Spiriva respemat

[Irishboy]

Any one else on this? I find I very difficult to take

[Hidden]

Yup, I'm on it. As far as I know, I'm the only patient in our practice who is prescribed the respimat, everyone else has the handihaler. What are you finding difficult?

[Hidden]

been on Spiriva for ages, told them during an admission I was struggling with the handihaler to get enough puff first thing as pf is always awful, the asthma nurse changed me over to the respimat saying that while it isn't licensed it CAN be used via a spacer. Seems to help as you can use tidal breathing and also it doesn't ""catch in your throat"" which I sometimes find it does and makes me cough

HTH xx

[Irishboy]

It seems to catch my throat and make me cough..:-; is spiriva a strong inhaler an is it normally used for asthma? I'm also on fostair home nebs of ventolin and ipatropium and singulair at nite

[Hidden]

Im also on fostair, ventolin nebs and monteleukast, as well as ciclesonide inhaler. Its not about strong, it just works differently - its used both for asthma, and COPD. Its the same class of drug as ipatropium. It does sometimes make me cough, but not always. If I cough it up straight away, I just repeat the puff. Because its a really fine mist with small particles, it gets into your airways much more effectively.

[KateMoss]

Hello!

The Spiriva Respimat should not be taken via a spacer as it has different properties, droplet wise to the Aerosol MDI inhalers.

Spiriva respimat is wetter , droplet wise. It won't stay airborne properly in the spacer chamber long enough for the dose to be inhaled.

My Respiratory physio discovered one of her patients was using it ( the carer was putting it in the spacer) this way with no improvement of symptoms and when she stopped using the spacer, her COPD improved.

I would check again with your asthma nurse or ask a pharmacist.

Kate

[Hidden]

I was thinking the same thing Kate.

[Hidden]

ahh ok, didn't realise that! Wasn't my own asthma nurse who said that, it was during an admission at a different hospital to my own!! Been using atrovent nebs recently rather than Spiriva to keep lungs happy ... but going back to Spiriva tomorrow

[MN-Okla-USA]

I think I am replying to Kate Moss?

I have just discovered this and am new to these online conversations. Have had asthma all my life and am now 68 years old. My pulmo docs say I have COPD. I don't care what they call it: I've had asthma all my life.

I do NOT think Spiriva Respimat is doing anything at all for me. I also think it is causing the gravely throat, dry mouth and hoarse voice.

What I DO think is helping my asthma, is - of course - SINGULAIR.

The inhalers I use that I think are helpful are Combivent Respimat (albuterol) and Asmanex, which I just started using in March this year. It has a steroid in it. My PCP also gives me 15 mg Prednisone / day, which enables me to go about my life! I still work full time in my own corporation, and Prednisone is the deal maker. That, and my little gen machine I carry around with me. (oxyGEN)

I'm excited and hopeful about the newly discovered ""cause"" of asthma reported a few days ago ... but discouraged when I saw on the NIH website that they have been working on the drug(s) since 2006.

M