My Asthma

[Tesco123]

Hi I have asthma and every February/March I have a really bad flare up . This time it as lasted until now . I have blood tests , x-rays breathing test and nothing seems to get it under control I have been on steroids and antibiotics. This time feels different I am very breathless which I have never been like this before . I have had my inhalers changed to Spiriva once a day and my seretide disk inhaler changed to puffer inhaler so I can use my spacer. I have now been seen at the hospital and they have recommended I see the physio and try some breathing exercises They are thinking it may be pollen related . I would appreciate any advice /help

[twinkly29]

Do you take antihamines? Have they recommended any breathing exercises?

But it does sound like they are saying sensible things though so I'd go with what they're saying. Physio can be fab.

[Tesco123 in reply to twinkly29]

Yes I take antihistamines twice daily and Montelukast at night . Thank you for your reply

[Maltesemama]

Hi Tesco123, don't know if this will help, we are all so different in what may or not work. After 5 months of unexplained asthma, my Doc put me on Colonzepam, 3x a day.....the mere relaxation it performed in my body, slowed my wheezing. I had been in the hospital for a week, ,,,mega tests, heart good, lungs didn't show any infection etc. but this Colonzepam made a big difference....I've been able to 'pick up my life' gently but can get out, I just don't overdo phyisically. Went to PT to get leg exercises as so much pred weakens ones' muscles (as well as losing 1/2 my hair) :-)I posted once before about this experience, and am not a medical person, but all I can tell you is taking Xanax (which doesn't stay in the body as long a Col.) It was a big help to me. I with you luck and hoping you find something that will work for you.

[Tesco123 in reply to Maltesemama]

Thank you for your reply . Another bad day with lots of attacks . I will speak to my GP I will try anything to feel better

[twinkly29 in reply to Tesco123]

blf.org.uk/support-for-you/...

The British Lung Foundation have got various breathing exercises (in the link above) which are really good. When I had severe breathlessness when I had covid, breathlessness which I knew was not my asthma and so didn't respond to asthma medication....it responded very well to some of the the exercises when they were done at the time of symptoms. A few minutes of them settled things.

Often breathlessness isn't anything to do with asthma but to do with the mechanics of breathing.... something that's very common alongside asthma as it's very easy for our bodies to do it wrong...but can be hard for us to put right.

But even if asthma is at the cause of someone's current symptoms (and it's definitely not only one or the other, often it will be asthma and breathing pattern issues), these are the sorts of exercises recommended to asthmatics anyway.

[Maltesemama]

I’m so sorry. Can relate. Asthma is the worst. Good luck with the Doc. ❤️

[Ken6]

Hallo. I take Spiriva daily and Fostair twice daily. They work great for me. I had a death defying attack in 2016 before I was prescribed any meds at all.

Fostair contains beclametasone (not sure of spelling) it is a cortosteroid which cured my hay fever.

Fostair caused me to have bruises all over my arms. But after talking with my asthma nurse we decided to cut the Fostair from two puffs morning and two puffs evening down to one puff morning and evening. I now get a little hay fever. At home I have a HEPPA air filter it drastically reduces my hay fever. But outside I just have to suffer. I have used the air purifier for twenty years long before i had asthma, it really works. It was the best £20 I have spent. They are more expensive now. Best wishes from Ken

[Tesco123 in reply to Ken6]

Many thanks for your reply . I was tried on Fostair but I had a reaction to it my mouth broke out in blisters and I was using my spacer as well . I have purchased a air purifier for the bed room and I am really impressed with it . Someone kindly sent me a link to breathing exercises which I have started to do and I have a appointment in June with the physio . Many thanks sandra

[Tigerpaws]

I was put on Spiriva sometime ago. Makes a huge difference not having to remember to take it several times during the day/evening. I understand this is so much better for you as it does not contain steroids. I often wake with a slight tightness but I understand this is due to one of the side effects. 18 months ago I went on a NHS 'Breathing Course' (for want of a better word as I can't remember what it was called) I seem to remember it lasted for 12 weeks, once a week; can't recommend it highly enough, made such a huge difference to my breathing and recognising where I have been going wrong for so many years. Made a big difference to my life.....go for it!

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador in reply to Tigerpaws]

Spiriva is generally an add-on medication in asthma on top of inhaled steroids. It's not really about whether it's better for you than steroids.

