spriva respimat 2.5 inhaler query

[elanaoali]

Please bare with me this is a long post.

Last november I was hospitalized with double pneumonia. (Before ending up in hospital I had been ill with a cold and then a chest infection). The cold and chest infection triggered my asthma. I had taken a short course for these. I started taking a third course two days before I took myself to A &E and found out my oxygen level had dropped to 91/92%. I thought it was an asthma attack.

While I was in hospital my inhaler was changed by a hospital asthma nurse from fostair 200/6 2 puffs twice a day (with salamol as my reliever ) to fostair 100/6 2 puffs twice a day which was to be now my combination inhaler and smart regime. They also put me on spriva respimat too (2 puffs once a day).

I never questioned why I was put on the spriva and my GP has never question or explained why I using and still using this. Frankly I thought about asking but after getting out of hospital and recovering I just forgot and went back to my life.

Roll on to spring where I step down to 1 puff twice a day with my fostair. I am absolutely fine in spring and summer it's autumn and winter can be when my asthma can be triggered (colds etc). So now it's autumn I am back on 2 puffs twice a day along with my spriva 2.5.

I am now just getting over covid with gave me two asthma attacks and two trips to A &E. Sunday in in A &E negative covid test but blood test showed I was fighting a virus. Tested positive on monday.

I understand why I was put on spriva when I was in hospital on oxygen with pneumonia. What I don't understand is why I am still on it?

[Homely2 Administrator]

Spiriva relaxes the muscles in your airways, it is a long term item. For me, it is quite subtle, I do not really notice it. Whereas my main inhalers have a much more obvious effect.

All I know is that I have not had to go to hospital since going on spiriva, when before going on it, I was in and out of hospital, all quite frightening.

So I cannot prove the spiriva has made the difference, but to my mind they are connected. Also my consultant is very chilled re my being on spiriva, while the main inhalers he likes to minimise.

So, maybe you are on it, as it might be doing you some good, and it is not doing any harm.

[elanaoali in reply to Homely2]

I agree I know its doing me good. I just wanted someone to explain why I was still on it.

[Poobah]

It's usually a long term treatment rather than a short term treatment. As the hospital nurse reduced your Fostair from 200/6 to 100/6 on MART, the Spiriva would support that change in Fostair.

It works in a different way to the long acting bronchodilator in Fostair and relaxes the lung muscles, making it easier to breathe. But it is a support to the main inhaler, which remains Fostair, and Fostair can be increased according to your asthma needs. The Spiriva dose is less likely to be changed.

Hope you recover well from this last bout of virus and covid.

[elanaoali]

thank you