diane 63

[dianewinter63]

Hi every one i have copd i realized i had it in 2007 i stopped smoking ? i have a intolerance to every thing for copd i take inhalers Seratide , Atrovent , Sabutamol. my G P has just changed my Seratide to flutiform burned my mouth as soon as i used it , And that using a spacer as well can any one say if they had this problem thank you

[hufferpuffer]

Hello Diane, well done stopping smoking it was the best thing you could have done for yourself. Spacers are great for making sure you get all your dose of medication and rinsing your mouth after the inhalers should help prevent sore mouth/ thrush. Hope this helps, huff xxx

[dianewinter63 in reply to hufferpuffer]

i needed to stop was the smell and i wanted to live longer .. i have sorted out the inhalers i,m back on Seretide yey !!! thank you for your recommendations huff xx

[Annieosb]

Hi Diane,

like you I have never tolerated any of the COPD medication, it never seems to have an effect. At the moment, I take them but the only one with effect is salmol easy breath. However, they are now investigating the Aspergillus antibodies that have been present from 2009...will keep you all posted about the significance of this when I know.

Annie

[dianewinter63 in reply to Annieosb]

hi Annie , sad when we have an intolerance to medication that may have helped us ... i have very thin skin from the steroids in the inhalers ?? look forward to the results Annie x

[Offcut]

it is a case of trial and making sure your GP is aware of your problems and maybe see a specialist. I have RLD and not a lot works with me. Rinsing the mouth after using inhalers is a good idea.

Be wEll

[dianewinter63 in reply to Offcut]

thank you for your comments .. i do rinse my mouth and brush my tongue , but have to go careful brushing the tongue or i make it bleed thin skin :/

[barnowl1]

I had this problem and was changed to Spiriva respimat. Always clean teeth and brush tongue after use and no problems at all now. Hope this helps barnowl

[dianewinter63 in reply to barnowl1]

yes i do always ...its the only way thank you for your comments

[Shipley59]

I have the same problem everything i use for my copd which ive had for 3 years makes my throat sore and itchy i also use a spacer which makes no difference. I take spiriva symbicort and ventilin my gp dosnt bat an eyelid wen i complain about them making my throat sore n itchy. I always rinse after taking them as well .

[peege in reply to Shipley59]

Have you tried using a lot of plain, live yoghurt Shipley?. When my throat is bad I even gargle with it! Some of us have a tendency to thrush regardless of gargling.

Mine is much improved since moving from powder accuhaler to normal spray type. I rinse & gargle both before (to dilute the product touching inside my mouth) and twice afterwards.

Also, I avoid any form of sugar so thrush/candida cannot grow in my system (thereby keeping my weight healthy too).

good luck Dianne

[Shipley59 in reply to peege]

Thanks for that peege will give it a go as my throats really bad at the moment xx

[dianewinter63 in reply to peege]

hi Peege yes i think it goes with the illness especially some antibiotics ,, not very pleasant ...

[dianewinter63 in reply to Shipley59]

Hi Shipley i know some times our G P s Treat the symptom and not the patient ... i have a few illnesses trying to get an appointment is a joke i live in a small village ... ask for some oral daktarin ?? its what my dentist gave me a while back x

[Paulaw22]

Hi I have chronic asthma and I was changed from Seratide to Fluctiform earlier last year. Initially I felt ten years younger and my palpitations eased but after three months I felt really depressed. Now I know it wasn't the Fluctiform at all but I had a mass in my kidney that has been giving me symptoms. I always take my inhaler then brush my teeth and wash my mouth out. Also the mouth piece must be washed regularly to prevent fungal infections. But my breathing has been much better with Fluctiform than any other inhaler I've used even my throat is better, as I was very hoarse.

My nurse told me there is another new inhaler that she would have tried me with if the Fluctiform didn't work but if your breathing is better and your ok with the spacer then stick with it. I would be worried that it's burning your mouth though maybe it's just the coldness as it comes out the inhaler? That's why the spacer works? As long as it isn't burning your airways.

