Made mistake of reading side effects of brown inhalers....

[WurzelGummage]

DS (age 8) just been prescribed a preventer inhaler because his cough may be an asthmatic one and the blue inhaler's coming out daily.

Not sure it's essential (or in fact whether the blue one does much anyway) but thought it best to give it a go.

Then I read the brown one (clenil) can make them hyper, not sleep and get mouth infections. Has anyone experienced these effects?

Sorry, I know this is probably a bit ridiculous and inhalers are very common or garden. Thanks for reading.

Never experienced these side effects (or rather, ds1 hasn't).

Nope, not me or DS. Don't worry. But when You give DS the brown inhaler, get him to have a drink of water afterwards.

Thanks pooka

I've never heard of the mouth infection one so wouldn't worry about that one.

glad your DS hasn't had any problems

The side effects of inhalers are much better than the side effects of uncontrolled asthma

If you read the side effects of any drug it will be enough to worry you!

Thanks little and sirzy. Absolutely right sirzy about uncontrolled asthma being worse. It's just that I'm not really sure he needs it.

Mouth infections are due to the pink/brown/purple inhalers being steroids.

I have a purple inhaler to take morning and night, was told to brush my teeth afterwards to prevent thrush!!

My two children had none of these. They reduce their brown inhaler use when they feel the asthma is under control. At 17, my son barely ever uses his now and hasn't for some years. We just get an occasional one in case he gets a col and needs the steroid.

No side effects here - and since DS has been using it he has been significantly better (touch wood!!), with fewer chest infections and less time off school. I do try and get him to brush his teeth after using it.

Much better to give the brown inhaler than be needing to give the blue one daily IMO.

Better to give both/either than suffer the consequences of a serious asthma attack. It is all relative.

Yes, it is important to have a drink of water/rinse mouth after using the brown one.

At 8 he is old enough to use a turbohaler which is less likely to cause mouth/throat problems.

If you are not sure he needs it, are you measuring his peak flow?

I was told about the risk if mouth thrush back in the 80s when I first had inhalers.

Ive never had it.

DS1 ended up with oral thrush, after using his. Using a spacer and washing the mouth out, afterwards (drink, teeth cleaning) usually prevents this, though.

The only one I have experienced is sore mouth with becotide (brown) and seretide (purple). I've learnt to rinse my mouth out and or brush my teeth after taking it.

I've had a mouth / throat infection (basically thrush) due to brown inhaler use, but it's no biggie - very easily treated. Far better than uncontrolled asthma. And I've only had it once in about 28 years of (on / off) steroid inhaler use. Good idea to get him to rinse his mouth out after use, though.

Thank you all.

No, not measuring peak flow. Doctor took it and it was 240, whatever that means, but he said that didn't mean much because it can go up and down?

I was advised to gargle after use of brown inhaler, but this is because I am prone to oral thrush due to silent acid reflux which has caused a nodule on my vocal chords (much like a pop star gets through straining their voice, only without the glamour or high salary).

Not sure it's recommended to stop brown/ preventative inhaler Without consultation with GP/ consultant. Their symptoms may be less as steroid is working, stopping inhaler could mean asthma returns

We just follow the asthma nurse's advice and reduce/stop brown inhaler/other trigger, etc. They are very happy for us to do this. My mother does the same thing with hers, again, with the asthma clinic's approval.