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Anyone found Symbicort not managing SOB with Asthma/Bronchiectasis?

Posted by narelled23 @narelled23, Dec 27, 2025

Hi there, I have Be and Asthma, along with Sleep Apnoea, GERD...

Recently the Asthma has flaired causing much SOB. Usually my oxygen level is around 96, but just now it read 88 and over the last few days it has been setting off the alert as it was 90/91. My reading has never got below 90 before. I have just taken some Ventolin and within minutes my oxygen reading was 96. So it went from 3 readings of 88 to a reading of 96 with Ventolin. That seems to indicate to me that the Symbicort is not effectively treating my Asthma.

I am waiting on a private specialist appointment, hopefully early in the NY, to check the overlapping treatment of these conditions.

Any input would be appreciated. Many thanks, Narelle

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Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Dec 27, 2025

@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.

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2 replies
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narelled23 | @narelled23 | Dec 27, 2025
In reply to @sueinmn "@narelled23 Symbicort has helped me a lot, but you are right, some days it just seems..." + (show)
Profile picture for Sue, Volunteer Mentor @sueinmn

@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.

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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. 🙏

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narelled23 | @narelled23 | Dec 27, 2025
In reply to @sueinmn "@narelled23 Symbicort has helped me a lot, but you are right, some days it just seems..." + (show)
Profile picture for Sue, Volunteer Mentor @sueinmn

@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.

Jump to this post

@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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Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Dec 28, 2025
In reply to @narelled23 "@sueinmn Sue, a couple of questions have occurred to me, firstly did you have any concerns..." + (show)
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@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

Jump to this post

@narelled23 The steroid concern is why we went with more doses of the low dose instead of switching to the higher dose. I only use more doses intermittently as needed.

I use a dental splint for my sleep apnea, and it has helped (my sleep tracker on my smart watch shows more deep sleep, more sleep overall and less time awake.) My husband reports that he gave up his earplugs because I no longer gasp at night.
My pulmonologist recommended the splint over a CPAP for exactly the same issues with disinfection. My retest is due in May.

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narelled23 | @narelled23 | Dec 28, 2025

Thank you so much for your response. I am always struck by the apparent similarities between your situation and my own.

I will let you know how I go with my sleep study results in a couple of weeks. I did have one or two situations where I woke gasping with the splint in...so fingers crossed it is making enough difference. I don't want a CPAP machine.
Wishing you well Sue.

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