Allergy to steroids?

[Pianomuse]

Hello I have allergic asthma, diagnosed when I had a severe reaction to cat dander which swelled up my eyes, nose, and I couldn't breathe in or out.

I've had inhalers since then (25 years). Recently I've been having problems with the steroid inhaler - didn't really use it much over the years because it was horrible but over the last 5 years I've been using it more due to allergies to various things and the covid lock down. Recently, I've been having problems with it (I'm on Qvar) and I'm finding I cannot increase the dose because my chest tightness gets worse and I cannot decrease the dose for the same reason. So they have been experimenting and putting me on different inhalers but I've been bad on them (sudden coughing and wheezing).

Yesterday I was put on prednisolone 40mg and I was feeling alright during the day but in the middle of the night I had a very scary asthma attack. I couldn't breathe in or out (usually I have trouble breathing out) my rescue inhaler worked but only for a short time and I'm back to wheezing quite a lot.

Could this be an allergy I'm developing? I'm very worried that I might not get to my inhaler in time, if I take another dose and I have another attack but worse. I don't want to take anything else as I tend to be quite sensitive to things. I just dont know what to do. My gp is quite reluctant when i say im just not getting on with the steroids. 😔

[Idreamedadream]

Hi thereIt might be a good idea to give asthma helpline a call as their advice is very helpful and will listen to you or contact your asthma nurse at your GP but it might be a wait.

[Ilis]

Hello,

You understand that I can't tell you what's going on (if you are developping an allergy or not)!

But what I can tell you is that your doctor has to listen to you and if you feel like steroids are worsening your asthma, your doctor should makes you have some analysis to determine whether steroids or anything else in your medications give you asthma!! If so, you will probably have to change your medication and if nothing is found, it means you have another trigger that needs to be discovered and avoided.

Maybe you can contact your asthma nurse?

I hope you will get better quick, that sounds like a difficult situation.

Take care,

Ilis