On Tezspire and having bad flare ups

[wooders09]

I have recently started Tezspire just taken my 3rd injection. Basically since my first injection in December I've been ill every month! I have just started another course of steroids this morning following another flare up from a bad chest infection.

I'm starting to wondering why I'm having the injections and they just don't feel like they're working. Can anyone share their experience? Do I just need to be more patient....have I just been unlucky!? I've had 2 courses of steroids since starting the injections.

Any advice or anything would be really appreciated.

Thanks x

[madonbrew]

Hi, I don’t know about Tezspire but I’m on Fasenra. I have been bobbing along quite well (since Aug last year) but have had a really bad chest/sinus infection that’s affected my asthma too. I’ve had one course of prednisone and 2xs antibiotics….was bordering 2nd course of pred. My consultant said that if I need 3 courses of pred within a year of starting my Fasenra, then they’d swap it something else. Maybe there’s a similar option for you?

Sorry you’re struggling so much! Really hope you get some breakthrough soon!

[Pipsqueak77]

Hi wooders09

I am on Dupilumab (my 2nd bio) at the moment, with varying results.

I still get a few admissions each year but I am trying to persevere with this as my asthma is generally better than pre-biologics.

I have been offered to switch to Tezspire but I am reluctant at the moment as my clinic have a policy of not allowing you to switch back if the new bio is not as effective.

This bothers me as there are only a handful of bios available at the moment and Tezspire would pretty much be the end of the road for me.

So (if your clinic is like mine)its important to make sure that your biologic is definitely not working before switching and to give it a good amount of time to allow things to calm down.

I’m sure your hospital team will give you good advice but I just wanted to let you know my experience with things so you don’t rush into a change that you can’t reverse

Hope things improve for you 🤞

[janedivney in reply to Pipsqueak77]

That’s crazy! My clinic (at the Brompton) is thinking of swapping me to tezspire but specifically said I can go back to omalizumab if it doesn’t work

[Pipsqueak77 in reply to janedivney]

Hi

Yes…. and the thing is I was promised I could back too but they are now not happy for that to happen.. big u turn! 🤷‍♂️ Don’t know what to think anymore.

Thanks 😊

[janedivney in reply to Pipsqueak77]

Good heavens, what a let down. I’d better get it in writing! You’d think you could rely on a verbal promise

[Patk1]

A Have yr chest infections b triggered by a virus? I use viral blockers - coldzyme throat spray & vickscfirst defence for nose - they do work.i also carry handgel× a mask as we still need to protect ourselves frm flare ups.

[Itswonderful]

it's early days. I'm on Tezspire and it took about 6 months to bed in. Also, it doesn't mean that you won't get respiratory infections. I have been on it for 14 months. It's dampened down my allergic flare ups but I have had flare ups this winter from chest infections and needed antibiotics and steroids. However, my recovery was better than previous winters. I don't know if that's due to Tezspire or not. Three months is not long enough for you to know if it is working so don't lose hope. 💖

[Ryan1724]

Hiya. I've been on Tezi' for the last 14 months. I had my first injection in the November, and had quite a rough couple of months afterwards, needing multiple courses of steroids, and various other methods of help. However, I don't think it had much to do with the new medication, as this time of year has always been tricky to manage. Most of the my year breathing is pretty rubbish, but the end of autumn, and the winter is always particularly bad. I was told it will take up to 18 months to notice a difference. So this year i have been paying a little more attention to my triggers and when and how often i use the medication i usually need this time of year. This is the first year in over 30 years i have not needed steroids/rescue pack's, or my nebulizer to help me through the tricky bits.

I don't know if the Tezi is doing its job, but since the summer i have also noticed a decrease in the amount of meds I'm using, and the only difference is the Tezi. So hopefully this is a trend that'll continue and I'd like to think it will do the same for you. Stick with it and hopefully you'll notice some positive differences in the next few months.

Take care

Ryan

[wooders09]

Thank you, that's good to hear!

[risabel59]

I am not yet taking Tezspire, but hoping to get it. I have a complicated life, with respiratory specialists both in the UK and the US. My US doctor is a world leading doc in Biologics, (My UK doctor referred me to him). I am on the list for Tezpire and am hoping to get approved for it. My US doctor told me recently not to expect magic instantly, he said for some it works quickly, but for others it takes a year/ 18 months to really start seeing good improvement. So he told me not too get disheartened if it doen't seem to work after a couple of months. For myself I am hoping to reduce courses of oral steroids and if possible slightly reduce inhaled steroids too.