[Tarshy77]

After having virtually no asthma symptoms for the past 8 years I have had a REALLY bad run since Nov - have had several long bouts of Prednisolone, AB's for recurrent chest infections, changes and then increases in preventer medication, hospital admissions for 7=10 days at a time etc etc. I have very unusual asthma in that I don't have a wheeze and it sounds as if I have good air entry etc. This unfortunately means that MANY Dr's haven't taken it seriously and my health has really suffered as a consequence

Last week I finally managed to get back in to see the top asthma specialist in Melbourne I used to see when I was at University. He has taken me of Seretide and Serevent and put me on Symbicourt. The instructions were I could take 2-4 inhales when needed - as much as every 2 hours - then after 4 if not improved enough to use the nebuliser with ventolin and atrovent.

A few days in and unfortunately today I've been struggling more and have used the pump quite a few times - after taking the Symbicourt - I'm hoping this is a combination of a cold and the meds not fully working yet.

I guess I have the following questions from users

- How long does this medication take to have full effect?
- How often do users also have to use ventolin on 'bad' days - either through nebuliser or puffer?
- At what point do you skip the symbicourt entirely when going downhill and go straight for the traditional reliever?

I'd love to hear from people who use this medication and how they find it - I'm liking the fact that it has replaced 2 preventers and will (hopefully) replace the nebuliser when I am stable.

[Guest_Nyz31_*]

Though I too have asthma, it's never been severe like you have described so I can't help you out on that point, but I just wanted to say if you haven't contacted the Asthma Foundation in your state before, PLEASE give them a go! They are a fantastic source of info (after all, they hold training sessions for medical professionals) and their services are free. They just might have a bit of info that you are yet unaware of, and even if they don't, it doesn't cost you anything apart from maybe 50c for a phone call.

I hope you get on top of it soon, it really is the pits.

[Divvy]

I'm supposed to be on Symbicort, but honestly it doesn't offer any real relief like a combination of Flixotide/Ventolin/Seretide did.

FWIW I spent months last year on steroids for asthma after a particularly nasty bout of atypical pneumonia. Please get checked for this in case it's causing you issues. Have you had a chest X-ray yet?

All the best.

[HollyOllyOxenfre...]

I've been on Symbicort for a couple of years now, and I've found it brilliant. When I started on it I wasn't unwell like you have been, so I don't know how long it will take for it to have a positive effect for you, but for me there were improvements within about two weeks.

Prior to the Symbicort I was on Seretide twice a day and using Bricanyl as needed - I was needing the Bricanyl up to 4 times a day. Now with the Symbicort I rarely have the Bricanyl. Last time I was really unwell with asthma (needing a nebuliser) I had a puff of Bricanyl along with the Symbicort for a few days and that got me past it.

Obviously everyone is different, and as you've been sick anyway your body is still recovering, but for me it's been a massive improvement changing to the Symbicort

This post has been edited by Holly-Meow 84: 13/05/2012, 06:56 PM