Symptoms worse on symbicort

[Adamski789]

Hi all my name is Adam and have been asthmatic since I was 10 and I'm now 36. Up until 6 months ago I was on seritide 250 which managed my symptoms to the point where I didn't need my ventolin much at all then was changed to symbicort at my review....... slowly but surely I've got worse and been having to rely on the ventolin more and more at first thinking it was just weather pollen etc which both affect my asthma. So today I've been back to the doctors to discuss it today and my doctor was very dismissive and said it's probably just physiological, when I replied that I had managed my asthma successfully for the last 26 years with very few visits to doctors about it we then moved on to the cost so basically my health is being put at risk because of the cost!! Has any one else come up against this attitude towards your asthma and how did you handle It???? I've been given another seritide inhaler but have to go see the asthma nurse before I need another one. Like everyone on here your aware of your own symptoms and everyone is different and should be treated on an individual basis not on how much it costs.

[Thompson_2009]

i am on symbicort and they might be changing it as they now call it a smart inhaler and you can take it when get wheezy for example up to 10 times a day along with the blue one. I would of thought symbicort was a lot more expensive, i know it does cost a lot. Changing to a new med would take the body time to adjust i would of thought.

I much prefer symbicort to seretide, but that's just me

[Pippit in reply to Thompson_2009]

I was prescribed Symbicort but had to have a bit of a battle at the pharmacists because Duoresp is the cheaper alternative. I’m sure that my asthma has slowly been getting worse since I was first prescribed Duoresp in August. Since reading posts on here I’ve made sure they give me Symbicort as I think it has eased my symptoms. What does the “smart inhaler” thing mean ? Am I not supposed to be taking Ventolin any more ?

[Thompson_2009 in reply to Pippit]

The smart inhaler means you can take it up to ten times a day along with the ventolin. So if need ventolin take a few puffs and one puff of symbicort to help when needed

[Bdawn in reply to Pippit]

The SMART program means that you use your symbicort as both your preventive and rescue inhaler. So if you start feeling symptoms a few hours after your regular symbicort dose instead of reaching for your ventolin you take another dose of symbicort (it has a fast acting reliever too) The thinking is that if you are having symptoms in between doses then you must need more of the anti inflammatory medication in symbicort. If you think this might make sense for you discuss it with your doctor first. I'm on symbicort but I don't use the SMART method because I don't like the side effects I get from using multiple doses and because I don't find that symbicort works as well as a rescue inhaler.

[Superzob]

Sadly, this happens all the time. I actually found Symbicort the best for me out of 5 which I tried. I was originally put on Fostair, which I believe is the current cheapest dual action preventative inhaler, but I seem to have a problem with the propellant. However, regardless of what your GP might say, we're all different and that is why there are so many inhalers to choose from. Consequently, I don't think it's reasonable for doctors to refuse to prescribe an inhaler which actually works for the individual - they can always save on others who are content with the cheaper versions.

[ChrissieMons]

You have to insist. Their financial problems are not yours and there is no reason why they should make you suffer so they can save money. You don't need to do anything dramatic, just keep insisting that actually, you know you are better on Seretide and that is all there is to it.

[Darceydoo]

Hi I was on Seretide 125 then had it put up to 250 and was on it for 2+ yrs. Then I was told that it could cause chest infections pneumonia so now on Relvar Ellipta 92/22 for 1+ yr, had flare ups so now on the 184/22 for 2 weeks see how I get on. In between all this since April had steroids on and off, I feel Seretide better fit me but the Drs say it’s an older drug and there are newer ones available, fair enough but not if they’re not suited to one.