Is spiriva any good??

[Treed12]

Hi. I've just been prescribed Spiriva(?) Restimat. I'm currently on fostair 200/6 6 puffs a day. Reducing to 4 puffs with 2 puffs of Spiriva by consultant recommendation. Is spiriva any good? I've tried to reduce fostair before but ended in an attack. Hoping this will be a positive change and get me more controlled. Thanks

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador]

If you’ve ever had an atrovent nebuliser it’s a very similar drug, just meant to last longer (basically I think it’s a long term reliever). I’m on it and it seems to help. Hope it helps towards lowering your fostair x

[Treed12 in reply to EmmaF91]

Thanks for your reply. I thought something in it sounded familiar, i find nebs at the hospital always sort me out, so fingers crossed. Glad it helps you x

[Minushabens]

I use it alongside Symbicort 400/12. My asthma isn't as well-controlled as it was, so I might not be a good judge of it, but my consultant seems to think (along with the other tablets I take) that my asthma is as under control as it's likely to be for the foreseeable future. I don't get any side effects that I know of.

On the downside, I find it a very fiddly inhaler to set up, but that might just be down to my shaky steroid hands!

[Treed12 in reply to Minushabens]

No side effects is good to know. Thats one of the reasons i wanted to reduce fostair. Funny you should say it's fiddly. I asked the chemist if she could show me how it worked, she reluctantly did but she found it a struggle! Will make me feel better when i dont get it right!

[Minushabens in reply to Treed12]

You have to push the cannister onto a pin, & it takes a moderate level of force to do it. Nothing that most people can't manage to be fair, but once or twice I've been cursing the thing because it wouldn't go right.

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador]

I'm on it. I was on the Handihaler version before which I found did nothing. I thought this one didn't either but then my GP surgery made a mistake with some prescriptions and I thought I'd be ok without it for a couple of days - by the second day I was wanting it back! My asthma isn't well controlled but it's definitely worse if I don't have the Spiriva (or the other things I take), and I also find Atrovent nebs are wonderful in hospital. I had an Atrovent inhaler for a while because my consultant at the time didn't like salbutamol and I always found it did a bit more than the Ventolin did if I was struggling.

Oh and yes it's fiddly - so was the Handihaler! I prefer the delivery as it seems to get into my lungs more but this inhaler is also prescribed for older people with COPD who I would think might struggle! I find banging the canister against a hard surface is easiest to get it in, and absolutely never put hand cream on before you take it as the twisting is hard!

Did anyone show you how to take it correctly? It's not hard but I think does need a demo - I think part of the reason I thought it didn't help at first was that I wasn't taking it correctly. If you can get a nurse or pharmacist to check then do, or maybe a video online?

[Treed12 in reply to Lysistrata]

Thank you. I am really hoping it will work! I asked the chemist to show me and she struggled. Hopefully I'll get the hang of it!

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador in reply to Treed12]

Whenever I'm admitted the nurses always look at that and my Fostair Nexthaler and want to know how they work as they look a bit exotic lol. I think they're used to the brown and blue but not so much all the newer devices.

I hope it works for you!

[omahjoa in reply to Treed12]

Use a spacer. Put it in then twist then put it your mouth and press. I am on Fostair and Spiriva and have to use a spacer for both or I will cough and not get full dose

[Treed12 in reply to omahjoa]

I wondered about using my spacer. I called asthma uk and they said it was a no no as its a powder.. But it did make me want to cough. I think on a bad day i would just cough it out. Hmm

[Js706]

I have been on and off it a couple of times. I was taken off a couple of months ago because we weren't sure if it was helping but actually thinking about it I seem to have been much less stable since coming off so will probably be asking to go back on it soon!

But I never found that I had any side effects while on it (other than it being a pain to put together!)

[Doodles65]

I’m on Spiriva and Fostair 200/6 and have been better controlled on it. As others have said it is very fiddly to put together but the actual using of it day to day is fine . Good luck and hope it helps.

