# Asthma inhaler



## Northerner (Jun 28, 2018)

Nice morning for a run today, cool and overcast first thing  Took a couple of puffs on the asthma inhaler before setting off and it certainly seemed to help as I managed 5k in around 28 minutes - still a bit slow, best time for 5k is around 25 minutes, but obviously very unfit (for me) after months of hardly running at all, so pleased  A bit of coughing at the end - fine throughout the run - took another puff on the inhaler and it settled down  If it walks like a duck and it quacks like a duck, then it is most probably exercise-induced asthma  This is the inhaler I am using, not sure if I've quite got the technique right yet, my instinct is to draw it into my mouth then breathe deep, but I'm trying to get the hang of drawing it deep into my lungs from the start which I believe is what you are supposed to do


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## Lanny (Jun 28, 2018)

I always close my eyes, to focus, breathe in as deep as I can, breathe out, put the inhaler to my mouth, press & breathe in at the same time! The timing can be difficult to get right at first so, if you start breathing in slowly before you press will help! If you press first & breathe in too late you can choke & not get the full dose! Failing that, you can ask for a spacer device but, they’re bulky to carry around & impractical!


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## Northerner (Jun 28, 2018)

Lanny said:


> I always close my eyes, to focus, breathe in as deep as I can, breathe out, put the inhaler to my mouth, press & breathe in at the same time! The timing can be difficult to get right at first so, if you start breathing in slowly before you press will help! If you press first & breathe in too late you can choke & not get the full dose! Failing that, you can ask for a spacer device but, they’re bulky to carry around & impractical!


Thanks @Lanny, useful information


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## mikeyB (Jun 28, 2018)

With the easihaler, it only operates when you take a deep breath. The benefit is you don’t have to coordinate the pressing of the trigger. Very useful for children, and Yorkshiremen

(You can’t use a spacer device with a dry powder inhaler)


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## SB2015 (Jun 28, 2018)

I was also going to suggest a spacer, which is what I use, but I use a different inhaler.
You could ask to switch, but as was mentioned the spacers are rather unwieldy, and I only used it for my brown inhaler (nighttime one).


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## mikeyB (Jun 28, 2018)

I use a Seretide 250 inhaler, twice a day, another dry powder breath actuated device, the difference being that you can have two goes at the same dose because there’s no gas power. I just use bog standard cooking Salbutamol if I need it frolicking in woodland in the spring.


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## Northerner (Jun 28, 2018)

SB2015 said:


> I was also going to suggest a spacer, which is what I use, but I use a different inhaler.
> You could ask to switch, but as was mentioned the spacers are rather unwieldy, and I only used it for my brown inhaler (nighttime one).


I think I'm getting it - this morning's run went better than the one on Tuesday


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## TheClockworkDodo (Jun 28, 2018)

I was taught to practice looking in a mirror, because the main thing is to make sure your mouth is wrapped round the inhaler, without any gaps so none of the dose escapes into the air.  I have a bog-standard Ventolin inhaler though (just for when my allergies are bad now as it's over 30 years since I had asthma) - don't know how your one works.


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## mikeyB (Jun 29, 2018)

Blimey, Juliet, I was worried for a sec that you had asthma on top of everything else. I’m now suitably relieved


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## TheClockworkDodo (Jun 29, 2018)

Everything started with asthma for me, Mike - I had it from the ages of 3-21, and over the years I was given lots of medication which is now banned or known to cause problems.  I suspect these (among other things) weakened my immune system and paved the way for the allergic reaction which triggered my ME.


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## mikeyB (Jun 29, 2018)

Quite possibly, though the immune system is not so much weakened as hypersensitised in allergies.  I guess you were given ancient stuff like ephedrine inhalers, to keep you awake all night, and steroids to squish the immune response. Who knows, when you’ve been mucked about as a child. Oh well, plough on. Try and avoid any other autoimmune disorders if possible


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## TheClockworkDodo (Jun 29, 2018)

I'm trying my best!  I did have a different inhaler before the Ventolin, not sure what it was or what it did to me, I was too young to know.  But I think the main problems were the over-use of antibiotics, particularly Septrin, which is now known to cause all sorts of dodgy side effects up to and including death  (I thought for most of my childhood that swollen lips were a symptom of a cold, then I spilled some Septrin on my arm and my arm swelled up!), and the anti-histamine Terfenadine, which was banned for causing cardiac problems.  I've been on daily antihistamines since I was 3.  My immune system is ridiculously over-active.  Those two sentences may or may not be connected!

