Brown Inhalor doesn't do anything?

[littlecamelia]

I really don't think my brown inhalor does anything whatsover Didn't use for over a week and so no difference whatsover! Any ideas/evidence on efficacy?

[rileysmum]

I had the brown inhaler. It worked for a while, for Asthma, but then seemed to have no effect. I am now on different inhalers which seem to work better. You need to talk to your GP or Asthma nurse.

[Hidden]

The brown inhaler is the most important part of asthma treatment. Check you use it properly and regularly and your asthma problems should be prevented. The blue one is the reliever, to be used when you have problems.

Asthma problems are due to areas of inflammation. The brown inhaler reduces the inflammation and works over days, therefore may appear not to do anything.

The blue one relieves the symptoms but does not treat the underlying problem.

Have fun

[Gordon57]

A brown inhaler is a corticosteroid, which reduces inflammation. This is aimed directly at the lungs by being inhaled, rather than taken as a steroid tablet like Prednisolone.

A lot of patients will have the steroid as part of a red or purple combination inhaler, rather than one it's own. I have both a brown one and a green one, which is the preventer. It's the combination or preventer that is most important as that's the one which provides the medication that keeps the airways open. Some will have a powder inhaler, like Spiriva, to serve a similar purpose.

Not using the brown inhaler may not have an immediate effect unless you have a bout of coughing, which may then cause inflammation and soreness that increases the desire to cough and forms a vicious circle that makes the problem worse, and would then have to be treated some other way, like a course of Prednisolone.

By using your inhalers properly you help to prevent these sort of problems. If you're unsure about the effectiveness of the treatment you have, please talk with your COPD Nurse or Doctor. They give you the inhalers for a reason.

There's a very good section on inhalers and their purpose in one of the leaflets I often refer to :- sheffield.nhs.uk/respirator...

[James48 in reply to Gordon57]

Thanks for the link- excellent!

[kaz67 in reply to Gordon57]

Hi Gordon 57! I hope you had a good start to this new year,I was considering at one point to perhaps stop my son using the brown inhaler because it didn't seam to be effective but thought I better not & have always made sure he takes it, our GP was considering taking him of the brown inhaler aswell as the singulair, he took my son of the singulair because my son kept waking up screaming that he's has nightmares for over a month near the end of December. My son still say's he has bad dreams but it's got a lot less than it was, our Gp replaced the singulair with antihistamine a non-drousey one & said he's to take it twice a day for two weeks then he can stop using it,I said should I bring him back for a follow up check ,he said there's no need, but my son suffer's from rhinitis which I thought was a never ending cold but when I spoke to an asthma nurse she said the symptoms I'm describing sounds very much like rhinitis, because you can't have an ongoing cold constantly,he also has hayfever as well as asthma when there's pollen about & exzeama,though his exzeama is mild now.I'd like to mention how strange it is that my son was exposed to children with chicken pox three times in 2012 close contact as in hand contact & he didn't get it, but this year & Thursday just gone he has developed chicken pox which has been confirmed by our doctor & this is since my son has been taken of the singulair! he's been of it now for two weeks! I'm worried that my son is going to have another relapse, because even though my son is taking his brown inhaler still, plus the antihistamine he still has a runny nose,coughs & sneezes but not constantly! My surgery doesn't have an asthma nurse, i ring up asthma uk & ask to speak to a nurse which is a great help as I wouldn't know where to turn to, because you could say to the doctor I'd like a referal to an asthma nurse & the doctor would probably say I don't think it's necessary.I try not to go to the doctor unless it's necessary!.Anyway thank you for the info for the website about inhaler's I will have a read as soon as I can! My son is five now when is it necessary to see an asthma nurse!? I guess it's only when our child's asthma get's really bad or could I be wrong!? Anyway I hope all is good & hope that your well in your selves!

[moneal]

I like you, thought the inhaler was doing nothing, and did not bother to take it. Then I discovered that stopping it was a big mistake, after a bad breathless attack and a week of feeling ill I decided maybe it did do quite a lot. Plus I got the lecture from the GP where he explained what each inhaler did and why and what was going to happen if I stopped any of them.

I am sure I am not the only one who has thought I can cut back on this drug or inhaler and paid the price later. Now I follow the instructions carefully and fully. You live and learn as they say.

[wellman2 in reply to moneal]

Perhaps if Doctors Explained fully why they have prescribed inhalers and what each one is for and what to expect from each one lt might be helpful. Goes for all drugs really I find the pharmist is more help in that respect.

[littlecamelia]

Many (belated) thanks for all these replied. My practice nurse told me when I went for an asthma check the blue one was more important, so I guess I kinda thought the brown was less significant. Gordon57 what an informative reply and link Thanks again all