Steroid inhaler

I am on -

easyhaler salbutamol ,seritide , spiriva ,montelucast ,slophylin,salbutamol nebules and on prednisalone a lot .

My consultant has added flixotide steroid inhaler alongside seritide to help reduce prednisalone and attacks.

Would like to hear from people on flixotide if its helped keep them of steroid tablets ....lol glynis

[yaf_user681_14340]

Hi Glynis,

I used to have seretide and flixotide when I was younger and I used to up the flixotide if I was running into problems and it did work for me at the time. It's pretty uncommon to do that now I believe but some cons do still resort to the old methods and for some people that really works.

I found I had less steroid side effects from the flixotide rather than resorting to pred all the time, which was quite nice

I really really hope it works for you and you manage to get some more control!

Becca xx

[yaf_user681_51802]

I'm newly ish diagnosed and started off with seretide and respigen, and am now using flixotide too. Not doing too badly at the MO, but it is summer here, so will find out more as it gets cooler.

Flixotide has helped some.

X Sue

[Hidden]

Hi Glynis,

I am on pretty much the same combination of meds as you including the Flixotide which I started in May last year. Interestingly though this was introduced before the Spiriva or theophylline but I think that at the time it was more of a short term thing. For me, the Flixotide is what is increased at the first signs of worsening symptoms and the theory is stepped down when possible. I take it when I think I have a cold coming, cough gets slightly worse etc so am doing something before I would be given pred. I believe that this approach has worked a few times as I have had at least two colds which have not gone to my chest and required pred. Saying that I have spent the last two months trying to get off it. My cons did say that I have a very good understanding of the level of treatment I need for my symptoms and I usually have worsening symptoms before an attack which also probably helps.

I hope it helps to decrease the pred for you.

[Hidden]

Thank you everyone....fingers crossed it keeps me of Prednisalone...lol glynis

[Annista]

Hi Glynis

I had Flixotide for years, along with Ventolin. I used the Ventolin when I needed it but only had the Flixotide when I was really in trouble as it drove me nuts! One of the rare side effects is anxiety and if I had to use my Flixotide for more than a few days I got more and more anxious about less and less! I know it is a very rare side effect and you are very unlikely to be affected (I only know one other person who has been) but do bear in mind that if you do find yourself suffering from anxiety it could be due to the Flixotide and speak to your GP immediately. I won't go into all the infuriating details, but f I'd been more aware of that particular side effect I might have been quicker to challenge my GP about changing my medication and saved myself a lot of distress.

Keep well.

[Hidden]

I am on both flixotide and seratide. Flixotide is just the inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) portion of seratide (fluticasone). Seretide is fluticasone (corticosteriod) plus a long acting bronchodialator (LABA). Doctors prescribe both flixotide and seratide when they want you to have more more inhaled steroids without increasing the dose of LABA. They prescribe only flixotide when they want you to have the steroid without the LABA.

I think doctors get a bit creative when one has been on oral prednisone far too long. There isn't much more medication they can add, so all that is left is to play with different combinations and delivery methods of the usual medications.

Since we are trying to get me off of oral prednisone, I'm on atrocious amounts of flixotide and seritide. For maintenance, I take 1 puff 500/50 seritide three times a day so that I get a new dose of LABA every 6-8 hours. I take 1 puff of flixotide 500 in the morning so that I have more inhaled steroids. Sometimes if I miss the midday dose of seritide, I'll do 2 puffs seritide and 2 puffs flixotide so that I get the same total amount of ICS per day. I really feel the difference between 3+1 and 2+2.

Since we're trying to tamp down an exacerbation without increasing prednisone, at present I'm also doing nebulizer treatments with both ventolin and flixotide 3 times a day. This seems to be working very well for me. Before we started I was spending a good part of the day with peak flow below 50% of personal best and my low of the day was less than 20% personal best. Five days after starting treatment, I've managed to spend most of today with only a few symptoms and a pf that was very close to my personal best (> 95% PB!) and only had two really big drops in pf all day so far. I recovered quickly from both of those drops.

I hope you feel better soon.