Fostair steroid inhaler for Asthma

[Rollergirl11]

Just posting in Chat for traffic...
DH has been put on to this inhaler in the last few days to try and cut down the use of his blue ventolin. He is experiencing quite strong heart palpitations that come on in the evening. DH remembers that he was given this to try a good few years ago and it was exactly the same then. I understand that this is a fairly common side effect to using Fostair. My question is should this settle down or does this mean that Fostair simply isn’t suited to DH? He is ready to stop taking it now as he’s finding it so unpleasant but I’m not sure if he should persevere just a little longer. He’s been taking for the last 3 days.

Honestly, this is a question for your GP. Give them a call and ask for a phone appointment.

Because it’s a combined inhaler and also has a long acting bronchodilator, it has the side effect of raising your heart rate. Ventolin has the same effect.

I occasionally get palpitations but it’s generally ok. I have been on it for several years. Really helped get my asthma under control (seems to have forgotten about it at the moment though due to the changeable temp).

I had the same issue, and was switched to symbicort. Its been brilliant for me

Call the asthma nurse at the surgery.

He needs to be on a combined bronchodilator daily with low level inhaled steroids. Fostair is the one of first choice but there are others.

However if it's an increased sensation of the heart pumping it's a sign that the bronchodilator is working.

The drug dilates vessels so the heart has to start working a bit harder to get blood where it's needed. Ventolin does this too.

Get advice from the asthma nurse in the first instance or your GP. You might need the dose changed or a different inhaler.

Just in case someone else is experiencing this, I had awful tachycardia on Fostair, switched to seretide - no issues!
however after a went back to Fostair again as worked so well for asthma and didn't have a bad tachycardia anymore. It took a few months to completely settle with palpitations and tachycardia though but was worth it for me.