Hoarseness

[Shazza59]

Just looking for some tips on clearing up hoarseness. I have hoarseness due, I think, to powder Spiriva and it’s getting me down having conversations especially on the phone I have to keep clearing my throat or doing a little cough. I drink water after taking inhaler but not working. Any help appreciated, thanks Sharon x

[O2Trees]

Hi Shazza - I don't know if spiriva makes people hoarse, but I do know that people with lung problems often have reflux. Regulars here will be used to me banging on about reflux, especially what's called 'silent reflux' where the acid breaches the upper sphincter and gets into the trachea, sometimes affecting the vocal cords and causing hoarseness. Worth checking with your doctor.

Steroids are more known to cause hoarseness than spiriva but you don't mention using a steroid inhaler. I would gargle rather than just drink water after using your spiriva.

[Kristicats in reply to O2Trees]

Sometimes gargling with warm salt water relieved my hoarse throat and coughing from the Spiriva powder inhaler. Just been changed to Spiriva liquid inhaler today because of that reason. Good luck.

[Shazza59 in reply to Kristicats]

Thanks Chriskho, might ask to switch to different Spiriva, let me know how you get on on it. Going to also try the gargling. Take care.

[Shazza59 in reply to O2Trees]

Thanks O2Trees, will try gargling. I am on tablets for reflux for years and never suffered hoarseness from reflux. Not on any steroid inhaler, just Spiriva and Ventolin (only take very rarely). It has really only come about since Spiriva. Sharon

[Hidden in reply to O2Trees]

I have hoarseness ....been on the various sprivas and now on Incruse Ventolin and Forstairs. I have for sometime found at times my throat seems to tighten up when I am eating preventing me from swallowing...is that a symptom of reflux. I have to wait a minute or so then throat seems to relax and I can swallow. I haven't mentioned it to doc or respiratory nurse. Too scared to really as a guy on PR with CF said he had been asked if he had that symptom...he had t.

[O2Trees in reply to Hidden]

I used to have a pain like a tennis ball stuck down my oesophagus and trying to eat anything would make it much worse. It would subside after a while. This was back when I was 40 (oh the days, 72 now) and I was sent for a barium meal which showed hiatus hernia and reflux.

Mine was helped by sipping tiny amounts of warm water or ginger tea slowly so you could try that. Then the pain would fade away. So who knows? Yours could be reflux but could be caused by something else, and really you should talk to your doctor or nurse. I know its easy to feel scared, but think about it - if it was to be something scary, the sooner you get it seen to the better, and most probably it won't be. Always best to talk to your medics so they can help you.

[Hidden in reply to O2Trees]

Thankyou O2Trees, there is no pain just a moment of discomfort then food slowly slides down a bit then I can swallow. It's just like a pause in the throat function, it doesn't happen often but of course you are right, I should seek advice. I'm almost 75 and with my conditions which include heart failure I left it on the back burner assuming I wouldn't last long enough to bother about it. . I do have Ginger Tbags and I'll start using them. Thanks

[O2Trees in reply to Hidden]

Hmmm, it sounds a bit different to mine. But do see your doc and put your mind at rest. You could go on for a good few years - some folk with heart failure do!

[Hidden in reply to O2Trees]

Oh I do hope so.......I want at least another 10 years :))

[O2Trees in reply to Hidden]

Yes, and you'll probably get them, but you need to look after yourself properly !!! Get all the advice and info you need from your medics. We've all paid our taxes, we deserve the care they can provide for us.

[Roysieboy]

Hello Sharon. I was taking Spiriva and I had a voice problem. I was sent by the consultant to adult speech therapy classes. I attended the classes, I had exercises to do to strengthen the muscles around my vocal chords then they took me off Spiriva and after a few weeks my voice got better. It is still not right but it is a lot better than it was. I not so sure that it will get back to how it was. I was also given Omeprazole to take once a day to stop reflux. I can only think that all of this combined has helped me. I play bowls and when I ask a player at the other end of the green some 30yds away to play a shot, they can hear me now, where before they couldn’t. Bit long winded but hope it helps. Good luck and best wishes. 👍🤓

[Shazza59 in reply to Roysieboy]

Glad you can be heard now Roysieboy 😊. I am going to maybe buy something strong to gargle with. Will mention to doctor when next there. Thanks a million for letting me know how you got on. Sharon

[Jamathon13]

Hi Sharon. I have been hoarse for quite a while now and I am also fed up with clearing my throat and having to repeat things. I have had a camera put down my throat an also seen a speech therapist and they have all said it is to do with my reflux. I have tried all sorts of things suggested by the doctors but to no avail. Today I went to have my pulmonary rehab assessment and the nurse said it could be my inhalers. I have Spiriva and Symbicort powder inhalers and after all this time not one of the doctors or consultants said it might be your inhalers. Janet.

[Shazza59 in reply to Jamathon13]

Crazy, you’d think the doctors would be aware of this as seems quite common by the sounds of it. Are you going to try and switch inhalers? I think I will as it is really getting me down, Sharon

[Jamathon13 in reply to Shazza59]

Yes the nurse is going to look into it for me as regards different inhalers. Hope it is resolved soon and hope you have better results than me, good luck. Janet.

[Kristicats in reply to Jamathon13]

I tried everything after taking my Spiriva powder inhaler the best thing for me was gargling with mild, warm salt water. This also helped against throat infection.

