Hello everyone,
I am new to this forum and pretty new to the world of inhalers, at least on a regular basis. I am in my early 50's and, although I have had a blue inhaler which I have used every now and then for about 26 years I have not had a major problem until I had a nasty fluey cold/chest infection at the end of last November which exacerbated my asthma. After a course of oral steroids I was started on Clenil Modulite 100, 1 puff twice a day which has gradually been increased to 3 puffs twice a day and I am now also taking 2 puffs twice a day of Salmeterol. Strangely, I thought before I had all this trouble that my best peak flow was 420 (I am only 5 foot 1). However as my asthma has been treated this has gradually risen and is now about 450 with a weird peak a few days ago of 470!!. This is way above the predicted level for my age and height which I believe is about 392 but explains the seemingly not too low level at which I felt really in trouble. I also have generalised Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder and all I can think is that it must be down to that. According to a paper I found peeps with hypermobility type conditions have a potentially greater lung volume but our airways are more prone to collapsing. My asthma nurse has advised me to gradually reduce my dose of Clenil to 3 puffs twice a day (I have just been on two puffs three times a day) then try 3 in the morning and two at night and if that is O.K. 2 in the morning and two at night. After seven days of feeling great I tried to just have two puffs at night and 3 in the morning but my tight chest symptoms returned and I needed 4 puffs the day before yesterday and 10 yesterday (very disappointed ). Now back to the 3 and 3. All the inhaler use kept my peak flow apparently O.K. but, having delayed taking my blue inhaler (in a church service, I also use a spacer so feel very self conscious) I felt almost as if I was going to faint when I did get to the 'ladies' to use it. Stupid of me I know! Anyway I have gone on long enough. I wonder if there are any more bendy 'Zebras' Peeps with EDS or a Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder) on here who might be able to identify with my experiences. My chief asthma symptom at the moment seems to be going from feeling completely fine to feeling as if I am wearing a tightening corset (not that I ever have) within the space of a few minutes-very odd.