Exercise/vetolin & fostair?

[Dazola]

I am a personal trainer and group exercise instructor and life long asthma sufferer. For a long time maybe unwisely I have relied on ventolin pre exercise to avoid the inevitable exercise induced asthma and daily tightness. So I determined to get it sorted. Numerous go visits firstly put me on clenil two puffs twice daily. Result? Horrible anxiety feeling. Came of it the anxiety went. Back to gp now onto fostair one of the reliever preventer inhalers. Has anyone experienced this. One puff twice per day. The result? Really good at levelling out daily symptoms BUT hen I come to exercise or teach a class which is my job my lung capacity must be maximum 60-70% the normal. Usually when this happens the ventolin come to the rescue but not now. It seems the reliever in fostair doesn’t allow the normally great ventolin to work. I can’t begin to explain the frustration. My usual endurance level even with asthma is quite high but now it’s low because I do not have the lung capacity on fostair. This is my first post by the way, has anyone had this experience? What have you found works for you? What does an asthmatic athlete do? Open to discussion and your experience please. Daz

[peege]

It's my understanding that the fostair can also be used as a reliever. It's licensed to use in a different way to other inhaler. I was given a glossy little booklet along with my 1st prescription for it, on collecting from the chemist I had to have a chat with the pharmacist about understanding the usage, then had to sign a declaration! IMO Fostair is better than anything I've ever taken, hardly ever need ventolin. I'm having an exacerbation at the moment so taking two puffs twice daily & it's really helping to keep my airways open.

Good luck

[Dazola in reply to peege]

Thanku I didn’t receive any specific info just the in box standard leaflet. Have you used it along with exercise as this is where the real difficulty is.

When the pressure is on ie during exercise classes if needed the ventolin is great but the fostair is lacking in this respect for me at least and as stated the ventolin for me becomes non effective which is worrying.

Thanks for the feed back

[peege in reply to Dazola]

Have you tried taking 2 puffs in the morning? If you'd rather not I don't see why you shouldn't take a ventolin puff before exercise. I used to. Now I sometimes need a ventolin as I hit the steep part of the nearby hill. Have a look at the in box leaflet again &/or look up Fostair use on line.

Perhaps a call to the help line? For expert advice? Good luck. P

[Dazola in reply to peege]

Thanks again. The ventolin doesn’t work with fostair it seems the ingredient in fostair seem to weaken the effectiveness of ventolin. Thanks for your suggestion on two puffs of fostair. I’ll discuss with the asthma nurse tomorrow see what her take is on it. Appreciated🙏

[peege in reply to Dazola]

That's weird!

There's another thing I do when short of breath going up the hill (another thing is to turn around & go back down 😳) ...pursed lip breathing. Really helps me because I do try not to overdo my steroid inhalers, thinning skin, bones & all that.

Hope tomorrow brings an answer. P

[sarahjane12]

Hi Dazola I’ve been asthmatic for over a year now and I have been on fostair since I go gym everyday when I can and hardly ever need my ventolin only when I get a cold ur a bit breathless try increasing your fostair 4 puffs twice a day good luck 👌

[Dazola]

Thanks guys appreciated. I have used ventolin for years now it’s always worked for me so am really interested in why it’s non effective with certain preventers. I have experienced this before, it might just be with me but I will endeavour to find out and report back 🙏

[Ericabellhouse]

If you ask your gp about using it on SMART regime then you use same inhaler as both reliever and preventer - I have never used my ventolin since doing this and need to use it as a reliever reduces once established....

[Dazola in reply to Ericabellhouse]

Thanks Erica. Am not familiar with the SMART regime. Fostair is both a reliever and preventer is this what you mean. What inhalers May I ask do you use?

[Ericabellhouse in reply to Dazola]

I use fostair if you google fostair smart you can find out how it works but basically you take your usual dose (mine is 2 puffs twice a day) but then you can take up to an additional 8 puffs (I think from memory) when you would usually take your ventolin . You therefore no longer take ventolin but the fostair acts as the reliever - it worked really well for me I rarely take additional doses now unless I am ill or exercise excessively....

[damascena]

Ask if you can try Seretide. Fostair didn't work for me but Seretide did. They made me try Fostair first because it's cheaper but after a week I felt my chest very tight. Seretide however has worked really well. There are many different brands and one must be right for you.

[damascena]

Also, are you using a spacer? Asthma UK nurse on the phone told me Fostair only works well with a spacer as it's particles are smaller than other inhalers.

[runnerwithasthma2559]

Hello Dazola. Maybe I can really help you. Maybe you can really help me. I'm 70. I've had asthma all my life. I am a distance runner with asthma. At 40 I ran a 10K in 38:50. At 61 I ran a 3K in 14:03. At 65 I ran a 5K in 26:18. At 70 I ran a 3k at 20:03. I do six serious workouts a week. Two of my workouts per week are swimming. Swimming really helps reduce asthma symptoms. I live in the U.S. Since the age of 14 I've taken a quick albuterol sulfate inhaler. Right now that inhaler is called ProAir, but it's the same albuterol sulfate you take in ventolin.

I'd like you to read two books- "Asthma Free Naturally" by Patrick McKeown and "Body Mind and Sport" by John Douillard. Also, google "Peaceful Warrior Workout" by Dan Millman. These sources will teach you deep breathing exercises you can do before a workout. Doing these exercises puts me "in the zone" where on most days I don't need albuterol sulfate to perform at my best during a run. I still carry my albuterol sulfate inhaler in my pocket. On some days I still need it.

Wishing you better breathing and better spinning, John Terry McConnell, author of "Running with Asthma: An Asthmatic Runner's Memoir"

[Keyaziz]

What did you asthma nurse say about this? I am having the same problem and am wondering if yo uswitched inhalers? Thanks for the help.