Braltus Zonda

[Pink55]

Hi, I have just received a letter to say that I am being swapped to Braltus Zonda from Spiriva. I have been on Spiriva, very happily, for the past 8 years. Have any of you had Braltus Zonda and how did you find it. Surprise surprise it's more cost effective. I don't really mind if it works the same. Thanks. Ann

[stone-UK]

Hi

It’s the same active ingredient, one advantage the capsules are clear so you can see you have taken the full dose. You also get a new Zonda device each time. And yes it’s cheaper than Spiriva.

[beech]

Same thing happened to me, based on cost and CCG decision at the time - vs the Consultant’s prescription 🙄, but I find it effective, and it is easy to use. 👍

[Pink55]

Thanks to you both. You have put my mind at rest. It’s such a worry when I am doing so well on the Spiriva. X

[SeasideSusie]

I didn't do well on it. I know it's the same active ingredient but a couple of weeks after I changed over I started with episodes of tachycardia (ended up in A&E). After 3 months and many episodes, discussing this with the Nurse Practioner we decided to change back to Spiriva just in case the Braltus had triggered the tachycardia. After 3 months back on Spiriva the tachycardia settled down and I've not had an episode in months now.

My consultant has not heard of this before and can't explain it, but says although it is unusual he can't dismiss the possibility and said that he supports me staying on Spiriva.

There have been a few patients at my surgery who didn't get on with Braltus and were changed back to Spiriva.

It's always a case of we are all individual and will react in our own individual ways to things, so although it suits many people there may always be the odd few who it doesn't suit, same as any medication.

[HungryHufflepuff in reply to SeasideSusie]

I don’t understand why some doctors don’t want to accept that different inhalers with the same active ingredients can in fact be different. The inhalers surely are different in some way otherwise surely there’d only be one of each kind. (Sorry, repetition of surely!) One time I was given a different version of Ventolin and it didn’t work for me at all. The doctor insisted it’s identical to Ventolin therefore should work in the same way. But it didn’t. After a while they reluctantly gave me Ventolin again. I currently have Spiriva Respimat though I’m not taking it at the moment to see if various problems go away while I’m not using it.

[SeasideSusie in reply to HungryHufflepuff]

I'm just glad that my consultant is open minded enough to accept that there has been a problem for me, also that the Nurse Practioner was willing to trial me back on Spiriva. There's obviously something about Braltus that doesn't agree with me. I also don't like the fact that you get a new inhaler device every month with Braltus to add to the plastic mountain. Nothing wrong with rinsing the Spiriva device once a month, takes just a few seconds.

[AnnaMT in reply to SeasideSusie]

I take Spiriva but the whole inhaler gets swapped out, each time I need a new one. The one I use is for asthmatics, not COPD. I have thought it is a bit of a waste.

[SeasideSusie in reply to AnnaMT]

I take Spiriva but the whole inhaler gets swapped out, each time I need a new one. The one I use is for asthmatics, not COPD. I have thought it is a bit of a waste.

I have the Spiriva Handihaler for tiotropium powder in capsules and this is the one where you get a new Handihaler device just once a year and rinse it every month

spiriva.com/copd/starting-s...

I don't know about any others.

[AnnaMT in reply to SeasideSusie]

Mine is a "solution" not a powder. You get a small cannister that you load into the main body. When I first had it, I thought I would just get a new cannister to replace the old one. Ventolin inhalers are the same; I would have thought it was more environmentally friendly to just replace cannister.

[Leccybill in reply to HungryHufflepuff]

What problems, I ended up in A & E after the surgery decided to change me over to the braltus despite my concerns, they may be the same drug but are administered in a completely different way.

[welllaners in reply to HungryHufflepuff]

My Respiratory nurse has added a note on my records only to prescribe Ventolin, so they must have had problems with cheaper versions.

[Pink55]

I guess I'll just have to see how it goes but I will ask to go back to Spiriva if it doesn't agree with me. Thanks for your help. Xx

[claracola]

Yes I was changed. Have no probs in fact I prefer it because the capsules are clear so I can be sure it's been inhaled properly.

Clare x

[stamford1234]

I was changed over 12 months ago, and my husband. We haven't found any differences.

[gingermusic]

Easy to use and effects are identical

[HummingbirdM]

I have been on it for 2 years now and only had a chest infection once since taking it and I put that down to the traffic pollution on holiday in Paris,before being put on it I would get 3/4 infections a year

[Samjeff]

Yes it’s cheaper for NHS but it works the same I didn’t notice any difference. Sam