Atrovent and Spiriva?

Hi,

My gp has just changed me over to spiriva to take once a day from atrovent 4 times a day.

Was wondering whether anyone has any experiences as whether it has helped get more control?

I have been told that the spiriva replaces atrovent as it is a long acting version of the same drug. Compared it to salbutamol and salmetarol. But if admitted it is still safe to use ipatropium nebs. This has lead me to think that perhaps the two are safe to use together? As in not regularly, but if I was trying to manage an attack at home?

Has anyone else done this? Not planning on being stupid (I'm only in my 20s) but am curious! And would like to manage more of my attacks at home!

Laura x

[yaf_user681_14340]

Hey Laura I'm super glad u got found a sensible GP!

Em I was given spiriva As I had been on ipratropium in the past and yes I got atrovent nebs while I was on spiriva. I don't know if it's normal protocol tho as I do remember it causing some consternation with some drs!

Unfortunately the spiriva didn't work for me, but I really hope it helps to provide some control

Becca

[Hidden]

My Spiriva was stopped while on Atrovent nebs when I was admitted in June, but there was no waiting 24hrs to start the Atrovent if that makes sense? In my case Ive stayed on the nebs as Spiriva makes me cough and I get better control, but as with everything we are all different and I hope it helps you.

[Hidden]

I was on Spiriva for a fortnight and it didn't help me so the Consultant has stopped it. I think it can be very effective it suits you from what I've heard.

[Hidden]

No idea about nebs when needed as no one said anything (just that I could take lots of Vento through a spacer etc to save tipping up just for nebs) but I have been told firstly by cons that I CAN use Atro and Spiriva together and it's like having Ventolin and a LABA, which could make sense given the heart side effects seem to be one of the major concerns?

But the hospital put me on Spiriva last week and said not to take Atro as well - actually asthma nurse implied I would completely do in my heart with how much Atro I was already using as reliever, but he was a bit odd and seemed to get his bedside manner from TV cop shows as he was quite abrupt and combative so I did take that with a pinch of salt - airways find Ventolin gives me more palpitations tbh.

Have to say that so far the Spiriva, which I presume doesn't take a while to build up like ICS, has been pretty good as I've been much better on it than I have for ages, even after starting the pred course! Think the mag helped but I also noticed that on Sun I'd accidentally exposed one of the capsules but took it anyway and was worse that day,

Hope it helps! It does make weird noises hehe but doesn't taste as foul as Atro.

[Hidden]

Hi Laura,

I changed from atrovent 4 times a day to Spiriva about a month ago and found it improved my night time symptoms. I had found atrovent beneficial but my GP suggested that perhaps the atrovent was 'running out' so to speak in the night. It is also so much more convenient than having to remember to take the atrovent and, as Philomela said, tastes so much better. My GP wanted me to take it for a month and then stop it to see if it was working (he seemed to think himself rather radical for suggesting it). Unfortunately stopping it coincided with finish a pred course and still having a cold so can't pin it to the Spiriva and so trying it again to confirm it works.

I was taken off atrovent as they told me it would just be too much but my GP said that they could still give me it as a neb if needed (I respond really well to it).

Philomela - Just tonight I managed to rip open a whole row of capsules so suppose they need to be binned. I have the shakes from way to uh reliever today and they are not the easiest thing to handle at the best of times.