I was having an episode with COPD/Asthma and the doc tried me on Symbicort first, but I had trouble with my heart beating too fast, so I stopped that and she tried my on the Combivent Respimat That worked like a dream for about the first week, but then I started experiencing a lot of shortness of breath. I'm fine if I'm sitting, but as soon as I get up to walk anywhere I don't make it very far before I have to stop and rest.
I agree w Jean but I think you may need more powerful drugs! I use Anora after graduating from Combivent and I also used Symbicort for 3 or 4 yrs as well. I now use a separate inhaled steroid (Coscosteroid) which I use just 2 puffs in the morning! I can use two puffs at night if I need it, but haven't seemed to and I'm trying to take as little as possible! Again always check w your dr but highly recommend taking at least 1k of vitamin D and I take 2k and if I get sniffles I go up to 4K a day for 3 or 4 days till I feel better! But that's just me, everyone's different!
First of all I hope your dr is a pulmonary dr! COPD needs an expert to guide you. Also with new medicines coming out you need someone who is aware of them and how to propose pharmacy processes that will help you! The treatments for COPD are basically designed to keep your airways open and inflammation at a minimum! Simple right? Now the new drugs are Taken only once in 24 hrs which means it's easier for us to remember when to take the darn thing!
Main drugs are LAMAs and LABAs alone or in a combination together, a rescue inhaler which is usually some form of Abuterol and a steroid, which can be oral such as prednisone and inhaled, Costcosteroid if I spelled it right this time. The inhaled version can be combined with a LABA like Advair or Symbicort. A new 24 hr version is Brio if I spelled it right. An example of a LAMA would be Spiriva and a combination of a 24 hr LABA/LAMA would be Anora. Abuterol can also be taken by a Nebulizer which sometimes seems more effective to me if you're feeling sick.
Jean what did I miss, perhaps you can spell out what a LAMA and a LABA is?
This is only COPD, not including any heart complications!
Hope this helps!
what stag of CO{PD are you in? sounds like your ready for oxygen and nebulizers
I'm having the same probem. I'm fine as long as I'm sitting. I was taking Advair but med i care changed my third party provider to HUmara and they won't cover it so he gave me pulcort and they won't cover that either. now he has me on flvent...something like that. Plus I"m on sprivia, which works great for mem and I have my inhaler and the nebulizer.. Something has to be changed though. I'm giving this new med some time to see if it helps.. I go back to the dr on the 31st so we will see then. In the meantime, I'm stuck
I'm having the same problem with getting up and walking. It just drains me. I was on Advair but my insurance company won't cover it anymore My dr just started me on Rovet, I think it's the right name. Plus I'm on Sprivia and then I have my nhaler and nebulizer I haven't used the nebulizer since I quit smokingg in January. But I allso can not do anything without becoming breathless. The dr says that will improve. How long did it take for you to be able to get around again?