Symbicort and side effects?

[Nikki1986xx]

I've been on Symbicort for a year. I take one puff in the morning and one at night. For the past month or so, I havent been feeling right. I think my blood pressure is through the roof and I'm assuming it's from Symbicort.

I lost my job/health insurance due to the virus. Symbicort alone costs me 400 dollars a month. I cant afford to go to a doctor and get this all figured out right now. I should be getting my job back soon.

I cant function like this. I am very stress free at the moment because I am not working and i stay home and safe all day with my cats. I have never had high blood pressure issues in my life. Its usually on the lower side. Also, I've been having heart palpitations throughout the day for the past week or so.

I am obese but I eat very healthy. No alcohol, no cigarettes. I drink a gallon of water a day and I avoid sugar at all costs (whole family is diabetics besides me).

I have horribly yearly allergies and developed this asthma about a year ago when I was put on Symbicort. Anyone have any advice for me?

Thank you so so much!!!

[Lee2k182]

Hi Nikki, Im newly diagnosed with asthma and my 1st inhaler is Symbicort turboinhaler 100/6. I take 2 in the morning and 2 in at night. I feel that my symptoms have increased since being on it. I am more phlegmy than I have ever been, I get hoarseness, constant throat clearing and tremors in my hands. It does seem to help with my wheeze but if all these side affects are actually from my symbicort, I don't think it's worth it.

Also i live in UK and lucky enough to have free healthcare. I feel for you having to pay all that just to breath.

[Nikki1986xx in reply to Lee2k182]

Thank you so much for your reply. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one having issues (not nice that we are having issues).

I just called my old asthma doctor to see if I could come in and pay out of pocket. Apparantly our entire state (maybe the whole USA), is not doing breathing tests due to covid. So there is no help for us sufferers. She said I need to have the tests done to see where my asthma is, in order to figure out medication. I havent had the test in a year. So i was told i need to hold tight and wait. Terrible! And so depressing.

Again, thank you for your response. It made me feel better just knowing I'm not alone. I truly hope u feel better!

[kooka40]

HI I am on Symbicort and having side effects , and my blood pressure has gone up and I think it is also causing me anxiety , and it funny it all started when I been on Symbicort. Never had anxiety or blood pressure, I surf and bushwalk but haven't felt like doing it much lately , I will try and find something else , though I have tried a few , and nothing has been any good , I am lucky I live in Australia and our health care system is great and asthma Meds and Doctors are not expensive and covered by Medicare, hope you find something that helps you , as if we haven't got enough to worry about lets hope things get back to normal , they are slowly where I live.

[Birthday60]

I’ve been using symbicort for a few years with no side effects - really improved my breathing. I use a peak flow monitor every day to check my performance against my target - I keep very fit by walking fast uphill. There is a subtle and important difference between asthma and getting out of breath because you are unfit! Not sure how you can claim to eat healthy but be obese - I would suggest that some of your breathing issues are down to your weight and you need to address this with some urgency

[Poobah]

Hi Nikki. I developed high BP while on Symbicort. I'm now on Fostair but they're pretty much the same type of med. My asthma nurse is determined that I lose weight as it's also a contributing factor for HBP. I know she's right.

I'm amazed at the cost of Symbicort for you. It's cost in the UK, if we had to pay privately is £45 ($57). I'm truly sorry that you've lost your job and therefore your health insurance. Are you able to access help through Prescription Hope or similar? prescriptionhope.com/symbic...

But you definitely need to address your HBP.

All the best.

[Nikki1986xx in reply to Poobah]

Thank you very much for the info and kind words!

[Coastwalker]

My husband has had life long asthma, (dangerously close to death several times, where even a nebuliser has not worked)

We worked out years later that Symbicort was actually causing him asthma.

Yes it’s listed as a side effect, (can you believe that asthma inhalers can actually cause asthma.)

Taking 5,000 iu of vitamin D3 everyday in summer turned around his asthma. He said he felt like he no longer had Asthma and confessed to me that he hadn’t taken his two inhalers for three weeks 😳 and carried on for several months till winter time when his asthma came back again.

We realised there was less sun in winter, so upped his dose of Vitamin D3 and his asthma went away almost overnight and for several years now his asthma has stayed away, (apart from allergic reactions needing an inhaler puff after being in a small room with a dog 🙄😀)

(Vitamin D3 works together with vitamin K2)

[lillyofthevalley37 in reply to Coastwalker]

That's really interesting

is it vitamin D 3 that you are refering to ? Also which brand does your husband take ?

[Coastwalker in reply to lillyofthevalley37]

Phoenix nutrition. Yes it’s Vitamin D3 (5000iu) with added K2

[lillyofthevalley37 in reply to Coastwalker]

Thanks Coastwalker