Asthma stories - no longer controlled and havinng rollercoaster finding treatment

[scrumbrum12]

My asthma was always mild and controlled on brown and blue inhalers until perimenopause and particularly this hayfever season when I ended up on steroids. Switched to Fostair - awful side effects, then symbicort which was less awful but still too much in terms of shakiness, on edge, dry eyes etc, even after one month. Montelukast has been suggested but I am concerned due to PMDD which though better on hrt sometimes rears its ugly head. Anyone experienced similar and found a suitable inhalor? I want to go armed with info for next asthma check.

I didnt get on with fostair either, having previously been prescribed seretide I've gone back to that. I also take montelukast at night, while I don't suffer with pmdd but havent had any issues with the Montelukast - it does make a difference to my asthma.
Also worth having vitamin d tested - I read here it affects immunity so asked my gp who agreed and said low vit d levels can increase asthma and allergies.

Thank you, will research Seretide

DS did fine on Seretide, is doing badly on symbicort. Also had very serious side effects from Montelukast (depression) but his friend didn't have any. On the other hand, it worked for DS (other than the serious depressions) and not for his friend. Take it with caution.

I switched from Seretide to Relvar Ellipta and it's been brilliant.

Always had to have anti histamines for hayfever, but haven't needed them since changing.

I'm on a seretide inhaler. It's a round disc. Ventolin as required. The NICE protocol doesn't recommend these now. However I had shocking side effects from fostair and montelukast so my GP is happy to leave me on seretide.

I'm being moved to a combined one (not sure which) from seretide, hope it will be OK. Never got on with the brown ones

What were the side effects of the Fostair?

I got moved over to it on a dry powder device (meant to be more eco friendly) and couldn't cope with the tremors/fast heart rate but when I switched to a MDI version it's been much better

I got shaky hands and racing heart with fostair and the same with another similar one. I think it's probably the formoterol.

I had the same and still do to a much lesser extent. For me, changing the device rather than the drug was a really good step.

Fostair has meant I longer need to take salbutamol and I'll have come off Montelukast as my control is better than it's been in a long time.

My GP did once tell me that the medication in the inhalers can cause a racing heart

It turned out not to be the cause of mine

Didn't get much relief from Seretide. I'm currently in Symbicort as a preventer and reliever which works well for me

Following. Keep us updated if you change meds. I've followed the same path as you recently, always had blue and brown without a problem. Last year my asthma became uncontrolled so changed to fostair, that was awful so I'm now on the symicort which I find utterly useless and I'm having to use my blue one daily, even though I'm not supposed to on this one. Would love to know what they advise next for you x I've always been hesitant to try the meds, don't know why x

Montelukast is amazing. I love it so much. I'm not the best at remembering to take my meds but without fail I'll always take my Montelukast as it's just so helpful.

Has anyone already suggested a daily anti-histamine to you? A colleague who was a former asthma specialist nurse suggested it to me and it's a game changer. I tried giving up in December as what can I be allergic to in December? Well clearly something so now I have it every day.

I use the Pulmicort turbohaler (brown) which has controlled my asthma (late onset) for over a decade. Initially it was prescribed privately because at the time it was much more expensive than other asthma drugs being CO2 free. I also have a Bricanyl reliever turbohaler which often goes out of date before I've used it much because the Pulmicort works so well. The Bricanyl does make my hands shake a little but apparently that's a side effect which shows the drug has made it into my system and is 'doing its thing'! I do take a daily antihistamine which helps keep the hay-fever at bay and I do up my dose of Pulmicort if needed.