Fostair inhaler

[Lilmix03]

Had my asthma review at my GP surgery today and apparently my asthma is poorly controlled which I knew anyway so she wants to consider changing my steroid inhaler to Fostair. I'm already on Flutiform 250/10 as well as Spiriva which I know isn't a steroid. What's the difference between the two and is it worth changing.

[Troilus]

I can’t answer your question about what is the difference because I have only ever had Fostair which I find excellent. It is has very fine particles which I believe reach parts other inhalers don’t.

[Chip_y2kuk]

Different steroids and fostair is "ultra fine particles" as someone else has said are supposed to get to parts others don't

[Jolu29]

Hi I'm on flutiform 250, how many puffs do you take of it, did find it took months to get it to work.

[Lilmix03 in reply to Jolu29]

I take 2 puffs in the morning and 2 puffs at night. I've been on it for about 3 years, I'm not really sure how long it took to work. It was kind of a last resort because we'd exhausted most other Inhalers

[Myasthma1]

I started on symbicort then tried fosair and few months later ended up with fatty liver they reckoned it was my weight told me I had to lose 10 % body weight for my liver to heal I've stopped taking it just to prove it's not my weight that fluctuated my alt enzyme but the steroid because my alt actually went down from been 361 to 90 supposed to be around 43 and I was on the 100/6 so it's not good

[Shelleyblue]

I found fostair really good for my asthma. I was poorly controlled. The fostair particles are much finer than others so it's goes deeper into the lungs and seems to work for longer too. Some people don't do well on it and others have found it great. I think its.worth a try.

[Poobah]

I was on Symbicort and my friend swears by it, it's transformed her life. However it did nothing for me. My asthma nurse changed me to Fostair and it works so much better for me - I found it better from day one and I put that down to the finer particles. We're all different and the only way you'll know if it's any good for you is by trialling Fostair for at least 8 weeks.

[CasperWalker]

I was on Flixotide for 20 years and changed to Fostair in February and it's been brilliant, with the pleasant side effect that my breath isn't stinky any more

[Leith24]

Hi Fostair certainly reaches parts others don't reach, I've had unmanageable systemic steroid side effects eg disassociation, anxiety, ambivalence, mania etc.. as the dose needed to control my asthma is way too strong for my head. Hard to balance this. I'm currently trying montelukast instead but only on day 1 so we'll see how it goes. Fingers crossed! 🤞These things are different for everyone, some love it. You'll work out what's best for you.

[Africanleopard Verified User]

Hi Lilmix03

One of the differences is that Fostair (low dose) is licenced in the U.K. for MART - ie Maintenance and Reliever Therapy - In other words, you use the Fostair regularly ( 1 or 2 puffs once or twice a day depending on your doctors prescription) AND you also use it for relief instead of the blue salbutamol reliever.

The dose of Formoterol in Flutiform is too high to be licenced for use as MART.

This MART system is better at preventing attacks than using a controller ( inhaled corticosteroid) and a separate blue reliever for symptoms. Suggest discuss with your doctor if you havnt been advised to use MART.