Sorry to hijack your thread, Alan


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## Northerner (Jun 29, 2018)

TheClockworkDodo said:


> Sorry to hijack your thread, Alan


No worries Juliet


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## Carolg (Jun 30, 2018)

I use this type northie and have never been shown but just click and sook. Works for me


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## Northerner (Jun 30, 2018)

Carolg said:


> I use this type northie and have never been shown but just click and sook. Works for me


I think when I first used it I was conscious of sucking the powder in and then breathing deep, but feeling that the powder had essentially coated my mouth and not my lungs! I think I have improved as I have got used to it though


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## TheClockworkDodo (Jun 30, 2018)

To stop it coating your mouth you just need to start breathing in very slightly before you click or press or whatever you do to make it dispense the dose - it does take a while to get the timing exactly right (and then if you're like me and hardly ever use the thing you have to work out the timing again every time!).


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## Northerner (Jun 30, 2018)

TheClockworkDodo said:


> To stop it coating your mouth you just need to start breathing in very slightly before you click or press or whatever you do to make it dispense the dose - it does take a while to get the timing exactly right (and then if you're like me and hardly ever use the thing you have to work out the timing again every time!).


Yes, this is what I have been trying, but it seems to go against natural instincts. Perhaps it's because I'm an ex-smoker and have developed a fear of inhaling anything but fresh air directly into my lungs - I'll often hold my breath if I end up walking behind a smoker in the street!


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## TheClockworkDodo (Jun 30, 2018)

I'd overtake them or cross the street!


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## Northerner (Jul 4, 2018)

TheClockworkDodo said:


> To stop it coating your mouth you just need to start breathing in very slightly before you click or press or whatever you do to make it dispense the dose - it does take a while to get the timing exactly right (and then if you're like me and hardly ever use the thing you have to work out the timing again every time!).


Just wanted to thank you again for this tip Juliet, I think it has really helped  Took a couple of puffs before this morning's run and managed it all really well with no problems - not even on the 1.2 mile uphill run at the finish!   There was a bit of coughing as I recovered, but nothing like I was getting and I eventually recovered after 5-10 minutes without needing another puff 

I've got a couple of weeks to the spirometry test then hopefully they will have all the information they need to make a firm diagnosis


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## mikeyB (Jul 4, 2018)

Firm diagnosis? If you’ve got COPD I’ll throw my wheelchair away and walk. You didn’t have symptoms while you were smoking, or for years after. That’s the only aetiological factor you’ve been exposed to. Stop worrying, you’ve got exercise induced asthma.

Course, there’s still lung cancer to worry about, if you like


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## Northerner (Jul 4, 2018)

mikeyB said:


> Stop worrying, you’ve got exercise induced asthma.


What puzzles me about this sort of asthma is that I can be perfectly fine whilst out running, sucking in and blowing out huge amounts of air, but it's only in the few minutes after stopping that my lungs protest, I haven't got my head round that yet  Brisk walking (around 17mins/mile, which I consider quite brisk, although Tom Bosworth would laugh in my face, I'm sure!  ) seems to have no impact - if anything my breathing is easier 

I suppose I just don't really understand what asthma is!


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## mikeyB (Jul 4, 2018)

Northerner said:


> I suppose I just don't really understand what asthma is!



You and half the world, don’t worry


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## Northerner (Jul 6, 2018)

Found this on Wikipaedia which seems to clarify things a bit for me 

Managed a 2-puff 3m run this morning without too much coughing afterwards  Hard work today, but I was a bit tired from a hot and sticky 10-mile walk yesterday, scoping out a possible longer run from my house  First 3.5m on roads, but quiet ones and only a couple of shorter stretches along busier roads, then pretty much country paths for the rest of the walk. I'll need to be quite a bit fitter and stronger before I can run it though, not exactly flat!   'Tis lovely though


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## SB2015 (Jul 6, 2018)

Northerner said:


> What puzzles me about this sort of asthma is that I can be perfectly fine whilst out running, sucking in and blowing out huge amounts of air, but it's only in the few minutes after stopping that my lungs protest, I haven't got my head round that yet  Brisk walking (around 17mins/mile, which I consider quite brisk, although Tom Bosworth would laugh in my face, I'm sure!  ) seems to have no impact - if anything my breathing is easier
> 
> I suppose I just don't really understand what asthma is!


My exercise induced asthma used to kick in at the end of a training session.  In competition it would hit me between rounds rather than during a fight.  Like you I have no idea why.


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## Northerner (Jul 6, 2018)

SB2015 said:


> My exercise induced asthma used to kick in at the end of a training session.  In competition it would hit me between rounds rather than during a fight.  Like you I have no idea why.


It's very counter-intuitive, isn't it? You'd expect it during maximum effort, not when you stop!


