Side effects

[Gwen30]

Anyone else suffer headaches and a cold with relvar(ellipta). New drug for my asthma but really struggling with the headaches and constant drip from a cold,apparently these are side effects! Just for once can they give us drugs without side effects?

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador]

Hi

I understand your pain!

If it helps, usually the more common side effects clear up by themselves after a few weeks, so try to wait it out - if they don’t disappear then it’s time to go back to try something new again 😒. These SEs tend to happen cause your bodies trying to adapt to the new medication/chemicals in your body, so once it’s adapted your normally good to go.

Personally I got headaches when I switched to relvar, but now I don’t and it is one of the better preventers for me, so it was worth the couple of weeks knocking back paracetamol.

Hope that helps and that you start to feel better soon - if things don’t eventually improve definitely go back! X

[PMRPete]

Certainly NOT new!

"March 2014 - Relvar Ellipta is a combination inhaler containing 2 active ingredients not previously available for the treatment of asthma: fluticasone furoate (an inhaled corticosteroid [ICS]) and vilanterol (a long-acting beta‑2 agonist [LABA]). There are no published studies that compare fluticasone furoate/vilanterol with a currently available ICS/LABA combination inhaler or currently available ICS monotherapy for a patient-orientated primary outcome such as exacerbation rate."

nice.org.uk/advice/esnm34/c...

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador in reply to PMRPete]

I think she meant it was a new drug which she was trying - so new for her 😅

[Gwen30 in reply to EmmaF91]

Yes new to me had been or seretide 500 for 12 plus years

[frose]

After the first day of taking it I felt unwell. Over the next couple of days I became so unwell I thought I must have a chest infection. My pharmacist advised me to stop taking it as these are known side effects and when I did, I almost immediately improved. I'm sure it's great for some people - I'm not one of them!

[Gwen30 in reply to frose]

Good luck with your chest infections not long had a flare up myself blame the weather for it lol

[frose in reply to Gwen30]

Thanks but that was a year ago and I'm fine now. I hope you soon get better!

[Ground]

Tried that back in May,had headache and joint pain,sores on face and leg,very dry skin on face and lips which made it look like I was wearing a mask,binned after 6 days,immediate improvement after stopping,since then I have had constant chest infection after chest infection.

[Gwen30 in reply to Ground]

Yes my face feel like it’s being in a mask and my back is killing me so I think I’m stopping and back to seretide.

[Hidden]

Hi, I am now on Relvar Ellipta184/22 just 3 weeks ago after being on Symbicort & then Duoresp - neither of which were effectively treating my SREA. I have to say I much prefer the Relvar as it’s only one puff daily rather than the 8 puffs daily with the others....4 in morning and 4 at night.

I guess it’s trial and error with these various inhalers and we all will react differently as our bodies and biochemistry are unique to us.

My wish is that I had been put on Relvar several years ago as I’ve really been struggling and am prepared to put up with any side effects but sorry to hear you’re having problems.

Good luck 👍👌

[Gwen30 in reply to Hidden]

Glad it’s working for you

[Tabitha58]

Not on that one - but seriously considering stopping QVar as have been constantly unwell for past two months with cold, cough, weakness and tiredness - all of which could be side-effects! Am waiting for results of yesterday's blood tests and chest x-ray and if they are all ok then I will stop the QVar (have spoken with GP about it - he did not suggest trying a different inhaler - just told me that if I got worse to start taking it again!)

[Gwen30]

Think I’ll stop the med as not feeling great so back to seritide