Symbicort Nasal and Chest Congestion issues?

[ck101]

I posted this over on Asthma UK so apols to those who've already seen it !

I started Symbicort back in 2000. My situation was complicated by mild asthma and light smoking. My maladies at the time were put down to smoking but I was young and foolish. I stopped smoking anything in '03 but continued to have bad symptoms of congestion, cough and rhinitis.

I continued Symbicort to 2015 while still suffering from the same respiratory symptoms which included mild pneumonia once or twice and yearly chest infections. At the time I felt I had a mild case of COPD despite the insistence of my doctors this was not the case.

Strangely I stopped Symbicort in 2015 and have had no chest infections since and a huge improvement in rhinitis. During this period I have been taking nothing for my mild asthma.

I am now back on Symbicort 100/6 due to a slight decline in my asthma. As soon as I start taking it I immediately get relief, alas the next day or so I get bad nasal congestion and my chest gets loose. I feel the same on Oxis but I think I do need a LABA / LAMA.

I don’t feel like this on Becotide so it must be the LABA? I’m starting to link my symptoms to Symbicort.

Anyone else have a similar experience with Symbicort?

I suppose the easiest at this point is to add a LAMA to my ICS...

Thanks,

Con.

[knitter]

I have tried various combined inhalers for my COPD/ asthma , but find single separate ones work better for me .Symbicort gave me palpitations, but my neighbour is fine with it.

I used Becotide in the past , now on Qvar and Ventolin when I need it , which is rarely.

We are all different, what suits some may not suit another .

I also practice breathing techniques …..gentle , gentle nose breaths with relaxed torso and diaphragm …..low and slow and gentle . Also nose unblocking exercise , a few rounds .

Meditation and mindfulness help my breathing too.

[CDPO16 in reply to knitter]

Sorry to chip in but what nose unblocking exercises do you use Knitter? My nose is frequently blocked.

[CDPO16]

Many thanks for your reply and advice.

[ck101 in reply to CDPO16]

Neilmed Sinus rinses worth a shot

[CDPO16 in reply to ck101]

Thank you

[ck101]

Just a note to you guys that have responded, I had a reply from a User to this post over on the Asthma group that has had a similar experience as I with Symbicort. Heres some of the text from their reply "I can only go by my experiences with these medications and Fostair is definitely currently working for me whereas I struggled on Symbicort. And for the 6 months I was on MART in 2018, the more Symbicort I took, the worse my asthma became. Fortunately my asthma nurse listened to me and urged me to try Fostair (I was sceptical). But I'm acutely aware that we're all different, and what suits me may not suit someone else. BTW I have non-eosinophilic asthma"

[stamford1234]

I don't have asthma, just COPD v severe. I am getting on okay with Symbicort. I am a bit sceptical about the steroid in it but hey ho. I rarely use my relief inhaler ventolin these days so it is working in that respect. Also I don't really get congestion except when an exacerbation is looming. Happy breathing