anyone having croaky throat problems with inhalers

[Jennywenny]

i’m currently using Trimbow inhaler for COPD and unfortunately, I seem to be one in 10 people that suffer with croaky throat. It impacts on my life severely. it affects my voice when I talk and strains my throat. Does anyone else suffer the same? Also I’m trying to find out if there is an alternative such as a pill.

[Welshcatlady]

Hi, I get a croaky throat and it affects my voice most mornings. Mine is because I can't clear the phlegm properly, once I get that sorted my throat and voice get back to normal. Sorry can't say anything about your inhaler as I've never used that one.

[Jennywenny in reply to Welshcatlady]

Thank you so much for your reply. I don’t have a problem with phlegm. I’ve had a reply from the specialists secretary who wrote an email to my specialist for when he gets back off leave. Another doctor seeing the email told her to advise me to just take one puff twice a day instead of the two puffs. So I’m going to try that. 🤞

[Welshcatlady in reply to Jennywenny]

Hope it works for you. 🤞

[Nula2]

Hi Jenny, I get a very, very dry mouth and sore throat after using my Fostairs Inhaler but haven't got a noticeable croaky voice (except when trying to clear Mucus). Hope you get it sorted xxx

[Jennywenny in reply to Nula2]

Thank you Nula. I asked my doctor today and he is writing to the specialist on my behalf. With his agreement I also spoke to my specialists secretary and found that he is on holiday but she raised an email that one of the other specialists read and he suggests that I just have one puff twice a day instead of two twice a day, so I’m going to try that. It is a pain as it affects my speech. Good luck to you xx

[Nula2 in reply to Jennywenny]

Thank you😊. Good luck 😊🤞🤞🤞❤️xxx

[suef]

Hi Jenny. I've been using Trimbow for a couple of years & it does'nt give me a croaky throat. X

[Jennywenny in reply to suef]

Thank you for your reply, I really envy you. I wonder have you got a useful recommendation of how you use it please? It seems that one in 10 people will get a croaky throat and I’m one of those 10!! I use a spacer, tilt my head slightly take in the puff and then breathe that in five times with the inhaler still in my mouth as I was told to do. Then I gargle and spit it out.

I’m doing everything that I was told to do. Am I missing something? 🙁

[Potofgoldandblue in reply to Jennywenny]

Hi Jenny, just seen your post from 2 months ago. I have been suffering with croaky voice and couldn't go to choir, where I usually do solos, so was devastated. I changed from a dry powder inhaler to Trimbow, which gave me side effects. Back to powder and getting more croaky. Now I've started on Trixeo Aerosphere with a spacer, which seems a lot better. Just hope I don't get side effects, which I tend to do with most medication. I always gargle and rinse, but the Respiratory nurse said to clean my teeth after as well and she's ordering an antiseptic mouthwash.

[Rosa17]

Hi Jenny, I get a tickly, dry throat and was told by my doctor I should have been gargling after using an inhaler - (I've been using them over 30 years!) It does seem to help though . Hope you get it sorted soon Xx

[Jennywenny in reply to Rosa17]

Hi Rosa, yes I’ve been using inhalers for years and only recently was told I should be gargling!!I’m sure I’m doing everything correctly and now I’m trial just having one puff twice a day instead of two puffs twice a day. So wish me luck xx

[Superfly1975]

Hi, just a though but this being an ICS are you rinsing out your mouth and throat after using?

[Jennywenny in reply to Superfly1975]

Hi there, yes I am. I think I’m just unlucky because it does say that one in 10 peoples voices will be affected. I have to say, I’m very fed up about it.

[MrsP70]

I was the same ,totally lost my voice plus an horrendous cough ,I got it changed to Fostair and have no problems with it.

[Jennywenny in reply to MrsP70]

Hi there, maybe that’s an option for me, thanks.

[Maggity]

Hi there, yes I get a croaky throat with my inhalers and I always make sure I gargle as well as rinse my mouth after taking them. Seems to help.

[Jennywenny in reply to Maggity]

Hi there, maybe I’m just unlucky after doing everything I should.

[Danielmystar]

I've been on Trimbow for a few years but it's only been the last few weeks that my throat is affected the same as yours .

[Jennywenny in reply to Danielmystar]

Hi there, that’s interesting. What is your dosage and do you use a spacer? Are you finding your voice is impacted a lot? I’m a bit of a talker and I’m always apologising for my croakiness. I’m concerned people might think I’ve got germs!!

[Danielmystar in reply to Jennywenny]

I'm on the next trimbow means the higher one it's 172/5/9 2 puff in morning 2 puffs evening I've been on it for ages but the last few weeks my throat goes croaky I lose my voice also my throat goes completely dry I have started on mints but they don't help much im having trouble bringing up phlem so choking while coughing yes I use a spacer all the time .

[Jennywenny in reply to Danielmystar]

Hello again. I’m on the lesser level of Trimbow. I suck sugar free sweets, gargle, wash my mouth out and use a throat spray but nothing really helps. I think I’ll go back to being referred for speech therapy again as mentioned today.

[Danielmystar in reply to Jennywenny]

Hi I allways rinse my mouth aswell thing about Trimbow for me it's a good inhaler without it I'm not sure where I would be .

[Jennywenny in reply to Danielmystar]

Yes I get that, it is good but I’m tired of hearing my own voice! perhaps I’d better talk less! It’s also the slight discomfort all the time.

