Mild asthma sufferers ..

[lauraloris]

Hi,

I am a mild asthma sufferer usually only needing to take my blue ventolin inhaler occasionally (pollen, dust, cats, exercise etc ) and was confused as to whether I should start taking my brown steroid inhaler at this time.

After reading forums I did so and have been doing for the last two weeks.

HOWEVER I have just spoken with the Asthma nurse at my GP and she said evidence suggests that unless the blue ventolin inhaler is required 3 or more times a week the steroid one isn’t necessary - even now.

She added, If I do need the reliever (blue) inhaler more than 3 times a week I SHOULD start taking the steroid preventer one....

There seems to be a lot of anxiety and conflicting advice on the internet - any other mild asthma sufferers had similar (or different) advice.

Best wishes to you all,

Thank you

[Minushabens]

I think the evidence you have been given sounds good, although as always whenever you've had a history of any sort of asthma you need to always be aware of the possibility of symptoms emerging.

In simple terms, the purpose of the brown inhaler is to prevent/reduce the need to have to keep taking a reliever (by building up resistance so that you keep symptoms at bay). The key to management of illness generally is to take the minimum amount of medication necessary to remain healthy. If you are healthy without any medication, then that will be the basis of her advice I'd imagine.

These are complex times though but so far it looks as though being on asthma medication offers no protection against getting the virus & minimal (if any) protection if you do, so at this point in time try not to worry.

Of course, if at any time you feel that your breathing is under pressure, seek help as quickly as you can.

[lauraloris in reply to Minushabens]

Thank you for your reply. Very reassuring

[WindsweptRissa]

My daughter has mild asthma. She normally only has problems when exercising (so takes ventolin before each session) or when she has a cold etc and only occasionally at other times. Because of this the GP considered her borderline for requiring a preventer, so he prescribed her a becotide inhaler just to be used at the first sign of a cold to be stopped once she had fully recovered. This has been very helpful to her. A couple of weeks ago I queried with the doctor whether it would be a good idea for her to take her preventer daily from now on as a precaution in case she contracted the Coronavirus as viruses are a trigger for her and he agreed.

Perhaps you could at least start taking it at the first sign of any viral symptoms.