Changing medication

[Budgie1954]

Hi everyone. For years I have been prescribed with Seretide 250 to control my asthma and COPD. Recently without my knowledge or consent, I was prescribed flutiformo inhaler. I have have informed my practitioner that this medication was not suitable and would like to go back to Seretide. He has now prescibed me other alterantive Sereflo 250. My question is, are practitioners allowed to change your medication without consent.

[Jessy11]

Welcome to the forum Budgie. I hope you'll enjoy chatting to us.

My own personal experience would be that my GP or resp consultant would discuss alternative meds with me before changing them. It would need to be consent on both sides before a change was made.

Maybe you should go & chat to your GP to find out why your meds have changed.

Hope to hear how you get on 🌻

[snail in reply to Jessy11]

l was changed from Seretide to Sirdupla a couple of months ago. l was informed by letter from my Doctor that Seretide was no longer available but Sirdupla contained the same ingredients.

[Budgie1954 in reply to snail]

Hi snail. I was told the same a while back. It's not true, it is still available

[snail in reply to Budgie1954]

I bet it's down to money. Looks like they are telling porkies. Unbelievable. Thanks for your reply!

[Armadillo57 in reply to snail]

Hi Yes your right I asked the pharmacy he said the local CCG had said it's the same but cheaper so GPs changed to the cheaper version. I said it tastes different to which he said let your GP know you don't like it as they can change you back to seretide.

[snail in reply to Armadillo57]

That's interesting. I seem to have had more chest infections since taking it but l don't know if it's connected to the change of inhaler or not. Thanks for your reply.

[maggiewhiteley in reply to Budgie1954]

I still get mine.

[mmzetor]

lot of people been changed off seretide I got changed to fostair , I presume as its a prescription medical they could refuse to give you the medication as long as they give you something to control your symptoms

[redted in reply to mmzetor]

I have been on seritide for sometime but at my last review was asked to try fostair not started it yet nurse will ring me in a month to see if I am doing ok on it. She said its to try and get people off steriods .

[sassy59]

Hello Budgie, my hubby Pete has Seretide 125 prescribed with no mention of a change. He has sarcoidosis and COPD. I think a discussion should take place before a change is made but that doesn't always happen it seems. Xx

[Kerrieblue]

Hi. I still get Seretide. I'm in Scotland and there has been no word of change (so far!)

[Hidden in reply to Kerrieblue]

I'm also in Scotland as was told that there was a link between secretive and pneumonia so was changed to fostair, wether this is true or not I don't know it's just what gp told me.

[Hidden]

I am on symbicort and have been for years now. Last year I got a letter from my doctors saying they were changing me to DuoResp, the generic version as it was cheaper. I was very breathless on it and rang up and the doctor changed it back. I wasn't consulted either so they can obviously do this. x

[Snodgrass in reply to Hidden]

I was changed to DuoResp without consultation and was very breathless. Put on Fostair and ended up in A and E 3 hours later!!!! Taken off it but hasn't been replaced with anything else. Really struggling!

[Squeakcheeks in reply to Hidden]

Snap. I was swooped last week without Knowledge. Took one dose and ended up in hospital after an allergic reaction. Apparently, Duoresp and Symbicort are identical but they can't be as I've used Symbicort for years. So back on steroids and antihistamines after two years of blissful controlled asthma. Luckily hospital doctor gave me a new Symbicort. Have to tackle GP next week....

[Tetrazzini]

Seretide 500 was approved for COPD but the 250 version never was. I moved to Fostair - same critical ingredients - and it was better because the side effects were not so bad. I don't think it is a cost issue but even if it was I feel better off.

[HampshireLass in reply to Tetrazzini]

Fostair contains Beclometasone and Formeterol and Seretide contains Fluticasone and Salmererol not the same ingredients at all.

[Samwing]

Hi all, Seretide does make patients more susceptible to pneumonia I have read somewhere & my respiratory nurse confirmed. However I am still on Seretide. I agree that any change in medication should be an agreement following discussion between patient & medical practitioner or at a routine COPD review with practice nurse.......in an ideal world.......

[katieoxo60]

Hi Budgie, welcome on a sensible note, no your doctor should consult with you before changing drugs and you are entitled to a reason why. It is called working together for the best management of the patients health. However doctors also have a duty to get best value for money for the NHS, hence the reason why they try other drugs sometimes. Once when first diagnosed my consultant suggested a different drug so my GP called me in to discuss and prescribe. Plus better drugs keep appearing constantly so can be worth a try to see if they suit you. Hope this helps.

[Budgie1954]

Thanks Katie. I have now been prescribed Sereflo, I will see how it goes

[peege]

This time last year, on collecting my prescription I noticed the Seretide 250 was now Sirdupla. The pharmacist told me it was the same ingredient but if I didn't get on with it to inform the GP. I tried for 3 months but always breathless (which I rarely was before) & used a lot of Ventolin. On emailing GP for repeat prescription I added that I wished to return to Seretide. A doctor rang me (not mine) & told me it was exactly the same, I only have asthma & to carry on with Sirdupla! I was furious. Luckily I had my annual respiratory session. The excellent nurse immediately changed me yo Fostair. I was dubious at first but it's been absolutely brilliant. Hardly ever need Ventolin.

Sometimes change can be for the best. I'd say give it a go but if it doesn't work for you (and we're all different) then insist it's changed for something else. Good luck. Peege

[hoping2improve]

I'm in Kent; as others have said, should be discussion. I also use Seretide 250

[Sapper21]

I posted on here recently: I have used Seretide for many years and received a letter from the surgery to say this was being changed to Sirdupla as it is cheaper. The side effects of Sirdupla were horrendous - violent aggressive nightmares, ulcerated tongue and throat, heavy chest with dreadful cough etc. I rang my chest nurse as soon as I realised what was causing my symptoms and she immediately put out a prescriptions for Seretide, for somebody to collect for me. The side effects of Sirdupla have almost gone, but not quite. Watch out for side effects of any new drug, Budgie. Good luck, Albert.

[BusNut]

At his last check up with the nurse my OH who has COPD was told to stop taking the seretide inhaler, but given nothing to replace it. He seemed to be coughing a lot more than normal so he has started using it again for the time being.