I have seen my asthma consultant for a review today, he has put my on symbicort smart therapy despite using symbicort 400/12 2 puffs morning and night for the last 2 months and my symptoms seem worse as I'm back to waking at night with coughing and using blue reliever lots during the day!
He also wants a scan of my lungs, no idea when that will happen i just have to wait fir an appointment and they took bloods to see if they reveal anything exciting.
I'm a bit nervous of stopping my ventalin and using symbicort as a reliever as I know rinsing my mouth after using it during the day may prove difficult ( I work in a nursery and even finding time to go to the toilet is a task lol).
I go on holiday in just over 3 weeks time and I was really hoping that everything would of been under control by now ( wishful thinking on my part).
Personally I'm not on Symbicort SMART, but I have two friends that are. One who really loves it and has been on it for several years. The other has been on it for 6 months or so and is also using the 400/12. She doesn't get on with it so well, as she finds that using it as a reliever doesn't give her the quick relief that ventolin does. Neither of them have additional maintainance drugs.
I was on Symbicort SMART several years ago for just over 3 years, with the 200/6 inhaler and I loved it.
Unfortunately I had a flare up which I am still in so now on the 400/12 but not on SMART. I carried a bottle of water everywhere with me whilst on it. I found out from NHS direct that it takes 10minutes for the full effect of the reliever to work. It did take me a couple of days to get used to not using the ventolin and it did make me anxious initially not to use it as normal. Are you able to use your ventolin when maxed out on Symbicort?
Hi JF, not sure if I can use ventalin as a back up. I can have 12 dozes of Symbicort SMART in a day, 4 of which are my maintenance ones. I was quite lucky to spy a SMART leaflet while they took my bloods.
I'm 2 days in using the SMART regime and so far so good. It feels strange not using ventalin.. I need to make sure I rinse my mouth properly and I'm usually pretty good. I'm not sure if its connected but the inside of my cheek is pealing away and feels very sore and my throat is very sore too.
I think if they can get to the bottom of all my chest infections and stop them from happening I'll be very happy. I think 11 courses of antibiotics and steroids since October is beyond a joke.
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
I'm glad to hear you are getting on with SMART. Sorry I didn't see your post earlier or I would have replied.
I was on SMART for a few years backin 2008/9 time when I first started needing combination inhalers again (at the time I was the only one who used in this way under my GP as it was a relatively new idea).Like you, I found it quite worrying/strange not to have Ventolin but always found that symbicort worked well. I was on it for several years until they had to up my maintance dose and then recently tried it again in advice from my cons (unfortunately this was at the time of a hayfever related flare and they thought it was best I went back on to seretide). When I was needing several reliever puffs a day, it did make my mouth and throat quite sore even though I rinsed it out but this was only when having 10/12 puffs a day.
I would ask your asthma nurse about Ventolin. The idea is you shouldn't need it and the AUK nurses where a bit shocked when I mentioned this. I have Ventolin as I can't take a turbohaler when really bad (still have it as a back up to Bricanyl) but was told I shouldn't be needing to exceed the 12 doses. It was when this was regularly happening that they took me off it. However, I know that everyone is different. The other thing to be clear on is what to do if you have an asthma attack as this is different to Ventolin guidance. Speaking from experience, it is good to know these things in advance (I realised I needed to know when SOB one weekend with no one who really knew!)
I hope it works for you as it is so much easier to just have one inhaler and I did have several years of well controlled asthma on it.
I do hope it works for you. As Kayla said, it is a good idea to question now about ventolin as 3 years into using it i went into the worst flare up I've ever had (in 25+ years) and the asthma nurses were slow to give me ventolin and a spacer and I was maxed out on 12 puffs and still no relief from symptoms. As you are on the 400/12 turbohaler it may be different.
I can have 3 puffs of 400/12 twice a day, 4 x ventolin (2.5mg) nebuliser and 8 puffs of ventolin inhaler a day (also 200mg uniphyllin twice a day). Unfortunately I am back on pred today... Blooming pollen!
Thank you for your replies, having a rough day today's feel as If someone is standing on my chest.... And I'm sick of feeling worn out.... There that's my grumble over with.
I meant to add onto my last post, I use Daktarin sugar free oral gel for thrush. I find I don't need to use it often but because it is sugar free, I use it overnight and it works so well. You can buy it over the counter at pharmacies but I had my last one on prescription as it is £5 odd.
I hope your day is better today, although it is very muggy here. An excuse to watch Wimbledon
Thanks for all the advise, so far I am managing with one reliever puff and my 4 maintenance puffs on the symbicort SMART regime. I could probably do with more but it makes me feel a bit strange.... Spaced out as if I'm going to collapse but that maybe that's partly my fault for shallow breathing as my chest hurts at the moment.
I will try the Darktarin gel JF thanks for the tip, hope you are enjoying Wimbledon.
It took me about a week to get used to 6 puffs a day of the 400/12 Symbicort but then it all settled down. I get the odd feeling of a jumping heart beat, missed heart beat or racing heart beat when I have loads of ventolin but only for a short while.
Racing heart is a horrible feeling JF but I guess we have to put up with it if the meds help us breathe easier.
I've not watched any Wimbledon this year, I usually watch bits of it.
Hi, didn't see this post. Not been on that much recently.
I'm on symbicort smart 400/12 even though its not licenced on smart - 4 maintenance but with a leeway of a further 12 prn. As well as a cocktail of other stuff. I like it, but my consultant would rather me use that first before the ventolin. I find I struggle to inhale it when I am struggling to breathe so use ventolin instead cos can use a spacer with it. I also find it doesn't work as quickly either.
I hope you find it works for you and that things improve
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