Fostair side affects?

[Hetty1999]

I’m 21 and I’ve been taking fostair 100/6 4 puffs a day for about 5 months now, and at first I had the usual side affects - hand shaking, headaches and slight nausea, but they subsided mostly (still get hand shaking) after about a month and the inhaler has made a massive difference to my asthma. But for the past 3 months I have been getting these sort of episodes of sickness. I’ll suddenly feel cold chills, then too hot, I’ll feel sick and completely repulsed by the thought/sight/smell of food, I’ll feel weak with no energy and every muscle in my body will ache. It’s awful, it’ll usually happen 3 times a week and will last the entire day. It’s really strange, and definitely feels connected to the inhaler. And even more recently I’ve been having massive mood changes that start about 20 minutes after taking my morning dose of fostair, I’ll feel so agitated, restless and angry? Every sense almost feels too sensitive, a simple touch can agitate me into anger. I’ve mentioned this to my gp, but she has kind of brushed it off before I’m able to explain more into it, she’ll just say that only systemic steroid can give bad side affects. But this is really affecting me, especially the mood changes almost immediately after taking my inhaler.

Has anyone experienced this with inhalers? How do I get a doctor to take is seriously?

[Poobah]

Are you able to discuss this with the asthma nurse? Or your pharmacist? I know from experience how difficult it can be to persuade a doctor that a medication is making you sick. If you're able to talk to another professional (nurse or pharmacist) first, i suspect they will take you seriously and refer you to the GP, who will then be more likely to hear you out because someone else has recognised the problem. That said, they might not know what to do, other than change you to a different inhaler.

It could be you don't tolerate the steroid well. It can affect mood and make you nauseous, usually if you're taking oral steroids, but if you're super sensitive to steroids then any amount may affect you but would affect you very quickly. If you are sensitive to steroids then it wouldn't just be Fostair that makes you feel unwell, all inhalers containing steroids would have the same effect.

All that aside, have you had a test for covid? The symptoms appear to be quite wide ranging and your symptoms may not be linked to Fostair at all.

Your doctor should at least explain why they don't think your symptoms are linked to Fostair and then investigate them in order to treat them, especially if they are affecting your weight and your ability to function day to day.

[Hetty1999 in reply to Poobah]

I have booked an asthma review but I’m waiting to hear back at the moment. It’s definitely been frustrating as I know how awful I feel, even more frustrating when doctor just says “is probably anxiety” ! I’ve been on other lower dosed inhalers and have gradually moved up but it’s only since being on fostair for a few months that I’ve started to feel awful. Had a covid test when it first started happening, neg as I suspected, plus the illness episodes are so frequent and come and go that it can’t be a caught illness (and I don’t go near anyone since covid!)

Thanks for the reply

[Poobah in reply to Hetty1999]

A couple of things that need checking, Vit D levels and potassium levels, the latter as Fostair can affect levels to the point where a deficiency occurs leading to muscle fatigue. The patient leaflet does highlight the potassium issue. Low VitD can also affect health in all sorts of ways and may be low if you haven't had sufficient exposure to summer sun (our winter sun is not strong enough to give us sufficient exposure in order to produce VitD).

Good luck with your review.

[Hetty1999 in reply to Poobah]

I had a vit d test a while ago which came back low so I’ve been taking a good amount of vitamin d supplements for a few months now so I think vitamin d can be ruled out. But I’ll definitely ask about the potassium, although I take lots of vitamins and eat well so I’m not sure. x

[Wheesy]

I hope this does not read or cause any offence to any reader in any way

If you read the leaflet supplied with your fostair or look up the side effects of fostair you will find that what symptoms that you are suffering from are listed. I suggest that you bring this to the attention of any medical professional and hope that this will overrule what they are saying and prescribe something more appropriate to your requirements.

[ChrissieMons]

Just in case it isn't connected to the inhaler, you could ask for some blood tests to rule out anything else.

[AxKlein89]

It sounds like adrenal insufficiency - it happened to me while on Fluticasone.

I would suggest taking an ACTH stimulation test, to rule out any adrenal problems.

[Hetty1999 in reply to AxKlein89]

I did come across this when having a look online about fostair/steroid inhalers side affects. It’s like I have flu that comes and goes every couple days, and the mood changed after taking my inhaler are crazy! Totally not like myself. Hopefully I can get an asthma nurse to look into it.