Glp-1s to treat Asthma.

[FatsiaJaponicaInTheGarden]

I can't see if this threads been here before but my night time scrolling last night went down a great rabbit hole. I'm asthmatic and have had some very bad chest infections (affecting mobility, chest scans, weird radioactive ones etc) and as I work with people develop a bit of a fear of colds.

Anyway as someone who was morbidly obese I'm on Mounjaro currently - I found it reduced inflammation in my body within weeks and I was able to walk...

But the asthma link I've only just discovered. It seems that Glp-1s affect receptors in the lungs, and helps reduce inflammation. So benefit asthmatic not just through the weight loss.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9727043/ This is a NiCE link from 2022

"Plain Language Summary

Obesity is a common issue and a comorbidity that negatively impacts asthma outcomes. Weight loss can improve asthma outcomes, and evider shows that a particular type of therapy currently indicated for diabetes that assists in weight loss and targets receptors that are abundant in the lungs will outperform other therapies. GLP-1- receptor agonists may particularly help overweight patients who have asthma to control the disease as best as possible and prevent exacerbations. "

This is so exciting.

And more recently - from Aberdeen summer this year" https://www.abdn.ac.uk/news/24561/ "

Which suggests a protective effect even without weightloss (it says 0.9kg over a year - I have no idea how anyone is on glp1s and only losing 1kg??? But that's not their point...!)

(I'm both excited at yet another benefit Glp1s are giving me whilst terrified in a Black Mirror eque fear that I need to pay to keep this level of health.)

Im so glad to read this op, I’m asthmatic and I’ve been on Mounjaro since March and I haven’t needed to use my blue inhaler since March. I did just assume it was weight loss that had led to such a dramatic improvement but I’m convinced having read this that it’s definitely the mounjaro. Another reason I will stay on it long term.

It's really interesting isn't it. Ive been doing a great procrastination of Things I Should Be Doing and looking at some of the studies!

I definitely want to be on something long term. I may financially need to move from MJ to wegovy sometime though 😔.

I knew it! Having had terrible asthma in the last few years, I realised the other day that I hadn’t even thought about using either of my inhalers for (probably) weeks. I just haven’t had any sensation of tightness or wheezing at all. Been on MJ since Feb and at maintenance weight now, down 3 stone ish. I also fear I may have to pay for it indefinitely, might have to consider WGvy to reduce the cost. The reduction in inflammation is astonishing.

This is so interesting.
I'm one month in and have found that my asthma is much better.

My, asthma has been fine (on it since Jan) and can't remember needing my ventolin apart from when I've been around cats. I usually would have had the odd day. I think I've also accidently reduced my preventer by forgetting to take it. I'm going to try and keep a record of taking it so that after winter I could perhaps look to reduce it. In my case being 6 stone less probably helps too... But I think this reduction in inflammation is actual magic.

Id love to reduce the fostair I'm on.

I've been an asthmatic for over 20 years and I stopped using all my inhalers after a week on mounjaro. I have not touched my inhalers in 6 months. Truly miraculous

I have been on Mounjaro for 2 months now and still use my asthma inhaler. More than once this last week. Could be the change in weather .. but Mounjaro has not changed my usage.

I don’t have asthma but I do have an inflammatory disease and it got miles better within days of starting MJ and has been throughout my 12 weeks on MJ.

Only lost 11lb in those 12 weeks (about 100 to go!) but the inflammation reduction is worth it on its own!

I do wonder about swapping to Wevovy for the price, but it’s a different drug so wonder if it would act the same… need to look into that!

Anecdotally, it has totally helped mine! I have been on MJ for 15 months now and gone from having horrific chest infections and asthma crises involving treatment with antibiotics and steroids and frequent hospitalisation every couple of months to um, nothing.

Sadly, my past history seems to have damaged my lungs and I am currently undergoing tests for copd. I have a consultant appt next week to discuss the results so will definitely be talking to him about the impact Mounjaro has had on me!

My asthma has massively improved and I’ve not used my inhalers. Which is great! I wonder if it would improve other lung conditions? Just thinking as I have family members with pulmonary fibrosis, which is really damaging to quality of life.

I think the studies I've looked at so far have been talking about incidences of asthma attacks /needing steroids rather than coming off inhalers altogether. I know with my level of asthma I doubt I could come off... But I'd like to reduce the fostair - (high dose and slight risk to osteoperosis) if this continues.

I still wonder if I ought to wait until after winter (I know the asthma nurse will just tell me to do what I think is best and tell me how to go down/up)

But it's potentially very exciting!

I just assumed it was weight loss and improving fitness. That's really interesting, thanks for sharing @FatsiaJaponicaInTheGarden

It seems to have a lot of other effects due to reducing inflammation and improving blood flow (which does aid weight loss and perhaps suggests why being morbidly obese is a medical issue not just about "will power").

For me I wasn't able to walk more than 6 minutes when I started in January and within a few weeks could walk without pain and started building up my walking. Literally lifechanging aside from weightloss.

There are other also annecdotal benefits around addiction.

And studied benefits around reducing heart events. Lowering blood pressure, improving blood sugar levels...

My curiosity will be mounjaro /wegovy differences.... So much yet to be investigated.

A Google suggests pulminaroy fibrosis is an area of research.

I remember reading a paper about NAFLD (as I have this) and mounjaro - which suggested it could be a treatment in itself.

I think it works in so many ways on the damage to my body.

I so hope ill be able to affors/justify losing the rest of the weight I need to on it.