[Clanmacbeath]

Im on it too, along with a host of others. I have difficult to control asthma and its one of the better inhalers that I have taken over the years. My pharmacy took me into a little room to demo its set up and activation when I was first prescribed it.

[Ground]

Sorry to be a spoiler,had a bad reaction to spiriva back in November and still suffering from it, i took it for six days and stopped because it caused around my eyes to swell and my eyes to go red,settles down then flares up.

[katie-astrophe]

Obviously everyone has different experiences but honestly, I haven't had an A&E visit since I started on spiriva, it's been life changing

[Birthday60]

I’m on Spiriva as well as Symbicort and also take montelukast tablets - works for me. All very well controlled and able to do anything I want. Consistently is the key

[sarries22]

I have it prescribed but there are various side effects that bother me. The main one being dry mouth at night. I am also on fostair and montelukast which has similar side effects so maybe for me the side effects are doubled. I tend to be on and off with spiriva to try and manage the side effects somewhat.

When using spiriva the thing to remember is T.O.P ...turn open puff.

There is no doubt that it does help my asthma, but it is a balancing act with the side effects for me.

If you do suffer from dry mouth, then I found xylimelts to be the best help. Bit of a Godsend really.

Hopefully you won't get side effects, it seems most people don't.... Good luck.

[Wheezebag13]

I've been on Spiriva for over a year now alongside Symbicort 400mg and Montelkast 10mg, I also have Omalizumab injections. Although it is fiddly to initially set up practice makes perfect and becomes second nature. I have no side effects and can do nothing but recommend it, all the meds have controlled my asthma and have a steady, good (for me) peak flow.

[Spikedog66]

I've been on spriva for 9 years and can honestly say this has saved my life. I take it with seretide 2 puffs twice a day, have tried fostair and had terrible side effects so went back to seretide. I have asthma and copd, I have had asthma most of my life and copd for 10 yrs. Do try spriva for a while and see if it helps. What's good for one may not be good for another but anything worth a try isn't it? Hope it helps you as it has for me.😊

[Treed12]

Thanks for all the replies. Got it to work this morning. Fingers crossed i can last till my next dose of fostair tonight!

[LuWil]

I was diagnosed with Brittle Asthma and was not responding to the standard asthma treatment. I was placed on spiriva in October 2018 and noticed an immediate improvement. Although I do always struggle to get my peak flow above 250 ( seems to be my average), there is no coughing and asthma much better under control. Very happy with it. I'm taking 2 puffs a day in the morning.

Regards

Louise

[Margerita]

Hi there

I’ve been on spiriva for a while now at first with symbicort and now with fostair. I haven’t really noticed any difference but I’ve heard others have had good results with it. Here’s hoping that it works for you 😊

[Hidden]

1) I know people who do extremely well on Spiriva, 2) I take a related drug called Tudorza in the US (Tudor—I call it Henry VIII 😀) and 3) you can have an attack on the best Med in the world for you. However, you should have fewer.

[Angel-Girl]

easy to follow how-to video for Spiriva have to say they are good clear videos asthma.org.uk/advice/inhale...

[Lulylu14]

If you are having problems taking meds or even not knowing what is the best it is worth making an appointment with your asthma nurse. I have a regular peak flow of 260 which is terrible so I am currently going through different preventers. I also have just finished another course of prednisolone. The asthma nurse is great because she is there to help with all those questions that you need help with in terms of medication. Also I was told by her that the spacer makes more medication go into your lungs than when you do it without especially if you are struggling to inhale. I also have a nebuliser at home and that is the best because I also have another portable one so I feel alot calmer knowing that it is there until help arrives if I have a bad attack. You can also ask your nurse and consultant about whether you need to have one. Some may argue that you will self medicate etc but I have never done that and my doctor feels it is too risky for me not to have a nebuliser. I use it until I can get the Ambulance as often I need to stay in.