Fostair ? Good or bad ?

[Sazb3010]

Hi everyone after years of my asthma being controlled it's all changed, the last year I've had constant chest infections one after the other as soon as the antibiotics and steroids finish it's back I've had blood tests , X-rays and recently a ct scan I've done sputum tests that have grown a fungus but that's all I know, I'm waiting on the results of the ct scan and while I'm waiting they have put me on 2 puffs twice a day of fostair and ventolin when I need it. The problem is I seem to be worse on the fostair and seem to be constantly puffing on my ventolin, I also get racing heart the shakes and breathlessness is 2 puffs morning and night to much for me can you just have 1 puff twice a day as I really want to give it a try as heard lots of good things about it ? . Sorry for the ramble 😳 (P.s I've heard fostair can mess with other medication)

[andy121]

Hi .I have been on fostair 2 puffs morning and 2 puffs in evening and extra puffs when needed since january, as like you I had lots of chest infections and uncontrolled asthma. The fostair took abit of getting used but now I think its the best thing ever. Give it a few weeks to work the shakes should go as you get used to it. I wouldnt reduce the dosage without talking to your nurse or doctor first or ask for telephone appointment if your worried. Bear with it hopfully the fostair will be good for you too.

[Sazb3010 in reply to andy121]

Thank you for your reply I'm going to give it another go, I kind of feel like I'm always puffing on my inhaler where as when I was on seretide before they started changing everything I would only use ventolin maybe once or twice a week. It's so hard to speak to my doctor as his English is very limited. Will keep trying and hopefully over the next week or so I'll need my ventolin less it's strange going from never needing ventolin and never being tight chested to using it 6/7 times a day and always tight chested and wheezing ?? Who knows

[gamba]

I'm sorry to hear you're not well. If I was you I'd give the fostair a go but if it's not agreeing with you ask for something else or go back on the Seretide. My doc switched me to fostair and I just couldn't get on with the side effects - now I am back on Seretide and everything is fine.

[CDPO16]

Hi, I am on Fostair and it works very well for me. Last year my specialist took me off it and prescribed Seretide. Within a week I was much worse in respect of breathlessness. When I had a review with him I asked to go back on the Fostair and within 2 days my breathing improved tremendously.

We don't all respond in the same way to different medications. Given your observations and comments it suggests that the Fostair doesn't suit you especially as you are needing to use your Ventolin more often and that in your case the Seretide is more effective. It would be best to speak to your Doctor or Pharmacist before stopping the Fostair.

[lakelover]

Hi, Fostair worked well for me when I started on it but over the 3-4 years I took it it gradually got less effective. I'm back on Symbicort now & doing better. I once had to have antibiotics for a non asthma problem. They were unusual ones for me & I was told not to have alcohol with them. As I'm teetotal I didn't think there'd be a problem. What I hadn't realised was that there is a small amount of alcohol in Fostair & I felt really ill while taking both.

[Sazb3010]

Hi thanks for your replys I think from tonight I'm gonna go back on the seretide I just feel so much worse since swapping but I'm also beginning to think that because I'm getting stressed and anxious that that is making my asthma worse ? So frustrating as been on the same medication for years with no problems 😳 I just wanted the chest infections to stop but now think I was better when I was just having them 😩

[Pie1948]

I was changed from Flutiform to Fostair in April, having had 5 months of infections. Lots ofcantibiotics and oral steroids. Since on Fostair I have not had any chest infections. I do need to take ventolin a couple of times a week. But I'm much better on Fostair.

[lafontaine]

I was changed to Fostair by the asthma nurse as, she said, I had been on Seretide 500 Accuhaler for quite a while and she wanted me to try a more up-to-date inhaler. I'd had no problems with Seretide. Within days my asthma got worse. I phoned said nurse and she advised me to keep taking Fostair for a couple of weeks and then see her. Within days I had a severe asthma attack at 2 a.m. one morning. I eventually manged to speak to my doctor. I called him and he called me back and decided to put me back on Seretide, using my nebuliser till I felt better. Fostair is not for me.

[Sazb3010]

I also think it's not for me I've been on seretide for 15 years with no asthma problems at all even when I've had a really bad chest infection it's not effected my asthma ? And in the last few weeks my asthma seems all over the place I'm on seretide 250 2 puffs morning and night does anyone know if there is a stronger seretide perhaps ?? Thanks

[elanaoali]

I tried fostair as to have a more up to date inhaler but didn't suit me. My chest started to ache after two days so took myself off it. Back onto seretide 250 2 puffs twice a day. Saw the asthma nurse ask to try 125. A frustration as when I picked up the prescription hadn't been changed to lower dose. Tried again now have 125 only draw back to remembering it takes 15 mins to make it work and the tendency to get oral thrush. Otherwise very pleased with this 'old' medication.

[Karjade]

I have been on Fostair about three years and my asthma has been under control. I used to be on Seretide but I was taken off this for some reason. I am on Fostair 200 and told to take 2 puffs twice a day but I only take one puff twice a day. I would give it another try xx

[Sazb3010 in reply to Karjade]

Hi I'm gonna give it another couple of days and see what happens I'm off on holiday next week so if no better in the next couple of days will go back on the seretide untill I see the asthma nurse on the 10th August 🙂

[Pippin3110]

I was once prescribed Fostair, my surgery did it as a blanket change from Seretide on the grounds of cost. Even my own GP did not know about the change. I had a severe allergic reaction to one of the ingredients and my face swelled up the first time I took Fostair. GP reported it as an adverse event and put me straight back on Seretide. Seems that Fostair is certainly not for everyone. Hope you get sorted soon and start to feel much better.