Inhalers making symptoms worse

[Jimbles]

Hello all. I was diagnosed with asthma 25 years ago aged 40. It doesn't give me too much trouble (though I have other major health issues)! For the last few months I have been wheezy and coughing a lot, something that I get maybe once a year for six to eight weeks. Usually I just tolerate it until it clears up but this time it's persisting. Yesterday my GP gave me a salbutamol inhaler and the brown steroid one (name??). Today my cough has been much worse and I don't understand why. Any advice would be appreciated.

Hoping you are all keeping reasonably well. James xx

[Hidden]

Hi, do u know why each year you had coughing issues for 6 weeks + and is that seasonal? Is this the first time u are regularly taking Asthma meds, if so there is always trial and error to get the right balance for every patient.

Are u set for a checkup in the next week or so?

Most Asthma patients are told to self monitor, keep a daily record of their peak flow. You may well have been doing this but

it might be worth checking in with your GP or Asthma nurse after taking your new meds.

Good luck

[Knitting-Nora]

I found the clenil inhaler (brown one) caused me to cough more and irritated my throat, so was changed to seratide inhaler and later changed to fostair both of which causes no problems and solved my symptoms. Maybe you need a different inhaler. I would contact your GP.

[Watforddogs]

Hi - well, almost edit copy / edit paste - only difference is substiture 50 for 25 and 10 for for 40

The same happened to me - usually salbutamol gets me through "pollen" season and then i am back to hardly needing even that

This year in April -far worse-saw GP got given brown one too

So for 3 weeks hardly chanhged and if anything worse - now slightly better but still need blue inhaler maybe every other day

Doc told me that lots of people similar - pollen season this year seems to be aggravating air ways more than normal

So- if i were you- keep taking the brown -i suspect like me they gave you the 50 or the 100 as a starter - it goes up to 250 if that is not enough - so my guess is that you need to give it time / review meds after a while

Chris

[Poobah]

Your flare ups definitely sounds like a reaction to pollen and it's been a high pollen season this year. An antihistamine may help and your doctor can prescribe one.

With regards the brown (steroid) inhaler, one of two things may be happening. Some people have a sensitivity to steroids. Or if it's an aerosol inhaler, you may be sensitive to the propellant. If you have a peak flow at home you can easily test your reaction to the inhaler by taking your peak flow before using the inhaler and take it again, 20 minutes after use. If your peak flow is declining after inhaler use then you know there's a sensitivity issue. You can then present your findings to the doctor to discuss an alternative medication.

If you haven't got a peak flow have a chat with your GP about the effects of the inhaler. Write down what you want to say so that you leave the doctor in no doubt what the problem is.

They may try a spacer first to see if that minimises the adverse effect of the steroid inhaler. Definitely ask about having a peak flow at home. More details can be found on the Asthma UK website.

Good luck.

[Jimbles]

Hi all. Thank you for your helpful comments. I do have a peak flow device so I will use that and record the results. My GP did ask if I had symptoms of hay fever (I don't). He also suggested a chest x-ray in a month's time if it doesn't t settle - but I had a CT of chest, abdomen, and pelvis in early June (cancer checkup) and it was all ok.

James xx

[pffft2017]

It takes a while for the preventer ( brown ) inhaler to take effect and also it gave me a sore throat and dry mouth. Ask for a volumiser and gargle with a weak solution of TCP.

Might be worth considering if your annual cough coincides with hayfever season too.

[Tugun]

Hi, I've had trouble with both in different ways. I now only take a powdered form of salbutamol. How has the cough got worse?