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long-term use of inhalers for COPD

I would like to know whether I should use the inhalers they gave me (spiriva and seretide) for my condition, COPD, irrespective of whether I get some relief from them. Can they slow down the lung deterioration process? Should I really go on inhaling for ever?... in other words, if these medicines are only - or mostly - intended to make me feel better (which they don't), can I stop taking them? I perceive them as a nuisance and the result  of a pharmaceutically oriented approach. Yhanks for your attention and avice
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Avatar universal
I sympathize with your husband. We do not get enough information. The pulmonologist I saw at the local hospital was pretty upset when I confessed I was not taking the medicines I was prescribed in December when hospitalized for a nasty exacerbation... but all he did was  write it down on my papers and giving me a stern look while confirming that I should take them... with no further explanation or word of wisdom... so I keep googling and biding my time until my next pulmonary test sometimes in May. This is a selection of articles about the minimal or no benefits associated with a long-term use of inhaled steroids (needless to say, you can also find equally "respectable" articles that say the exact opposite):
1) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10359405
"Little is known about the long-term efficacy of inhaled corticosteroids in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We investigated the efficacy of inhaled budesonide on decline in lung function and respiratory symptoms in a 3-year placebo-controlled study of patients with COPD......
Inhaled budesonide was of no clinical benefit in COPD patients recruited from the general population by screening. We question the role of long-term inhaled corticosteroids in the treatment of mild to moderate COPD."
2) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC80333/
"Although this study confirms that long-term inhaled corticosteroid therapy does not alter the rate of decline of FEV1 in COPD, it does provide evidence of modest clinical benefit in terms of health status and frequency of exacerbations. These findings add a measure of justification for what is fast becoming widespread practice in the management of patients with this common condition."
3) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10379018
"In patients with mild COPD who continue smoking, the use of inhaled budesonide is associated with a small one-time improvement in lung function but does not appreciably affect the long-term progressive decline."
As you probably known Symbicort contain budesonide.
If you dig up some additional info or come to some conclusion, please let me know and I'll do the same.
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Avatar universal
I wonder about that too.  My husband just got diagnosed with emphysema  and sent home with steroid inhalers and no instructions on what to do with them.  Or even which one to use when.  All he knows is not to take both at the same time.  And he is already skipping doses because he doesn't know if there is a need.   Its Advair and Symbicort.  I am hoping they will send him to a pulmonologist who might be more forth coming with info.  He probably just has a mild case and I'd like to keep it that way.  Except we don't know how severe it is because, hey, I guess that is another of the dr.s secrets.  Aggravating.
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Avatar universal
Thanks for your advice, but that's precisely what I would like to determine: do inhalers really make a difference in the long run or  these medicines are given just because they are "usually given"?   I'd like to figure out whether or not it is advisable to inhale steroids 24/7 the year round...I don't like inhaling that stuff unless it's really necessary/helpful. I think everybody takes it for granted that it is, I read a few (credible scientific) articles on this subject and some say the benefits are modest vs the contraindications. Elsewhere I read they are prescribed for days or weeks, my doctors told me to keep using them indefinitely. Wish you all the best, meaning let's hope we don't get worse too fast... bye
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Avatar universal
if you don't get relief from them tell your doctor there is different kinds of inhalers you could use.  But remember these are long term medicines. You have copd which is not curable but treatable. I made the same mistake as you thinking that if they if I don't feel better right away why take these, now I'm in the severe catorgory which is not good. It may seem like a bother right now but so is carrying an oxygen tank. Copd is long term, I would rather use an inhaler twice a day than carry around an

Good luck

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