Anxiety

[Karjade]

Do asthma preventative inhalers cause you to suffer from anxiety? I have been suffering with anxiety for a long time and have never connected the two until I have read some posts on here. How many of us suffer with anxiety and do you believe the inhalers are a possible link?

[Hidden]

hi there anxiety can trigger many things off and if you have Asthma it can cause you to have and Asthma attack, i'm not saying it could happen every time, its all to do with how your breath. i hope this helps take care Alan

[snoubelles]

Hi Karjade,

Any inhalers with beta agonists (combined maintenance inhalers or reliever inhalers) in them definitely give me the jitters!

Oral courses of steroids also put me on edge.

Its a big tangle of interlinking: as bigalan said anxiety can trigger an asthma attack, asthma exacerbations can also worsen/trigger anxiety, anxiety can mimmick asthma symptoms, some asthma medication worsens anxiety and some anxiety medication is not advised for those with asthma!

[Gino39]

Hi there, the short answer is that yes sometimes they can cause anxiety. In my own case I can't take Ventolin as it puts me straight on edge and I'm not a nice person to be around when that happens!;0) Asthma attacks and anxiety often go hand in hand, perhaps because breathing is such a fundamental part of being alive?

The other inhalers I have don't seem to have this effect on me though each one has its possible side effects. I am allergic for example to milk products yet my new inhaler is listed as containing milk!

I hope that this helps....

Gino

[Karjade]

Thank you so much. I have cut down on my preventative from 2 puffs twice daily to one puff twice day which is okay according to the leaflet in the box and my anxiety is so much better. I truly believe it is the inhaler but I thought I was going mad and it was all in my head but I feel so much calmer now I have cut it down.

[SiPie]

I know this an old post to reply to but I'm new to the forum as doc says late onset asthma (aged 47) blah blah....and just did a quick search to see what people on here thought re anxiety/preventer link

Anyway, I have the bad anxiety/panic attacks/depression thingy on and off since I was 22 and genrally coped well through combination of learning, psychologists, diet, exercise and hypnotherapy and a massively supportive wife. I haven't had any real issues for the last few years UNTIL preventative inhaler. Good old fashioned raw anxiety and if I wasn't so used to dealing with the feeling, I'm sure it would lead to panic attacks, no doubt at all.

Doc thinks it's me reacting to an asthma diagnosis but I assured her that I was relieved with that diagnosis as my inherent negative inner voice said "lung cancer" and I was happy to suddenly be breathing and exercising freely after one puff of a reliever inhaler

Can the preventer cause anxiety ?? I would bet my house on it

Wishing good health to all on here

[Karjade]

I truly believe preventatives cause anxiety but my doctor thinks otherwise. I mentioned it to him and he said "never heard of that!". I was on Seretide but they stopped prescribing it and I have been put on Fostair 200 but I only take half of what I am supposed to. I daren't rock the boat as my asthma is under control so I do not want to change.

[Alexw307]

I've had the same issue!!! I've had anxiety for a few months. The more I take the red preventer inhaler the more anxiety I get. I spoke to the asthma nurse she gave me another preventer inhaled I took that and when I tried to up the doss to 4 puffs a day I couldn't because anxiety was so bad. Currently I am not trying 3rd preventer inhaler with again same issues. What to do? I actually came off them for a week and just took the blue one for a week, mybpeak flow was 520 and normally my max is 450. Going to ask asthma nurse if I can stay off the preventer. It definitely causes anxiety

[Karjade in reply to Alexw307]

I still only take one puff of Fostair 200 in the morning and one in the evening and my asthma is stable. I still still suffer with anxiety but I daren't stop the inhalers altogether. It would be a good idea to speak to your asthma nurse or GP before you stop your preventative. Anxiety is a horrible condition to live with so I try and relax as much as possible and avoid situations that I know will make me very anxious. However I do try and challenge my anxiety as it will prevent you doing anything xxx