Anyone found Symbicort not managing SOB with Asthma/Bronchiectasis?

Posted by narelled23 @narelled23, 9 hours ago

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 | 5 hours ago

@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.