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## TheClockworkDodo (Jul 6, 2018)

My breathing problems are delayed too - they tend to kick in just after I leave things like hospital appointments (they're triggered by the chemicals in places like hospitals).  Very frustrating - it means people like diabetes consultants have no clue why I find attending appointments so difficult because they rarely actually see me struggling for breath.  And on the rare occasions they do see it, they don't see the cause, so they assume it's something like an anxiety disorder   ME specialist said I have type 2 allergies, which means I have a delayed reaction to things (type 1 allergies are the anaphylaxis sort - instant and acute - whereas type 2 are delayed and chronic).


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## Northerner (Jul 7, 2018)

TheClockworkDodo said:


> My breathing problems are delayed too - they tend to kick in just after I leave things like hospital appointments (they're triggered by the chemicals in places like hospitals).  Very frustrating - it means people like diabetes consultants have no clue why I find attending appointments so difficult because they rarely actually see me struggling for breath.  And on the rare occasions they do see it, they don't see the cause, so they assume it's something like an anxiety disorder   ME specialist said I have type 2 allergies, which means I have a delayed reaction to things (type 1 allergies are the anaphylaxis sort - instant and acute - whereas type 2 are delayed and chronic).


I shouldn't imagine that the anticipation of the triggering of a problem helps the situation either, Juliet  I've found myself fretting over how I'm going to react afterwards - hopefully that will diminish if I can become more confident with experience that it's not going to be too horrible!


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## SB2015 (Jul 7, 2018)

Northerner said:


> I shouldn't imagine that the anticipation of the triggering of a problem helps the situation either, Juliet  I've found myself fretting over how I'm going to react afterwards - hopefully that will diminish if I can become more confident with experience that it's not going to be too horrible!


I just keep the inhaler in my Badminton bag, and use it.  I stopped worrying about why and also then needed it less.  It also seems to change with the weather. Ho hum.


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## Northerner (Jul 16, 2018)

A bit on the warm side for a run this morning (17.2C at 6:30 ), but no blinding sun  Worst part was running through clouds of midges - like running through a living rain shower, goodness knows how many I swallowed  Why do they all hover at head height? Are they waiting for humans to pass? What do they eat when there are no humans? 

Breathing still not great despite using inhaler beforehand, especially on hills, and there was a doozy of a hill over the last mile (more like a cliff ). Off to GP surgery today for a spirometry test later as part of the investigations into possible asthma/COPD - will be glad when they sort out what's wrong!


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## Stitch147 (Jul 16, 2018)

Hope they get you sorted out soon Northerner and I hope you worked out the carb content of any swallowed midges!


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## Amigo (Jul 16, 2018)

Northerner said:


> A bit on the warm side for a run this morning (17.2C at 6:30 ), but no blinding sun  Worst part was running through clouds of midges - like running through a living rain shower, goodness knows how many I swallowed  Why do they all hover at head height? Are they waiting for humans to pass? What do they eat when there are no humans?
> 
> Breathing still not great despite using inhaler beforehand, especially on hills, and there was a doozy of a hill over the last mile (more like a cliff ). Off to GP surgery today for a spirometry test later as part of the investigations into possible asthma/COPD - will be glad when they sort out what's wrong!



Hope you get a favourable result northerner. I’ve found people who haven’t suffered with asthma for years have it a the moment. 
Certainly doesn’t sound like COPD because you’re as fit as a butcher’s dog doing all that running!


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## Ljc (Jul 16, 2018)

Northerner said:


> A bit on the warm side for a run this morning (17.2C at 6:30 ), but no blinding sun  Worst part was running through clouds of midges - like running through a living rain shower, goodness knows how many I swallowed  Why do they all hover at head height? Are they waiting for humans to pass? What do they eat when there are no humans?
> 
> Breathing still not great despite using inhaler beforehand, especially on hills, and there was a doozy of a hill over the last mile (more like a cliff ). Off to GP surgery today for a spirometry test later as part of the investigations into possible asthma/COPD - will be glad when they sort out what's wrong!


I hope you get good results with the test. 
You  may need a preventer at least for a while, you usually use it twice a day .  It’s not nice when you don’t know what’s wrong, so I hope they sort that out soon.

I am no medic but I suspect it’s Exersize induced Asthma.


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## Northerner (Jul 16, 2018)

Stitch147 said:


> Hope they get you sorted out soon Northerner and I hope you worked out the carb content of any swallowed midges!


I think they're mostly protein, aren't they?


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## Stitch147 (Jul 16, 2018)

Northerner said:


> I think they're mostly protein, aren't they?


Thats very true.


