I've been on Fostair 200/6 for 5-6 weeks now, I was on the lower dose of Fostair before. Has anyone had vivid nightmares on their steroid inhalers?
Forgive me for the long story..
Let's turn back time. I was around 7/8 when I saw the film 'The Witches' at primary school. There is a prominent scene in it (which terrifies me as I write) where the transformation happens (as it were). It terrified me to the point where my sleep was affected for years after. My parents struggled to help me sleep and were so tired most nights. I ended up sleeping in my parents bed with my mum night after night.
Fast forward when I got married in 2017. One night randomly, I woke up needing the use the bathroom, but got so freaked out because I thought the above scenario was outside my bedroom door. I screamed and my husband came to my aid straight away. He then took me to the bathroom and waited with me. Once back in bed, I had explained why this happened. We then agreed we would keep the lamp on so I could sleep and that we would order some night lights for the bedroom and hallway so that I wouldn't be scared if the nightmare occurred again. This was in our apartment (our first rented place together). I got moved to Fostair in 2018 whilst in hospital (after having a serious asthma attack at work). I had the same nightmare maybe twice after the first one in the apartment. Now in 2020 we moved to a bigger place, a two bed masionette, and after a few weeks one of the night lights we brought stopped working. Luckily we have street lights and a glass front door so I was okay. However I am having the same nightmare nearly every week if not every 2 weeks.
Now there has been a remake and it's constantly being advertised on the majority of the Sony Movie Channels through it's movie news update and I'm freaking out, so much so that when the movie news update comes on I switch the TV to the guide so I don't have to see it or anything else. It has caught me off guard twice now, once earlier this week (when I found out there was a remake) and today.
Am I insane, crazy? I'm 31 years old and a piece of prosthetics and a costume worn by an actress is scaring me and has scared me all my life. Has anyone else had a similar experience? Any advice for me?
ps. I appreciate advice but I ask politely please don't say go to a counsellor as they would only ask me about my childhood and thus would have to explain the above, and writing it for you all has me shaking as it is.
Thanks for reading.
LilsBaker2020
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LilsBaker2023
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Hi, this sounds very unpleasant for you! I know steroids and other medication can alter your sleep pattern so maybe that’s part of it and maybe your brain is perceiving your asthma as a threat and expressing it through your nightmares.
Several of my children suffered from recurrent nightmares based on books or images and in the end we devised a strategy that helped. Please don’t think I’m comparing you to a child but it might be worth a try.
We used to ‘practise’ a happy ending to their nightmare before they went to bed- eg if the monster comes in your dream , daddy will come and save you and then you’ll sleep safely.
I have also heard of people ‘thanking their brain’ for trying to protect them and saying that they don’t need it to do that anymore. Sounds weird and cheesy but who knows’.
Also reading a light, happy book before you sleep and all the usual stuff, warm drink etc.
Hi TeachKat, many thanks for your reply. I don't think you're comparing me to a child at all. It's amazing how many things that work for children work for adults I have a small plan for tonight. Go to bed at a reasonable hour, have some hot cocoa, and maybe read my book. I read a lot of books by authors like Jenny Colgan, Katie Fforde etc. Hopefully it works. I keep looking out my living room window as I'm scared that it will pop up and scare me. I'll share your thoughts with my husband and we'll give it a try. We won't know if anything will work unless we try hey?
I don’t have that issue now, but I was very affected by films when I was a child, films that other children just thought fun. Luckily my mother was understanding and did her best to protect me from it when young. Now, while they don’t give me nightmares, I can find many films, tv programmes etc very unpleasant. I am a real whimp! There is no shame in being affected by these things, but for your comfort it would be good if you could find ways of dealing with it. I like TeachCat’s suggestions, good ones I think. And as you say we all carry our own small selves around within us when we get older, inevitably.
Hi WheezyCat, thanks for your reply. I managed to not have that particular nightmare last night, but somehow had a rubbish night's sleep. I think I'm fine from when I go to sleep until about 3/4am where I toss and turn and have weird but not too scary dreams. This doesn't happen every night, but when it does my concentration is affected.
I did try changing the ending though before going to sleep. Excuse the pun my husband was letting rip last night so my different ending was that he let's off a stink bomb and the nightmare fades away into oblivion.... 🤣🤣
Feeling better knowing I'm not a wimp and that others have been through similar things
It may not be related at all, but I find I sleep much better if I take my fostair at least an hour before bed. If I take it just before, I struggle to get to sleep and have fragmented dreams which I don't remember but are disturbing.
Hi, I also started Fostair 200 some 3 weeks ago, I was taking Fostair 100 before that but wasn’t enough. I have also been having very weird vivid dreams and waking up around 5am breathless. I was thinking it’s just the fact that my asthma is getting bad because of a current cold. I take my inhaler immediately before going to bed, I’ll try taking it earlier and asking my doctor next time I see her.
Hi KatiaCamacho, that's a wise idea. I will do the same at my next appointment. Please do let us know how you get on. Thanks for reading and responding.
Hi, I'm a bit late to the party here, but I was started on Fostair as well, just 3 weeks ago. I feel so much better on it, but if I take it any later than 7pm, I get very strange dreams indeed, sometimes nasty. I aim now for 7am and 7pm, and that seems to help.
It also allows plenty of time for drinks to wash away the steroid out of my mouth. I have a bit of a horror of thrush and I have never been able to gargle.
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I have a small plan for tonight. Go to bed at a reasonable hour, have some hot cocoa, and maybe read my book. I read a lot of books by authors like Jenny Colgan, Katie Fforde etc. Hopefully it works. I keep looking out my living room window as I'm scared that it will pop up and scare me. I'll share your thoughts with my husband and we'll give it a try. We won't know if anything will work unless we try hey? 
GP won't increase my inhaler for winter
Back to square one
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