PF drop after steroids : I appear to... - Asthma Community ...

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PF drop after steroids

Junglechicken profile image
8 Replies

I appear to have got into a pattern with regards to my PF. I was given a 5 day course of pred at the end of October following an attack. After a few days my PF really picked up and I felt really well. A few days following the end of the course I saw a sudden drop and since then it’s been a struggle to keep within the green. Today my PF has dropped lower than it has been in months. I keep making a growling sound when I blow into my PF meter which comes from my chest. I’m wheezing a little this morning and feel so fatigued. Has anyone else had this sort of experience after steroids?

Thank You

JC

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Junglechicken
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8 Replies
twinkly29 profile image
twinkly29

If it was a drop which then did pick up, I'd guess it might be your body realising it wasn't getting the additional steroids and kind of having a strop but then getting over itself. But if it's not picking up , maybe worth trying to see GP or asthma nurse to discuss inhaled steroids (i.e are the ones you're on the right ones or are they enough)? Just thinking out loud - others might have better advice ! X

Junglechicken profile image
Junglechicken in reply totwinkly29

Thanks twinkly29. The drop was just after the course ended and has slowly got worse. I take Seretide 500 1 puff twice a day. I had a bad time with montelukast so that’s not an option. I feel so yucky today I’m snuggling with a blanket and hot water bottle.

Darceydoo profile image
Darceydoo in reply toJunglechicken

You need a GP consult!

Emer1000 profile image
Emer1000 in reply toJunglechicken

Would you try Singulajr ? (I came off Monteklaust too) but sinulair is fine. Seretide became ineffective for me and it used to be great ( I'm now on Relvar Ellipta. 92/122 which is amazing for me.

Blue-Breeze profile image
Blue-Breeze

Hi JC sorry you're feeling rough again. You need to get to the docs. My GP this time gave me 8 tabs over 7 days instead of 6 over 5 days due to the repeated exacerbations. Maybe you need a meds review.

Hope you feel better soon

Junglechicken profile image
Junglechicken in reply toBlue-Breeze

Thanks Blue-Breeze. My PF is still down this morning. I took a reading several times yesterday but there was no change. I’m in two minds what to do. I have this feeling that if I go to GP my PF will be perfect and I’ll be made to feel silly (it has happened before) plus I’m terrified of medical establishments. I’ve had 3 courses of pred since June and reluctant to have more. Something definitely feels off though as the tiniest little trigger and I’m slightly wheezey.

Blue-Breeze profile image
Blue-Breeze in reply toJunglechicken

I have a PF app I showed my asthma nurse. That way if PF is normal she knows I have had a pattern. I've had 5 lots of pred since June so I know where you are coming from.

Maybe phone the help line first then go to the GP with info?

All the best

lucymockingjay profile image
lucymockingjay

Hi as orhers have said definitely discuss with your docrors in case a xhanfe in any of yor meds is warranted. It could be you need a longer coursw of steroids or even a morw gradual srwp sown programme wirh them. Sometimes people take 6 tablers for a week, then evwry so many daays reduce by one, till withwr thwy come off them all together or occasionally they stay on a maintenance dose if everything else has failed and they are still having repeated problems. This is one of the last resorts I think though as it isn't ideal to be on steroids for any longer than our body needs them as it can stop making our own natural steroids otherwise.

They decided to do this with me because after boomaranging up and down between doses every time i thought I was managing to stop taking them, I ended up back in hospital.

It got suggested that it may be lack of steroids in my body adding to the problem as the pharmacist pointed out that we have something like 7.5mg steroid in our body and if my body wasnt producing that any more, that every time my pred dropped below 10mg, i could be going into crises mode and become ill. I've been a lot better since, not perfect but it isnt every few weeks now! I

Just to clarify, although i know this is obvious, these days especially, you feel you feel you have to say it, as not so much on this forum but on others, I have seen some people be so mean to others, just for trying to help them. These are my opinions, i am not a doctor so any medical advice chat to your docs, hopefully they are a lot better than my current ones lol

I.hope some of this makes sense, unfortunately i am bed bound so have to type on a kindle and it spell chexk and auto correct sends me insane. I try to correct most errors but dont always catch them, especially when tired or a bit dodgy! ( The unfortunately bit was referring to the kindle not the bed bound bit , hehehe, I'm not quite that sad, i spend my life feeling sorry for myself, if i did, i think, my daughter would find ways of making me regret voicing my opinions to her on the subject as she has many of the same conditions and more besides, apart from the asthma and apnoea lol)

Hugs take care xxx

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