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confused

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hi, i'm new on here after trawling the net for info and just confusing myself even more. My asthma (had since birth) has been getting progressively worse, am now steroid dependant (daily pred) and use nebuliser daily. But just been told i have fixed airway obstruction. The dr said it was like copd (and my new inhaler says it is fir the treatment of copd) but asthma nurse said it is the same but is diferent!!!

What is going on?

sorry to write on here but I'm going crazy

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Welcome. I'm affraid I can't help as I don't have any experience of copd or fixed airway obstruction but I'm sure someone on here will know. If not then I think it would be worth asking a few more questions of your dr or nurse to help clear things up. Or speaking to the asthma nurses on here, the number's a the top of the page. Hope you find some answers soon. Lou x

Dear Farmer Pickles,

I have fixed obstructive asthma, for me it means that asthma has caused airway remodelling. My lower, small airways approx. 1/3rd no longer work at all, and i now have very little in the way of reversibility therefore it is ""fixed"" with a constant very low peak flow that barely improves with the use of nebulisers/inhalers like a normal asthmatic, but there is still some reversibility.

Have you been sent for full spirometry at the hospital or referred to see a consultant? Have they told you what your FEV1 is? if not i urge you to get a referral.

The inhaler you have been prescribed is it spiriva? it works well for some asthmatics and for copd, for me it is fantastic and helps to reduce lung hyperinflation. Fixed obstructive asthma often falls under the ""umbrella term"" of copd as it is both chronic (daily symptoms) and obstructive and is a pulmonary disease.

Good luck

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