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Anyone found Symbicort not managing SOB with Asthma/Bronchiectasis?
MAC & Bronchiectasis | Last Active: Dec 28, 2025 | Replies (5)Comment receiving replies
@narelled23 Symbicort has helped me a lot, but you are right, some days it just seems like "not quite enough." I had to supplement with Levalbuterol, sometimes even using it in a neb. When I discussed it with my pulmonologist, she reviewed my lung condition, all of my other health concerns, and medications, and cleared me to increase the number of puffs per day. There are 2 dosage levels of Symbicort, and most people receive the lower one initially. She explained that she did not want to increase the baseline dose because my problem was intermittent. But using it more often solved my problem on all but the worst days.
Do you have a provider you can call to explore this option? It sounds as if you are without a pulmonologist at the moment, so your primary may be able to help you.
Also, treating my sleep apnea and allergies has reduced my number of SOB days by over half.
Replies to "@narelled23 Symbicort has helped me a lot, but you are right, some days it just seems..."
@sueinmn
Sue, a couple of questions have occurred to me, firstly did you have any concerns in increasing the Symbicort (being a steroid) and may I ask how you treat your sleep apnoea...did you previously say with a CPap machine? I had a dental splint made to see if it would do enough, yet to do a sleep study to discover the results, booked in a couple of weeks from now. I didn't want to use CPap because it was another machine to cart around and also because of the issues with steralising.
Many thanks
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@sueinmn Thank you so much Sue...that puts my mind at some ease to know that.
I was catastrophising and remembering that a GP had recently used the term "end stage" and the "evolution of my lung condition " but he wasn't clear about anything and after putting me on the bronchodilator without the steroid I lost confidence in him and didn't go back. Now waiting to get in to a respiratory specialist to manage the overarching conditions.
I very much appreciate your quick response. 🙏