Sirdupla just prescribed for COPD

[anneabelle]

It is "not indicated for use in the treatment of patients with COPD" and yet the Medicines Optimisation Pharmacy Technician at our local CCG has changed my Airflusal prescription to this Sirdupla. I have COPD. Any bright ideas on what I should do next?

[stone-UK]

Hi

Try it for a month to see how it performs,

The active ingredient is salmeterol which is a COPD treatment brand name Serevent. Seretide and Advair

[Hidden]

I have been looking it up and it has the same active drug combination as Airflusal. It is an asthma preventative inhaler. Maybe they changed it because Sirdupla is cheaper.

[anneabelle in reply to Hidden]

Once before I was prescribed something that caused a bad reaction and eMC, the electronic Medicines organisation gave me the answer, so I now double check what I am being given. eMC says "The safety and efficacy of Sirdupla has not been established in patients with COPD and therefore Sirdupla is not indicated for use in the treatment of patients with COPD." (Pneumonia and bronchitis quoted) I wonder if anyone has actually found they have more pneumonia and/or bronchitis when taking Sirdupla. Undoubtedly it was changed because it was cheaper (and Airflusal "is no longer available"). I guess I can put up with it because I've had the pneumonia jab and have antibiotics at the ready for any bronchitis signs. But thank you for answering me, littlepom and stone-UK.

[Hidden in reply to anneabelle]

I am not sure if you have copd. Bronchiectasis is not copd. The drug is an asthma drug which you say you have. I suggest that until you get a proper diagnosis you are cautious about using it.

[Hidden in reply to anneabelle]

Sorry I amtalking to someone else who has been diagnosed with bronch. You say you have copd not bronch. Given your history with drugs I would still recommend being cautious.

[mikeadams51]

It’s a cheaper version of seretide. I changed to this from seretide because it saves the nhs about £3 a go. Been on it for months and no issues

[anneabelle in reply to mikeadams51]

Ah, glad to read you have no problems, mikeadams51, I shall carry on with it then. The other problem (maybe my age, 83) is that I find I don't always get a puff when I press on the top..... and yet the numbers go round. I have no idea if I get a dose when inhaling from the gadget. Have you discovered that, or is it because this is my first sirdupla and I am not used to it ... although I have had others for years with no hiccups (so to speak!).

[peege in reply to anneabelle]

Do you use a spacer? If not ask for one, using one ensures you get 50% more of the metered dose. (I don't have copd).

I was prescribed sirdupla instead of Seretide. It didn't suit me at all. Luckily a good respiratory nurse changed it to Fostair which has been brilliant - though it disengage suit some people. We're all different. P

[anneabelle in reply to peege]

Oh now your answer pleases me, peege! Glad to know that it really doesn't suit some people and I shall try a spacer in the first instance. Does a "respiratory nurse" come with the surgery or a hospital? i have never got further than the surgery and they certainly don't have a respiratory nurse. Some general dogsbody comes to my home with the spirometry gadget and that is that for another year! I shall bear Fistair in mind for my next challenge to the surgery.

[peege in reply to anneabelle]

Respiratory nurses are with the GP surgery for annual or bi-annual reviews. Some regions are different though & have other systems. I've had a couple of rubbish respiratory nurses and three brilliant ones over the years.

PS. Sorry, wrong spelling. I should have written Fostair, not Fistair!

[WheezyAnne]

I think that if we can, we should try and save the NHS money. After all, we get many costly drugs at a vastly reduced cost. Could I ask you if it is possible to 'switch' your thinking around and consider that there may not be any side effects in your case? Our bodies are unique, and therefore may not react in the same way as others. I am just of the belief that if you go looking for side effects, you will find some. Just go with an open mind, and consider what else could be causing the side effects. Go on, give it a fair trial.

[Gazza01]

its not exactly the same as seritide. Which I think it's what it's a cheaper replacement of, though it has a couple of extra ingredients. I couldn't get on with it but that doesn't mean you won't. You could try it and see how you get on. I don't think it's going to be any worse for your COPD than seritide, which has been passed for use. Very little use or knowledge of the NICE guidelines with many of the GPs or asthma nurses that I deal with. Really if you are only mild though and without an asthma component you shouldn't have any steroids at all. But hey...