Asthma not behaving

[elanaoali]

I started my new spring/summer routine this Monday. Taking myself off as agreed with my new asthma nurse stepping down to Flixoide 250 one puff a day from Seretide 250 twice a day.

Last year I was fine on this routine but on Monday night the cough started so I reach for my Ventolin two puffs. Then yesterday started to cough again two puffs. Then two puffs when I got to the doctors to see if I could get appointment for tomorrow. Alarm bells started ringing so ask put myself back on Seretide last night and manage to get an emergency prescription for another inhaler right at the end of the surgery hours. Thanks to the receptionist who got it down in the last 45 mins.

Rang asthma uk this morning for some advice and I was told that as my body is used to the seretide it would kick in quite quickly. So that's good. The nurse then asked me lots of questions to access why my asthma wasn't happy on just Flixoide. I was offer 125 seretide by my asthma nurse two weeks ago but decided on Flixoide. The nurse on the helpline said it could be because of the pollen (yes hay fever too) that could be irradiating my upper airways. I take monkelaust and an anti histamine too. I have notice that my hay fever kicked off in February. Also discuss my age etc as I pre menopausal but that not a factor as my hormone level are keep level with the pill. Ask if I ever saw a consultant and said never have. Her other main concern was the high dose of steroids I getting at the moment because of risk of thinning bones and cataracts. I forgotten that risk so will ask asthma nurse in twelve weeks time when I see her about this.

Back to doctors today for open surgery to tell doctors I was back on seretide. Check over all fine. Told him what the asthma nurse said and he was happy with that. So plan is to watch my asthma for the next 12 weeks hoping to be symptom free and then I could step down to 125 seretide.

Just when I thought I got to hang of this asthma things change again. The asthma nurse on the helpline said asthma changes all the time for each person we don't always stay static.

Now I feeling fine and not coughing. I think my body is so used to seretide its just excepted back. Glad I did all of the above to look after myself. That's hard sometimes as like anyone you don't want to time more medication but I need to look after me.

[Emily-G]

Oh no, hope your asthma settles. I dread making changes to my meds. Look after yourself and stay as well as possible xxx

[elanaoali in reply to Emily-G]

Thank you I learned more about controlling my asthma it is not as precidictable as I thought. Not discouraged just made me more determined to get on with life.

[Hidden]

I haven't yet adjusted my dose for the spring/summer. Typically I will drop from 2x2 of flixotide 250 (my winter dose) to 1 puff in the morning and then two puffs in the evening in March/April, dependent on how I am feeling, which in turn is dependent on the weather. Typically I would expect to be able to drop to one dose am and pm in late May early June, but that can vary too. It all depends on how my lungs are feeling.

[elanaoali]

Thanks for telling me your routine. I still learning obviously. I have two questions. How long have you had this routine? Doesn't it ever surprise you? I n not been given that flexibility as there is not where to higher for seretide 250 and only had seretide and fluoride which have really worked for me. This is my second year of this routine as my asthma was very mild for 10years til tthen . I see this as a monetary blip in having good control over my asthma.

[Hidden in reply to elanaoali]

The routine has been in place for years (certainly well over a decade) and yes, it can surprise me. Certainly no two years are ever the same. There was one year (I think it was 2012) when I was so good in the summer that I actually managed to drop to just one dose of flixotide 250 taken in the morning and nothing else for the rest of the day. That lasted for six weeks and then I had to increase the dose. That was, however, exceptional. Last year the amount of time I could cope on 1 dose morning and evening was unusually short.

It all depends on how my lungs feel. I have had asthma for a very long time, and can usually tell on waking in the morning if things are not quite right or are very good. Likewise I usually know when it will be safe to decrease the dose.

[elanaoali]

Hmm thanks for the thoughts. I nearly to the point when I have to give up the pill (taken for painful bladder syndrome ) to keep my oestrogen level well level. I was told by the asthma nurse yesterday on the helpline that when that day comes my asthma could be effected by my hormones going up and down. I on a low dose of the pill now since November. So I hope and pray the next three months will be fine for me. Thanks all for the advice.