Fostair nexthaler

[Immy_6]

Hi,I've had asthma for a very long time and it's been manageable and as long as I've taken my inhalers on time it's not stopped me doing sport i.e football, running, cycling and going to the gym. I've been on a lot of different inhalers especially in the last few years. I going the relvar was good for me.

Last September I had open lobectomy surgery (right lower lobe) where there was a 5cm mass prior to that it was going that I had pseudomonas and was bringing up blood for about 10 montjs with other symptoms.

After surgery I was ill again with flu like symptoms and something I had not had before which was wheezing which seems to come from my throat and inflamed airway, and so I had a 2 week course of IV antibiotics and a lot of tests were done for. One of the tests done was a feNO test and my reading was 61 so the conclusion was that my asthma was poorly controlled and my inhaler (trimbow) was to be changed to fostair 200/6 and I was told that this will make a big difference.

I was also put in montelukast and spiriva.

This combination helped as in some days I'm fine and others the wheezing is back and the airway feels inflamed.

I also nebulise colomycin which is a antibiotic.

Last month I managed to cycle like 10 mins 3 times before the wheezing started again. I also feel sometimes that fostair actually makes the whhleezing worse. I also produce a lot of phlegm/mucus and sometimes wake up because of this. I also have a tight chest around 4am in the morning after only taking my inhaler about 10pm.

Because of this I don't think my asthma is an issue or is it? And if it is them the fostair etc isn't helping.

Is there anyone else who has experienced these issues regarding their asthma?

Does the fostair contain different ingredients to relvar and Trelegy inhalers?

I just had a spirometer test last Tuesday and the nurse was happy with the results.

I am now waiting for the asthma and respiratory consultant to contact me as they are both on holiday till April.

[Homely2 Administrator]

When my asthma is unhappy my inhalers do not last the full twelve hours, so I wake up at five or so a bit breathless. So yes, some of your symptoms support the idea that your asthma is not in full control.

Your fostair may well be helping your asthma but not be totally controlling it.

You need a meds review to go through your inhalers and get you on the correct inhalers.

I would ring the asthma UK helpline on 0300 2225800, office hours, to discuss your meds, so you have some ideas to discuss with your consultant, and also to check it is OK to wait until your consultant is available. Out of control asthma is a little scary

[Immy_6 in reply to Homely2]

Thanks for your reply. I am actually under a asthma specialist. It's the wheezing that is really hard to get rid of and sometimes it gets worse when I take the fostair. I'm also getting why the asthma is not getting better, it's now 4 months since I was changed to fostair. I've had asthma flare ups before but never for this long.

Maybe it's bronchiectasis?

[Homely2 Administrator in reply to Immy_6]

Could be something else like that, when I went to a consultant he did ct scan and xray to try and rule out other things like bronchiectasis.

After I had asthma for a while I started to get breathing attacks that were different from my asthma attacks, and did not respond well to inhalers, in fact sometimes they made the attacks worse. My respiratory physio has helped me reduce and control them with breathing exercises, my consultant says they are probably some form of breathing dysfunction on top of the asthma.

[Immy_6]

So did you ever have any wheezing?

[Homely2 Administrator]

I do not really wheeze, occasionally but not much. I just feel tight and breathless, then occasionally my chest seizes up, they cannot hear anything, then my oxygen sats fall to the low nineties, which is when it gets scary and I realise, that I have been stupid and I should have got help earlier when my chest was tight but functioning

Lots of asthmatics wheeze, but I am more a breathless, tight chest type of asthmatic. I used to cough a lot but the inhalers sorted that.

Whether you wheeze, get breathless, or your chest gets tight, to me they are all signs that your asthma is out of control and you need to be talking to an asthma medic as soon as you can.

[Immy_6 in reply to Homely2]

After the lobectomy surgery where I fell ill again and had loads of tests it was concluded that my asthma is "poorly controlled" so a plan was drawn up by a asthma specialist and the inhaler was changed also added was spiriva and montelukast but that's why I am now thinking it might not be asthma. I think I will know more once I've had a CT scan. Also the wheezing and chest tightness is worse in the morning.

I thought acid reflux might have something to do with it but now I'm not so sure as I have been on lansoprazole for a couple of months.

[MMBJI]

Fostair nexthaler has lactose in it (amongst other things,) - do you have any dairy/sugar intolerances?

[Immy_6 in reply to MMBJI]

Hi,I had bloods taken back in January 2024 at the asthma clinic to look for allergy's like mould, dust mites, pets etc I'm not sure they checked food intolerances but I will ask. The results of that blood test were that I was allergic to dust mites which my consultant was expected as I'm asthmatic.