Avamys nasal spray

[Snowdrop27]

I have been suffer from an achy eye for the last two days and what I thought was a cold. My left eye aches when the pollution count is high ie. hay fever. So I been taking monkelaust for hay fever this year and I am still taking it as it still is helping dampen down my allergic responses for some of my asthma triggers.

The same symptoms of eye ache is now happening again and after talking to asthma UK helpline I have put two and two together and realized that my body is trying to tell me that there is something else going on.

I am really phlegmy after I get up and go out in the morning. The cause of this I don't know yet expect it has been very mild and damp. I was fine when it was cold but now I am suffering.

I haven't been able to talk to my asthma nurse about this yet. I was suppose to have an asthma review this morning but missed it as I got the time wrong. I feel a right old lemon.

So I rang asthma UK instead as I really wanted to talk to someone about my observation of my eye etc. I thought I had another cold but was pleased to find out that what thought was right.

i am getting a call from an asthma nurse on monday so I will be able to talk to her about it. I have been able to rebook my appointment with my nurse but not until the 23rd December.

As this is all new I wanted to post it up and pick the brains of people who use this spray to dampen down the inflammation in the nose and thereby reduce the phelym too.

[Hidden]

Interesting, because I sometimes get this - not often, but I do get it, and I've never managed to work out what's going on when it happens. I've always assumed that it was down to increased pressure somewhere (because that's what it felt like, which might be different to what you're experiencing), so I've wondered whether it was sinus related in the past; I am susceptible to blocked sinuses.

I used to be on flixonase which, like Avamys, had fluticasone as it's active ingredient (don't know if one is a generic of the other). But it was something that I used on an 'as and when' basis only, and I'm not sure I ever used flixonase to help with an achy eye. Given my assumption that it was sinus connected (which might be completely wrong), I suspect I would have used Karvol (sadly now no longer available - now I would use Olbas oil) to see if that would help clear the sinuses and so relieve the ache.

Would you mind sharing what the asthmaUK nurse says? It would be interesting to find out what their explanation is.

[Snowdrop27 in reply to Hidden]

Ok the explanation is as follows ...

If you have allergic asthma and suffer from rhinitis I.e. like me will have the following symptoms inflammation of the sinuses and nasal passages. This creates phlegm also which runs down the back of your throat and therebyy irritating your lungs. In my case making me cough.The reason why my eye aches is the pressure building up in my sinuses.

The use of the sinus spray will dampen down the inflammation in your nasal passages and thereby stopping the phlegm build up. Also hopefully in my case my cough.

The asthma nurse said I would need the nasal spray twice a day. So that's where my detective work has lead me.

The nasal spray would thus be a like a preventer inhaler making it less likely to have asthma symptoms and asthma attack. Does that explain it.

[Hidden in reply to Snowdrop27]

So the cause is pretty close to what I suspected.

I have to say I never used my nasal spray as a preventer, mostly because I found I actually had more problems with my sinuses if I did so. I found that Flixonase worked very well as a reliever if I caught the early symptoms early enough (and I was very practised at recognising the warning signs having had allergic rhinitis for over thirty years when I was first put on it). About eight years ago I started to have problems with very itchy eyes (a known warning sign for my allergic rhinitis) which the flixonase seemed to have no impact on. It took a while to find eye drops that didn't trigger an allergic reaction in my eyes (apparently the preservative used can cause issues) but eventually I was prescribed otrivine antistin eye drops because these can be used on an 'as and when' basis (most eye drops have to be used on a daily basis to build up their effectiveness - something my eyes can't cope with).

I came off flixonase after a consultant gastroenterologist tried to pin the blame for oesophageal thrush on my inhalers. I was unconvinced that it was to blame given that there was no thrush in my mouth or pharynx. However, I did wonder whether the flixonase might be responsible. The problem with all nasal sprays is that it is nigh on impossible to prevent some of the spray from entering the oesophagus. I am now on Rinatec. It's not quite as effective as flixonase, but it's good enough.

Many thanks for the explanation. As I said I don't often get achy eyes, but it does happen.

[lakelover]

I took Avamys for a while last year but it didn't do any good. This year I've had 2 lots of Nasonex (or the equivalent cheaper option) & it really helped me. This was to stop me coughing at night.

[Lyngal]

Hi a few days before I come down with a cold and a flare up of my asthma my eyes become sore and itchy

[Hidden in reply to Lyngal]

Are you sure that what you came down with was a cold? For me itchy eyes is the warning sign that I am about to have an attack of allergic rhinitis. Using my eye drops can help ward off both the itchiness and the rhinitis. The warning sign for a cold (or viral infection) is a sore throat or dry little cough.

I'll also add that unless I get a sore throat/cough or itchy eyes it is nigh on impossible to tell whether a runny nose and sneezes is as a result of a cold or rhinitis.

[Snowdrop27]

Yes I agree it's hard to tell. I have a sore throat but that's because I fight off oral trush,

[teasel90]

Have been using Avamys for two years now, before was always constant sinus pain and two or three sinus infections every winter. Would not be without it as now no sinus pain and no infections since starting.

Have to say only have to forget to use it for one day (which I rarely do), and am awake all night with sinus pressure/pain.

Did find when I started it that I had slight bleed from right nostril but control this by only one spray on that side, - tends to be the left side I suffer most with.

[Snowdrop27 in reply to teasel90]

Thanks for the positive feedback on this medicine. When I talk to the asthma nurse on the phone I will feel well informed to discuss Avamys with her. Eye still achy and I still sniffing. Damp weather is irritating my chest. Now I wish for cold weather that I can deal with better.

[Snowdrop27]

Good news I had a discussion with one of my local asthma nurses at my doctors practice by phone call. I told her my symptoms and has agree to go with the suggestion from asthma UK helpline to trail avamys. She has to ask my asthma nurse who can prescribed as she can't. The nasal spray needs 2-3wks for it to work. Hope to get it next week. So we shall wait and see.