Too much medicine?

[Amanda_Vaughn]

I have been taking singular, symbicort, xyzal, pro air and allergy injections for my allergies and asthma for several years. I am for the most part pretty well controlled. I have been in a flare-up or something for about two weeks now tho. In addition to these meds, I have had to use my nebulizer several times plus my rescue inhaler 4-5 times a day, I also upped my symbicort from 80 to 160. I went to the dr today and he said my pft levels were pretty low. He is keeping me on the high dose of symbicort and also added qvar 80. They told me to use both inhalers morning and night. Also put me on 12 days of prednisone as well and antibiotics (the dr thinks I may have bronchitis or pneumonia on top of the asthma flare-up, but waiting till next week to see if there’s improvement before doing a chest X-ray).....This all seems to be way too much! Is this really safe to be on this much all at one time?

[Hidden]

I know it sounds like a lot, but it should be short term. Do you have an infection? Just wondering why the antibiotics. It's a tricky"game" when antibiotics and steroids are needed. But short term you should be fine. If you really are questioning what your are told to take, get a second opinion. That's my thoughts.

[Gigionthehill]

Hi Amanda, yes, you can take all that. You may want to ask for budesonide. It’s a neb that is a steroid. Also, instead of symbicort, you may want to see if you can get perforomist to neb. Those two together is like symbicort but seems to be quite effective.

These flares will happen and you can drive yourself nuts trying to figure it out. While you are dealing with recovery from the resulting inflammation try to rest, avoid all odors, chemicals, time outdoors and suddenly temp changes, etc. cool humidity via a humidifier and antiinflammatories should help.

The high dose pred can cause cramps, insomnia, intense joint pain and moodiness (ie crying, sobbing, going nutsooo) . Gatorade, magnesium and potassium may be something u want to discuss with your doctor. I recently learned that your body will pull magnesium to maintain a constant level so labs look good even if u are low!

Best wishes for a fast recovery

[Gigionthehill]

Oh, fasenra has been amazing. Xolair did nothing for me

[IChoose]

A 2 week flare up could be a viral infection that was followed by a secondary bacterial infection, hence the antibiotics. It sounds like you did a pretty good job of fighting the virus if that's what happened. That's my pattern at least.

I take singulair once a day at night before bed and have done so for years. I love theophylline and take it twice a day with maximum strength Mucinex. 1hour after I take duoneb folled by qvar 80. This is because I can't tolerate symbacort, dulera, etc.

My favorite allergist used to give me a cocktail of brovana, ipratropium and pulmicort via nebilizer that broke things up right away. I would need to see a pulmonologist for that now. Maybe that's your next stop if you don't respond well and quickly.

[rachelschuler1]

Amanda hun, I am not a doctor, but seeing your post I feel like you are on way too much medicine honey, I would keep the symbicort as thats a wonderful medicine, the pro air is good too, I am on that myself....talk to your doctor about cutting back on your medications hun, I dont feel you need this many and it may in actuality not be helping you!!! I take spiriva every day for my asthma, as well as the ventolin HFA, and I am a success story for the most part, I may go back on symbacort not sure, but its fantastic....I want you to feel better!!

[ntaber89]

I know how your feeling. I am on Symbacort, Proair inhaler, Zertec, Singular, Pulmocort Nebulizer, Albuterol Nebulizer. I have been on Prednisone I don’t even know how many times.

[OPAsthmaGma]

Last year I was on the exact same regimen when I developed pneumonia after a cold. Hang in there!

[Amanda_Vaughn]

Thank you all for taking the time and responding. Thankfully, I am feeling much better and my breathing has improved considerably! I am still on the higher dose of symbicort and qvar at this time, but hopefully within a week or so I may be able to get these dropped back down to the lower dose.