Causes for Aminophylline levels to go down?

Hi all,

I am set to increase my aminophylline tomorrow but this after my levels came out low repeatedly. So I had it done in October last year it was 9 and then had it rechecked this year and it’s at 6. I also lost quiet a bit of weight in between the two tests so I’m a little puzzled as to why it’s dropping in the levels?

Am I doing anything to reduce it? 🤔 I drink about a litre and a half of water a day. Is this likely to be the cause?

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador]

Sometimes it just happens as your body gets used to the drug, and not anything you’re actually doing.

When I was on theophylline I could easily go from toxic to untherapeutic (or vice versa) for no reason and no change of dose (in the space of a few days to a few weeks). Biggest swing was 15 to 3 in 10 days (BT leaving hosp, then BT my next admission). After the 3 they started aminophylline drip and in 12hrs it was 23 or something. Eventually we just gave it up as a bad drug for me (as I started getting tachycardia /palps even when untherapeutic).

If your levels have dropped and stayed low (and amino is a *relatively* new drug for you) then it’s probably your body just adapting to it and needing a higher dose.

Hope that helps

[Hidden in reply to EmmaF91]

Thanks for this I have had it increased before and had heart palpitations but that was not a 12 hour apart increase and I ended up coming off it. My asthma isn’t ever controlled really..tonight is increase night 😬