Asthma help

[12optima34]

Was Using 125 seretide 2 puffs day and night getting breathless on walking.asthma clinic increased to 250 still same on walking and increase in phlegm production .any help?

[Poobah]

It sounds like increasing the dose of the same medication hasn't had the desired affect. We're all different and sometimes it takes a bit of trial and error to find the right inhaler or combination of medications that suit us.

It takes around 6 to 8 weeks for a new doseage or a new inhaler to build up to its full effectiveness (that's how long it takes the steroid element to work). So if you've been on the stronger inhaler a few weeks and it hasn't made any difference, I would definitely see your doctor in order to explore other treatment options.

Maybe a different inhaler containing a different inhaled steroid and bronchodilator may suit you better. But there's also a medication called a mucolytic that can help patients with stubborn phlegm.

The doctor can also consider using a short course of oral steroids ( Prednisolone), Montelukast tablets for any allergies or an add on LAMA inhaler that works in a different way to your main inhaler. LAMA inhalers were originally only used for patients with COPD but now they're also used for patients with difficult or severe asthma. They work by relaxing the muscles around the lungs.

[12optima34 in reply to Poobah]

Many thanks for your reply .I will see my asthma nurse about a change.Do the mucolytic medications work well(really fed up with this)?thank you again.

[Poobah in reply to 12optima34]

I don't take any mucolytic meds but there are good reviews on this forum, as long as the dose is right. If you search for "carbocisteine" on the forum you can read peoples various experiences.

[12optima34 in reply to Poobah]

Once again thank you.