Hi All
Do any of you take Seretide?
I was recently prescribed Seretide (lilac coloured inhaler) for my asthma. It isn't very bad but the usual medication wasn't being as effective and I was using my inhaler more and more.
Anyway this new inhaler is super. BUT
I keep losing my voice ( husband thinks its great :D) - the doc said I must use my spacer. He said if I don't, I'm blasting my vocal chords but surely the same thing happens with a spacer???
I did this but I'm still losing my voice. Am I using the spacer wrongly? Do you breath out through it or just in through it? Do you breath out through your nose??? I can't remember.
I'd appreciate any comments - thanks
:) annieee :)

Hi, my son uses a spacer and when he got it the asthma doctor showed me how to use it, you just breathe in and out through the spacer I get josh to do this 10 times but I don't know how many times for an adult, hope you feel better soon.

Nickie.

You blow into the spacer and breath back in to get the med.
You press for the inhaled dose and then breath through spacer for count of 10 puffs before the next one.
If you are unsure ask the asthma nurse at the clinic to show you how to do it properly.
Sometimes people think their inhaler isn't working for them but mostly it's because the don't use them properly.
Regards,
Linda

Thanks for the advise. I have had the spacer for years but didn't use it. It's only since I started the new medication that the doc said to use it. I thought I was doing it correctly (and I was) but as I am still croaky (see first post) I thought I may be doing it wrong :) Thanks again.

annieee

You also need to drink something after using any inhalers as they can cause drying of the mucous membranes in the throat and this can lead to infections.

Dill

I suck a strepsil if i have a problem with mucous and on one occasion I got thrush. The doctor prescribed Nystatin pastilles. You can buy pastilles for thrush over the counter I think they are called Daktarin Losenges Cant help with the spacer though but clean your teeth and have a drink after each use and all should be well.

Jean

Seretide is a mixture of 2 asthma drugs - Serevent and Flixotide.  Serevent is like a long lasting Salbutamol (a reliever) and Flixotide is a steroid (a preventer).  It's the flixotide which is making you lose your voice - the steroid kills off the 'good' bacteria in your throat.  If you have a drink of water after you've taken your medication then it can't stay in your throat and so doesn't get the chance to do this. 
I've had the same problem myself and this is what my doctor recommended and (touch wood) I've been ok since doing this.
Paula

The accompanying leaflet says that should your voice become hoarse then you should rinse with water and spit it out and to mention it to your doctor but NOT to stop using it .

Thanks Paula and lel,
Clever me threw away the leaflet. What i don't understand is why the spacer makes a difference. I can understand the rinsing etc - that makes sense but how does using a spacer help. Surely it just makes sure all the medication goes in rather than protecting the voice box?? I'll certainly do the rinsing and thanks both of you ;)
annieee :)

Annieee
you may like to take a look her

http://www.asthma.org.uk/about/pdf/booklet07.pdf

It mentions spacers make inhalers easier to use and you get more medicine into your lungs than with just using the inhaler on its own. They also trap the medicine inside the spacer so you dont have to worry about pressing the inhaler and breathing in at the same time and they help reduce the possibility of side effects from the higher doses of inhaled steroids by reducing the amount of medicine swallowed and absorbed into the body. They also work just as well as nebulisers in acute athma attacks .
Lel

the spacer has a 1 way valve in it that lets you draw the mixture of air and inhaler out but not your breath back in it should prevent you from losing your voise because it is diluted with the air.

just breathe as normally as possible - the spacer does the rest :)

andy