Salbutamol and Prednisolone

I don't have one Nigel.  I remember ages ago a GP telling me that the Prednisolone is a preventative drug which prevents the attacks as the steroid is a long term tube relaxant where the salbutamol is a short term reactive drug to ease the situation at the time.  My GP didn't specifically tell me not to take the inhaler during this time.  

You should be fine, I am on real high doses of Pred, IV too, you are correct to take it when needed.  You don't have an Asthma Nurse?  Have you been given a Action Plan?  Here in the UK you should be given an action plan etc which you can monitor your breathing and what to do and what not to do, i.e steriods puffers etc.  Even perfectly controlled asthma people should have one, infections etc can cause a problem.  Good Luck I hope your asthma gets perfectly under control.

Thank you Michelle.  I have been relatively clear for years but in the last few months it's surfaced.  They did make an appointment for me to see the Asthma nurse however it clashed with a job interview so I had to cancel it and I haven't rescheduled it yet.  I rang the surgery anyway and they said it was fine.

For 2 years I had no Asthma problems, I was stupid, I cut down and ignored it when it flared.  If you ever get an attack and use more than 4 puffs in one go and your breathing is still bad, take another and call 999 or get someone to take you to ER/A&E.  I did not do this, left it, took 10, felt better drove myselft to the GP, had an attack in the car park, it was nothing, but GP did the tests call ambulance.  I was stupid, Asthma can be controlled as you know.  People only die because they ignore it or don't get it undercontrol or not have their reliever with them.  I forgot mine once on a London Hospital visit, with the polution and long walk I had an attack.  Luckily I had earlier been given breathing exercises by a nurse, it worked, saved my life.  Anyone reading this please never take Asthma for granted, always check your reliever for expiry date, have it with you all times, you can go years without an attack, or think you are not having one.  I only say this because I have lost a few friends because they thought they were OK, never had a reliever, also ignored symptoms and even came of meds.  Just always check.  On the good side I know people who have bad immune disease like me, bad asthma who are running/jogging now and in their 50's.  It can be controlled, we just never need to lapse, always have a reliever and a check once a year, even if no symptoms.  Do the breathing puffer test too.  Best Wishes.

Sorry to hear you suffer so much Neoflare.  It must be awful for you.  They gave me a brown Beclametosone Dipropionate a few months ago along with a clear chamber to attach it to but again the fear overtook me and I haven't touched it.  I had to take one dose twice a day but it never happened.  I sincerely hope your Asthma is under control and it does not have too much of an adverse affect on your life.  Wishing you good luck.

Thanks for the wishes, It's alright, I try not to let my asthma stop me from doing anything I want to do. Which is an attitude mum instilled in me from a very early age. The way I see it is that you need to live life, even if you're physically limited there are still things you can do, to give you fulfilment... what those things are vary from person to person. Like, i could never be an Olympian, but I reckon I get just as much fulfilment walking at my moderate walking speed taking in the sights of the world .

I'll admit, i can somewhat understand your anxiety, i suffer from social anxiety ptsd and panic disorder. Which I've spent the last couple decades improving from. The anxiety is something you can improve, but it takes time, I'd suggest finding a decent psychologist/counsellor, not a psychiatrist as they usually try and prescribe you any number of medications, which from the sounds of it would not be suitable for you.

Anyway getting back on topic, Beclometasone has been around for years, I took it through most of the 90's (the modern preventers are a lot better though). It helps prevent the inflammation in the airways. Asthma over time can cause lung scarring similar to what smokers get. The steroidal preventers help stop that by minimising the airway inflammation, by reducing inflammation and twitchiness they also reduce the chance of having an attack. Think of the steroidal inhalers as being a little bit like prednisolone… only they affect the lungs rather than the whole body. (as an aside, in the other thread you mentioned sinus Inflammation, there is also a beclometasone nasal spray that might be useful)

The clear plastic thing is called a spacer, it helps you get more of the dose, as well as allowing the larger particles to fall down to the bottom, as the larger particles can cause irritation when you breathe them in. You spray one dose into the spacer, then take three steady deep breaths in and out through it. They typically have a valve so that air can only come through them one way (but you don’t need to take your lips off it when you breathe out). Also, definitely think about finding an asthma nurse.

Ive just been reading messages on here, and found a lot of help in yours, thank you. I have copd and have a cough at the mo and had to go on a nebuliser. The doc gave me prednisolone to take for 5 days, and i’m also using ventolin inhaler. I was bit worried about using both but you have reassured me. I feel ok apart from bit shaky and heart beting faster for few mins. But my chest is less tight and more comfortable.

Perfect. Sounds as if you’ve got the asthma under control best wishes .