Fostair inhaler

[Twentybottlesofbeer]

Has anyone else had this experience?

I've changed to Fostair after many many years on a different regime. GP tells me I can still use salbutamol too.

But I've noticed I use the fostair and almost feel tighter and wheezier afterwards than before and I have to fight not to take an immediate dose of salbutamol as technically I shouldn't need if at that point.

I am also finding it crazily difficult to sleep and I'm normally 10seconds and I'm fast asleep at night.

Has anyone else experienced this with Fostair? This is the second time I've tried it and the second time this has happened!

No, I switched to Fostair a couple of years ago and it’s been okay for me. I think you need to go back to your GP.

Hugs though, being wheezy is horrible, I’m a bit wheezy this week because of the damp weather.

I switched to fostair several months ago and it's working well for me

Been on Fostair ages and it's absolutely fine for me. It may not be the correct steroid for your condition, so you should probably go back to your GP

Nothing like that but I need to remember to always rinse or I get mouth thrush. Didn't get on the other inhalers I was on.

Are you using the nexthaler?

Are you using a spacer device? It makes a massive difference as to how much of the drug gets drawn into your airways as opposed to being absorbed by your mouth?

You don't use a spacer device with the FOSTAIR NEXThaler.

I use that and don't have the problems described by the OP.

Yes, I got terrible thrush in my oesophagus from this inhaler.

I use Fostaire and the only thing I noticed is after I've taken it my hands are a bit shaky. I accept it because it's the best inhaler for my asthma I've ever had. I've barely had an attack since being on it.

No didn't agree with me awful coughing and wheezing so after a lung x-ray they put me back on seretide. I was fine again.

It doesn't say whether it is the nexinhaler or the standard one.

I find if I don't use a spacer with it, it makes me cough which is why I asked. A spacer is v good at helping prevent thrush as most of the drug is drawn into the lungs, rather than the mouth/throat.

Thanks all. It's the regular inhaler, I don't like the dry powder one and no, I can't use a spacer, it makes me feel light headed.

I think I'll persist but I'd better get to sleep tonight!

@justasking111 yes I feel tight and wheezy after taking it. That never happened with Qvar.

Didn't know it might give me thrush. 😦

I’m not using it anymore because it doesn’t help me. My consultant says I have the type of asthma that doesn’t respond to inhalers- unfortunately.
I’m a late onset asthma sufferer. My peak flow reading is between 150-250, generally 200. Anyone else have readings this low?

Only when unwell. My asthma nurse wrote on my form to call her if it drops below 250. You really need someone to look at your low rate. It might be that you need something else/extra. I've been offered montelukast as an extra once.

Late onset asthma here too damn menopause. Ditto my husband who has required steroids a couple of times.

That must be scary. Definitely seekin more help at controlling it. Could there be any allergies at play?

I avoid thrush by using the inhaler just before I brush my teeth.

@Bignanna thats super low! Although I assume it's different for each person. Mine is 600 dropping to 500 if I need steroids.

I was not good last night, so tight and heart racing. I took one squirt of fostair at 5pm. I've since had 4 salbutamol. The fostair makes me feel like I need a reliever, but does nothing to relieve.

Perhaps it needs to build up for a few days and in the meantime my asthma feels out of control?

I've switched back to my old regime this morning, couldn't face having a racing heart all morning as we have a lot to do today.

Wonder if there's another alternative.

My consultant is aware of my readings, so obviously that’s my average and nothing can be done about it. In my asthma plan I have to take a course of steroids if it drops below a certain figure, 150 think. I have eosinophilic asthma, so probably nothing else can be done.

Mine is that low. It always has been, since I was a very young child. I got 300 at my recent asthma review and the nurse said she wanted to celebrate it, because it's never been that good. I'm also on Fostair and despite the low peak flow, my asthma is pretty well controlled at the moment.

I was diagnosed with asthma in 2023 at the age of 48 and never had it before. It just appeared out of the blue. Very odd. I had covid in March 2023 so not sure if it has anything to do with that. They took an x-ray in 2023 and 9 months later another one was taken and both normal. Asthma was therefore diagnosed. Had to go onto a stronger inhaler Fostair 200. Last year was on pink one and was then put on the dark maroon coloured one. I don't think it's helping me at all. I still find I have to take deep breaths more often than normal. That's the only symptom I have. Been going on for 19 months. This comes and goes. So I don't think it's helping. I use my blue inhaler more now and it seems to work. Going to see the respiratory physician tomorrow for further investigation and get to the bottom of it.

Have you had your technique checked with using a spacer - it shouldn't make you feel light headed, as the idea is that you are taking in the medicine whilst just breathing normally, rather than having to take a quick, deep breath with an inhaler on it's own.

Friend was put on inhalers didn't help even abroad, where I breathe more easily. Turned out to be a heart issue. Caused by a virus. Cardio myopathy so they should be checking that.

I have one of the spacers that has a whistle on it. If I try to breathe slowly so that the whistle doesn't make a noise, I feel like I'm going to faint. Like when you have the GP listen to your chest and you have to breathe in and out, I get stars in my eyes then. Same feeling.

I've been back to the asthma nurse who is useless. I'm fine, I'm not ill, I just need serious amounts of salbutamol!

You need to practice with the spacer without trying to use an inhaler at the same time.

It sounds like you are trying to breathe so slowly that it's making you lightheaded. To stop the whistle you just need a normal breath, rather than the kind of grabbing quick breath people me often think you need to use the inhaler.