler and accolate tablets.The amount of steroids i have been on is ridiculous and i too was hospitalised but the spiriva seems to have made a massive difference,the hospital consultant said my airways are now fixed and will not improve like people who have COPD.

Spiriva sounds interesting, I'm seeing my doctor in the morning and will see what he suggests we do next about my asthma but if i'm feeling bold enough i just might mention this medication. Thanks for posting and i'm glad your asthama has improved!

katholicos

kianicky wrote: »

god no, it's not melodramatic. it's something every asthmatic has to live with the fear that they could die it's not a nice feeling and still scares me even now at 31.

I know what you mean. I mean i know i've got to go sometime, but if i can prevent it happening earlier than necessary by using correct asthma treatment, i'd prefer to stick around a while longer yet

ALIBOBSY

See some of you are already using the same inhaler as myself. I used the symbicort red and white inhaler. This seemed to do wonders for me just on its own, but from what you have said your asthma sounds worse than mine. What levels are you on? I take the 200/6 micrograms dose (think this is the middle level).
For those not on it, it is the drugs budesonide/formoterol fumarate. I was told to take in morning and night, but if I have a bad cold or infection (always settles on your chest) I can take up to 4 doses a day, but not long term (I was advised not more than around 3 or 4 days as may need antibiotics for a secondary infection).

Good Health to all
ali x

katholicos

ALIBOBSY wrote: »

See some of you are already using the same inhaler as myself. I used the symbicort red and white inhaler. This seemed to do wonders for me just on its own, but from what you have said your asthma sounds worse than mine. What levels are you on? I take the 200/6 micrograms dose (think this is the middle level).
For those not on it, it is the drugs budesonide/formoterol fumarate. I was told to take in morning and night, but if I have a bad cold or infection (always settles on your chest) I can take up to 4 doses a day, but not long term (I was advised not more than around 3 or 4 days as may need antibiotics for a secondary infection).

Good Health to all
ali x

That's what i'm on too, Ali. 2 puffs of 200/6 Symbicort morning and night, increasing dosage on days when my chest is worse than usual. Even with the increased dosage nothing is improving though.

I'm using my easi-breath reliever up to 5 times a day/night in adition to this, having 2 -3 puffs of that each time and i'm taking the montelukast too.

Fortunately i've got an apointment with the Doc tomorrow and will ask him if i can go and have lung function tests again as they are much more comprehensive than a daily peak flow measurement.

Thanks Ali for continuing to contribute to this thread.

ALIBOBSY

so sorry about that Kath, I know what its like to be breathless and "puffing" away on the inhalers with no change. Very scary. Over the years have tried many different drugs, but for me this really was my life changing moment.
Do you have trouble sleeping, I used to wake in the night several times. Mind you after 3 babies should be used to that by now lol.
Been lucky so far never hospitalised but have had emergency treatment now and again.

Definately an under estimated disease. I wonder if this is sometimes due to doctors giving every child who is a bit chesty a ventolin inhaler, people see it as a common disease easily controlled, when it is nothing but. Alot of the old style asthma clinics seem to have gone as well.

I do hope your doc can recommend something else, I wonder if losing weight helped me as well (I went from 17 stone to 14 stone around the same period) and I have always been into meditation tohelp relax and try to stay calm. But it is so hard sometimes. People really can't understand how scary it is not to be able to catch your breath unless they have been there.

i even remember years ago being given a shot of adrenelin as an emergency treatment, thank god they don't do that now.

Sending you good wishes, I know my asthma is just under control currently and I may be where you are at any time, so i really feel for you and anyone else struggling with this.

good luck
ali x