3 Hospitalisations this year, what should I do now?

Chest and lungs
1

In January I had an overnight stay in the resp ward for a moderate asthma exacerbation.

Then about 5 weeks ago I had a severe attack, landing me in the ICU and on non-invasive ventilation support for 3 days, they were going to intubate me yet decided it wouldn't help the situation any more than the bipap. Then I stayed a further 4 days in the ward. I was told this attack almost killed me, had I waited 10 more minutes for an ambo that would've been it.

I was then discharged, only to be re-admitted into the ward exactly a week later for a moderate exacerbation. There I stayed another week.

Now 3 weeks out of that hospitalisation, I have caught a nasty chest infection and it is beginning to flare my asthma again.

I was on a 20-something day course of prednisolone which I have almost finished.

I'm not quite sure what to do, my specialist doesn't want my GP to deal with my asthma (because of the amount of times they've stuffed up my prescriptions) but I also don't know if I can afford to wait to see the specialist. I guess I'd like to know what everyone here would do in this situation, should I wait it out and go to hospital if worse comes to worse. Or should I seek an apointment with my GP in the next few days for their take on the situation?

The hospital have put me in the HARP program.

I'll happily consider any advice, I want to create the least amount of burden that I can on my parents and the hospital, I'm almost embarrassed about being in and out of there. I feel like I'm taking up much of their time and resources.

For reference, I'm 17 and in my final year of high school in Australia. I've been told my asthma is brittle and if I feel even as though I just need a nebuliser I should be going to the ER (which I don't necessarily agree with).

My current daily medications are: Symbicort 200/6 (2 puffs twice a day), Ventolin (as needed), montelukast 10mg, Esomeprazole 40mg, Lexapro 15mg, Zyertec and prednisolone (tapering course).

2

I think that's one of the hardest things about asthma.  I can be sitting around a table at dinner drinking and joking and a dog walks into the room, I can feel a reaction coming on.  I've had this 40 years I know in half hour I will be wheezing badly and then it's much more difficult to pull it back, so guests are a bit shocked if you get up and say you have to leave the room because you seem just fine to them.  This may sound like a touchy feely answer but you need to go sit on top of a scenic mountain and look within yourself and figure out why you don't think you deserve to be well and happy just like anyone else.  You're getting to the age where you will need to take control of your own life and health.  Once you've done that you will be determined to take a course of action and keep adjusting it until all your health issues are managed better, not just asthma.  Be well.

3

Thank you for your response!

I always have had a bit of a problem with putting everything and everyone else before my health and I'm always very conscious of the burden I put on others.

I guess maybe it is time I had a better look at myself and what I can do to help me first.

Again, thank you for responding. I think tackling this issue will be a great start to help myself in the long-run.