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## Sally71 (Jul 16, 2018)

Asthma is weird.  Mine is mostly allergy-related, mainly with hay fever, so this time of year is usually bad for me but it's hardly bothered me this year!  It seems to come and go. I have a brown inhaler as well as a blue one but I haven't needed the brown one at all the last few years, I got it ages ago when I was having an exceptionally bad year and seemed to be wheezing constantly and sometimes really struggling for breath.  I also find that thundery weather triggers it, probably something to do with humid air, and also in the winter if you keep moving suddenly between a warm heated room and very cold air outside and back again!

My daughter was diagnosed with asthma last year, at first hers was almost exclusively exercise induced but I think she's had a couple of attacks this year which didn't quite fit that pattern


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## Northerner (Jul 16, 2018)

Sally71 said:


> I also find that thundery weather triggers it, probably something to do with humid air, and also in the winter if you keep moving suddenly between a warm heated room and very cold air outside and back again!


Mine seems partly due to the hot weather and stuffy atmosphere, and can get worse at night when I am lying down, and I've noticed after my run what seems to set it off is when I get out of the relative cool air outside and into a warm house (not used to having a warm house, my last one was cold and draughty most of the time! ). I developed hayfever a couple of years ago, but haven't really been bothered by that this year, unless it is now manifesting itself as an asthma trigger!


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## mikeyB (Jul 16, 2018)

The rule is when you’re going through a bad patch, a twice a day ‘preventer’ is a must, and can cut back the need for the blue inhaler. Talk to your GP about this, Northie. It’s always best to have both, though like Sally, I don’t regularly use mine - until this hot weather.


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## Sally71 (Jul 16, 2018)

I've always been told that if you regularly need your blue reliever inhaler more than 3 times a week then you should be on a brown preventer one as well.  My doctor told me it's ok to take the brown one only through the hay fever season and then stop for the rest of the year, as I normally get very few attacks in the winter.  Trouble is then that I can never remember to take the darn thing, which pretty much renders it useless, as I think it has to build up in your system for a few days before it reaches full effectiveness, and if you miss a day you have to start at the beginning again!  Luckily for me I haven't had a bad go for absolutely ages, I used to get them roughly every 5 years, which probably means I'm well overdue for the next one


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## SB2015 (Jul 16, 2018)

As @Sally71 said, if you need the blue often you need a brown preventer, and that should reduce the need for the blue one.  I am a bit stubborn on that and end up ignoring the indicator until I should have used the brown a good while before I start using it!  

I think it is a bit like the anomalies with our Diabetes, sometimes Asthma just doesn’t behave as it should.
I hope you get things settled.


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## Northerner (Jul 16, 2018)

Sally71 said:


> I've always been told that if you regularly need your blue reliever inhaler more than 3 times a week then you should be on a brown preventer one as well.  My doctor told me it's ok to take the brown one only through the hay fever season and then stop for the rest of the year, as I normally get very few attacks in the winter.  Trouble is then that I can never remember to take the darn thing, which pretty much renders it useless, as I think it has to build up in your system for a few days before it reaches full effectiveness, and if you miss a day you have to start at the beginning again!  Luckily for me I haven't had a bad go for absolutely ages, I used to get them roughly every 5 years, which probably means I'm well overdue for the next one


Yes, I read the leaflet and it said you shouldn't really be using the blue one more than 2-3 times a week. However, I need it before I go out for a run so I'm using it that often, and more because I sometimes need it when not exercising. Well, I'll just have to wait for the verdict, it might not be asthma anyway. Why am I getting anxious about blowing into a tube? Hold on- what if anxiety about blowing into tubes is a trigger!


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## Northerner (Jul 16, 2018)

Good news  I don't have COPD and my chest x-ray was clear and normal  In your face Embassy Regal!  

 

(They were about this price when I stopped!  )


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## mikeyB (Jul 16, 2018)

I was on Disque Bleu when I gave up ciggies. And coughing.

Anyway, congrats on not having COPD. What have I been telling you for weeks? What happened to “trust me, I’m a doctor” ? Good news, though. Now you can carry on wheezing without worrying


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## Ljc (Jul 16, 2018)

That is good news, you must be so relieved.


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## Northerner (Jul 16, 2018)

Ljc said:


> That is good news, you must be so relieved.


