Has anyone been prescribed this medication?

[Willow7733]

Hi, I am reaching out to hear other's experiences. I was diagnosed 10 years ago with asthma. Recently, my lung function is dropping. This week it is at 41%. I am having trouble catching my breath, and blood tests show I am not getting enough air. Was put on Breztri aerosphere. It is a three medication puffer. Has anyone taken this for their asthma? When I look it up online, it says it is for COPD. Which is weird, because I have never smoked my whole life and I am youngish - 50. Just scared of the future if my lung function is dropping so rapidly. (Last December it was at 65%, then in June 46%, and a month later 41%).

[O2Trees]

Hi Willow7733 - I take a two inhalers which have together the same three category of medication. But besides asthma I do have copd. I looked it up too and what I found was that your inhaler is not to treat asthma so I understand your concern. That inhaler has a steroid component in it. Steroids can take a few weeks to take proper effect so if you have only just been prescribed it, it could just be that it needs more time to work.

Another thought re the current drop in your lung function is whether you could possibly have an infection? Or even allergy to something. Though surely your medical team would have investigated that? Inflammation in the airways, whatever the cause, will make it harder to breathe. Providing a sputum sample which the surgery would send to a lab may show infection, then antibiotics could be prescribed, and a short course of oral steroids if they think you need that, to reduce the inflammation.

However as you mention copd, it is very possible for people who have never smoked to get copd - about 20% of copd patients have never smoked. Sometimes other environmental pollutants can cause it. But it would be negligent imo for you not to be told if you have copd, but that did actually happen to me a long time ago - they can be pretty casual sometimes.

May I ask, when you've had your lung function tests do they normally do a reversibility test? With a reversibility test, after doing the lung function test they ask you to take a couple of puffs on your inhaler, then wait 20 minutes and then repeat the test. With asthma the results would normally improve with the second test, but little or no improvement (ie reversibility) could indicate copd.

I'd suggest you call your GP and ask for a urgent referral to a consultant (if you don't already have one) or failing that an urgent appointment with the surgery's asthma/copd nurse, and tell them you are concerned re the possibility of copd. Sorry this is so long - we are not medical and so not able to diagnose.

Id strongly suggest calling the forum helpline here and talk it through with the nurse who will better be able to advise you. Hope you get answers, good luck!

[Willow7733 in reply to O2Trees]

Thank you for your insight. I like to post questions here and then armed with knowledge, ask the right questions when my follow up appointment comes around.

Yes, since diagnosed 10 years ago with asthma (and at the time had the reversibility test and methotrexate test), I have been followed by a really amazing pulmonologist and his team. They are a university teaching hospital here in Canada. Every time I go, we have the most amazing discussions in the research in lung diseases he is doing. Just so interesting!

This week, when I was taken off the Zenhale/Dulera, and put in the newer COPD inhaler, I was in his office a month ago. He prescribed a z pack and prednisone to make sure I wasn't having an infection in my lungs. A month later (this past Monday) I went again for chest x-ray, pulmonary function test, and then to his office for the results and discussion. He doesn't want to put me on prednisone long term for now, but wants me to try this new puffer and return in four weeks for another pulmonary function and follow up with him. He seemed concerned that my function is getting worse so quickly.

I was just wondering about COPD because I never smoked and I have never smoked. In fact, smoke is a trigger for the asthma. Lol So I stay clear of anyone who is smoking. He wanted to put me in a ...what is it called...biologic ? I work at the English hospital here and he is out of the French hospital, and knows my insurance through our hospital is not very good. They don't cover my asthma medications. So a biologic? I couldn't afford it! But, if need be, the government has a program for if or when the time comes. He just wanted me to try this new puffer to see how it goes.

[O2Trees in reply to Willow7733]

Ah! So you are being well looked after then, pleased for you Willow. And you know at least as much if not quite a bit more than I do! Not sure what a biologic is. I'd still suggest talking it all through with a ALUK nurse, if only because getting a different point of view can be useful, and their nurses are very knowledgeable.

I hope some more people here can tell you about their experiences with this puffer. As I said I have the equivalent three drugs in two puffers and this has been fantastic for me. It's enabled me to hugely reduce the steroid component I was previously taking, with side effects like prediabetes.

I hope the Breztri aerosphere puffer works for you. Let us know how you get on. Very best wishes to you, Jean