Bronchospasm

[Homely2]

I am on fostair 100 mart, which I like as it allows me to have doses throughout the day.

My only issue with it is that if I am having a significant asthma attack, taking fostair 100 makes my chest tighten further for a few minutes which is a little frightening.

How normal is this.

[Troilus]

Hi Homely. I am on adjusted mart, which maybe different from yours. My instructions are to use the blue inhaler in the event of an attack. Have you tried this? Does the same thing happen? I guess I’m sort of wondering if the tight chest you describe is part of the attack.

[Homely2 Administrator in reply to Troilus]

My chest always tightens as part of an asthma attack, however fostair 100 tightens it further for a few minutes.

I used to be on adjusted mart like yourself, but my consultant has switched me to full mart using fostair 100 during attacks, rather than my trusty salamol.

[Poobah]

I'm now on Fostair, but previously, one of the consultant team asserted that I was to stop taking Ventolin and to use my Symbicort instead for any SOB between the main morning and night doseage. We had a heated debate re the Ventolin and the consultant agreed that it could stay on my repeat prescription and I agreed to give her MART idea a real trial.

I did 6 months and my asthma took a nose dive. I only resorted to Ventolin if absolutely necessary, but taking increased amounts of Symbicort just exacerbated my symptoms over time. At my next appointment I saw the head consultant and they were adamant I should never have been on MART because of my asthma type and advised me to revert to my previous medicine routine. But by then I was having a reaction to Symbicort even when I returned to my old doseage.

My asthma nurse took me off Symbicort and prescribed Fostair. The difference was immediate, which surprised me. I remain bemused as to why I became intolerant to Symbicort, but I hope the same doesn't happen with Fostair. I continue to have Ventolin as a reliever, but rarely take it more than once a week unless I have a chest infection - that's a new experience for me as I used to be a daily user.