I know what you mean - I'm on Advair, Intal, Ventolin and Spireva and I've been on daily Prednisone at some level for the past 18 years. Oh and the Zyrtec! I guess they think if they keep piling on the drugs something will eventually kick in and work.

I'm just so glad that it's not just me! HOLY MOLY!! I'd like to be one of these stinkin' drug companies making all of this money on poor saps like us! LOL! Thanks for the piece of mind! I thought my doc was jabbing in the dark!

This is typical. During a flare up I use Advair, Singulair, Zyrtec(or similar drug), Astelin (or similar drug), pred, and DuoNeb in the nebulizer.

These inhalers all contain different medications which work differently. Combivent contains the bronchodialtors ipratropium bromide and albuterol sulfate. Spiriva is tiotropium bromide, another bronchodilator. And Advair contains the corticosteroid fluticasone propionate to reduce inflammation in the airways and the long-acting bronchodilator salmeterol which helps to relax the muscles surrounding the airways.

It might take this combination, plus use of pred and albuterol, to control the asthma. With the development of other medications, it may be possible to take just one drug at some time in the future.

Welcome to the Spiriva world...i'm on that one too :-( It is annoying because of the little gadget you use. I hate these damn inhalers too but they do keep me functional and that's the point.

Sorry to hear about the additional round of prednisone. Not fun. Take care and wishing you a healthier future. I don't blame you for being upset. It will hopefully get better. Hang in there dear friend!!

Thanks for the support everyone. I do hope that I can get down to just one inhaler eventually. The Spiriva is just CRAZY to use! Too many steps involved, and too time consuming. LOL. After my first round of prednisone, and Spiriva my chest finally stopped hurting so much, and I actually had a minimal cough this morning. I'm more happy to be rid of the elephant on the chest feeling than getting rid of the cough at this point. My PFs were at 352 this morning, so that is a good sign. I'm actually back up to my norm or 400 this afternoon! hooray!

the spiriva gang!!! im on it too and hate the little device but i am on aew device called the respimat. it is branmd new and only just out. i feel privildged to be the first on in the uk to ahve one!!!!

i think they are more expensive than the handihaler devive but it is more effetive at getting into the lungs with the new device.

i feel my inhaler collection is a bit of a rainbow. i seem to ahve all different colours and different shades of colours.

i know i am in a unique situation but i think i ahve abouyt 10 different coloured inhalers and a varity of different colured pills!!!! i think it does make drugs time more interesting.

i guess i am very lucky that here in the uk i dont have ot pay for my medication otherwise i would be bankrupt!!!

olive

Respimat, developed by a German company and launched in 2004, is a new generation propellant-free inhaler. It contains Berodual, a combination product of 20 microgram ipratropium bromide and 50 microgram fenoterol hydrobromide, (both bronchodilators). Here's the link:

www.respimat.com/com/homepage.jsp

I was also taking Advair, Spirva, and Ventolin all at once. The advair 2x's a day. Not to mention, the singulair. It worked for a while, then I developed Thrush and went down hill from there. Now, I am using a Nebulizer/albuterol and it seems to be helping with my breathing. But I have to use it 4x's a day. My dr is looking for another way to get steroids into my systems to help keep my airways open. All the med's you are taking deal with different symptoms related to asthma. I would review what you are taking with your DR and ask him to explain what each med does for you. Good Luck!

I am the same way and turst me right now I am tapering predisone and getting worse and think how many more drugs cna they give me.

Ok, so I tapered the Prednisone, and after three days on it, I woke up this morning feeling like someone was punching me in the chest all night long! I felt that heavy elephant sitting there, and I felt bruised from one end of my chest to the other. I called my Pulmonologist back, and he said to ramp back up to 40 mg Prednisone for the rest of the weekend (I'm going camping), and then try and ramp back down after Sunday. I was just wondering if anyone else has felt like they have a bruised and sore chest too!! Is there something else I should be asking for???? I don't want anymore though! :(

Been there and done that along with having pneumonia Along with putting a HEPA filter on my CPAP I am power walking with arm and leg weights for 2+ miles and every 1/10 of a mile I stop plant my feet inhale as much air as possible and push it out as hard as I can I bend over and squeeze out as much air as possible. So far lungs
are mostly clear little coughing., Hope for the most part the lungs
stay clear and technique continues to work..
One needs functioning lungs to deliver oxygen to the
brain so that it thinks clearly.

Bioqsaufley: I hear you there! I've been a slug and dropped out of aerobics class for the summer, but there is no reason that I can't use my treadmill. I wonder if this is why my asthma is just acting so stupid lately. I've always been an active person and excercized pretty regularly, but now that I've stopped.....hmmm.