Oral thrush and Inhaled steroids - Asthma Community ...

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Oral thrush and Inhaled steroids

EdinburghLass1977•

Hi there, I’m on high dose a Relvar and Incruse and I have oral thrush permanently. I use Daktarin oral gel which makes it more bearable. If I stop the Daktarin gel for even a day then it becomes much worse. Ive also had short courses of fluconazole...which work great but within a week the thrush is right back again. It never completely clears up. I clean my teeth and use chlorhexadine mouthwash after taking my inhalers but I don’t know what else to do really 🤷‍♀️ Relvar has been the best treatment for my asthma so far and it doesn’t come as an inhaler that can be used with a spacer. So frustrating that it never clears up for any length of time. Anyone have any advice?

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Cheetahstar884 years ago

Do you use a spacer? Not sure you can with those inhalers but they can help with this. I've known recurrent thrush be caused by low hb (haemaglobin) once. Worth getting your levels checked? And maybe worth a trip to the gp for a more intense treatment. I absolutely hate oral thrush and something I always get if I have a chest infection. Adds insult to injury. Hope it improves for you soon x

Poobah4 years ago

You poor thing, oral thrush is a blooming horrible thing. Apart from the good oral hygiene that you already perform, I've read that eating a low/no sugar diet is good as the candida has little to feed on (other than the meds). Salt water rinses are also recommended together with flossing.

I always gargle with mouthwash as well as use it as a mouth rinse as it's my throat that's my weak spot.

EdinburghLass19774 years ago

Thanks, unfortunately these inhalers don’t come as an MDI so I can’t use a spacer. Will have a look at the low sugar diet though. That sounds helpful.

Jimmy-Lyden4 years ago

All I can suggest, and what I've been told by several GP's is to gargle, gargle, gargle.

EdinburghLass19774 years ago

Thanks I’m gargling away!

Statch4 years ago

Am on relvar 184/22 and have found brushing my teeth straight after using it helps a bit.

But I got some nystan on prescription which is a lot better than daktarin maybe worth asking for that

EdinburghLass19774 years ago

Thanks. I’ve had Nystatin before so might try it again x

strongmouse4 years ago

I was on fostair but asked to change to relvar as I was getting side effects from the fostair (hands trembling a lot - hard to thread a needle!). Tried the relvar and ended up with the same problem you have had, oral thrush, inspite of very good oral hygiene, gargling etc. Kept on with it for a while but decided that the side effects of the fostair were preferable to the ones from the relvar. Since coming off the relvar and back on the fostair - using a spacer and good oral hygiene - the problem cleared up.

It seems many of the inhalers have side effects it just depends which one works for you and gives you the side effects you can most tolerate.

EdinburghLass1977 in reply to strongmouse4 years ago

Thanks. I was on seretide before Relvar. I’ve never tried Fostair but might ask if I can try it as at least I will be able to use a spacer with it. This is just so miserable. I can’t taste my food, my tongue stings and is so painful when I eat and my mouth is always so dry and sore.

strongmouse4 years ago

Yes the relvar worked well for me but as you say the thrush isn't pleasant. Definitely try the fostair with a spacer and see if that works better for you.

EdinburghLass1977 in reply to strongmouse4 years ago

Thanks so much for your help x

Ostrowta4 years ago

In addition to the other comments. I find sometime the thrush acts up if my mouth too dry. So, I will also use biotin which helps keep the mouth moist.

jdylm4 years ago

A nasty side effect of my long-acting inhaler, Dulera, is oral thrush. The dentist is actually more concerned about it than my lung doc. She recommended gargling twice a day (and particularly at night) with a 1:1 mix of food-grade hydrogen peroxide and water. Do NOT swallow. In addition, she advised wiping the throat and inner mouth with a clean washcloth, as if to scrub off the thrush. That can be easier said than done, especially in the sensitive back of the throat. I find it easier to do that with a new or sanitized toothbrush, moistened with a little water and baking soda, or a bit of toothpaste. Both of those strategies work for me and help keep the thrush at bay, along with a low-sugar, low-carb diet and lots of water.

JackLina3 years ago

I have, after around 30 years of taking Clenil and Salbutamol, devloped a really bad case of something thst seems to have taken the skin off my tongue. It is really sore and my asthma is just not under control at all.

Does anyone use an electric nebuliser? I bought on e to try but don't know what to put in it. Instructions say you shouldn't use it with just steam.

crille3 months ago

Hi,

Perhaps the mouthwash is causing you to have problems with thrush.

I only gargle my mouth thoroughly with warm water after each application, and then I brush my teeth with toothpaste. I have used this routine now for about ten years, and have had any issue with thrush.

crille in reply to crille3 months ago

Hi, me again. The last sentence should of course read "have not had any issue..."

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