Hi, I'm new here. I've had asthma and nasal polyps for over three decades, which means I've been prescribed oral steroids on more occasions than I would wish. I currently have three different inhalers and take two pills on a daily basis.
Has anyone had any success in reducing their symptoms with lifestyle/diet/breathing/meditation techniques or alternative medicine? Doctors seem to just keep adding another layer of treatment and I don't have many layers left to add! Thank you.
Have you been prescribed a nasal spray to try?
Hi, I take a steroid nose drop every day which I believe is stronger than a nasal spray. I was put on drops after trying sprays some years ago.
Hi, sorry to hear you're struggling!
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Have you been referred to a specialist? Or still under GP?
HiI also have asthma and nasal polyps, I have had the polyps surgically removed twice and use a nasal spray twice daily but this only seems to slowdown regrowth rather than stop them however this doesn't really affect my asthma. Sorry can't be more helpful but you are not on your own, hope you find the answer.
Hi Dave, thanks for the kind thought. I take steroid drops at night rather than a nasal spray but every so often the polyps still cause problems, constant coughing at night etc. I had them removed three times many years ago but didn't do any good!
I had nasal polyps for years until I conquered them through using Beconase slightly differently, keeping the spray in the nasal cavity for as long as possible, but I also cut out certain foods that I had worked out were my triggers. It turns out that the link is omega 6 rich foods really make me ill (plant based oils, soya, chicken peas, avocado, sweet potato) but I also avoid aspirin and other NSAIDs. Palm oil and soya are used extensively by the food industry but they're huge triggers for me, thanks to their high omega 6 content. Montelukast has also proved to be very helpful.
Have you been tested for aspirin sensitivity? Asthma and nasal polyps go hand in hand with aspirin sensitivity and that suggests AERD, or Aspirin Exacerbated Respiratory Disease. More info on diagnosis, treatment and diet can be found here: samterssociety.org
Getting diagnosed can be uphill, but it doesn't guarantee treatment or targeted advice, as knowledge is patchy. I was "lucky" that I had anaphylatic reactions to aspirin so it was an easy case for my consultant.
One of the best videos I came across re how to use nasal sprays was made by an NHS ENT consultant: youtu.be/LOhmsn4gQMM
Definitely avoid over the counter decongestants as they will create more problems than they solve.
One of the biggest affects on my asthma after being diagnosed was changing from aerosol inhalers to dry powder inhalers. I was always in and out of hospital with severe asthma attacks but I haven't had an attack since changing to dry powder inhalers. It turns out the propellant in the aerosol inhalers was a trigger for my asthma. I get flare ups, usually if I catch a virus, but they're more manageable now. No doubt the propellant may have changed since then, but I'm very happy on the dry powder versions.
The long term downside of nasal polyps, apart from the asthma trigger, can be tinnitus and hearing problems, vertigo, loss of taste and sense of smell, chronic sleep loss. Some experience pain and pressure. Severe cases can be treated with biologics, and I believe that one has been approved in the UK quite recently but I don't have any more information.
Hi there, many thanks for taking time to write such a detailed and helpful response. My asthma has various triggers, especially in and around the kitchen, so I'm very happy to try cutting down on foods high in Omega 6.
I was once told by an ENT consultant that my asthma was exacerbated by aspirin, but I'm pretty sure he was wrong. I just happened to mention during tests that I was taking aspirin because of some odd migraines and he seemed to latch on to that. I pointed out that I had taken ibuprofen for years without any issue and persuaded my GP that aspirin was not a problem.
I take steroid drops for polyps - Flixonase Nasules - as nasal sprays never worked for me, although it's many years since I tried them. I also take Montelukast for my asthma as well as a Spiriva Respimat inhaler, although I'm never sure it does very much.
I'm very interested to hear you've done better with a powder inhaler. My GP said this week that she could try switching me to powder inhalers to see if that improved my asthma but decided instead to refer me to my local hospital respiratory clinic. Coincidentally it's running a trial on a biologic called Dupilumab, which is meant to be good for people with asthma and nasal polyps.
Meanwhile, I intend to add some lifestyle changes to my asthma medication, such as getting fitter and losing a stone in weight, as I imagine that can only help. Many thanks again for your reply!
I used aspirin successfully for years and the anaphylatic reaction came out of no where. From what I've read, this is not unusual and the aspirin sensitivity rarely presents itself in childhood, even when asthma is present. But the propellant thing was definitely an issue long before my reaction to aspirin. Looking back I can now see how taking Ventolin up to 10 times during an attack only exacerbated the attack and I always ended up in hospital. As I said, once I had the dry powder version I've had no asthma attacks in 4 decades (something quite different to what I call a flare up).
Dupilumab is a very good add on treatment when AERD is present, so I hope you get on the trial. If you Google Dupilumab and AERD you'll find the relevant information.
I found Fostair Nexthaler the most effective inhaler so far and had to change to Eklira Genuair from Spiriva, but I'm no longer on that as my asthma control has improved, but EG was superior to Spiriva in my experience. I was also fortunate to take part in research on Azithromycin and that proved so successful that I now have that instead of Prednisolone if I get a flare up (I don't respond well to Pred). But losing weight has definitely made a huge difference - just need to keep it off!
All the best.
I forgot to mention Montelukast. I have found that to be very effective in keeping my AERD in check.
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