Asthma

Hello. I'm an eleven year old girl with some concerns about my breathing control, and ashthma control. Okay, so it started with my friend, telling me she felt sick. I then told her, yes, me too. I have had a really sore throat, and i can hardly talk. i asked her if there might have been something going around, because about 5 people left school today because they felt ill. she said that there WAS something going round, but no, it wasnt swine flu. so, now i know i javent got swine flu. the simptons i have are lack of breath, wheezing, and coughing. they usually keep me up at night. i get up in the darkness, and reach for my puffer, and puff myself a couple of puffs, and i breath in and out slowly. my mum usually comes in to give me some cough medicence, and paracetomal. i genarally dont feel well, and my question is, do you know whats wrong with me by the information i showed you above?

thanks, jenny.

[Tammy2009]

There are many viruses and infections that can cause the symptoms you told us.  The one to be worried about is a secondary infection of the respiratory system (in the lungs it would be called pnemonia (pneumonia)).  

People with lung diseases (asthma, COPD etc) has more sensitive lungs as well as most people take some sort of inhaled steriod which also can lower your overall immune system and make it hard to fight off infections.

You didn't say if the puffer and cough medicine helped the wheezing and coughing and how long it has been going on.  

I guess you could wait up to 4-5 days and see if anything improves, if nothing does then it is time to get a checkup to make sure there isn't any secondary infections that need antiobiotics.  

Good luck and let us know how it goes.  :)

[clarkson69]

i was diagnosed with swine flu yesterday..i suffer from asthma,but havent been dependant on an inhaler for years..my chest gets rite wheezy when ive been coughing..is this unusual..

[Victoireh]

The swine flu does hit the chest rather hard, and even more so for those with lung conditions. If you find that you are getting rather short of breath, you should see your doctor.

Also if you go in the first 48 hours of acquiring the flu, you can get Tamiflu from your doctor. It helps to reduce the severity of symptoms and shortens the duration of the flu. This is also preventative for any complications that may arise with severe flu symptoms.