Asthma Support Group

dont seem to help much

How long have you been on it?

Hey Uther67
You got lucky if spiriva worked for your asthma..it is not indicated for treatment of asthma but DOES WORK WELL in patients with smoking lung disease/COPD/emphysema. Spiriva is an inhaled anticholinergic medication (see COPD and emphysema community for discussions about sprivia) and as with ipratropium (atrovent) anticholinergics are not the first-line bronchodilator for asthmatics.
Dr O.

Is it possible that I could have COPD? My previous doctor started prescribing it, and my current one continued it. At least it had been 10 months since I had to go to the ER for my asthma.
I'll talk to my doctor about it.

Uther

Yo again
If you were EVER a smoker it is very possible you have COPD...they can easily sort that out by doing pulmonary function tests (PFTs) which you may have had before. The correct diagnosis (blend of asthma/copd or copd or asthma alone, etc) does matter for treatment options. Keep us posted but Im glad youre doing great!
Dr O.

This stuff gave me dry mouth real bad! Couldnt tell it helped breathing!However the Duo-neb in my nebulizer twice a day keeps me in real good breathing condition!

My pulmonary doctor prescribed Spiriva for me as well. I once asked directly if he thought it was COPD and was told no. Yet, he added this medication. My allergist said "I doubt that is going to help you". Very frustrating to go through the meds, suffer the energy and time and money consumption for what? Does it help or doesn't it is what I want to know. It seems nothing helps me but time. Very frustrating as a patient.

My respiratory specialist prescribed me both atrovent and spirivia I don t use both at th same itme as they both effectivly do the same thing. The spiriva last 24hrs compared with the 6hours or so that atrovent lasts for. It is a more long acting bronchdilator or sorts. It is not common for asthmayics to useit but in sevre cases where the airways restriction is worse it is sometimes used as the airways are continulally constricted compared with milder asthma where the airways are responsive to short acting brionchodilators.

I fint atrovent helps alot. I nebulise it regualry eveyr four hours and ahve extras if i need them. Unfortunatly my lung function isnt good enough to use the inhlaer device for sprivia and as they dont make it in neb form i ahve to use atrivent!!!

Olive

There are drugs for "first line of defence" meaning they work quicker. One of those meds is Albuteral.

Atrovent, serevent, Advair and other meds are used to prevent Asthma, not to stop Ashtma once it's started to flare.

I use Serevent, Atrovent and Intal as preventitives.

I have Albuteral inhaler for flares and Duoneb for both preventitive and flares used in my nebulizer.

Duoneb is both Atrovent and Albuteral mixed together.

I also, use a very old med because it helps me so much.
Theophiline.
I use Theo-24. I requested the 24 hour acting med so the drug would not be like a yoyo, spiking and then running low so to speak. This how meds that are taken several times daily.

Atrovent and tiotropium as I know it arent preventer but are long acting bronchdilators that is why they ahve to be taken a specific times. This is also why atrvent can be used ina sevre asthma attack where albuterol nebulksiers are not enough atrivent nebuliser is also used.

Olive