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Avatar universal

spiriva a;ternative

COPD Fev 45-50% , have been on Flovent,/Spiriva/ Proair  10 years and am sensitive to medications. I dont smoke.

Have had increasingly reactive airways for 3 years, had first Dxed exacerbation last fall triggered  by woodsmoke. No congestion and did not take antibiotics. Pulmo said airways 'sounded  just like asthma'  but do not have that Dx. Airways felt raspy, swollen, inflamed.  Have slowly recovered on a higher dose of Flovent.

Have taken Spiriva 4 days per week for 3 years due to high heart rate and airway rigidity when taken daily. Have noticed since I have recovered  increased irritation/ obstruction  on days I take it. I stopped taking it for 9 days and all irritation stopped and I  moved air more deeply into my lung. Sats stayed up better when I exercised. However now I have congestion, is there anything else I could take?  

Had facial, tongue, etc swelling on Advair and alarming bronchspasm on Symbicort.

thanks
j


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Avatar universal
I had a hard time posting within the word limits and forgot to note that I can't take Combivent either, for some reason I become very short of breath after a few doses. I'm doing fine now with no Spiriva or NAC and having only minor, sporadic congestion.

What do you take instead of medications? I'm having a very hard time tolerating anything anymore.  
Helpful - 0
757137 tn?1347196453
Spiriva is very gritty and irritating. Also it is very drying. I stopped using it. And I got off all inhaled steroids because of the serious problems they caused. Now I use only natural anti-inflammatories and am all the better for it (as well as richer). By the way, my COPD is as bad as yours.

I was taking acetylcysteine (Mucomyst) by nebulizer for congestion. This is not always available so I had to make do in some other fashion. I use a slightly hypertonic saline which I make myself and nebulize that. The result is not as dramatic, but it is more gentle and there are no side effects. (There are with acetylcysteine.)
Helpful - 0
242587 tn?1355424110
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Since it sounds like you are sensitive to the beta agonists, it might be worth a try with Atrovent, which is a like Spiriva, but s short acting and somewhat different formula. I would speak with your physician about this medication.
Helpful - 0

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