Asthma flare up - how quickly do steroid tablets kick in?

[TeenLifeMum]

I’ve not had asthma for years and came off regular inhalers about 15 years ago, only taking them when I have a cold but even then, not always so a handful of times and not in the last 2.5 years.

I’m recovering from pleurisy and was improving but suddenly the cough got worse - wheezy and dry. It’s am asthma flare up and my inhalers aren’t doing much - slight improvement temporarily with the blue one. So I’m on 8 steroid pills a day for 5 days. Day one so far and I nearly called an ambulance earlier but then couldn’t decide if I was being dramatic And put my Apple Watch on to monitor heart rate. It’s now more bearable and coughing not as persistent (gaps between). I’ve not had steroids for 16 years so wondered if anyone knew how quickly they worked for them?

Very quickly. Should see some improvement within a couple of hours.

If you aren't getting any better would seek advice. You might need a nebuliser treatment.

Do you have a spacer for your inhaler? How often are you needing it?

Hmm on that basis maybe I should have gone to A&E last night. I took the steroids at 6pm, at 2am I had to take 10 puffs of my blue inhaler. I s was a bit scared but then worried I was being dramatic. Then it came under control. I’ve had to take my blue inhaler 3 times during today but it’s feeling improved this evening and far better than last night.

I do have a spacer.

Almost immediately. I had to have them several times and within about 10 minutes I felt like I could breath better.