Unstable

I have had asthma for a long time, 20 plus years and all was stable until last year. Basically controlled with 2 puff morning and night of seretide.

Everything seemed to change this time last year with a bad spell in February were i started a course of pred and was on steroid nebs for a few weeks.

Asthma settled down a bit until a bad spell in July were I spent a week in hospital and thought my time was up.

My medication was changed in hospital and have been on 40mg Pred basically since then. When I try to wean myself off pred, my peak flow just drops like a brick. Another 2 days before I try to wean myself off the pred and my consultant has said to try to reduce it by 5mg every 3 days to see if this works. Here's hoping as I think I have only been pred free for about 2 weeks since last july. Had a bone scan in December to get a baseline incase of problems with my bones due to steroids. Came back as normal. Which was good. On AdCal supplement as well for bones. Lovely!! Not!!

Also on 12 puffs Symbicort (200/6) a day, Singular 10mg 1 a day. Ipatropium bromide nebs uptp 4 a day and ventolin nebs up to 6 a day.

Say my consultant last week and asked about reviewing my medication to see if I could get my asthma more stable. They did some test, like a breathaliser test and said that the steroids were doing what they should be doing. Not sure what the test was.

The consultant is talking about Uniphyllin now, but they are sending me for a CT scan to check that there is nothing else lurking in my lungs before they start me on this.

Not sure about uniphyllin as i have read some bad stuff about it, but if it gets my lungs working again I think I would put up with the side affects.

Seems like the last year has been neverending.

Worrying about work, the mortgage, the kids as I am having to take time off work all the time as I am that unstable.

Not sure how I have gone from being Asthma stable, to this unstable in the space of a year..

Sorry for the rant an rave, but just wanted to let off some steam!!

[Hidden]

Sorry to hear you are having such a bad time, this is one of the worst periods that I have had for years and it seems never ending, too many drugs, too much time off work, it all feels like one viscious circle and it is never a quick fix. So frustrating !

Here's hoping that we all start picking up soon.

[Skee-skee]

Sorry to hear you have had such a rough spell.I think the 'breathalyser' test might have been to test the levels of nitric oxide, which gives an indication of how inflamed your lungs are. It is really tricky (for me anyway) to blow out at the correct speed!Uniphyllin (or other versions of theophylline) has come up quite a few times before- have you looked at some of the old threads I find it makes me feel a bit sick but it does improve my asthma. I think it would be worth a try, to see if it would help you reduce your steroid dose.Did you know that symbicourt also comes as a 400/12 inhaler- that way you would only have to take half the number of puffs? Hope you start to improve soon. You are welcome to rant away, that is what the forums are for!Bryony

[Hidden]

unstable....

Dear Neilwatters

sorry to hear you are having problems. Rant away this is the place. Hope things improve for you soon. Take care of yourself...big hug