Fostair: virtues & vices

[Hayman111]

Hello everyone!

I'm a lifelong asthmatic and for most of this time I've been on Seretide 125. However, three years ago I started to devlop a chronic producitve cough (CPC). This persisted until I switched to Fostair 200/6. Thankfully the CPC has stayed away, however I'm having issues with the Fostair. Most notably: Oral thrush (developed recently; I always take Fostair with a spacer and wash my mouth, brush my teeth, etc. after), tinnitus (I'm almost certain it is related), worse sleep, greater anxiety/restlessness and, finally, trembling.

In terms of my breathing, it is fantastic! The Fostair works wonders. I'm a keen runner and I'm running better than ever before. However, this major plus is offset by the litany of side-effects aformentioned.

I've tried a variety of other inhlaers over the past year: Q-var, Pulmicort, Seretide 50, Flixotide (with and without either formoterol or Salmeterol). None of them work anywhere near as well as the Fostair.

Thus, I'm at a bit of a dead end. If you have any advice/suggestions that would be much appreciated. Thank you!

[CDPO16]

I read this with interest. I have been on fostair (initially 100/6 for 3 years and then 200/6) and have all the side effects you list along with bruising very easily. I too have tinnitus and have never associated it with fostair but now I wonder. I don't remember having it previouslyFor me too other inhalers have had no effect or made me worse but fostair suits me more than anything else so I put up with the adverse effects.

Incidentally my tinnitus went worse after having the AZ vaccine. Apparently that is a very rare side effect.

I have late onset asthma and COPD so am no where near as active as you. Your ability to run as well as you do perhaps offsets the side effects. I can't offer any suggestions or advice.

[Hayman111 in reply to CDPO16]

Thanks for your reponse. It is reasuring to know I'm not the only one with tinnitus and takes Fostair (whenever I mention I think they are related people think I'm mad!).

[CDPO16 in reply to Hayman111]

I've tried to research this and found no link between the two so it seems to be coincidence. Of course it may be that it's never been reported to the yellow card scheme as a side effect.

[Poobah]

I'm on Fostair and it's definitely the best combo inhaler I've had to date. I too have tinnitus and never linked it to Fostair - will look into that as I now have to play low level music overnight in order to sleep. I've also tried listening to audio books and that's very sleep inducing for some reason. I use probiotics to tackle thrush. There's lots of stuff online about the best strains of probiotic to use and oral sprays are now available. Toungue cleaning and keeping hydrated are also good practice.

[Hayman111 in reply to Poobah]

Hey Poobah. I've done a fair bit of research into it and I can't find much evidence suggesting a connection. It's purely anectodal for me. Tinnitus noticeably becomes worse after taking Fostair. It is especially frustrating as I'm a university student and one of my favourite hobbies is reading! Thanks for the tip about the probiotics. Do you remember if you had tinnitus prior to taking Fostair?

[Poobah in reply to Hayman111]

I couldn't find anything to link tinnitus to Fostair either. I started Fostair January 2020 but had a virus in March/April 2020 and tinnitus definitely noticeable, having got worse over time since then. So it may have been the virus even though I didn't have any earache with it. However, I did read that macrolides can cause tinnitus and I have just finished a 4 month course of Azithromycin. Then again it could be skeletal/postural apparently!

[BookerCatch]

I know this post is 2 years old, but I never had tinnitus before switching to fostair, but once I did the tinnitus started. My acne also flared up constantly.

I have switched from the typical inhaler to a fostair NEXThaler (powdered). I've been using this for a month now and no tinnitus! My skin has also cleared up. This could be a coincidence, but I'm sure the normal inhaler was causing the adverse side effects.

[Hayman111 in reply to BookerCatch]

Hey BookerCatch,

Thanks for sharing your experience. I did try switching to the Nexthaler but just found it not as effective for my breathing.

I’m currently just using Q-var.

Hope the Nexthaler continues to work for you!