Asthma

Former Member

Hi

I've just been diagnoised with asthma today after beeing ill with a really chesty cough since the summer (had 2 chest infections) and been on antibiotics and steroids.
Just looking for peoples advise on living with asthma.
Thanks

Former Member

I'm glad I'm not the only one, mine has been going on since August had bloods and xrays the works, I'm sooo happy that I've finally been diagnoised with something, as it was geting me down!
I'm currently on the blue and brown inhaler 2 times a day, I can't remember how often I was to take my peak flow I'll phone up tomorrow. I've to go back in 4 weeks and see how I'm getting on I might be changing treatments as the nurse thought anoher option would be better but she has to try this one first. I haven't been doing any exercise cos I was feeling sooo rotten so going to start swimming and aerobics hopefully, and if I pluck up courage maybe even venture in the gym rather than just the swimming pool.
I have also thought about getting a fitness dvd - any ideas whats good for toning and asthma?!

Former Member

I've had asthma since I was probably 5 or so. It acts up from allergies, exercise, smoke, and absoutly nothing! Its really bad sometimes, I used to need the rescue inhaler up to 4 times a day, and if you take it more than twice a week, apperantly it means your asthma is not under control. So I always lie to the doctor

Whats the difference in these colored inhalers? I only have one, the fast acting rescue one, the only one I've heard of. Albuterol. I've seen it in many colors... I also take singulair every day, it makes it about 100 times better. I've been taking that for probably 5 years, though no matter what I took, when I smoked it was never any good

I tried things like advair and what not, but the seemed like too much of a hassle with having to rinse afterwards, else a side effect is a nice throat infection, tasted bad (as if the other inhaler doesn't taste bad enough!) and didn't seem to work at all for me. I havn't been able to take the singulair in a couple months and its a complete 180. In the last year or so, for the first time ever I was only using the inhaler a couple times a month, and once I stopped taking the pill I'm back to using it every day, can't start the day without a puff

Former Member

we dont have Albuterol in the UK i dont think but the equivilent is salbuterol(Ventolin) which it the blue releiver.

singulair(montelukast) is basically an oral bronchodilater- i think they try to get people on inhalers first and only use orals when inhalers arent controlling it, or in chronic asthma

Former Member

Ah yes, I think I'll have to switch to the ventolin next. I'm pretty sure that was the one the man had, as I guess they are trying to phase the albuterol out as they have CFC's or something...maybe possibly something like that? good thing I keep a nice stockpile of them, much cheaper!

Former Member

xsazx wrote: »

the brown one is most probably qvar is what I had (seritide is a funky purple and lilac one ) yeaa mum's still not certain it is asthma with me but they're seeing what they can do for now.

I've never heard of qvar :chin: Beclamethasone (or also known as becotide) is brown, and the most common preventer prescribed down here :yes:

Former Member

I was diagnosed with asthma 3 or 4 years ago, after a simular experience. My asthma is shockingly not controlled, I currently have seretide 250, twice a day, singular once a day and ventolin as and when, normally 2 or 3 times a day. I also have to do my peak flow twice a day or when I have an attack, and have been warned that it goes below 300 then I have to go into hospital I tend not to as I hate hospital, I think this has only happed about 6 times. As for daily living my asthma is triggered by dairy, exercise, nuts (quite a severe reation to this one) and medicines such as co-codomol.

Its not all bad thou, when my asthma is controlled, I can still do everything I want to, such as kayaking, going to the gym etc, as long as I have my ventolin!

Former Member

Qvar is a brand of becomethasome.
When i worked in a community pharmacy we gave it out when gp's wrote it up as 'fine-particle' beclomethasone(or specified it by brand).
Theres lots of brands for beclomethasone though Beclozone, Becotide, Qvar etc

Former Member

Sikorah wrote: »

Qvar is a brand of becomethasome.
When i worked in a community pharmacy we gave it out when gp's wrote it up as 'fine-particle' beclomethasone(or specified it by brand).
Theres lots of brands for beclomethasone though Beclozone, Becotide, Qvar etc

I see. I would assume becotide is the cheaper version as it's handed out by the hospital i work for!!HaHa :chin:

Former Member

depends which supplier is offering the best deal to the wholesalers and which wholesaler supplies the pharmacy