Good luck but don't be afraid to ask questions it's your life look after it. Great stuff stopping smoking though! I've never smoked but was born with chronic asthma as my Mum had TB whilst having me.

[dianewinter63 in reply to Paulaw22]

Hi Paula yes i take on board what your saying i have an intolerance to so many things Antibiotics also ... we learn to adjust though it can be scary fighting to breath as you will know ... but we have to keep pushing dont we x

[Paulaw22 in reply to dianewinter63]

Yes definitely, you can't give up! We have one life and although we may think we carry a heavy load, there's alway some poor person whose liad is heavier. I have my lovely children and my beautiful dogs, who could wish for more? X

[warwickstag]

There's a massive strategy among GPs to stop prescribing Seretide due to the high cost. I have had mine removed and replaced with Symbicourt and I don't like the powder inhalers, much prefer the atomiser sprays. At my next review I'll be pushing for a different one but don't think I'll be allowed to go back to Seretide.

[Nanny49 in reply to warwickstag]

That's interesting. The respiratory nurse told me to try Symbicourt in place of Seretide but told me she wouldn't be popular with the GP as Symbicourt is nearly twice the cost of Seretide (actually £33 compared to £18 is what she told me). Either way, someone's making a great deal of money!!

[warwickstag in reply to Nanny49]

I think you've been misled as I believe the Seretide costs close to £70. The respiratory sister who changed mine is a senior nurse in the Leicestershire Health Authority and openly admitted it was a cost saving issue.

[peege in reply to warwickstag]

Wonder if there's a site giving the prices of drugs.

I was changed from Seretide spray to Seretide powder. False economy as the spray holds 120 doses compared to Accuhalers 60 - and it's deffo not half the price! I insisted on going back to the spray to save them money and my throat. P

[Nanny49 in reply to peege]

gmmmg.nhs.uk/docs/cost_comparison_charts.pdf‎ If you download, page 16 gives a cost comparison of all the most commonly prescribed inhalers. Am I reading it wrongly or does it suggest that Seretide is cheaper than Symbicort?

[peege in reply to Nanny49]

It's quite difficult to work out...... thank you very much for the link nanny49.

I could help having a good look at other stuff - £1.50 for 8 paracetamol tablets? They should use Tesco, .35p for 16 caplets !!!

[DoghouseDave in reply to Nanny49]

Symbicort 200/6 costs £38.00

[dianewinter63 in reply to Nanny49]

YES sad its all abut the money ... we have enough to worry about with out worrying about the monetary side of things x

[Paulaw22 in reply to warwickstag]

Fluctiform isn't a powder inhaler it's the same as Seratide but has two components an anti inflammatory and the type that's in Seratide that's why I was changed as Seratide wasn't working. I had symbicort before Seratide and I hated it couldn't take it especially after I had my thyroid op it made me choke.

[dianewinter63 in reply to warwickstag]

yes you fight your corner if Seretide .. Was right for you ... it shouldn't be about cost .. but thats exactly what is happening ... Good LUCK !!

[Paulaw22 in reply to warwickstag]

Please do ask my life was made a misery with symbicort I felt like I was having an attack just taking the damn thing. Seratide was better but I find Flyctiform even better. I'm more positive and have lost weight 28lb in four months (but think that might be due to the renal cancer though)

[FarmerD]

Hello Diane,I have very severe emphysema,Fev1 20%. They tried to change my Seretide to Flutiform but the Flutiform had no effect on me.As far as I know it,s not actually licensed for Copd treatment but if it works stick with it.I think it,s a money thing as Flutiform is a lot cheaper than Seretide which I,m now back on.Good luck D.

[soulsaver]

I had big side effects with seretide, less so with symbicourt but the sides went when I stopped taking inhalers that had a steroid componet. COPD doesn't always require a steroid component and if that's what is giving you problems you could try formoterol and/or Spiriva. Also be aware that acid reflux which we copders often also get can give you sore mouth/throat, don't eat or have coffee within 3 hours of bedtime and take a ranitidine (otc) before bed.

Good luck with getting it sorted.

[Paulaw22 in reply to soulsaver]

I be acid reflux with chronic asthma. Had it since I was in my early twenties