I have been on Relvar 184/22, Incruse 55, Montelukast, Cetirizine, and Flixonase,for well over a year now for Bronch, plus Asthma, plus perennial allergies. I was almost immediately dizzy on starting the Relvar but told to persevere as 'the side effects will diminish with time. '
Sadly I think they are getting worse! Frontal sinuses now very inflamed and painful, and both eustachian tubes quite blocked with tinnitus in both ears( which are sore and crackly) which is now making me dizzy and off balance 24/7. I am on Stemetil tablets for the dizziness but told can't take them long term. Serc do not work, nor does Stugeron.
Having had similar issues on Fostair, Symbicort, Flutiform, Serevent, or indeed anything with a LABA in it I suspect that I am just over sensitive to it.
I have tried steam inhalation with Olbas, Sinex nasal spray, sucking halls mentholyptus sweets, chewing gum, salt water nasal rinses and sprays, anything to try to improve the horrid blocked up feeling and wobbles. Saw a GP last week who couldn't really suggest anything else and intimated that I just had to live with it!!!
I have similar problem , infected sinuses, tinnitus , dizziness , headaches .
But I wonder if it’s the side effect of the routine oral steroids I am now dependent on .
I tried Serevent , Fostair , Pulmicort ….now take a separate steroid and reliever inhaler . Can’t wean myself off oral ones , now dependent .
Really draining . I have tried salt water spray, essential oils , steam ,garlic oil capsules , chewing gum, acupuncture, yoga breathing ..little relief . Tried gluten free, dairy free …no better.
One thing that does help ….sitting upright ….lying down makes it worse, and warm showers aimed at the back of my neck . No good if a poor breathing day tho. Warm drinks too and keep hydrated with water .
Meditation to help cope with the nuisance ….Jon Kabat Zinn is good , and Patrick McKeown for gentle nose breathing . Nose unblocking tips .
Best wishes .
I had all of this since early childhood. It is common in bronch because of the damage to the tiny hairs which should clear airways, sinuses and eustaciacian tubes. Way back in the 90s I went to a marvellous ENT man who operated on ‘the worst sinus’ he had ever seen and put a grommit in my ear. This dropped out after about 5 years and I haven’t needed another one.
He also taught me epley’s manoevre which puts the tiny bones in the ear back in place when they play up causing the spinning dizziness. I have been ok since.It seems to me that the situation has been allowed to get so bad that nothing you are taking will bring any relief until the basic problem of blocked sinuses and eustacian tubes is addressed.
Stop allowing your GP to be lazy and neglecting your medical needs. Insist on a referral to a good ENT specialist asap ( you can find one near to you on the internet) and begin to learn epley’s manoevre - easily found on you tube. Although it won’t be much use to you until your blocked tubes are cleared.
You deserve better than being pushed on to one side because your GP is a disgrace. Believe me, you can have a much better quality of life than this neglect is forcing on you.
I’m afraid that we have to be very proactive in our own interests and vociferous in sourcing the right treatment.
in reply to
Interestingly Littkepom, I have been back and forth to ENT for nearly 20 yrs with sudden flare ups of dizziness followed by months or years of normality!!! Every test they did just came back "normal". They did the Epley a few times for me, so I may well dig out the instructions for that to give it a try. I think I will first try a separate steroid inhaler and lower dose LABA see if that is tolerable, but also ask to go back to ENT ( who will probably groan when they see my name on their waiting list😬) . But defo the whole situation is much worse since the Relvar🤔, which of course is a once a day whack of 22mcgs LABA, plus the steroid content. That GP is just horrendous, I have seen her before and we have a mutual dislike of each other, don't know why the practice keep her on tbh. Xxxxxx
How much you have gone through. I am not familiar with your inhalers as not having asthma with my bronch I don't have them. I cannot imagine what tests the ENT dept do which fail to show up a chronically blocked sinus and eustacian tubes. I can almost guarantee that if you could afford a private consultation the conclusion would be very different. As I said, I suffered with the inability of GPs to deal with exactly the same problems until I went privately in my early 40s.Good luck with the epleys. I am doubtful whether it will work whilst the whole area is bunged up with gunk because it will stop the carbon particles from moving and also the gunk will be contributing to the disturbance of the tiny bones and inflammation of all areas of the ear. It is horrible and I do feel for you.
I hope Littlepom's advice can help you. I have been on Relvar for years without any obvious side effects, but I'm starting to get dizzy in my old age and wonder if there is a connection.
Your gp is so unhelpful. I would not take any medication that gave me these problems. See another gp in your practice if you have to. It took me a long time to get an inhaler that works, I am on Seretide at the moment but not the powdered one and with this and the Ventolin I use them when needed. I had years of problems with my sinus's , the after affects of a bad cold and not receiveing the correct medication at the time. I finally had a sinus op which has helped alot, sadly the surgeon put a hole in my septum which is a nuisance but I can deal with that better than the problems of sinusitis. Chase up your ent consultant. I use menthol crystals when my nose is blocked and clean oit with Sterimar a few times a day which helps. I also had labrynithitis for 4 years which has left me with problems, so really sympathise with your dizziness and Stemitil help but leave you feeling whacked out. The epley helps if it is the crystals in your inner ear causing the problems but you may have vertigo which is different. You do need help and now, perhaps phone your consultants secretary and get them to see you quickly. I hope you get better soon x
Hi Izb1, it took a long time to find an inhaler that helped my lungs sufficiently and that IS the Relvar and Incruse ones. None of the others did the job, and at least on my current ones my cough and shortness of breath is controlled, I very rarely need Ventolin during the day now, and my Peak Flow readings are better than they have been for years. So I am caught between a rock and a hard place. Do I change to a less effective inhaler regime to get rid of some of the side effects but risk my breathing deteriorating? Or plod on as I am. The coughing from the Bronch was so bad I used to vomit, but that doesn't happen now so have put weight back on ( I lost a stone in weight).It's all a bit of a conundrum.
Mmm would you consider a sinus op?? it is worth thinking about. I just couldnt live with the dizziness and sickness . Speak with your consultant for the best options x
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