Has anyone stopped taking medication after symptoms of Allergic Asthma decreased?

[xxxedusaxxx]

Hello, I have been struggling with allergic asthma for a while and I started to see the side effects of the medications I take. Are there any things you have ever done that caused your asthma to decreased? I would be very happy if you can share with me your tips

[Homely2 Administrator]

My asthma is partly allergy based, pollen, dust mites etc.

I have done a number of non medical things that have helped but not quite got my asthma under control.

Making the bedroom safe for my asthma was a major help. So changing all the pillows, duvets, washing all the linen at 60. Decluttering the bedroom.

Changing the washing detergents for surcare helped. Avoiding anything with a fragrance. This all helped.

Learning to breathe better with a physio helped a lot and can help more. This is my present project.

Keeping every now and again an asthma diary and peak flow diary helps as it helps to identify what is causing the problems.

The best thing I have found with inhalers is having an inhaler that you can do the MART regime with. So for the fostair component of my inhalers, I asked to go from fostair 200 to fostair 100 on a mart regime. The mart regime means that I can alter my dosage within agreed parameters, this means that when my asthma is good I am on a low dosage and thereby minimising any side effects. Mart only works for some inhalers. But switching to mart allowed me to reduce my average dosage of fostair.

Asthma scares me, so I never alter my inhalers without permission, but if I can get my asthma under control, my consultant I am sure will reduce my dosages.

[xxxedusaxxx in reply to Homely2]

Hello, Yes mine is partly alergic too. And I’m living with a car but thank you for all your advice, I will start implementing them. I’m using Foster too 100/6 and 4 puff a day, Can I ask your dosage? Thank you

[Homely2 Administrator in reply to xxxedusaxxx]

I am on the mdi fostair 100, which can be used for mart. Not sure re the dpi.

So my fostair is one puff morning and night, then the mart regime says I can use up to six extra puffs a day if my asthma worsens, instead of salamol. I then only use salamol if the situation is dire.

I like it, as my asthma is variable, the mart regime allows me more freedom to adjust my dosage in line with my asthma, as long as I take the minimum and tell my GP asthma nurse what I am doing.

Your medic will be able to tell you more and whether it suits you. It is also always worth a chat with the asthma nurses at asthma UK on 0300 2225800, office hours.

[xxxedusaxxx in reply to Homely2]

Thank you!

[elanaoali in reply to Homely2]

I was changed to the mart regime (when admitted with double pneumonia to hospital) fostair 100/6 (1 puffs twice a day ) in spring/summer and increased to two puffs for autumn/winter . I was also given spriva Resimat 2.5 mg (two puffs twice a day).

Part of my asthma is allergic due to the house dust mite. I have very recently used the mart regime as I had an asthma attack due to a thunder storm. I am on the 4th day of my rescue steroids.

[KenFine]

I'm 70, male. I was precribed finasteride for an enlarged prostate last April. A few months later, I started getting unusually breathless on my country walks, and this breathlessness would last for hours, instead of minutes.

By November, I had severe asthma. I was prescribed steroid pills and an inhaler. Didn't need the inhaler as long as I was on steroids, but needed it after the course of steroids ended. The asthma kept getting worse. Eventually, I was using the inhaler 14 times a day.

Saw a doc again, and was put on Relvar Ellipta inhaler, which is a combination of inhaled steroid and a long acting bronchodilator. Proved to be a life saver, and didn't need my blue inhaler again.

The way I had developed such severe asthma so suddenly at the age of 70, having never been asthmatic before, seemed very strange to me, and I began to think that perhaps I was having a very bad reaction to finasteride. The leaflet didn't mention asthma as a side effect, but I searched Reddit, and found many people posting about how finasteride had made them very breathless.

So, I stopped taking the finasteride about six weeks ago, and haven't looked back since. I packed in the Relvar five days ago, fully expecting the asthma to return, but it hasn't, so finasteride causes asthma, but the company that manufacture it don't acknowledge this. Makes you wonder how many other drugs that people are taking are also causing asthma.

[xxxedusaxxx in reply to KenFine]

I am so glad you got rid of asthma and it is too bad that they did not write in the package insert that the drug has such a side effect. it is very sad that there is so little information about the side effects of the drugs we use. I am so glad you are off the medicine and back to normal.

[teddyd in reply to KenFine]

Hi, glad you are feeling better. Can I ask have you reported the side affects of your inhaler?

[KenFine in reply to teddyd]

Well, no, because it's just my opinion, and in my experience, medical professionals can be very dismissive of patients' opinions.

