Has anyone had low Potassium levels and high Blood Pressure whilst they are taking Fostair, it’s controlling my Asthma well, but latest results on Friday might suggest that it is causing another problem. I’ll probably get a call from the surgery on Monday, but has anyone had any experience of this?
Thanks for reading
I had low potassium (2.8) prior to starting Fostair due to Furosemide, I was changed over to Co-Amilifruse which seems to keep things normal.
I was swapped over from Ciclesonide & Formoterol to Fostair in Oct 2017and I have had no problems with my potassium levels.
Thanks, I’ll have to check with my Asthma Nurse today
Thanks for the reply.
I've had low potassium (2.7) whilst on Fostair 200/6 (plus other meds), and I was given IV fluids to re-balance electrolytes and retest when I was a bit better and using less Ventolin. Ventolin can also cause low potassium - are you using lots at the moment?
I've also had high blood pressure, but that seems to be more linked to being in a flare rather than Fostair itself (though I use more Fostair when I'm in a flare so who knows... could be the cause...)
Are you in a flare at the moment? How is your asthma control generally? Are you using a lot of Ventolin, and how much Fostair are you using? Your GP should ask you all this before changing your meds. If your potassium is really low, they might well send you to the hosp to get IV fluids to re-balance if needed.
Thanks for the reply, apart from 2x Fostair puffs a day I’m not using Ventolin at all, haven’t had an exacerbation since Feb. I’ll have to wait and see what the GP says. The Fostair leaflet says that it could cause low levels of Potassium, (but only in rare cases) .
Thanks
Hi there. I've just started fostair 200/6. Feel better already. How long have you been taken it for.
I’m only on 100/6 and was diagnosed with Asthma 2 years ago.
I've been on 200/6 for a year now, but sadly hasn't been enough to control it on its own so I've also been put on lots of other meds. I'm glad it's working so well for you! I've had asthma since I was about 1/2 years old, so I've tried lots of meds over the years!
Hiya. I've only been on it for about 6 weeks now as my asthma was well out of control even the blue ones weren't enough to keep down. Still not 100% but alot better. What other Meds are you on for your asthma if you don't mind me asking
Atm: Fostair 200/6 4-8 puffs/day, Qvar 100 6 puffs/day, Montelukast 10mg, Fexofenadine 360mg, Mometasone Nasal Spray (for sinusitis, which triggers my asthma), then Ventolin and Acrivastine as needed. (plus Pred and ABs for flares)
Wow that's alot. I take that Montelukast as well as the fostair. Have you had any side affects with the fostair. I think mine maybe caused by silent reflux alot of the time but the fostair has helped. Thanks
My only noticeable side effect from Fostair is the tremor and tachycardia that it (and Ventolin) causes. I also have thin skin, broken blood vessels, spontaneous bruising etc. from the steroid content in combination with Qvar and pred, but I didn't have those side effects when Fostair was my only steroid drug, I don't think. Otherwise, side effects are minimal, and I'd much rather have a slight tremor than not be able to breathe!
Are you on treatment for the reflux at all? Is it helping?
About Christmas time just gone I started coughing and it didn't go, I went to the doctors and they gave me Montelukast and it did nothing, I was on fostair 100/6 for a year before that and I felt it wasn't doing anything. The Montelukast didn't seem to be doing anything so I just carried on, some days were better then others.
Then about 3 months ago I started clearing my throat all the time and even before that my voice would go horse, I went back to the doctors and the asthma nurse said go on a course of antibiotics and steroids, I said ok but it won't do anything because I don't feel I have a chest infection it feels like there's something in my throat and it fells like it's closing up a little causing shortness of breath. I came back a week later and the Meds didn't work at all so they sent me for a spirometry and I blew under, so I had this doctor on the phone telling me I had copd at 36, crazy. I got really bad anxiety and wanted a second opinion and the other doctor said I don't think you have that cause your chest xray is ok. He sent me for a ENT for my throat and the specialist said I could of told you over the phone you have LPR silent reflux given all the symptoms I have. So my new doctor the one who i got a second opinion from put me on fostair 200/6 and said you'll find it will settle down in a few months once the summer season is over, he's also sending me to the respiratory team to get my Meds right and rule out anything. I find with the fostair it's going down abit. Had to make major life style changes because of the lpr. I've lost 2 stone and run every other day, no snacks 4 hours before bed and real food no junk food at all. Mostly alkaline food to kill the acid. Been abit of a crazy ride, the silent reflux is so strange, one minute I'm okay and then I can't stop clearing my throat. I take Lansoprazole 30mg for that,the ent guy said it will take up to 4 to 6 months to notice much. Have you ever been checked for that. Once the acid comes up it can do all kinds of damage in the lungs and pipes. There's a lot of info on you tube about it. They only put 2 and 2 together withing the last 10 years and noticed a lot of people have this. Thanks
You sound a bit like me, only I'm newly diagnosed as asthmatic. I too have LPR (self-diagnosed but I know what it is) and nasal congestion / Post nasal Drip. It's a vicious cycle and all these things are inextricably linked.
I have a hernia and take Omeprazole for that, which causes nasal congestion, which in turn causes PND, all of which can set off the asthma - although it gets much worse when I get a cold. I've tried reducing the Omeprazole to 10 mg a day to reduce nasal congestion, but then the reflux creeps slowly back and any reflux in my throat starts the asthma cough off big time! So I'm back up to 20 mg Omeprazole a day as I'd prefer nasal congestion rather than asthma cough going out of control.
I'm on Fostair 200/6 and it's really working well. I take 2 puffs twice a day and have no need of a relief inhaler at the moment, but if I did need one I'd take the Fostair instead of the Ventolin, which does nothing for me (in fact the spirometry indicated it actually made my lungs less functional)! It does cause slight tachycardia if I take the two puffs together, so I space them out over a few hours.
Unlike you I'm not disciplined about not eating a few hours before bed and I know I really have to stop it. Trouble is the evenings, especially late evenings, are my down time, my 'me' time. I need this time to do stuff I enjoy even if it's just watching Netflix. Like most of us I lead a hectic life. And relaxing and having a cuppa with a snack are all a part of that. Hard to give up 
Hi therethanks for your reply, lprs horrible, it mimics asthma. Do you take your fostair 200/6 as a reliever. How long have you been on that for. I've only been on mine for a few months now. Are they ok to take for a long time do you think. Thanks
I haven't needed it yet but yes, I would use the Fostair as a reliever as it's a combination inhaler - both preventer and reliever. The blue inhaler does nothing for me at all.
I've only been on Fostair for just over a month and it has worked really well. The doctor told me there's no harm in long term usage. Unlike a course of steroid tablets, which can have side effects long term, steroid inhalers only puff a very tiny amount of the steroid into your lungs directly. It works well because it gets straight to the place it's needed, the lungs, without having to first go through the stomach
The blue one does nothing really for me as well don't no why. Thanks
Are you on medication for high blood pressure..? I was prescribed nifidepine by my GP - leaflets states could affect breathing..!
Years later was diagnosed with Asthma ..?!?! was given fostair and salamol- which also mentions breathing..?!?!
I have tried to raise this with GP and nurses to no avail - but wonder if blood pressure medication may have something to do with Asthma..?!?
Hi, I don't have high blood pressure so don't take any meds for that. But who knows, perhaps there could be a link? After all, so many different things can trigger asthma.
I think with the Fostair causing breathing difficulties, it's something listed on the contraindications as being very rare, and it's like an allergic reaction to the ingredients. Anything we ingest can cause an allergy in someone, somewhere.
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