Asthma Therapy

[Njhs]

Hi, i have late onset Asthma and currently on MART(Foster) + Montelukast+ Spiriva for less than 5 days. My question is: do medications start to work immediately or should i lose hope and ask for change? My Asthma is very unpredictable 😪. When i read the posts it seems like whin someone tried new inhaler that works for them they immediately noticed it!! Did anyone needed time and adherence before they started to feel better?

[peege]

No they often take up to three weeks. It's very unfortunate especially when we need our asthma under control but there it is, have you had a thorough read of the leaflet? I recall a lady a few months ago who was in despair of Fostair ever working but delighted & relieved to feel better after about 3 weeks .

[Homely2 Administrator]

Can take a month. Spiriva took ages for me, but I would not be without it. Fostair mart is great for me.

[Patk1]

U need to give it time.do use extra puffs of yr mart inhaler,to relieve symptoms,as per yr prescription

[Njhs in reply to Patk1]

I am fine as long as i am setting and lying down, when i start to do some house work or go for a little walk, the chest tightens begin! I was very active person and suddenly i have severe uncontrolled Asthma and got 2 rounds of oral corticosteroids and one hospitalisation!! Thank you for the comfort, i will try to be patient.

[Patk1]

Atrovent has a similar action to salbutamol,relieving spasms in Airways,making it easier to breath. Take a look on aluk website at " controlled breathing - pursed lips".practise often so it becomes 2nd nature to use it whn struggling,or walking,going upstairs etc.ive a LOT wrong with my lungs,& it really does help& helps to keep u calm,which is half the battle as anxiety makes breathing difficulties worse.id speak to helpline mon- Fri 915-515pm on 0300 222 5800 We r all different+ takes time to find right combination

[Poobah]

Fostair can take 8 weeks to get the full benefits, but you should start to notice a difference after 3 weeks. Spiriva effects are felt after a few days and continues to build up to optimum effectiveness. Montelukast works from the first few days.

But you should have a review with your doctor after the first couple of months, just to ensure you're on the right medication and to consider alternatives, if necessary. It's difficult to figure out what is working and what isn't if you start several treatments all at once.

If you're on Fostair MART, it will also be your reliever inhaler, so you can take additional puffs, up to a daily maximum.

If at any time you're struggling with symptoms that are affecting your ability to carry out your normal daily routine, seek additional treatment from your doctor.

[Njhs in reply to Poobah]

Thank you, i ve started with trimbow and it was terrible for me, Foster is way better, Montelukast has worked for me within 2 days, i could not sleep without it! But i still struggle with the daily routine, i will wait more before i go back to work in this weather. I am also considering taking flue + Covid vaccines but i am scared of the side effect now(flue like symptoms).

[Poobah in reply to Njhs]

I had my flu and covid vaccines on different days, just sore arms and paracetamol sorted out the after effects of the covid shot. I understand your concerns, especially if you're already not feeling well. I've had a flu shot annually for years and have had all my covid shots to date. I did have my vitamin D levels checked and I was only just in the adequate range. Supplementation is a personal choice, but I have felt the downside after stopping my VitD, as the immune system is more effective when VitD levels are at an optimum. We just don't get enough sun exposure in the UK and certainly not during the winter. I can recommend an excellent Facebook group, "Vitamin D & Co-factors. UK", if you want to explore this option.

[Njhs in reply to Poobah]

I don’t live in the UK but last time i checked my Vit D level was 2 years ago and it was severely deficient!( only 5) I already started taking Vitamin D supplement now without checking because i am sure it’s very low.

[Poobah in reply to Njhs]

The normal range starts at 50 nmol/L (20 ng/mL). So 5, on either scale, is very low.

[Bagpiper0304 in reply to Njhs]

I've had my covid and flu vaccines and had no side effects apart from sore arms (1 jag in each arm), i've never had flu like symptoms from my flu vaccinations

[Mandevilla in reply to Njhs]

I don't know if this helps, but I always have a really bad reaction to vaccines, but I still get them - my pre-vaccination Covid was much, much worse than the post-vaccination one, and I reckon it's well worth putting up with a few days of feeling slightly poorly to avoid several weeks of feeling REALLY poorly! And I've been told by nursing staff that feeling rough after a vaccine is a good sign as it shows your immune system has recognised it as a threat and is taking action, meaning you should have good protection against the real thing. I try to book my jabs immediately before I have a day off, so that I can rest.

[Msccruises]

I am also late onset asthma. I am 71 and have had it 2 years. I don't think things change immediately and when you encounter a trigger like for me the cold weather changes may have to take place. I have had 3 different inhalers in 2 years and am now on Trimbow.

[SuziElley]

Give it time. I’m on the same medication and it can take 2-3 weeks to take effect

[Doodlebug63]

I agree with what others have said here. I, like you, was diagnosed with late onset Asthma 2 years ago, totally out of the blue and still I don’t know what the triggers were. I was hospitalised 3 times, each time for 5 nights. They started me off on Forstair Next 100/6 and Sabutomol on my first admission. Next time added Spiriva and changed my inhaler to 200/6. My third admission they added Montelukast and eventually I started to see an improvement in the actual asthma exacerbations with no further hospital admissions. Each time throughout I was being given steroids with the final admission seeing me on steroids from the onset of the wheezing until 6 weeks after discharge.

I phoned Asthma UK in desperation after my third discharge as I just felt so desperate to see some major improvement in my health. They were so kind and reassuring and explained my body had been through an awful lot and needed time to recover but it would happen. They also followed up with a call and we discussed how I was now breathing, with help and advice. I was so glad that I rang them because they took the time to talk to me, explain, offer advice and reassurance; time that unfortunately hospital medics and GPs don’t seem to have nowadays.

I think mentally this diagnosis dramatically affected me too. I felt vulnerable, scared for the future and had lost all my energy. I took the decision to lose weight too, something I had control over at last and slowly things improved. I haven’t had a major exacerbation since and 18 months ago I was given the Easibreathe Salumol inhaler for time when I felt I needed some extra help (I’m not on MART with Forstair). This also definitely seems to have helped more than the old type of spray, I think it’s doing its job! The asthma nurse explained it’s much easier to ensure the contents are correctly administered as you just breathe it in and it’s worked for me.

Sorry for the massive post but to sum it up, I’d suggest ringing Asthma UK helpline, who were wonderful. Speak to you Asthma nurse at your GP too and try not to rush back into doing what you previously did, your body needs time to recover!

Best wishes on your journey, I hope this helps just a little.

[Njhs]

Thank you so much for your comment, it’s very helpful and relieving ♥️. I don’t live in the UK but i will seek relevant help.

[Doodlebug63 in reply to Njhs]

I’m not sure if the Asthma and Lung UK number may help as you don’t live in the UK but they have a WhatsApp number I’m sure so try that first and see if they can help. Good luck.

[Njhs in reply to Doodlebug63]

Ok , but how should i introduce my self in WhatsApp! I mean like write whatever concerns that i have regarding Asthma or should i have a specific question?

[Doodlebug63 in reply to Njhs]

When I contacted them I introduced my self and asked the question of why I felt so exhausted and low in mood. I then got a reply with questions from them about which specific area did I need questions answering with Option numbers to press.

I then got a personal message from a nurse who gave me a telephone call to ring and speak to a nurse. They felt it would be more beneficial to me to have a direct conversation and it certainly was.

I hope they can help you.