I've been on the search for a decent steroid inhaler with minimal side effects and mainly not to mess with anxiety Etc!
Latest one I've tried is Symbicort! Raised my anxiety along with other horrible symptoms! So I'm guessing its formoteral at fault, as had same issue with Fostair!
Any body who has anxiety successfully managed to get on with a steroid inhaler!
As I've almost given up hope.... 😭😭
Tried QVAR, FOSTAIR, SPIRIVA (anticholinergics dry me out and raise heart rate ridiculously! So no go!) and now SYMBICORT...
ventolin is the only thing I can take but need a decent preventer!
Please help
Written by
Ami40
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
I sure wish I could help you as I am going through inhaler issues. Advair gave me a horrible rash and hives and Spiriva dried my eyes out so bad it's been three weeks since I stopped the Spiriva and have gone two times to the eye doc... now on steroid and antibiotic drops which do not seem to help. So I know what you are going through !!! It's horrible when you have side effects from the inhalers that are suppose to help you !! Hope you get some answers. Take care!!
Did it take awhile for the extreme dryness to go away after stopping Spiriva? It has really dried out my eyes and sinuses. Now Zi have an eye infection due to the extreme eye dryness!!
I really don’t know but Spiriva seemed to be the cause of dryness for me re: mouth, throat, nose and ears.You need to discuss everything with your doctor .Our eyes naturally dry out a bit as we age too.
Thanks again!! I know that eyes get drier as we get older!! But... 2 weeks on Spiriva and my eyes, sinuses , mouth and even my hair dried out!!! I hope this does reverse soon. Have a good day... I know it is early morning where you are ... and here it's 11:20 Pm so I will be going to bed soon. You have a wonderful day!!
I was on Spiriva and Fostair for some time and when I thought I needed something else I was sent to a COPD consultant who suggested I try Trimbow,. I have been on this for a year or two now and get on with it very well. If you look up the constituents and have a word with your advisor about trying it, you might find that it suits you very well. I see that no-one else has suggested this, but it might be just what you need. I think it isn a good idea to try different ones - I wonder we get too used to just the same one all the time.
I have tried many preventers too ....the combined ones like Fostair and Symbicort don’t suit me ....I now use Qvar which is ok . Others do well on them , we are all different.
I still get one weird dream a night , but they are better than the many nightmares I got with a high dose of Clenil.
Anxiety is a problem , but it is bearable now I sleep better.
I use breathing techniques, relaxation, meditation to help deal with anxiety.
Try the 5 finger breath exercise with Jud Brewer or gentle pursed lip breathing .....ideas on you tube .
Gentle, gentle relaxed breathing ....relaxed diaphragm, relaxed shoulders ....nose breaths to warm and filter the air ...at other times .
Might be worth speaking to your respertory nurse who will know what is available for you. We all have experiences with different inhalers .like myself I have Fostair and have no problems at all. Were as someone on this forum last night had problems. So speaking to your nurse would be be more helpful .Take care
I was put on Spiriva 18months ago .Only take 2puffs daily and it works for me really well.I was tried on so many before this one and had all the bad side effects but have had no side effects with Spiriva.All the best of luck if you go on it .Best wishes
I take Relvar which you only take once a day and just one inhaler that works better than the others but it is just keep trying .hope you find something soon. I also have Spiriva here but that doesn't work so well on it's own
Hi Ami40, I've been on spiriva for many years. Mine is a capsule that you pierce, then you just suck it out of the deliverer. My main 'helper' is seretide. I was taken off that about 2 years ago only to be dogged by water infections and extremely dry thin skin on my arms which meant the slightest knock would turn to a huge bruise or the skin would break and bleed. I asked my doctor if I could go back to the seretide. So I am now back on the medication I was originally given at diagnosis. I understand that there is a new one now called trimbow. It's a triple action inhaler. I'd ask your doctor if you can try that. I hope this helps. Good luck.
I am on ventolin plus trimbow trimbow has 3 in one treatment been on it for 2 years I guess if your copd is worse as each years go you to see if a new inhaler is available ..but at the moment it’s difficult to get into doctors unless it’s emergency
Hello. Yes it seems I only get help when I go as an emergency patient. The last time the Ambulance treated me outside our flats then they insisted I went to the hospital as well and came home in the early hours of the morning. I get seen by the Practice Nurse annually.
That's a shame. I have Spiriva too and it does make my Mouth dry. Also, have Combisol, which I find o.k. But I don't think is strong enough for me. Trial and error, isn't it? Till you get the right one for you. I have been on various ones 16years.
Hi Ami, lve used spiriva for 15yrs. Yes some drying of the mouth but no other negative symptoms that I can find.Gp has tried to change me over to cheaper versions of many meds.
Asthma nurse put me back on Ventalin and Serotype.
The cheaper versions have different molecular sizes and trigger breathing gproblems for me personally.
Even brand ventalin works better than other Sulbutamals.
With Spiriva I take it at night and very rarely miss a dose.
If I'm coughing early hours l take it earlier in the evening.
Re causing anxiety....
I take amitriptylin as a migraine preventer and 50mg is enough to calm and sedate for sleep.
Its a low dose of an old antidepressant. Its sedative effect helps a lot with pain or side effects from other drugs.
I have been on Prozac 2 daily for over 25yrs and these make sleeping difficult.
I have asthma COPD bronchiectasis too.
I had encephalitis in 1993 and strive to keep meds as stable as possible.
Go and asthma nurse very helpful and I'm a patient at The Royal Brompton. No admissions there for 15yrs .
Do have Hospital at Home if needing intravenous antibiotics or steroids. It a service where hospital come to the house several times over a 10- 14 day period.
Its a rare service and only works on those who can manage their treatment well and saves NHS costs too.
A similar service exists in one or 2 other areas of the country.
My own feeling is that you may be helped by the amytriptalin as it has sedative effects.
Hopefully your doctor would help you with this.
Side effects of that are drymouth and dozy in the morning until you get used to it.
I use salavix pastilles to increase saliva production.
And take care if driving until into your system.
Hooe this may be of some help to you. Dont give up there are other ways to tolerate medication.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Symbicort Inhaler 
trimbow in asthma 
Symbicort Inhaler
