Hi everyone,
I have just received a copy of my consultant's letter to my GP. One of the things he states is that if i do have a degree of asthma it is likely to be resistant to steroids (based on my history and current experience.) Does anyone have any experience of this?
Thanks Jac xxx
Hi JF, Me and my teenage son have a resistance to steroids, it takes ages for our asthma to come under control. GP thinks it's because we've both had so many courses we've built up a tolerance. This might be so in my case (I'm 52) but my son showed resistance from quite a young age. Medics often say 'he should be showing the benefit by now' after a few days of steroids and seem puzzled! Don't know what the answer is (they do wonders for my ezcema tho'!).
hi
i have been on steroids for 15 months now (brittle asthmatic) yet still have no control of symptoms, steroid resistant, despite 40mg daily :S
trying xolair injections from thursday see if that will help :S not sure of other options sorry, just to let u know ur not alone 
x x x
Hi Jac,
Me again Probably shouldn't be answering this really as like you I'm a rather doubtful 'asthmatic' if one at all, but just curious. Did they mean resistant to oral steroids like pred or inhaled steroids - or both? I can't remember if you said you'd tried the usual inhaled ones like Clenil and whether they worked for you but they did very little for me and that was making me think before it was 'confirmed' that maybe they were right and it wasn't asthma despite symptoms - I didn't know you could have asthma that started off right away being resistant to steroids.
If you meant oral ones please ignore this as I've never had them (seems like I'm not missing anything there) and can't even offer shared experience!
I have been described as steroid resistent by my consultant, but I am not sure if this is linked to a combination of having asthma and ABPA because at the time I was put on maintence pred (as having very frequent courses of pred to try and sort asthma out) and intraconazole as nothing seemed to help. To be honest still on high dose inhaled steroids as well. To be honest my asthma has been awkward from day one as has never behaved or responded as it is supposed to ie ventollin, bryicanyl and atrovent don't work well for me. Nearly 12 months from him saying this I still do not have control of my asthma and ABPA. At the back of my mind I have days when I wondered if it is actually asthma.... even though I have been told yes it is definately asthma by three consultants at different hospitals over a long period of time.
Yep, I have a resistancy to oral steroids, takes ages for them to work. Sometimes, because I'm on long term Pred I've thought what's the point, but I suppose I have to trust my consultant on this. Very difficult now I've developed further problems as a result of the Pred. 
Thanks for all of your replies,
I have needed high dose steroid inhalers from the beginning with my asthma (diagnosed in my 20's) but never understood why until now reading these replies.
Philomela, i think it means resistant to all steroids, therefore needing higher/longer doses. This is why he has mentioned me trying a very low dose of oral steroids long term. I was on 8 - 12 puffs of symbicort 200/6 for 5 months until end Jan and did not calm my 'asthma' down at all (althiough i now know i have something else going on too.)
Malawi2, i have had asthma confirmed by two previous consultants (in my 20's and 30's) it is only now in my 40's they have looked in depth and found something else wrong. My asthma is still not behaving totally like asthma but they are not saying i don't have it. By the way, what is ABPA please?
Jac xx
Ratty it must be so frustrating to have a second problem because of the first problem!!
JF ABPA is allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis which is basically aspergillus which is a mould/fungi in your lungs which causes an allergic reaction and inflammation in your lungs. Once you have it in your lungs you are unable to eradicate it completely and there is no cure. Antifungals help control the level of fungus/mould in your lungs. You can be unlucky and develop the invasive version of aspergillosis which is pretty nasty.
asthma 
Biologicals for Asthma 
tapering off steroids