[Jamathon13 in reply to Kristicats]

I always gargle after but never tried salt water. Another thing I was asked to try by speech therapist was drink water often but put aloe Vera juice in it, well I got through two large bottles using 20 ml per bottle of water but still no good, it isn’t cheap. Will try salt water who knows it might help. Thanks for the tip.

[Kristicats in reply to Jamathon13]

Worth a try different things work for different peeps. I use warm salt water because if my throat gets too sore I end up with a chest infection🙄

[Bella395]

Rinse mouth, gargle and spit after every treatment with inhalers. If aerosol, use a spacer e.g. Aerochamber.

[Shazza59 in reply to Bella395]

Thank you Bella, will give it a go and hope it works.

[annenic]

I used to get this after using my spiriva, I found the best way to get rid of it was to brush my teeth as soon as I had used my two inhalers fostair/spirivax

[Shazza59 in reply to annenic]

Will do that also thanks, I tend to just take big glugs of water. Do you not get hoarseness now? x

[Weeannie in reply to Shazza59]

No, it all seems to have gone away thankfully. I couldn’t hold a conversation without coughing and losing my voice. All good now though x

[lovejoyliz]

Hello Shazza59,

OK I used to be on the Spiriva capsule inhaler, worked well for a while, but yes there is a side effect of thrush that adds to the hoarseness, so after talking to my consultant he changed it over to the Spiriva Respimat inhaler which is in liquid and it made a marvellous change, he added Fostair inhaler.

Spiriva Respimat is very easy to use so you might like to ask your Consultant for a trial period for you on this one, I know it worked well for me and I also purchased an ABLE SPACER 2 to use with my Fostair Inhaler that cuts down the dry power into smaller particles to aid in lessening the thrush.

Good luck and I hope you succeed in improving your health

XX

[Kristicats in reply to lovejoyliz]

Have just been changed from Spiriva powder inhaler to Spiriva Respimat so hope it is kinder to my throat.

[Shazza59 in reply to lovejoyliz]

Will definitely ask my doctor about the Respimat, must be the powder inhalers causing the hoarseness. Thank you for your help x

[watergazer]

hi shazza59 I too have suffered from hoarseness I was sent first to the hospital to have a camera put down to see if there was anything sinister going on (had this done twice now and only takes a min or so} , then to language therapy for exercises to strengthen my muscles etc and I also sip honey and lemon in warm water and gargle. hope this helps. Maybe see your gp about it x

[Shazza59 in reply to watergazer]

Will do thanks. Will also try the honey and lemon as that sounds like it would help the throat. Take care x

[VoodooChile]

Hi Sharon

I have in the past found that it is easy to fall into bad habits when using inhalers. My pharmacist checks my techniques once a year. Getting your technique wrong can mean you end up with more powder on the back of your throat than in your lungs.

I have a swallowing problem and choke if I try to gargle. I rinse vigorously with water three times and only swallow the residue after the third rinse. This might sound extreme but I do not have an immune system at present and I am prone to oral thrush where prevention is far better than the cure.

Regards

Andy

[O2Trees in reply to VoodooChile]

I was told a long time ago by a respiratory nurse who was doing an Open University course that at best only 20% of any inhaled medication gets to the lungs, usually less, nearer to 10%

[Shazza59 in reply to VoodooChile]

Thanks Andy, sometimes feel like I have powder at back of throat so must check technique, maybe on YouTube. Thrush must be awful to get so hopefully the gargling helps with that. Take care x

[Alfiebax2]

Hi there ask your GP about carbocisteine as it helps to bring mucus up which sounds like your problem .I too take spiriva .....and carbocisteine and it helps .xxBabs ♥️

[lKeith]

Shazza59

Hi, try to get your GP to refer you to a throat specialist at your local hospital.They will give you tests and practices that will help your voice back to normal or near to normal. The practices will probably make you laugh but at the end of the day they will help. I've had them and will vouch for the treatments.

IKeith

[Shazza59 in reply to lKeith]

Haha need a laugh anyway lKeith. Will mention it to doctor and hopefully will refer me as driving me crazy clearing throat constantly and voice going. Sharon

[Dmactds]

After I do my once a day Spiolto inhaler (2 puffs), I brush my teeth and give it a good gargle with Listerine; when I don't, I also begin getting hoarse and develop a filmy blockage.

(...the above is meant only as personal experience and not medical advice intended for blind lemming-type adherence...)

Duncan

[Shazza59 in reply to Dmactds]

Oh Listerine sounds good Duncan, I am just drinking lots of water after my two puffs so maybe something stronger needed. Will purchase a bottle tomorrow. Thanks for tip.

[undine]

the best thing I've found for my throat whether hoarse or just sore is Olbas Pastilles - an acquired taste but worth it - maybe worth trying - good luck xxx

[Shazza59 in reply to undine]

Sometimes use Olbas oil for cold but never heard of Olbas pastilles , will keep an eye out for them thanks. xx

[undine]

I get them from Chemist direct online but think Boots stock them although they may cost more there xx

[robinc10]

I am just experiencing this hoarseness, I think its one of my asthma drugs, just changed for Revlar to Fostair in the hope. I also have IPF and take nintedanib The Brompton say it could be that but I dont really want to leave off as it is supposed to extend my life.