Fexofenadine

[CallysMum]

Hi all,

My asthma is not brilliantly controlled, but I haven't been hospitalised for it. Nevertheless, it is a damned nuisance. I tried all of the inhaled corticosteroids (Fluticasone is my drug of choice) and I'm also on tiotropium as it reduced the mucus excreted.

I have also tried several antihistamines, none worked. But.....I have recently tried fexofenadine. And, 3 weeks on, my symptoms have been massively reduced. At some point I'll have to stop to see if they come back, but for now I will keep taking them. I can's see anything in the literature demonstrating any effect of fexofenaide on asthma. But I have wondered if anyone else has found this drug to be helpful. If so I'd love to hear your story.

I take one in the morning, and recently started taking another half before bed, so I am symptom free in the morning too.

[andy121]

I started on fexofenaide the beginning of last summer. It was the best summer I think I’ve ever had. I take one each morning and have Montelukast at night seems to work well. I had an asthma review a few weeks ago I told the nurse I was considering stopping the fexofenaide as I don’t think it made much difference over winter then I’d restart in spring, she advised against stopping at all and I’d really know it if I did. I said oh really? She said I don’t have a magic wand for when it all goes wrong and that her job was to keep me out of hospital. She was quite adamant.

So my advice to you is if you know they are working don’t stop them especially with warmer weather just round the corner.

Hope this helps

[ReedB]

I've been taking fexofenadine for years. It's the only antihistamine that makes a difference for me. I have allergic asthma and it definitely helps. I'm under consultant care and can take 180mg twice a day if needed. I was told even that could be doubled but it can make you dizzy and usually by then I'm needing prednisolone to calm symptoms down anyway. If it's working for you then probably good to stay with it.

[Patk1]

I've found it helpful with rhinosinusitis,although didn't notice impact on my asthma.im taking 120mg.following yr post I may increase to 180mg,to see if it helps more.thanx for yr post

[Homely2 Administrator]

Thank you for this. I am seeing my consultant in a week or so and my asthma is unhappy. It is just switching from being unhappy due to dust indoors, to being unhappy when I go outside. So I need some ideas to discuss with him., I will ask him about fenofexadine.

[CallysMum]

I hope you get somewhere. Asthma seems to change its spots sometimes, and what worked once seems to stop working.Best of luck

[Nerja2012]

Andy .I've had a dry cough because of my asthma for years, just changed my GP practice and was prescribed Fexofenadine DAILY, what a difference it has made, wouldn't stop it for anything .

[CallysMum in reply to Nerja2012]

Glad it's working for you, my guess it works for some of us......

[Nerja2012 in reply to CallysMum]

👍 .

[Rosydays]

I remember my GP saying that fexofenadine lowers eosinophils. Have you had a blood test recently to see if raised eosinophils are causing your symptoms?

[CallysMum in reply to Rosydays]

I had a blood test a couple of years ago, and they were within normal limits. I think I shall continue taking fexofenadine, so long as I'm getting a benefit from it.

[Gwalltarian]

Hi! I take Montelukast and Fexofenadine which mainly control asthma symptoms. I exercise daily and take ventolin beforehand to stop an asthmatic reaction. Occasionally I need to use Flixotide in addition but I find using that for more than 6 days at a time increases mucus production and I feel worse. I try and avoid all triggers but this time of year tree pollen affects me. I also use Flixonase daily.

[CallysMum in reply to Gwalltarian]

Glad to hear its helping.

[spinonemum]

Is the fexofenadine in the form of anti histamine....if so which one do you use?

[CallysMum]

Yes, it is a common or garden antihistamine. It is one of the more modern ones, so doesn't cross the blood brain barrier, so no drowsyness. It is out of patent now, so I buy the generic, 3 months worth at a time from Chemsit 4U, as it is the cheapest.

Good luck

[BlueGee]

I started using Fexofenadine about 3 years ago after a big flare up of my asthma symptoms and it was the only thing that worked so I’m still on it. I take 180 night and morning It helps with my Rhinitis as well.

[CallysMum]

I think fexofenadine, certainly has some effect on some tyoes of asthma. I shall continue to take it! Thanks for replying.

[Autistic_Gamer]

a i have been taking fexofenadine for years now. i take it every day all year round. 120mg on a morning and 60mg on a night. my asthma is triggered by allergies and acid reflux.

[CallysMum in reply to Autistic_Gamer]

The same as me, I find if I don't take the 60mg at night, I cough in the morning. Thanks for replying.

[Autistic_Gamer in reply to CallysMum]

my morning dose wears off around 5/6pm so i take 60mg to top it off to help using the night. i also take montelukast which helps on a night as well.