[Danielmystar in reply to Jennywenny]

I hate when my voice goes croaky but then my voice goes completely I sip water but it dosnt last so then it's polo mints

[Coughingalltheway]

Hi Jenny,

I had exactly the same problem with Trelegy. I'd go to speak and my voice would just croak like I was losing my voice, especially if I hadn't spoken for a while. I swapped to Trimbow this month and that side effect seems to have gone. Perhaps you could try Trelegy instead? they're very similar. Good luck.

[Jennywenny in reply to Coughingalltheway]

Thanks very much for your reply.

I’ve just been trialling Trelegy and unfortunately, my voice was worse. I was attracted to it because it’s just one puff a day. Do you use a spacer?

[Coughingalltheway in reply to Jennywenny]

Yes I do, I find that it helps but you can't use one with Trelegy. I found that the Trelegy powder made my throat close up so I wasn't sure how much of it was actually getting into my lungs. I have a spacer with a mask for Trimbow which I find works better.

I'm fairly new to all this but there may be other triple inhalers out there? Might be worth a phone call to your respiratory team?

My husband is quite deaf now so the combination of his lack of hearing with my voice keep going wasn't working very well! 😏

I hope that you manage to sort it. Good luck.

Jan x

[Stoer]

I've never been on the same inhaler as you, but I've had a croaky/hoarse voice in the past. After having it for 2-3 weeks I went to my GP and got an urgent referral to ENT. Two weeks later I had my appointment. My vocal cords weren't closing so I was then referred to a voice therapist for treatment - which worked.

[Jennywenny in reply to Stoer]

Hi there. That’s a very interesting point because in the past I have been referred to ENT and it was found that the inhaler I was using at the time was probably responsible for affecting my voice box. I think I’m gonna have to revisit that. Thanks for reminding me.

[Purple4710]

Hi Jenny, I have just started taking this as an inhaler prescribed by Doctor instead of Fontaine.So far nothing untoward re symptoms but would prefer something in tablet form

Christine

[Jennywenny in reply to Purple4710]

Hi Christine, my doctor has told me there is not a pill that is registered in this country except for one which can cause serious mental health issues. It’s called Montelukast. So I wouldn’t take that. Are you using a spacer?

[Purple4710 in reply to Jennywenny]

I put my Inhaler in my mouth and press for 2 Puffs morning and nightNot sure what you mean re Spacer 🤔

[Jennywenny in reply to Purple4710]

I thought everyone who had been using an inhaler was issued with a spacer. I have two or three. I use the Clement Clarke Able spacer. It’s a plastic tube like thing with a mouth piece where you place your inhaler and it makes sure you get all the medicine. Often some escapes when you don’t use one. I’ve tried using my inhaler without the spacer and the medicine seems to just go on my tongue.

[suef]

I just put inhaler in my mouth twice in morning & night. Im fine with it. X

[Jennywenny in reply to suef]

I envy you.

[jackdup]

I believe Trimbow has a steroid component and some people get a croaky voice when using an inhaler with a steroid. I used Symbicort years ago and it also had a steroid component and it made my voice croaky/hoarse.

This is from the COPD Foundation website.

Some side effects of combination bronchodilator and inhaled corticosteroids include shaky hands (tremor), fast heartbeat, thrush (a whitish film covering your throat and tongue), a sore throat or a hoarse voice.

[Jennywenny in reply to jackdup]

Yes that’s correct Jack, Trimbow contains a very small quantity of steroid as does Trelegy and many others.

[Chinadoll81]

Hi Jenny I'm also on Trimbow and it affects me the same way

On phone calls with one of my daughters, I sometimes have to apologise cutting conversation short as find I'm getting very hoarse. Also. Does not help me much

Was on it in 2021 and then put on Trelegy . Found that more effective with none of the side effects but, eventually, wasn't giving me the same relief. Have a real problem here which I believe is due to the healthboard as couldn't believe it when 'new' inhaler prescribed was Trimbow!!!!! Using it and back to the same problems I had using.it the.first time. Asking Dr to put me back on Trelegy; although there are.newer inhalers out there but seems Healthboard chooses to ignore them. Trelegy would be a good choice for you

Hoping, with not using it for a while, will find it beneficial again

Blessings and love.

[Jennywenny in reply to Chinadoll81]

Hi there, thank you for sharing that with me. I have tried Trelegy very briefly, my voice was worse sadly. I’m really at the end of my tether with the roughness of my voice. I’m trying to have just one puff twice a day instead of two. I’m not holding up much hope. it seems that we are the unlucky ones because clearly not everybody suffers like we do with Trimbow.

Best wishes

[SuziElley]

you probably do this already, but make sure you wash your mouth out thoroughly after using your inhaler. Also try to gargle as this will help clear any residue from your throat.

[Jennywenny]

Hi Suzi, thank you for your reply. Yes, I do gargle and rinse and everything else I’ve been told to do, but I still have a hoarse voice. I’ve been talking to my doctor this morning and he’s going to re-refer me to the ENT Department at the hospital where I was told I had mucus retention cyst in the vallecula. This causes hoarse voice.At the time I was discharged saying that this would be no problem because I had come off the particular inhaler I was on.

Somebody on here mentioned It could be an ENT problem and it dawned on me that this might be the case. This was back in March 2020 so anyway, my doctor is going to re-refer me for investigation.

Another point is I can’t get into this forum without logging in every time. So sometimes I forget what my password is! I don’t know how to go about getting in automatically. It’s very frustrating.

[Purple4710]

Just to update you all, I have now been subscribed a chamber to use with my Inhaler. Hope it's better and don't get a sore throat when using the Inhaler