Dealing with symptoms of asthma but not the cause
'Good' things about the Blue Reliever Inhaler are that:4
- It can feel as if symptoms are improving quickly.
-
It usually makes you feel better, often as soon as you take
it.
'Not-so-good' things are that:
-
While the Blue Reliever Inhaler helps deal with the symptoms
of asthma, it does not help to manage the underlying cause
of asthma attacks.4
-
Over-reliance on a Blue Reliever Inhaler (i.e. use of it 3
or more times a week) could be a sign that asthma is not
well controlled, which might in turn mean an increased risk
of asthma attacks.10,21
-
By relying on their Blue Reliever Inhaler too much, some
people may not be managing their asthma as well as they
could be. For example, they may not be using their Preventer
Inhaler as recommended.21
When to talk to your doctor
If your test results indicate that you are at medium or high
risk of over-relying on your Blue Reliever Inhaler, it's worth
discussing your asthma treatment with your doctor, nurse, or
pharmacist.
If you experience any of the following signs of poor Asthma
Control, you should urgently make an appointment with your
doctor.
In the past 4 weeks:21
- You've had daytime symptoms 3 or more times a week
- Your asthma has woken you up at night
-
You've used your Blue Reliever Inhaler 3 or more times a
week
- Your asthma has limited your activity
The more of these signs you have, the less well controlled your
asthma could be. If you have any of these signs, it's worth
discussing your asthma treatment with your doctor, nurse, or
pharmacist. With the right management, most people can achieve
good control of their asthma.
NOTE: GINA Guidelines (2024) apply a pragmatic threshold to
define uncontrolled or partly controlled/uncontrolled asthma
as using the reliever for symptomatic relief 3 or more
days/times a week.21
This is not medical advice. DO NOT stop or change your asthma
medication without consulting your healthcare professional. It
is important to continue to take your Blue Reliever Inhaler as
directed by your healthcare professional, including during any
worsening of your asthma or prior to exercise.
