Just thought i'd pop a message and say hi. I'm 32 and have been asthmatic since i was about 3, as a child i was always in and out of that place they call hospital. We moved up north and my asthma seemed to improve and i managed to get some control with only 1 or 2 flare ups a year requiring antibiotics and steroids.
I've just finished (yesterday) my second course of steroids and antibiotics in the last month. My inhalers have been increased in the last month from seretide 125, to seretide 250 and now (since friday) seretide 500, i've also just been started on montelukast, i'm really hoping that this does the trick, as 10 days ago i felt the same then had a relapse. Its also my 4th big exhasterbation since dec 2010 and work are getting at me for having so much time off, grrrr.
It doesn't take much of a drop in my pf to make me feel unwell, i can usually blow around 480, however at 430 i'm tight and wheezy and by 400 needing steroids, even after this course my best this morning was 450.
Sorry for such a long first post, just thought i'd try and fit as much in as i could whilst saying hi
Hi tordyjo and welcome to the forum! Sorry to hear you've been having more flare-ups recently - I hope the Seretide manages to get a grip on it. Obviously things are different for everyone but I found montelukast made a big difference for me, and it didn't take long to start working either. If it doesn't work maybe time to ask for a referral (unless you're already seeing a consultant)?
I've found this forum a really great place to get advice/help/have people to moan to who understand; I hope you find it the same. The asthma nurses (number top left of page) are also really helpful; I've rung them several times and always found them very understanding and able to give useful advice.
Hi there! I'm farely new to the forum and I'm finding it a massive help and support so I hope you get the same out of it.
I'm sorry to hear your having troubles at the minute, I know how that feels. I'm on my 3rd week off sick from work after having 2 massive attacks in 2 weeks, both ending up with me being hospitalised for min 17 hours. I'm currently on steroid reduction and waiting a broncoscopy on 15th Nov to check my lungs and vocal cords. Must say its driving me mad now, not good at being cooped up at home!
Anyway I digress sorry .... I was having no ends of problems last year with my asthma and my consultant tried Symbicort but I had a bad reaction to it (major palpitations and hospitalisation) so I'm now on Seretide 500 and it works brilliantly for me, well when I'm not having a bad flare up that is LOL. I also take Montelukast and couldn't do without that either, I know about it if I miss a tablet I'll put it that way. I think that combination seems to do the trick for me so I really hope it helps you to feel better and get back to normal.
If you ever want to talk, rant, moan etc please feel free to PM me
Jill (MooMoo) x
Sorry to hijack your thread tordyjo (I'll be quick) - Jill, interested to see about your reaction to Symbicort! I also had a reaction to it, not as bad as yours but asthma nurse said you didn't get reactions like that, it would just be a rash or something - but I had a flare-up that closely corresponded to starting Symbicort.
tordyjo, just so I'm not completely hijacking this thread wanted to say a) I've found combinations can work where one thing doesn't do much (my Ventolin just doesn't work if the preventers aren't doing their job, and I don't know that the Intal would be doing anything if I weren't on montelukast as well). b) Please also feel free to PM me any time.
My reaction to Symbicort was very quick on starting to take it and very pronounced as well. I started with the usual shakes and then it quickly progressed onto papiltations with my heart rate rocketing up to 160bpm which is when I ended up being hospitalised with a severe reaction. I was put on nebs and oxygen and had to stay in hospital for 48 hours while they got my heart rate back down to a managable rate. I was immediately taken off Symbicort. When I had a follow up with the Dr he did say that Symbicort can cause an increased heart rate due to the combination of meds. I must admit I will never try it again but I do know others that take it successfully without any side effects. I'm just weird when it comes to medication and reactions! LOL
Sorry to hijack your thread Tordyjo. You seem to have very sensistive lungs with you showing effects with a small change in your peakflow, I am the same and it drives me mad tbh. Hope the Seretide helps x
thanks for the welcome and no problems with the thread hi-jack.
I can already feel a difference since friay with the increase in seretide - how quick does the montelukast take to work?? I know they say if there's no improvement within 4 weeks its unlikely to work for you but am going back to see gp in a week - should i be noticing a difference by then or soon, i've now had 3 doses.
I'm off work again this week - with a drs note, feel better in myself but i'm always my own worst enemy, feel ok then do too much, need to learn to rest and recover, just walked to the bus stop (at the end of the street) and back to meet my daughter and have had to have my ventolin twice.
I know that when my pf goes below 400 into in the 380's that i'm really not well, so try to start steroids as soon as i can, i now have a stash in the cupboard if i feel i need them.
Hi,
Montelukast should start to work pretty quickly. I noticed it starting to work after 3 days ie 3 doses, though I think with some people it can be a bit longer; would say you ought to be noticing something after a week though it might be hard to tell what with the Seretide going up as well. It's supposed to have its full effect after about 6 weeks, which I must have reached by now but I can't tell what with ups and downs, flare-up with Symbicort and then having to double the Montelukast dose after that to get things back under the semi-control I have right now.
Know what you mean about having to pace yourself, I never learn usually. Slowed my walking right down and made things worse about 6 months ago because I decided it would be a good idea to go on a 5 mile walk and try to keep up with people I didn't know.
Hi and welcome. Me and my 14 yr son have asthma. He was put on montelukast when he was about 8 and it made a big difference (but took a while to kick in). We are both on the trusty Seretide and it's certainly the best preventer I've ever had. We also take Phyllcontin and again, the improvement was noticeable in my son (within about a month).
Do you know what your triggers are? Colds/exercise/allergies are our triggers. My son takes meds for allergic rhinitis and I am on an antihistamine. We also take extra vits to try to boost our immune systems. Anyway, good luck and I hope things improve for you.
Hi hope your asthma settle soon and welcome.
Gill
Hi and welcome to the forum.Hope your asthma settles down soon for you xxx
hi im just new to here too, was told asthmatic in September 2011, after being poorly for a year , was getting peak flow of 150 on a bad day 270 on a good day , now managing to get 340 which feels a good jump for me but still not quite controlled yet. Really pleased i found this forum because feel like work collegues get sick of me complaining about how i feel and at least here i can talk to people who have same things wrong and get help and support and also good place to make new friends
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