I once had a dog which was given the antibiotic, Baytril. It had a very severe reaction, which looked like anaphylactic shock. I reported this to two vets at the same practice, who both had a 'you don't know what you're talking about' attitude.

One pointed out that it was the second time it had been given Baytril, and it hadn't had a bad reaction the first time. I tried to point out that that was how anaphylactic shock reactions worked. The first exposure primed the immune system, and the second exposure resulted in anaphylaxis.

He was given another course of an antibiotic very similar to Baytril, and this time he died. So, I'm not inclined to report anything, given my negative experience.

[teddyd in reply to KenFine]

If people dont report possible side effects through the yellow card system, bad reactions etc will not be recorded.

[KenFine in reply to teddyd]

I'm in the UK. Not sure how it works, here. I mentioned to a nurse that was interviewing me that I had stopped taking finasteride, because I suspected that it was causing the asthma, but I was still taking the steroid inhaler at the time, so hadn't yet confirmed it.

I'll mention it to a doctor next time I visit one, but I don't expect they'll do anything.

[teddyd in reply to KenFine]

I am also in the Uk. If you look up on line the yellow card system for reporting possible side affects to medication, you will see what I mean.

[KenFine in reply to teddyd]

I've now reported it. Not impressed by the questions, though. Could have been made a lot simpler.

[teddyd in reply to KenFine]

I have never done it , but have heard several Gps on TV advising people do report it.

[runcyclexcski]

I have stopped taking inhaled steroids, Xolair and desensitization shots after my allergic asthma has improved. I remained stable for 3-4 years, but after that it came back much stronger. I should not have stopped. Except prednisone -- that stuff is bad news in the long run.

I go to extreme lengths in controlling my air quality at home. I sleep in HEPA-filtered tent with air-proof mattress and pillow covers, wash the covers every week at high temp. Some pople steam-clean, AFAIK.

[xxxedusaxxx in reply to runcyclexcski]

I’m so sorry to hear that, and thank you for your advice!

[hankisbest]

I have been advised by my new pulmonologist to try and reduce dosages of steroid inhaler over time, and try taking a "vacation" from pills like monokast and my Spireva inhaler to see if they're still needed. No luck there for me as my asthma has become severe. The specialist also said it is possible to reduce asthma symptoms over time, which I did not know. I guess a new doctor can bring new ideas!

[xxxedusaxxx in reply to hankisbest]

So happy to hear that! Can you please share your experience later on? I will really appreciate it

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador in reply to hankisbest]

Hmmm that can also be dangerous if you leave your asthma poorly controlled. Not everyone will be able to reduce their asthma symptoms, and they can also get worse. Leaving someone poorly controlled by reducing medication for the sake of it can be really dangerous. It is possible to reduce medication carefully under medical supervision if asthma is well controlled for a period of time, but only if it is well controlled.

I'm obviously not a doctor and can't give medical advice here, but I am very well aware that not all doctors, even specialists, understand asthma well - I've had some terrible and dangerous advice from asthma specialists in the past.

I would suggest you call the helpline, hankisbest, but I see you're based in the US and the helpline is a UK one with nurses who know about the UK healthcare system. You could try the American Lung Association helpline perhaps if you're not sure about managing your asthma or have questions about what your doctor is saying - it says they're staffed by healthcare professionals and can advise, including the best options for you considering your location/insurance etc which here in the UK we know nothing about: lung.org/help-support/lung-...

[Gwalltarian]

I think you meant ‘cat’ not ‘’car’ - in which case you’re living with a major allergic trigger. Have you tried antihistamines? You can get Fexofenadine prescribed and like me, you might find it very effective.

Personally I’ve never found steroids - inhalers or pills - helpful, if the asthma is very bad then I found the steroid inhaler would help for a while - possibly getting the initial inflammation down - but then I’d react to the steroid inhaler - from not feeling restricted, it would make me wheezy (or irritate my lungs). I read an interesting article on this on a site called Healthline which explained eosinophilic asthma and - for the first time I’d heard it- explained that a percentage of asthmatics don’t react well to steroids. I’d not found a GP who believed me before this.

Currently I do my best to avoid all triggers, have just completed a course of antibiotics for a lingering chest infection and take Fenofexadine, I’m feeling much better. There’s also Montelukast- another method of dealing with allergic triggers.

If all else fails there’s the biologics but you need to have taken a few courses of steroid tablets and/or made a few emergency hospital visits in a year to qualify for those..

If you haven’t got one you’d probably find an air purifier with a hepa filter very helpful at home. In addition as explained above, keep your home as allergy free as possible. Note your asthma triggers and avoid them if possible.