can you still get Clenil inhaler ?

[Phealth2009]

I’ve been on Clenil for 27 years and my asthma is well controlled but my dr has now changed me to luforbec which I don’t want to take, he says I don’t have a choice as it’s new guidelines is this correct

[Poobah]

According to the NHS own table comparing carbon footprint of inhalers, the swap from Clenil (Beclometasone), would be one of the inhalers in the image attached (taken from the NHS table of carbon footprint). Clenil has a high carbon footprint and the aim is to change the patient to something with the equivalent medication but with a lower carbon footprint.

Clenil only contains steroids, so Easyhaler looks to be the equivalent in terms of medication.

What your doctor has done, is increased your treatment by giving you an inhaler that contains both a steroid and a long acting bronchodilator. If your asthma is well controlled, I would question the clinical need for this additional treatment. Give the surgery a ring and say you want to understand what the clinical thinking is behind this.

Clenil is still available.

0

[Phealth2009 in reply to Poobah]

I have had this conversation with them, they know my asthma is controlled, I hardly ever use my ventalin. I’ve told them I don’t want or need an extra medication and they just said your not getting your Clenil back as we are following new guidelines!

[Poobah in reply to Phealth2009]

The only new guidelines that I can find, recommend combination inhalers for patients with NEWLY diagnosed asthma, not for patients in your situation. I wonder if they've decided to include all asthma patients at your surgery?

The advice states new patients should be started on a combination inhaler (low carbon footprint too), rather than prescribing Ventolin/Salbutamol to start with, followed by inhaled steroids, if necessary.

The guidance also states to healthcare practitioners, "Your responsibility:

The recommendations in this guideline represent the view of NICE, arrived at after careful consideration of the evidence available. When exercising their judgement, professionals and practitioners are expected to take this guideline fully into account, alongside the individual needs, preferences and values of their patients or the people using their service. It is not mandatory to apply the recommendations, and the guideline does not override the responsibility to make decisions appropriate to the circumstances of the individual, in consultation with them and their families and carers or guardian."

nice.org.uk/news/articles/n...

asthmaandlung.org.uk/media/...

As Asthma UK is aware of these new guidelines, it may be worth calling the helpline to discuss your concerns about changing your treatment when your asthma was well controlled to begin with. Helpline is open Mon to Fri, 9.15am to 5pm, on 0300 222 5800.

[Dianadaca]

Hi, I have been on a Clenil for years and my asthma was well controlled. Last year my GP changed it to Luforbec even though I was very happy with the Clenil. Then my problems started, I had a dry throat and cough, started feeling wheezy and couldn’t treat it even with two courses of steroids. Horrible side effects and asked my asthma nurse to put me back on the Clenil. Everything went back to normal soon after I switched back to it. Consider carefully if you want to change it, in the end of the day the Luftobec costs less for the NHS which could be the reason for replacing.

[Phealth2009 in reply to Dianadaca]

I don’t want to change it the Drs surgery is forcing me saying I can’t have my Clenil even though my asthma is controlled with the Clenil. I have told them I don’t need the Luforbec and don’t want it and they said it’s new guidelines

[Gingercat77 in reply to Phealth2009]

I’ve just had a nightmare call with two pharmacists…one is saying clenil is being discontinued, one says it isn’t…I’m dreading what’s happening as my asthma has been controlled by clenil for 25 years and I genuinely can’t cope with the idea of changing to another drug…

[Patk1]

My young grandson still gets it.if u don't want the additional medications in luforbec, do tell thm.

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador]

Hi, just wanted to add that children can take formoterol, as long as it's in a combined inhaler (it's not safe for any asthmatic alone). There's no evidence that formoterol affects growth in children. There may be some concerns about the steroid element in combined inhalers affecting growth (formoterol is not a steroid, it's a long-acting reliever), but that would also be the case for steroid inhalers alone, like Clenil.

I checked the British National Formulary and while it's true that Fostair and Luforbec (beclometasone, the same steroid drug as in Clenil, plus formoterol) aren't recommended for use in children, Symbicort which is a combined inhaler also contains formoterol (plus budesonide as the steroid) and is recommended for use in children.

Children can also use MART therapy: asthmaandlung.org.uk/condit...

Children can use lower doses of Clenil, but the higher doses generally aren't considered suitable for them. A child who needed a combination inhaler would presumably be switched to something like Symbicort, but it would depend on the situation.

And of course any effect on growth needs to be balanced with the need to keep children's asthma under control (stunted growth isn't great but asthma can be fatal).

[Patk1]

He's only 6