services | asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd)
All our patients registered as having Asthma or COPD are invited for an annual review of their condition. We try to ensure you are seen for your annual appointment in the month of your birthday as this acts as a good reminder to you regarding future appointments and when you need to be seen. We do encourage all our patients to try to remember to book their own annual appointments however we do send you a letter to remind you to book an appointment for the above at your own convenience. If you have specific requirements regarding the timing of your appointment perhaps you may need a very early or late appointment due to work commitments, please leave a message with reception for the practice nurse to ring you directly and we will if at all possible try to accommodate your needs.
All our respiratory patients irrespective if they have Asthma or COPD will have a lung function test performed at this appointment, unless you are aged below 18yrs of age or after a thorough assessment we feel it is not appropriate at that time. Due to the likelihood of having a lung function test we do ask if at all possible for you to avoid several things before you attend.
things to avoid before attending your appointment
- Taking any short acting bronchodilators (e.g. Ventolin, Salbutamol, Bricanyl and Terbutaline) for at least two hours prior to your appointment. Please note, if you have any symptoms then you must use your inhaler as usual and inform me when you arrive.
- Taking any long acting bronchodilators (e.g. Serevent, Seretide, Oxis, Symbicort) for 12 hours prior to attending and ideally Tiotropium (Spiriva) should not be used for 24 hours.
- Vigorous exercise within 30 minutes prior to your appointment.
- Eating a substantial meal within 2 hours.
- Wearing restrictive clothing.
- Smoking within 24 hours.
- Drinking alcohol within 4 hours.
|
Although there are many similarities between Asthma and COPD and indeed some of the current medication can overlap the actual way we treat the two conditions and self manage them are entirely different. Many patients with asthma learn to live with regular symptoms and accept this as normal and therefore adapt their lifestyles accordingly. On the contrary for most people there is now so much we can do to alleviate their symptoms and maximize their lung function. Similarly with COPD although we can not alter the damage that has already taken place we can certainly slow the disease progression by supporting you in giving up smoking if you have not already done so. Additionally by monitoring your lung function on an annual basis, ensuring you are treated promptly if you have any increase in your symptoms and maximizing your medication following current guidelines we can again try to reduce the disease progression. At your annual Asthma or COPD review appointment all the above will be discussed and an individualised action plan will be set appropriate to your lifestyle and needs and a decision will then be made regarding how often you are seen in between your annual review.
We are dedicated to ensuring all our patients receive an excellent service and we look forward to seeing you at your appointment and welcome any comments to further improve the service we provide.
Useful websites
See Also: List of Services
