Doubling up on Relvar

[Kesrachel]

Hello, my name is Kerry & I have chronic emphysema, I'm wondering I I could double up on my Relvar ellipta as I'm sure one dose isn't enough. Thankyou. Xx

[Jessy11]

A very warm welcome Kerry, hope you'll enjoy being a member of the forum.

I'm afraid there's no one here who is a qualified medical professional so we are unable to advise you whether to double up your dose or not.

My advice would be to phone your GP surgery & speak to the doctor or respiratory nurse.

Hope you get the help you need & please do come back to let us know how you get on 🌷

[Nottobad]

Hi I take relvar Ellipta I wouldn't double the dose with out asking my GP. Do you take your blue inhaler before your other inhalers as it open up your airways I take mine 10 mimuits befor. And wait the same amount of time befor I take my other one

[Kesrachel in reply to Nottobad]

oh that's a good idea I will try that thankyou. I have already tried a double dose & I'm not sure it did anything but I was worrid id become immune like I have with antibiotics. X

[Nottobad in reply to Kesrachel]

No problem. I you still find that it's not helping speak to your GP you may need a stronger strength. Take care

[Kesrachel in reply to Nottobad]

I think my doctor said that it doesn't get any stronger but will certainly ask, thankyou.

[Jessy11 in reply to Kesrachel]

Your doctor may change your inhaler if it's not working for you. A good idea to go & discuss this. Good luck 🌼

[Mandy6513]

I totally agree with Notoobad ,, i always use my blue inhaler first with a spacer so i dont need to hold my breath ,, then i wait about 10 minutes for it to really start working to open my airways then i use my other inhalers and it works much better .

[Nottobad in reply to Mandy6513]

Thanks Mandy I forgot to say through a spacer. As you get more of the medication.

[2greys in reply to Nottobad]

There are many theories as to the order that inhalers are taken. There are also different regimes of treatment depending on the patients condition, with 1,2 & 3 inhaler treatments.

I will only speak from my own experience. I am on a 3 inhaler regime, The lungs have a finite number of receptors for the medicines to attach to, once occupied they cannot take anymore.

My first inhaler of the day is Spiriva, which lasts 24 hrs. I then wait 1/2 to 3/4 hr. before..........

My second inhaler, Fostair, which lasts 12 hrs. occupies the remaining free receptors.

My third inhaler, Bricanyl, which only lasts 4/6 hrs. is only taken if and when I need it, which is not very often. Why take a medicine if you don't actually need it.

The theory being that with a limited amount of receptors it is better to have them occupied by the longer lasting medicines. Also, why take a medicine if you don't actually need it.

It takes me a little longer to complete the regime in the mornings before I go off to work because of the longer time for Spiriva to start working, but I am usually already awake waiting for the alarm to go off anyway.

[Nottobad in reply to 2greys]

If these are preventers you should take the every day wether you need them or not that is what I have been told and you are right we can only say from our experience.

[2greys in reply to Nottobad]

Correct both preventers are taken daily as directed, the Bricanyl is the reliever which I hardly need to use. Ergo the preventers are doing their job well.

[Billiejean_2 in reply to 2greys]

A lot of people take a puff of the 'reliever' first to open up the airways and enable the preventers to be inhaled as deep down into the lungs as possible.

[2greys in reply to Billiejean_2]

Spiriva opens up the airways too, it just takes longer to start working and you get the full benefit from it for 24 hrs with the max amount attached to the free receptors.

Works great for me. I do not have to worry about taking medicines for the whole day even if I stay on late at work for a couple of hrs.

[Mandy6513 in reply to Nottobad]

Yeah ,, when i first came out of hospital the nurse who was visiting me told me to use it because it gets deeper into your lungs and last year at PR the physiotherapist was going on about it too plus when your breathless you cant hold your breath

[Jessy11 in reply to Mandy6513]

Hi Mandy, have you ever tried the blue one in an easibreathe inhaler?

I could never get used to synchronising the pushing down of the canister & breathing in at the same time!

My doctor suggested using the easibreathe inhaler which does not require a spacer. You pull down the blue cap at the bottom, shake & breathe in deeply. It's breath activated & so easy to use.

Just a thought, maybe would help you 🌷

[Mandy6513 in reply to Jessy11]

I have never even heard of an easibreathe inhaler honey so will look into it x

[Nottobad in reply to Jessy11]

Hi jessy I have never been told about that kind if inhaler. I only take the blue inhaler through a spacer or a Aerochamber my preventer inhaler i just take them in my mouth as they don't fit in a spacer.

[Jessy11 in reply to Nottobad]

As I said above, I couldn't use the normal inhaler at all. The Easibreathe is CFC free & very easy to use. It's full name is Salamol Easibreathe & mine has 200 metered doses of Salbutamol in each canister

Maybe worth asking your GP if it would be suitable for you & if so, do give it a try.

I would never go back to using a normal Ventolin inhaler. 🌷

[Nottobad in reply to Jessy11]

I will jessy thank you x