Symbicort

[Maisiek]

My asthma started when my mum died: 6 years later I’m on Symbicort twice a day. I blamed my rhinitis on long term steroids ( I have PMR) and productive cough on long term Covid, but as I no longer have any asthma symptoms I dropped the evening Symbicort and am now wondering about stopping it altogether? Appts with the asthma nurse are impossible of course- my last one was by phone! So grateful for this forum. 

[Gareth57]

That's a tricky one to answer because you may be symptom free because the Symbicort is doing its job, or you may be symptom free because you don't need it. I have been in the same position and stopped taking inhalers thinking the asthma had gone as suddenly as it arrived but had to restart after a month or so. I don't think anyone could answer your dilemma other than a doctor.

[Tugun]

Hi Maisiek,

I was also going to start with "that's tricky". I am not a doctor, just another asthmatic. If the symbicort has been helping, then stopping will eventually bring back the asthma. Symbicort has two ingredients. One is a steroid while the other is a long acting relief medicine.

You've stopped taking the evening medication. I would wait quite a number of months before even contemplating stopping the morning dose. You would need to be very aware of your body, be careful and would definitely need to have ventolin (a quick acting reliever) on hand everywhere you go in case you have an asthma attack out of the blue.

You definitely need to be under a doctor who knows about weaning off a steroid.

"Symbicort (budesonide and formoterol fumarate dihydrate) is a combination of a steroid and a long-acting bronchodilator used to prevent bronchospasm in people with asthma."RxList

[madonbrew]

Personally, I know it’s hard sometimes getting through to a GP or AN sometimes but I wouldn’t stop stop asthma meds without talking to one of them first! Like the others have said it might be the inhaler that’s making you symptom free which means the inhalers doing it’s job. Stopping it without medical advice could land you in a worse situation with an asthma attack.

Take care!

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador]

I'm going to reinforce what the others have said - please don't just stop your medications by yourself, even though I appreciate it may be hard to get an appointment. Well controlled asthma can be very deceptive - it makes you think everything is fine and you don't need the meds, when actually that's what's making you well. It is possible in some cases to reduce your meds if you've been stable for a while (I think about 6 months), and ideally you'd be on the lowest dose that controls you. However, that's not something you should do yourself, it needs to be done carefully, and it isn't the same as just coming off preventer entirely.

I'd suggest chatting to the Asthma UK nurses on 0300 222 5800 M-F 9-5 or WhatsApp - 07378 606728. They're very helpful and have more time than GPs or asthma nurses generally do.

[Hidden]

I dropped Symbicort 200 from the initial 2 puffs twice a day to one puff twice a day. Then one puff once a day for several months. I then lowered to Symbicort 100 to one puff once a day. Then because I had no symptoms at all apart from feeling the affects of Symbicort, I stopped it altogether but after 3 weeks, the symptoms came back. I am currently doing well on Symbicort 100, one puff in the morning every 3 days. I have a diagnosis of asthma / COPD when I was first diagnosed by a respiratory consultant after years of constant coughing and not responding to Ventolin. It is important to keep any inflammation at bay . I don't wheeze, but I would cough constantly without the help of Symbicort . I actually want to stop taking it because of how it makes my heart feel, but can't find an alternative and it has been life changing for me with how well it has stopped the coughing, therefor I keep to the lowest maintenance dose possible. I keep a record of when I take it next to my inhaler ( I elastic band a bit of card with the date on and the number of puffs for future reference with asthma nurse )& it's useful to look at to know when I last had a puff or if symptoms recur. You can then see any patterns happening over the months. I hope this helps, but as always, you should take advice as well as listen to your own body.

[Karenjaninaz]

Maisek, I am in a similar situation but without Covid. I also have PMR but still tapering the prednisone for PMR. It’s recommended never to stop the steroid inhalers while tapering systemic steroids. I find the Symbicort annoys my sinuses and get lots of post nasal mucus but it helps my asthma. Are you on the PMR gca uk group on HU? They have a link to great steroid tapering schedules; many have gotten off the steroids after many years on them once they reach remission but always slow as a snail at doses 5mgm and below - to allow the adrenal glands to start making one’s own cortisol.

[Maisiek in reply to Karenjaninaz]

Thank you Karen- yes I’ve relied totally on the PMR forum during lockdown. And have managed to get down to 3mg with their tapering method . X