Anxiety and inhalers

[DeanSamson]

Hi does any have any comments about asthma inhalers and anxiety. I was never really an anxious person the kind of person that thought "$%#@ it I'll try it" without hesitation. Since starting symbicort I seem to be getting more anxious and have anxiety about really daft stuff. I was on seretide 250 for years and didn't seem to have issues psychologically. The back end of last year I had issues coming off prednisolone (12 weeks) doctors trial and that caused issues with anxiety. Thinking back now things really started when when I started this inhaler. It does seem to work a little better than seretide but the psychological issues are starting to ruin my life. I have an appointment with the therapist on Monday but in the face of it I seem a normal not anxious person. I'm having to hold it all in.

Thanks for reading

[AutumnHedgerow]

Hi dean

I have certainly found that the oral steroids have made me anxious, and even though I sort that in my head, there are still physiological symptoms of anxiety associated with them, which I no just try to ride.

As to other anxiety, it’s a common symptom alongside asthma - the biofeedback loop associated with asthma, keeps the body on a more permanent higher alert than normal or than is necessary. This is understandable but a nuisance so it’s good you’re tackling it. It could be a sensitivity to the steroid inhalers, but in my completely unprofessional and inexperienced opinion, more likely associated with the condition and maybe triggered in the first place by the courses of oral steroids.

Hope you feel better soon.

[kooka40]

I also Have been dealing with anxiety same as you , was never an anxious person either , I had to take prednisolone for Bell's palsy , sitting in front of a fan I live in Australia , as soon after I became anxious , then I had a chest cold and found out I have adult Asthma and been taking inhales been on Breo Elliptic , Symbicort , and now on Seretide , all seem to make me anxious , I thought It was just me , I am also going to a therapist in coming weeks , hope it helps you ,Its such a life recking thing , I do take a a thing call rescue that helps calm me sometimes , but I am so over it , and people don't seem to understand they think you are putting it on ,

[Hidden]

Steroid inhalers and pills definitely effect my mood and cause anxiety but I would be worse off without them.

[JennyA]

I definitely think they make you feel anxious. As a child I took Ventolin in tablet form and I felt very anxious a lot of the time. Ventolin even as an inhaler makes me feel anxious and all the other drugs I take have a similar impact on my life. I've basically had to learn to live with a certain base level of anxiety. I think it may have shaped my personality to some extent but I think that's because I have been asthmatic since the age of 5 so I don't know anything different. However as an adult I've become better at separating what's me and what's drugs. In my twenties I took one drug which was withdrawn after a while and it made me think I was going completely mad, I was so paranoid. If you think something isn't suiting you, don't be afraid to say. As asthmatics were are between a rock and a hard place as often there isn't a better alternative but worth mentioning. Best wishes to you Dean.

[Sudhirdhir7]

I too was on seritide 250 for about 4 to 5 years . Then someone close to me died .Seritide was no longer as effective as before, I was then put on symbicort inhaler as well as spiriva . The breathing during the day is ok but during the night am am not getting quality sleep. I agree symbicort does seem to increase the anxiety levels .I would be interested to hear what your therapist suggests .

[DeanSamson]

Hi All thanks for the replies. Yeah my therapist appointment is on Monday afternoon. I just dont want to believe that a drug can change a person so much literally overnight. My main anxiety is feeling unsafe or being away from home. These are just thoughts and feelings that run through my head. The therapist said it's called cbt therapy where they try to make you change the way you think about things. Hope it works. I just want to get back to how I was 12 months ago. Thanks all

[Ami40 in reply to DeanSamson]

Hi, it us definitely the Symbicort that makes it worse, I've just tried it and suffer the same, had anxiety before but it definitely increases it... Can I ask please what did you go on? Does Seretide do the same and can you take this for asthma/COPD issues? I need something else too and without formoteral as I think that's the culprit, tried fostair and symbicort both got formoteral in and suffered same... Please let me know what you tried after and if it worked. It's a complete nightmare this! I know how you feel!

Many thanks

[DeanSamson in reply to Ami40]

Hello,I just stuck with the symbicort, I did get another inhaler added with is budesinide.

In the end I just learnt to live with it. I did have CBT therapy which helped a lot. It still flares up from time to time but I manage and get by. 👍 Hope your alright

[fantwalk]

Whenever I am concerned about side effects from medication, I will speak to my GP about going off it for a while so I can see if the symptoms ease and are caused by the medication or not. This has worked well for me in the past. Perhaps speak to your gp about returning to your old Seretide script and see if your moods improve, it may not be as effective as your new inhaler but at least you will have some protection in the meantime. Perhaps a higher dose Seretide will work better for you. If it is the medication causing the problems then cbt therapy probably wont do much good, the only way to know is put it to the test. Good luck.