Advice please! re inhalers, steroids, personality, voice... and breathing balance.

[Leith24]

Any advice? I have been diagnosed with asthma. I also have past sinus polyps and take pantoprazole for stomach acid. I feel like I have inflammation from my ears to my insides.

I get quite wheezy but mostly in throat and upper chest - sometimes sounds like I have a little bird cheeping in my throat when I breathe out.

However, everything that helps one thing makes another worse...

If I take the nasal spray (monetasone) sinuses and ears are clearer but nose is dry and crusty, can bleed and I feel like I'm 'dragging air in'. Which makes me overbreathe/hyperventilate more but not get a proper breath.

If I take the salbutamol reliever - later it feels like my throat is itchy on the inside and my chest not so happy.

If I take the steroid inhaler - firstly was fostair nexthaler but my voice was terrible and thrush in my larynx, I use voice for work. Also severe feet cramps. I switched to fostair inhaler with spacer/also tried clenil orange one and now a different inhaled one (can't remember name) but with them all the alcohol content gives me a burning feeling and taste when I take it, then clears lungs early in the day but they feel much worse by the end of the afternoon. (like a bounce back??) Also my personality is AWFUL after a day or two of build up, I get fast, nippy, short with everyone, disassociation. I get a cramped/tense jaw to the point that I have a dental splint and jaw muscle disorder. (TMJD)

If I stop (which I have sometimes - like now ) I just get sore breathing and need to start again from scratch ...

Prednisolone helps straight way but then can't keep on this forever. Also it seems when I can breathe clearly with it, that since my sinus surgery (polyp removal and opening sinuses with bone removal I think) I get 'too much air to handle' and start overbreathing, gulping, swallowing, closing over throat etc.

montelukast takes the edge off a bit but makes my reflux and abdominal bad (which in turn makes sinuses bad).

I don't now what to do. I have to admit I stopped the steroids because of the personality probs (nearly cost my marriage) and prob shouldn't have but I couldn't go on... now having probs breathing and scared in bed last night, but don't know what to do for the best.

thank you.

[Itswonderful]

Have you seen your GP, or hospital consultant about all of this? It sounds distressing and complex? You could phone the Asthma Nurses here to talk it through. Best wishes.

[Mandevilla]

I'm so sorry - what a difficult situation to be in. I agree with @Itswonderful that talking to the Asthma nurses on the helpline might be beneficial - they are lovely, and so helpful.

There are lots of different treatments out there, so don't despair - sometimes you just have to keep going until you find what works for you.

[Poobah]

Hi Leith. As you have had nasal polyps and asthma you may need to consider that you may have AERD, also known as Samters Triad. Unfortunately many GPs and even consultants haven't heard of this condition, which can evolve over time and that's why it can be missed - as the 3 main symptoms can all occur at different times. Treating the nasal issues separate to asthma rather than the same disease can lead to unsatisfactory outcomes. You can read more about it here; samterssociety.org/

Audio problems can be a result of the nasal polyps and it's not unusual for this not to be linked. An ENT consultant with knowledge of AERD is your best bet. There's a helpful map on the Samters website under "Doctors" that provides information of specialists globally, including the UK.

Over breathing can be overwhelming and post surgery problems in this area should be addressed by the ENT specialist in tandem with a respiratory specialist. They may refer you to respiratory physiotherapist who can address any breathing dysfunction that may be the result of your nasal surgery.