Depression and asthma preventer inhalers

[Sh1neAL1ght]

DS 17 has asthma.
He doesn't use his brown inhaler as it gives him bad dreams and makes him feel sad
GP has prescribed a combined inhaler to try (Symbicort). She said that mood changes are not a known side effect of preventer inhalers.

DS agreed to try the new inhaler but I worry about his mental health. I obviously also worry about his asthma. I feel stuck.

steroids can cause nightmares/mood changes/hallucinations etc - no idea how common it is with inhaled steroids (can't imagine the systemic doses achieved are very high), but it could be contributing to the changes he notices. However uncontrolled asthma can also be dangerous too so he's a bit stuck. Might be worth asking to see a resp physician if he gets the same side effects with the new inhaler?

Yep, the steroids. Could he take the preventer in the morning?

If ever I have to use steroids I get a big thumpy pulse that I can hear in my ears and wideawakeness. They can also make some people more angry/sensitive.

But if he needs it for his asthma, he needs it, so might be worth experimenting with timing and dose amount. Also make sure he's rinsing his mouth/gargling after taking them - he doesn't need them anywhere other than his lungs

Thank you both.
He's going to try the new one for a week and see how he feels. He has to take it twice a day but it's a good idea to try to not do it just before bed.
He was prescribed Montelukast when he was about 10 and had really scary hallucinations. He told me he was hearing a little girl in the walls- I was confused but luckily googled the side effects and didn't give him any more. I see it's in the news this week. I know that's a different group of drugs but antibiotics affect him with depression too and the new inhaler has another type of drug- Formoterol which also has anxiety side effects.

As an asthma drug symbicort is absolutely fabulous! My surgery moved to something else (Fostair which I am not ecstatic about) but it was the best thing ever for my asthma. Hope it agrees with your son's mood.

Hi, it does sound like a difficult predicament for you and obviously you just want your son to be healthy and well.
What I will say is that patients respond differently sometimes to different steroids. Clenil and Symbicort have different steroids so it’s possible he will suit this one much better. The formoterol component can cause things like palpitations but it’s much less common than with say salbutamol. Symbicort is a great inhaler to have as you can use it as your regular one and also your reliever. I hope he gets on ok with it! Xx