Well, I had a lot of faith in what @mikeyB was telling me, but nevertheless a relief I admit  I think I was most worried about the x-ray. The one good thing that diabetes has done for me is inform me that I don't seem to have done too much damage to myself in my younger years - at diagnosis the angiogram told me that my arteries were 'pristine', my liver ultrasound told me all was in order, my echocardiogram revealed a heart murmur, but nothing to worry about and after my heart had settled down a couple of months after diagnosis my ECGs were spot on and I was declared 'low risk' for CVD  Today the nurse told me my spirometry test results were 'almost perfect', but I might not have even gone to the doctors if I hadn't been so 'engaged' with the medical system due to my diabetes


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## Stitch147 (Jul 17, 2018)

That's great news that your xray came back all clear.


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## Northerner (Jul 17, 2018)

Well, it seems fairly clear that the hot, stuffy weather is a bit if a trigger for my problems. Copious rain last night cooled down the surrounding Earth and left me breathing easily overnight


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## TheClockworkDodo (Jul 18, 2018)

Glad the tests were clear, Alan 

Change of temperature is a classic trigger for asthma, moving from hot to cold or vice versa always used to set me off.  I used to put a scarf over my nose and mouth before going out of a warm house into cold weather.


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## Northerner (Jul 19, 2018)

Bah! Had a rubbish run this morning, despite THREE puffs beforehand  Couldn't suck in enough oxygen after a couple of miles and wheezed/coughed my way home  So frustrating, because I wasn't at all tired - should have been able to manage at least 5 miles today


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## Ljc (Jul 19, 2018)

Northerner said:


> Bah! Had a rubbish run this morning, despite THREE puffs beforehand  Couldn't suck in enough oxygen after a couple of miles and wheezed/coughed my way home  So frustrating, because I wasn't at all tired - should have been able to manage at least 5 miles today


Sorry to hear this Alan. I know I am no medic, but I really think you  need preventer as well as a reliever. 
Why not speak to Gp or the Asthma nurse about what happened with your run this morning. 

I’ve had to increase both of mine due to this hot weather.


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## mikeyB (Jul 19, 2018)

I’m with Lin on this Northie, it’s  a function of the weather, but for sure you need to be using a preventer. Everbody else is doing this I’m certain. Get in touch with your doc.


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## Northerner (Jul 19, 2018)

Ljc said:


> Sorry to hear this Alan. I know I am no medic, but I really think you  need preventer as well as a reliever.
> Why not speak to Gp or the Asthma nurse about what happened with your run this morning.
> 
> I’ve had to increase both of mine due to this hot weather.


Yes, pretty sure you are right. I've got an appointment on 30th - earliest I could get


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## Northerner (Jul 30, 2018)

Had my review appointment this morning to discuss all the various tests, conclusion was that I have developed asthma. Prescribed a brown inhaler to go with the blue one, plus a scary looking face mask contraption to make taking the 'brown' dose 'idiot-proof'   Review with nurse in a month's time to see if it has worked.

Looks like I will be falling off the wagon as the brown inhaler contains alcohol   Also, am wondering if, since it is a steroid spray, will it affect my blood sugars at all?


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## grovesy (Jul 30, 2018)

Northerner said:


> Had my review appointment this morning to discuss all the various tests, conclusion was that I have developed asthma. Prescribed a brown inhaler to go with the blue one, plus a scary looking face mask contraption to make taking the 'brown' dose 'idiot-proof'   Review with nurse in a month's time to see if it has worked.
> 
> Looks like I will be falling off the wagon as the brown inhaler contains alcohol   Also, am wondering if, since it is a steroid spray, will it affect my blood sugars at all?


I have a steroid inhaler and nasal spray that I take daily does not seem to affect mine. Just the oral ones and injections seem to do that.


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## Ljc (Jul 30, 2018)

I’m glad to hear you now have the brown inhaler, they take can take a while before you reap the full benefit of them.
I’ve been using the brown inhalers on and off since 96 with negligible effects on my BG.


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## TheClockworkDodo (Jul 30, 2018)

I don't know about different inhalers, Alan, but I know that Ventolin raises my blood sugar - I have an extra half unit of insulin whenever I use it.  I think it's an individual thing whether these sorts of things effect you or not though, so just something else to test for.

The pharmacist tried to give me an alternative inhaler with alcohol a couple of times - R told them I'm allergic to alcohol and I got my Ventolin back instead.


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## mikeyB (Jul 31, 2018)

I use Seretide 250 twice a day - that’s a powder inhaler with Salmeterol (the ‘blue’) and flucitazone (‘brown’.) Thats all I need now the rain has come.

I discovered one of the problems of steroid inhalers at my last gastroscopy - oesophageal thrush infection, completely undetectable otherwise.  Whether that is because of the powder formulation, I don’t know, but when I use the inhaler now I gargle and drink water to flush the upper GI system. Normally this kind of infection indicates a seriously disorganised immune system, but the consultant reassured me that it was the inhaler wot did it.


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