COPD

Hi, I am new to the group. After years of tests I have recently been diagnosed with COPD and have been taking Braltus and Symbicort which together seemed helpful for a while but my cough is bad again.

Has anyone else taken these (I believe Braltus has replaced Spiriva) and gone on to other medications with better results?

[CDPO16]

Hi and welcome.

We all respond differently to the different inhalers. It may just be that something is irritating your chest at the moment but if it continues it may be best to speak to your nurse or GP.

[Hidden in reply to CDPO16]

Thanks, my GP is good, if it doesn’t improve I’ll speak to her again. I just wondered how others may have got on with this combination

[CDPO16 in reply to Hidden]

That makes your query a little clearer. I have braltus but not symbicort so can't comment on that. Perhaps someone else will come along who has that combination.

I'm glad that you have a good GP and confidence in her, that goes a long way in working out which inhalers work best for you. I have had many different combinations over the last 6 years before finding out what suited me best.

Wishing you well.

[Hidden in reply to CDPO16]

Thanks for that, makes me realise it may be a very long time before I find the right combination 🙂

[CDPO16 in reply to Hidden]

I hope that it doesn't take you as long as it took me but it is always worth trying other options and seeing if they suit you. The ones I have ditched have had no beneficial effect at all or made me worse or caused side effects. I have COPD with asthma overlap so it's not straight forward for me.

Good luck and best wishes.

[Troilus]

Hi GabbyLouise,

Until recently I was on Braltus. The asthma nurse suggested I gave Spivira Respimat a try. I find it so much easier to take. Sometimes with the Braltus I felt that it ended up on my tongue, usually when my breathing wasn’t so good and I needed it most.

[Hidden in reply to Troilus]

Thank you, I thought that Spiriva was no longer available for prescription (cost?).I’m never sure if it has gone past my tongue, even more so with the Symbicort as there is no taste or sensation to taking it at all.

[Davegt in reply to Hidden]

I take Spiriva on prescription.

[HungryHufflepuff]

Hello and welcome 😊

[Hidden in reply to HungryHufflepuff]

Thanks

[stamford1234]

I take Braitus and Serevent and Ventolin. I am usually okay with those. Lately have been congested and coughing a lot more than usual. I put my symptons down to hayfever and have been taking antihistamine, seems to help. There are all kinds of meds for COPD it's worth talking to your Dr and getting the right combination for you.

[Hidden in reply to stamford1234]

I have tried Braltus with Serevent and the combination didn’t work for me. I guess it’s trial and error, but it is difficult when you have to take each med for quite some time to be sure whether or not they work for you

[stamford1234 in reply to Hidden]

I see, well good luck finding the right combination!

[ZedKH]

Hi GabbyLouise,

I’m on Braltus and symbicort and haven’t noticed any change from when I was on spiriva. I only suffer with a cough when I have a chest infection and then it lasts for a long time, especially during winter, but that’s normal for me.

Hope you get this resolved...

Z

[Hidden in reply to ZedKH]

Thanks Zed. My only symptom is a constant painful cough (I was very surprised to be told I have COPD as I have no other symptoms. You must take them for other symptoms if you do not normally have a cough

[ZedKH in reply to Hidden]

Yes I have COPD so have various other symptoms including breathlessness which these meds help with. I’m interested to read others views on Braltus though especially with regard to wheezing as the meds don’t seem to help when I have phases of that...

[Piper21]

Hi there, as others have said we are all different and react differently to the medications. I recently asked to be taken off Braltus ( with Ventolin when needed ) as I felt it was making me worse. I was coughing all the time and unable to sleep because of constant wheezing. Because of the current situation with covid 19 I put up with it for weeks. I decided to ask for a phone consultation with the doctor who wasn’t convinced that it was down to Braltus but grudgingly agreed to leave a prescription for something else . I stopped the Braltus and used the replacement Fostair . Within 24 hours the wheezing eased and I slept soundly, after 3/4 days the cough I’d had since January has cleared and the wheezing had gone. Im better now than I have been for months. As I say we are all different but it really is worth you talking to your Doctor, good luck

[Hidden in reply to Piper21]

Hi Piper, I came off Braltus a few weeks ago but my cough got worse so have now gone back on it along with the Symbicort - interesting your experience with Fostair.

[nanasharp8]

I have Fostair ventolin and Spiriva , only started on this combination 6 months ago ,been brilliant ever since ,dry inhalers don't work for me ,I don't have enough breath to draw it into my lungs ,dam stuff ended up at the back of my throat ,my voice changed and I went hoarse ...chemist advised the steroids were effecting my vocal chords ...went back to consultant ,who put me on current combination ,haven't looked back ,best I've felt in years . Love n luck . Stay safe .

[Hidden in reply to nanasharp8]

Hi Nana, its great that you have finally found the right combination for yourself

[nanasharp8 in reply to Hidden]

Hoping your soon on the way to getting the right treatment for you ❤️

[Dedalus]

Hello and wecome

[Hidden in reply to Dedalus]

Thanks for your reply and welcome. What is your story?

[mogs302]

I love Spiriva .

[Hidden in reply to mogs302]

Thanks, do you take anything else and do you have COPD

[lKeith]

GabbyLouise

Hi there.

Have you tried getting back to Spiriva, in lieu of Braltus. I still get it in a replacement form so it's still out there. I find the Spiriva does shift the mucus first thing, there after it's down to the standard ventolin in either an inhaler or with a nebulizer. Do check with your GP.

IKeith

[Hidden in reply to lKeith]

Thanks Keith, I think I will have to continue with Braltus for some time to give it a good try (evidently it can take four to eight weeks to get to full effect) but will ask about Spiriva if I’m no better by then.

[LittlePaws]

hi GabbyLouise yes i've been on both but i was having a lot of flare-ups n had lots of antibiotics and steroids, i'm now on Trimbow which is ok but i have hay fever now from the tree pollen so taking antihistamine also, best wishes hope u get sorted

[Hidden in reply to LittlePaws]

Thanks for your reply - my only real symptom is severe painful cough - do you have other symptoms (apart from hay fever)

[LittlePaws in reply to Hidden]

i do cough you do with asthma and copd but yr cough sounds like you shld consult yr gp, best wishes hope you get sorted xx

[MEZZ1]

Hi, GabbyLouise, I'm Mezz1 , I don't come on that often. But I'm asthmatic, with an airway obstruction. I've recently found out that chronic obstructive airways disease is now called copd. I,ve asked before if I've got copd but staff bypass and say it's asthma linked. But I'm just taking symbicort, and bricanyl . Now, because they are powder you have to drink after using your inhaler to stop the powder sitting at the back of your throat, I can't take ventolin or spivira aerosols due to cause of violent headaches and vomiting. It's all about finding what you can cope with best. Does smoke or perfumes affect you.?