Medication

[MEZZ1]

have been taking bricanyl, pulmicort, then oxis. Now I'm 56 my asthma has gone down hill, done spiro test,then repeated it again , but still not improved, been took of pulmicort & oxis and put on symbicort. Two wks later I was put on Spiriva but had same side effects as Ventolin aerosol. now on seebri breezhaler only started it on Thursday 3 days in so far so good. my copy notes say choronic asthma , but I've noticed seebri is for copd so am I starting with copd ?

[hopetorun]

Copd is a bit of an umbrella term. I was diagnosed with copd at 27

[Carnival567]

Probably not! I have bronchiectasis and obliterative bronchiolitis but not asthma, and am on QVAR which is strictly speaking for asthma. A good consultant will try to find what works best for you. Hope that helps. xx

[Carras22]

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) implies more than one 'chest' problem as I understand it. I inherited my Mother's family's Asthma but by the time I was 6 I had Bronchitis as well - I believe it was caused by the drugs I was given in the early days. I knew as a teenager that I had more than Asthma and told my employers that I had Bronchial Asthma as I have spoilt EVERY Christmas and/or New Year for most of my life.

I have been on symbicort since a brief spell in hospital when I was 51. That was when I was officially told that I had Bronchitis. Since then I have logged on to my GP surgery where I could look at my medical records. I was curious about the early days and the unnamed drugs. There is nothing on my records earlier than age 6 where the very first record is the letter from the hospital to the surgery stating I had Bronchitis.

Re the drugs, I take them as per instructions and every morning I use a peak flow meter to check how I am doing and note the readings and any coughing and sputum. I am not sure what symbicort contributes but I have realised that if I miss the one a day omeprazole tablet my peak flows will be down the next day!

When my readings start to drop and/or the sputum appears and turns nasty I know I am heading for trouble. Given I live alone I am glad the GP has given me an emergency supply of antibiotics and steroids to start once I drop below a specified measurement!

[Carras22]

My GP did not tell me I had COPD for many years. Equally my medical notes stated I had added Bronchitis to my Asthma when I was 6, I was only told about it when I was 51.

I suspect COPD is a fairly recent way of naming multiple lung problems.