Asthmatics need inhaled steroids to reduce airway inflammation, which is different from what Spiriva does. Some people get on fine with just inhaled steroids, some people find they need LABA as well (one kind of long-acting reliever), and some find they also need something like Spiriva, which is another kind of long-acting medication that opens up the airways (LAMA).

It is true that some people might benefit more from adding in something like Spiriva rather than increasing the dose of inhaled steroids, if they're still not controlled, but that's really about what type of asthma they have, not because Spiriva is safer/better than steroids for everyone.

[Tigerpaws in reply to Lysistrata]

I was taken off the daily steroids and put on Spiriva as it was seen to be better for me not to have so much intake of steroids.

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador in reply to Tigerpaws]

EDIT I see from another post that you have COPD too. I know some people with COPD don't need inhaled steroids and are fine without them, so then the Spiriva as in your case can be used by itself. Though I'm still a little surprised they would take you off the inhaled steroids if you also have asthma, and tell you it's on the basis of 'too many steroids'. It's really meant to be done based on the type of COPD you have, not on a general idea of avoiding steroids, which can still be helpful.

For anyone else reading this who just has asthma and not COPD: the recommendations would still be inhaled steroids PLUS something like Spiriva if needed, not instead of.

[Tesco123 in reply to Lysistrata]

Sorry I still take inhaled steroids my mistake

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador in reply to Tesco123]

Sorry for any confusion - I realised I was replying to a sub-thread! I should have said this was more for anyone reading Tigerpaws's post as it seems they no longer take inhaled steroids and it's different for COPD. I can see you're still on Seretide! Hope you find something to help soon.

[Tigerpaws in reply to Lysistrata]

I still have the blue inhaler, Ventolin. I assume you're a clinician, specialising in Ashma?

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador in reply to Tigerpaws]

People with asthma definitely shouldn't be relying on Ventolin without inhaled steroids - this is particularly dangerous in asthma, as you're not controlling the underlying inflammation in the airways.

No, I'm not a clinician, but I do work closely with respiratory clinicians in asthma and COPD as part of my job in medical communications, and it requires me to be familiar with the latest guidelines and the medical literature in this area.

Obviously I'm not in a position to be offering treatment advice (even if I were a clinician, that wouldn't be appropriate here), so that wasn't what I was getting at. I was just surprised you wouldn't be on some kind of inhaled steroid with asthma as well, and I wanted to flag for others reading it, since this is an asthma forum, that this isn't recommended in asthma. I also wanted to highlight that the choice of inhaler isn't usually just about which is 'safer'/avoiding side effects, or purely with the aim of not using steroids, if they'd otherwise be appropriate.

Of course, there may well be more going on in your case and that's why you don't have inhaled steroids. I can't comment on that and it wouldn't be at all appropriate to as I said, even if I were a clinician. However, sometimes people do read posts and get the wrong end of the stick, so I wanted to clarify that Spiriva in general is not automatically 'safer' than inhaled steroids and isn't a substitute for them in asthma.

[Tigerpaws in reply to Lysistrata]

I have been taking inhaled steroids in increasing strengths for 11 years prior to being put on Spiriva

[twinkly29 in reply to Tigerpaws]

As Lysistrata has said, in asthma Spiriva should be added on to the inhaled steroids, not used instead of them. In COPD (and so in your situation), it may well be different.

But she was just explaining that for others reading in case they have asthma (as most here will as it's Asthma UK 😅) and think it's ok generally to take spiriva instead of inhaled steroids.

[Echoblue]

That is peak tree pollen time and can catch many out as most people only think of grass pollens for allergy.

Asthma UK have a great guide with timelines of peak particular pollens including the various trees that you can get from their site - sorry, but I can’t find a way to paste it in a reply. Maybe admin or someone can paste the link? The hospital can run tests for you to identify what you have allergies to. Wishing you all the best for answers and finding what works best for you. Personally I have Fexofenadine for the allergy aspect and Fostair & Montelukast as preventers.

[Bage]

I have really struggled recently and came to the conclusion that I had forgotten how to breathe properly. I started working with a breathing coach and I now finally have my breathing under control again and have managed to reduce my inhaler use massively. This is who I’ve been seeing if you fancy taking a look facebook.com/BreathingCoach/

[Tesco123 in reply to Bage]

Thank you for the link someone else kindly sent me a link to breathing correctly which I have looked at and I have started the course . I will try anything to help stop me having all theses attacks