Asthma

[Princesspollyyy]

Hi,

I'm having a flare up at the moment and my asthma doesn't feel controlled. I take:

Salbutamol
Montelukast
Seretide
Spiriva Respimat
Fexorenadine

I'm wanting to know, has anyone else with asthma had a nebuliser prescribed for home? I was told by Asthma UK that they are not normally prescribed for home use. But the nurses on the ward where I work dispute this, and say patients can have them at home.

Obviously I will ask my GP, but just wondering in the meantime.

Thanks 🙏🏽

I think as you can buy them (even on Amazon) then they can be used at home and I’d guess that it would be at the discretion of your local GP or hospital.
I’ve used them several times at the local A&E but I actually don’t know the medication name they always put in the machine.

If they say no - maybe as a back up you could ask if they would be willing to provide you with a prescription for the nebuliser medication if you purchased the machine yourself.
It could be they only have a certain amount they lend out?

Sorry I wasn't clear, I have no problem buying my own machine but I wondered if anyone had the salbutamol nebules prescribed for home use.

It seems a grey area. Thanks for replying though I appreciate it so much x

As they are available with a prescription I’d say yes.
If you don’t have any luck with your own GP then book an asthma review with the nurse at your surgery, explain the need for using the nebuliser at home and ask him/her advice about the best way to get a prescription for them.

We have an asthma nurse we can call. Phone the surgery and ask for advice.

I have been told that taking the salbutamol inhaler 10 times gives the same effect as nebuliser - I have been told to do this by my asthma nurse so please check with your doctor or asthma nurse.

I'm sure my nebules used to be prescribed. I know my mum had bought the actual nebuliser (at great expense - it was £300 in the 90s!).

Reading your list of meds, all of which I've tried at one time or another apart from the Spiriva, I wonder if you've ever been given Symbicort? Complete game changer for me. Apologies if this unsolicited suggestion is irritating (I know it can be annoying when everyone wants to suggest stuff but this inhaler has improved things so much for me).

Thanks, that just doesn't have the same effect for me as the nebuliser unfortunately

No honestly I am open to any suggestions I really am. I was under the respiratory consultant a few months ago as it was that bad, and I said I felt worried incase no medication helps, but she said not to worry as there are lots of things we can try, even injections that the GP cannot prescribe. So I'm not at the end of the road.

It's a lot better this morning, so that's really good

Also to add, unfortunately the asthma nurse at my doctors surgery is absolutely useless and no help, I'm not sure how she is the asthma nurse? The times I have seen her for both myself and my son, I actually appear to know more than she does. So that's quite bad really.

Oh they are wonderful, aren't they!

I am originally from a different European country and we use them there all the time. They are even advised for children, with just saline solution, when the baby has a cold - as it is less invasive than normal saline drops/spray (with them it's easier to damage the nose when the baby is wiggling)

I asked my GP here to prescribe me some steroids for my nebuliser instead of oral steroids when I was down with flu and my asthma wasn't controlled, but she said it's not possible. She was very sympathetic and said she agrees with me, that inhalations with nebuliser would be better for me but unfortunately apparently here it's only the hospital that can prescribe those.

Eventually when I was visiting my parents at home I went to asthma clinic there, got the meds and now anytime I can feel I'm getting down with something I use those. I didn't have to take oral steroids for 2 years now, while in the past it was 2-3 times a year.

So, sorry, I don't have really any advise for you, but it's definitely worth trying!