Symbicort

[twinks1954]

Hello everyone and hope you are all well as can be.

Just been prescribed Symbicort inhaler as previously was on Beclometasone and Ventolin. Had couple of infections last few weeks and been on antibiotics and steroids..... 2 courses. Booked in to see Nurse at GP surgery yesterday for spirometry test and my numbers have gone down since last test.

Had the test when diagnosed on 2nd July and FEV1 was 73% yesterday it was 69%. Wants me back in 6 weeks for another spirometry. I put my heart and soul into the test yesterday as well. Nurse had told me to take puff of Ventolin couple of hours before test but other Nurse said not to so I didn't. After the first round of blowing............ Nurse gace me 4 puffs of Ventolin, wait 20 minutes then blow again. Nurse last time gave me Ventolin in nebuliser. Would nebuliser be better? I stood up this time as bit overweight round the stomach and thought this would improve on the July reading. Blew like crazy but so disappointed that reading had gone down. Now worried that I am going to plummet down the stages.

[Hidden]

I'm. on symbicort, it helps but I've gained weight as it is steroid based, trying to get respiratory nurse to get me back on beclomethazone, as i find it works better for me.,

[jcorral2 in reply to Hidden]

if beclomethazone is also steroid would that not also cause weight gain ??

[Hidden]

I've been taking Symbicort for a few years,& have had no problem with it.No weight gain either,I find it realy effective,I have one puff in am,along with spiriva& onbrez,& one puff of Symbicort,pm,only.

Hope it all works out for you,xxx

[knitter]

Hi, I was prescribed Symbicort some time ago, but it didn't suit me so I was put onto Clenil and Ventolin , but I also take a maintenance dose of prednisilone which I hope to reduce slowly.

My friend takes Symbicort with no problem except for bruising.

Maybe your lungs have not quite recovered from the infection, and your FEV might be better next time. Can you manage to do any physical exercise to build up your stamina?

There was one post quite recently suggesting ways to get fitter with diet and vitamins...but I have forgotten who wrote it ..I will check again.

Best of luck.

[jcorral2 in reply to knitter]

isn't Ventolin a rescue inhaler ?

[laig]

I am on Symbicort twice a day and Spiriva and Ventolin when required.No problems.

Gail

[ptliverpool]

I was on symbicort but it didn't suite me at all. I went for a spirometry test when I had recently had an infection and the results were poor,so I was prescribed symbicort.Went again for another test 2-3 months later and results were a lot better. So much so that consultant said come off symbicort. (thank goodness). now just use ventalin.

[TuckBox2]

I was on symbicort 400/12 for some years, I did put on weight and also had problems with a hoarse voice or no voice, often troubled with thrush. I was taken off symbicort and now on Formoterol & Ciclesonide. It helped for a while, I am now on Omalizumab injections once a month since March. I stopped daily nebulisers and I have only had 1 bad day since.

[jcorral2 in reply to TuckBox2]

were you taken off symbicort due to your hoarse voice ? ... i had that with Flovent but i got off that cuz doc said i was good enough to get off ... but recently got on Symbicort and im worried about the hoarse voice cuz i use my voice for my job ... been on symbicort just 4 days and i feel like my chest is congested

[TuckBox2 in reply to jcorral2]

Hi, some of the hoarseness was due to acid reflux, when laying down the acid was burning my vocal chords.

After a persistent cough, the asthma clinic suggested I tried doubling up on the Symbicort (400/12) for a month, then try doubling up un the esomeprazole for a month, then try doubling up on both for a month. After a few days doubling up on the Symbicort (4 puffs twice a day) my voice started getting very hoarse, so I went back to my normal dose (2 puffs twice a day) and after a few days it was back to normal. After a week doubling up on the esomeprazole the cough seemed to finally go away.

[Hidden]

Hi, My husband has been on symbicort for years - he has had no problem with weight gain, seems to suit him. TAD xx

[jcorral2 in reply to Hidden]

what about voice hoarseness?

[moneal]

I have been on it for years, great stuff. One secret they don't tell you in an emergency one a puff and wait twenty seconds, it works better than ventolin for me

[jcorral2 in reply to moneal]

you say symbicort works better for you then Ventolin but isn't that a rescue inhaler ?

[Stanjory]

I've been on 400/12 for years and suffered the horrible side effect of adrenal suppression so now on additional 10mg a day of hydrocortisone

Also weight gain, hoarse voice and feeling of something in my throat which GP says is a deposit. But hey it keeps the asthma under control!

[jcorral2 in reply to Stanjory]

deposit of what and how long did it take to appear

[jcorral2]

was your infection before you got on Symbicort or after?

i notice you said you also on Ventolin but i thought that is a rescue inhaler so do you take that regularly or as needed