Seretide/Fostair

Hi,

I'm currently on seretide 125 (bd) and have been using this for quite a while (along with montelukast) and my asthma is now fairly well controlled - I was discharged from my consultant earlier this year.

However, I received a letter from my gp surgery telling me that they would like to offer me the chance to try fostair.

I understand that basically it contans beclometasone (instead of fulticasone) and formeterol (instead of salmeterol), and the letter also says that because the drugs are dissolved rather than suspended in the propellant there is better delivery to the lungs.

They say that I would be using it the same amount as I currently use seretide (bd), but does anyone have any advice about whether it would be worth a try?

A few years ago I would've jumped at the chance to try something new because my asthma was poorly controlled, but now I am reluctant in case I go backwards!

Also I was a bit concerned to read on this website elmmb.nhs.uk/joint-medicine... that fostair isn't liscenced for use in under 18s, but I'm assuming that must have changed else my surgery wouldn't be offering it.

Anyway, any advice would be appreciated, thanks x

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I was on fostair, but it wasnt strong enough to get a grip of my asthma with it, & ended up getting put on seretide. i'm 17 & was on it. didnt really experience any sides effects on it which i did with any other inhalers i've been on (had brown, green, pink & now on purple), hope this helps some. feel free to PM if u want to..

[yaf_user681_30355]

If you are well controlled, i would be wary to change anything. Maybe keep it in mind if you are poorly controlled in the future.

Jac

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Hello lovely!

I was swapped from seretide to fostair recently as its said to have smaller particles so therefore better deposition in the lungs - to be honest i've noticed no difference in my (lack of :P) asthma controll at all! Chances are it all comes down to money - as fostair is cheaper than seretide! I wouldn't worry too much about you not being 18, they usually put those kind of warning on medications because it's very difficult to conduct clinical trials on children.

Emz xx

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I've done a bit of looking around online and it transpires that Fostair is on average 20% cheaper than Seretide and other combination inhalers: the cynic in me thinks this may be behind the 'offer' from your surgery.

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I have just had a letter from my gp telling me they are changing my inhaler from Seretide 250 mcg to Fostair 100 mcg I have copd and am worried in case it does'nt do the job properly,I had pneumonia last February and after reading the reviews on this forum one saying they had pneumonia after changing to Fostair I just don't like the sound of it,can they make me change?

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i've recently changed to Fostair from Qvar (beclametasone only). Stupid nurse initially put me on ""the kids' dose"" according to my asthmatic & asthma-management trained physio. As i might've predicted it's been really bad. The nurse told me i could double the dose after 2-3 weeks, well i did that after 2 weeks and 2 days and have now been on that dose for a week. I am feeling better though it may be coincidence

I think basically what my rambling means is that i can't really say how useful or otherwise Fostair is in the long term

Sorry for not being much help LOL