Fostiar problem

I have been advised to reduce my fostair from 2 in the morning and at night to 1 in the morning and night, I am on lansprazole for possible acid irritation on my chest every time I have my inhaler's. Started on (1/02) some day I started a new fostair. I would like to know your thoughts on this do I stay at 2 like I was originally informed or reduce it to 1. Thanks for your assistance

[steph65]

I had problems with Fostair and had to come off it.

[Hidden in reply to steph65]

It is controling my asthma but I am not sure on the dose of I need to take as I am being told to take 2 and then I am being told to take 1. Both nurses has worked with me since I got asthma. I was informed by one to bring it down to one. The other nurse who give me this medication I need to take 2 puff's morning and night. This is why I am confused

[SecondLife in reply to Hidden]

I started with 2 puffs twice daily to control my asthma which has it has done so much so that I very rarely use Ventolin now. Based on this the nurse said I could reduce to 1 x 2 daily and if needed could increase it again. I must admit that some days I forget to use it for the evening one and have been fine

[Gareth57]

I would probably reduce to 1 but if you feel your condition is getting worse go back to 2.

[ElizabethC]

How does it irritate when you take it? Are you taking Fostair through a spacer? I have Fostair and am on up to 8 puffs in a day. I usually take 2 - 3 in the morning and that usually is all I need but I can take up to the 8 if my lungs get irritable. I only ever take it through a spacer. On the rare occasions I've been forced to take it without a spacer I get irritation.

If you are confused go back to the GP (not the nurses) and ask for clarification.

[Hidden in reply to ElizabethC]

I have a spacer. I am unable to speak to a doctor. I got burning sensation about 3 weeks ago. I got rid of it as I had natural heart burn from something I eat. Then it come back felt like it was in my lung's went back twice. See nurses both time's and second visit got my meds and told to take two puff's morning and night but I was told to reduce it. So I don't know what to do.

[ElizabethC in reply to Hidden]

Fostair itself is very flexible. You can raise and lower the dose to manage your asthma yourself. My GP changed my Fostair from 100/6 to 100/2 so I had fewer doses available in a day and less flexibility. My Consultant over-ruled the GP and put me BACK on 100/6 as he said it gave ME the most flexibility to manage my asthma. Currently I can go on 3 puffs in a morning. If I get a tighter chest for whatever reason, I can take more.

So, your options are: you can try the lower dose as one nurse has directed. If you aren't happy about this or you are confused because a different nurse said otherwise, go back to get it clarified.

If both nurses are still confusing you, then go to the GP direct. You say you are "unable to speak to a doctor". What do you mean by this? Sometimes surgery receptions will try to push Asthmatics through to the Asthma Nurse - I had that in 2015. It resulted in pneumonia (this is not to frighten you - I had had flu and it developed into pneumonia and the asthma nurse didn't pick up on it).

So, if you are confused by the nurses not agreeing DEMAND to see a doctor. Sometimes you have to do a bit of kicking.

Alternatively, you can call Asthma UK. Talk to the nurses on there. They are very helpful and supportive.

[Hidden in reply to ElizabethC]

My doctor's has joined an other doctors. I am unable to speak to a GP because of this as the team don't know what surgery to let me speak to a GP under. As it's a nurse from 2 different surgery's telling me 2 different things

[ElizabethC in reply to Hidden]

How come you have nurses at two different surgeries? I would be clarifying which one you are registered with. As to the doctor moving. That happens all the time. You are registered with a surgery and see the staff there. If you are referred to a hospital consultant you may see staff there too for the same condition.

I would be getting this anomally sorted asap.

[Hidden in reply to ElizabethC]

My doctor's was fully booked the first time. I am under De Pary's group that is why I saw a nurse at a different doctors.

[Superzob]

It's about getting the balance right between having the benefits of Fostair for your asthma, but not exacerbating the GERD. That is an individual matter and entirely unpredictable, so I would try the Fostair reduction and see how it goes; if the asthma seems worse, then increase the Fostair again, unless you feel the worsening asthma is more tolerable than the acid irritation. In the end, it's how you feel that matters and no doctor or nurse can tell you that!

[Hidden in reply to Superzob]

I have to take this meds for one month and see if it works as my gp and my nurses are happy my fostair is working and I am not having a problem with it

[Superzob in reply to Hidden]

Don't be afraid to get an earlier appointment if the lower doesn't seem to be working, or go back to the higher dose in the meantime. You won't do yourself any harm if you keep within the NICE guidelines on dosage: bnf.nice.org.uk

[Hidden in reply to Superzob]

I have just started them so I am going to see what happens and try and get a clearer idea of my dose I am might to be taking

[gerrytlloyd]

Do as the GP says. GP's /nurses tend to over-estimate your dosage and if one says reduce it, I would believe that - facebook.com/aspirin2relief/

[Hidden]

It was only my nurses who saw me about this problem