reducing inhalers

one of my colleagues today was saying she's been told sometimes to try stopping her preventer inhaler to see if she can last 6 months without it but if anything kicks off the asthma like a cold or something them to re-start it again. I don't understand the logic in this. From what i can work out she's only on a normal preventer (1 puff twice a day unless ill then double it) and reliever

Has anyone else ever heard of this, it doesn't seem like a very sensible plan to me but i didn;t say that to her - just said i hadn't heard of it before.

[Annista]

Like you, I've not been told to stop my preventer, although when I was using Flixotide and Ventolin I did stop using the Flixotide when I stopped needing the Ventolin because it was making me very anxious all the time. The upside was that I felt great without the meds but the downside was that a cold would knock me for six.

Now I'm using Symbicort I don't get the anxiety that I had before and, even though my preference is not to take any medication at all, I have no intention of stopping it. I am, though, gradually reducing the amount I use as long as I am symptom free - I can always increase it again if necessary, but I'm more comfortable using the minimum amount possible.

[yaf_user681_30355]

I have heard of it jinglfairy.

My friend's asthma can vary between mild to moderate and she adjusts her inhalers accordingly. The only advice I would give your colleague is as soon as she is needing her ventolin more than twice a week, restart the preventer.

Jac