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Fast acting inhalers.

Posted , 6 users are following.

terri69807
terri69807

Know that we all react differently to meds, inhalers, etc., however I'm

interested in knowing some opinions on the inhalers that work quickly as

opposed to the Atrovent inhaler which I use currently, it doesn't work "right

away".  Don't know if it's the warmer weather wer'e having right now or what

but my breathing is much more laboured, almost to the point of panic

attacks happening again.  Any help would be much appreciated.

1 like, 17 replies

17 Replies

  • jude65855
    jude65855 terri69807

    Posted

    I've been told that as I have emphysema rather than asthma, the only inhalers I should use are preventative ones:  spiriva & symbicort.  Are you able to exercise and use breathing techniques taught in rehab?  I find that if I don't exercise for a few days my breathing gets much worse.
    • terri69807
      terri69807 jude65855

      Posted

      Thanks Jude65855.  I have never been diagnosed with asthma either.

      Had chronic bronchitis growing up and now copd.  Quite often I can't

      get in to see my gp, so I drive to another town and go to a walk-in clinic.

      Problem with that is that the Dr. doesn't know my medical history, etc.

      Think I may have been prescribed the wrong type of inhaler.  Yes I

      do try and exercise as often as possible.  There is no access to rehab

      where I live right now.  Have looked at videos online for breathing

      techniques, etc. 

    • Nanny1086
      Nanny1086 terri69807

      Posted

       Hi I can highly reccomend attend pulmary rehab ,the help you get is second to none ,and all the  copd nurses are lovely ,they mind all the coughing and spluttering ,,,,,and seem to me to know a lot lot more than GP ,maybe you need to enquire about a referral to see them ,

      i was diagnosed with asthma back in 1992 at age 46 after being blue lighted into hospital I had no diagnosis before ,but to be fair I was a smoker ,but gave up the day I woke up in hospital ,I have always used the blue inhaler ventalin as my reliever and seratide and tiotropium as prevevetors,

      best wishes 

    • terri69807
      terri69807 Nanny1086

      Posted

      Hi Nanny1086:

      Thanks for the advice, it's going to have to wait until the house sells and

      I move - unfortunately.  There is no hospital where I live and no access

      to pulmanary rehab or copd nurses.  I have found some great stuff online

      though, exercies, breathing techniques, etc., so that's good. 

  • Ada555
    Ada555 terri69807

    Posted

    I have ACOS (Asthma COPD Overlap Syndrome) and my pulmo prescribed Symbicort Tubuhaler which is working well for me. The daily dose is 2 puffs in am and 2 in pm. It's a steroid and long lasting bronchodilator. The bronchodilator part works within 5-10 mins and lasts 12 hours. The good part is that it can be used as a reliever as well when needed. I too have more problems on very humid days and can use it up to 4 more puffs in a day. This way I don't need an extra reliever puffer. Have been using this for a month and so far so good.

    • jude65855
      jude65855 Ada555

      Posted

      If you read the manufacturer's instructions they specifically say that Symbicort should never be used to treat an asthma attack which has already begun.  It also says it can be a cause of asthma related death.

      My doctor told me I could use it at the rate of 2 puffs a day but I"ve cut it down to one puff twice a day because it caused too many severe leg and foot cramps.

      You do realise that one of the common side effects of cortisone is osteoporosis and depression of the immune system?

      Not saying don't use it, I use it myself, but the amount you're using does sound a lot more than the manufacturers recommend 

    • hypercat
      hypercat Ada555

      Posted

      Hi I was told by my nurse never to use symbicort as a reliever.  She said only ever use the blue ventolin inhaler as this is what this is for.   x

       

    • Ada555
      Ada555 jude65855

      Posted

      Thanks for your input Jude. From what I see there are two types of Symbicort. ..a mist and a powder. Symbicort Tubuhaler is a powder and can be used as both a maintainer and a reliever for asthma. For copd it is used as a maintainer only. This is all taken from the instructions that come with it. If you google Symbicort Tubuhaler you can also find these instructions.
    • jude65855
      jude65855 Ada555

      Posted

      I've never looked into howSymbicort Turbohaler is used for asthma because I don't have asthma, but I wouldn't want to be using it more than 1 puff twice a day.  When I was having 2 puffs twice a day for only a week or so I had such bad leg cramps I had to cut it back down and I'm already concerned about the long term effects of using even that amount of cortisone twice daily.   

      Does it work better than ventolin for asthma?   Ventolin has no effect at all on my emphysema

    • jude65855
      jude65855 Ada555

      Posted

      PS:  The rehab physio told the group as a whole that Symbicort shouldn't be used as a reliever:  she didn't say whether that was because it didn't work as a reliever or because of the risk of extra cortisone.   I do remember her emphasising ventolin was the one to use as a reliever for asthmatic attacks
  • hypercat
    hypercat terri69807

    Posted

    I did see this on Netdoctor for asthma. 

    Symbicort turbohaler is used to treat people whose asthma is not controlled with regular corticosteroids and as needed short-acting bronchodilators (relievers, eg salbutamol). As it is a single inhaler it can also simplify treatment for people who are already using both a corticosteroid inhaler and a long-acting bronchodilator inhaler.

    Symbicort can be used in one of two ways in the treatment of asthma. It can be taken regularly to prevent asthma attacks (maintenance therapy), with a separate reliever inhaler (eg salbutamol) used to relieve asthma attacks. Alternatively, it can be used regularly to prevent asthma attacks AND used as a reliever when needed to relieve asthma attacks (maintenance and reliever therapy). The maintenance and reliever approach is only suitable for adults aged 18 years and over using the Symbicort 100/6 or Symbicort 200/6 strengths.

     

    • terri69807
      terri69807 hypercat

      Posted

      Thanks for the info hypercat.  Never been diagnosed with asthma, had

      chronic bronchitis growing up and 2 parents that smoked.  I was using

      the atrovent inhaler but yesterday I had bad reactions to it, my breathing

      was extremely laboured, my vision blurred, I was shaking and trembling,

      etc.  I don't seem to be able to tolerate any meds, oral, inhaled or

      otherwise.  Thanks again though for taking the time to  find all that

      info.

  • hypercat
    hypercat terri69807

    Posted

    Been doing some more googling.   The message seems to be that symbicort can be used as a reliever for asthma but not copd.  I wonder what happens if you have both though like me?  x
    • Ada555
      Ada555 hypercat

      Posted

      I have both hyper cat which is why the pulmo wanted me to try this. My asthma causes persistent and constant chest tightening and son. I do not have asthma attacks per se. In humid weather I need a relief puff after about 5 hours as chest tightens again. In dry weather the 2 puffs twice a day suffices. Like Jude I also get pretty bad foot and calf cramps with the Symbicort. Have read it's the long acting bronchodilator that can cause this. Will discuss with my pulmo.
    • hypercat
      hypercat Ada555

      Posted

      Oh.   I wonder if it would help with my constant coughing,  though I do get asthma attacks occasionally.  Usually though I find it hard to distinguish between asthma and copd symptoms.   Glad it works for you.  x
    • jude65855
      jude65855 hypercat

      Posted

      It has helped enormously with my night coughing, but as i said earlier I cut it down to 1 puff twice a day because of the leg cramps.   If the coughing gets bad again I'd consider weighing up the lack of sleep with the leg & foot cramps, which do seem to recur much less often if I do my foot & ankle exercises
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