Asthma

[flutey]

Does anyone have any ideas on treating asthma during pregnancy? I am 30 weeks, and my usually mild asthma is out of control. Ventolin puffer is not helping, and every GP I see tells me something different. I have been on two courses of a mild steroid over my pregnancy, and while this helps, the minute I finish them, my asthma is horrid again. I am guessing the severity of my asthma is due to my pregnancy, but my poor family and myself are not sleeping due to coughing ALL night. Any ideas? Flutey.

[SJ1312]

Mines been pretty bad too, and although they tell you not to use your puffers unless needed my doctor has told me when i come across a bad bout of asthma to use my seritide (preventer) for a week or so till it clears up and then go back to using nothing.
It seems to work, I've only needed it for 3 bouts so far....
Its probably best to see your doctor again....

[Mrs Potts]

Mines been pretty bad too, and although they tell you not to use your puffers unless needed my doctor has told me when i come across a bad bout of asthma to use my seritide (preventer) for a week or so till it clears up and then go back to using nothing.
It seems to work, I've only needed it for 3 bouts so far....
I find this a bit strange. Seretide is a preventer, as you said, and it's effectiveness builds up over time. Generally speaking, if you started using it when you have a bout of asthma it wouldn't actually start doing anything for several weeks. That's why these preventers are used in conjunction with a reliever like Ventolin.

Symbicort is much more effective in this type of situation as it is a reliever & preventer together. The only trouble is it hasn't been tested sufficiently during pregnancy. It does do a fabulous job though. Perhaps talk to your GP about this one and see what info you can get on it's use during pregnancy. In my GP's opinion, it is often better to use a medication that may not be optimal during pregnancy than to risk reduced oxygen to the baby.

[missie_mack]

Seretide is actually a preventer and reliever as well. The salmeterol (which works similar to ventolin) can last up to 12 hours. I use this regularly with a medium asthma issue.

My asthma also worsened whilst I was pregnant and when I spoke to the OB he said 30% get better, 30% have no change and 30% worsen.... gawd only knows what happens to the other 10% :laughing:

If you are not getting long term relief from the seretide you might need to have a stronger version or perhaps a change to another system like sybicort which is an alternative medication for this. Not all relievers and preventers suit everyone

[Moorish]

I have only very mild asthma which is usually brought on only by severe exercise or weather conditions, however mine plays up a bit later on in my pregnancies.
I was also given Seretide which thankfully was enough to help me through the rest of my pregnancy without too many worries, however I did have to take it on a regular basis for it to help, and when I had a bad day I'd take my ventolin as well whenever I needed it.

It might be worth a trip to the Dr to check out your options and see if it's something that might benefit you. Good luck, I really hope you can get on top of it - not something you really want to worry about during pregnancy.

[c38]

You could always ring the ASTHMA FOUNDATION in your state, they should be able to provide you with some information re safe drugs during pregnancy etc that you can take to you GP

[flutey]

Thanks everyonefor your ideas. I went to GP today who has put me on a once a day tablet called Singulair ($100/packet mind you!), a non steroid tablet appaently. there have been no studies on pregnant women taking this drug, so do not know the reaction of it, however, GP though it safer than Symbocort at this time. I go back on Wednesday and if not feeling any better then, they will refer me onto a respiratory specialist. Will let you know how it goes... Flutey.

[Mrs Potts]

My son takes Singulair - it does a great job. Hope it works for you.

[flutey]

Hi all for you input on this. The Singular did not work. Went back to GP who agreed that one more course of the tablet steroid was required then to immediately follow it with symbicort, a steroid based inhaler. The steroid tablet, prednisolone, was fantastic at getting me breathing again, and I have now been a week on the symbicort, which seems to have contained the condition. I am happy that I can now sleep again. Although, not entirely happy that I have to remain on a steroid for the remainder of my pregnancy, the alternative was not an option. After 6 visits to my GP, we found a solution. I hope other asthmatics will read this and know that there are medications out there that will eventually work for you. Flutey.

[RoseKathleen]

I was one of the lucky ones whose asthma didn't change during her pregnancy. My GP told me early in that the risk associated with steriods use due to asthma during pregnancy was very small - but the damage and risk to a fetus if you have an asthma attack could be very bad.

[beebs]

I take the preventer pulmocourt and neither my GP or my Oby Gyn ever said that it wasn't ok to take during pregnancy.

[TripleTime]

My asthma has gotten really bad to the point that i wake up coughing & had a mild attack on tuesday morning, i do how ever have a respitroty nurse who i saw on tuesday afternoon.

I have now been put onto Symbicort for 2 puffs 3-10 times a day depending on how bad i am along with Ventolin.

There is no way i would stop taking my med's while preggers & i know my partner feels the same way. I am a high risk pregnacey as it is & there is no way i would risk my life anymore than i already am.

[jazzlyn]

I can relate. I have chronic asthma, and suffer from it everyday even when I am not pregnant. I was told my asthma will get better during pregnancy, but it hasnt, its got worse. I cant take most steriod inhalers, I have had so many tests and they found that they either dont help or make it worse. I am actually allergic to Seretide and it makes my breathing worse. That was before I was pregnant. Now I am going onto 20 weeks, and I have given up on trying to find a reliever. I had tests at Westmead hospital, they found ventolin doesnt work either.

Have you tried Prednisone? Its usually only a 3 day course, 2 times a day after food. Its the tiniest, worst tasting thing I have ever came across. It truely tastes like poison, but you can take it during pregnancy. I was told by my asthma specialist in Sydney that if it doesnt improve, I will be on them long term. Thats my only hope.