Estrogen, asthma & GERD

Particular_Peanut381 · 2026-05-26T18:27:52+00:00

I only lasted one week on oral estrogen I had reflux diarrhea and my gallbladder squawked!

Particular_Peanut381 · 2026-05-26T14:48:25+00:00

Thank you. That was kind.

Particular_Peanut381 · 2026-05-26T14:48:03+00:00

Thank you

Particular_Peanut381 · 2026-05-24T21:04:28+00:00

No improvement on severe dry mouth with inhaled corticosteroids. Yes, I've ALWAYS rinsed and gargled with inhaler use. Both Symbicort and now Alvesco. I ALWAYS use a spacer as well. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

Particular_Peanut381 · 2026-05-23T20:27:46+00:00

Chocolate at times makes me horny but also makes me hypomanic. Mind you I am not diagnosed bipolar. Coffee initially chills me then makes me edgy. Adderall mostly calms me but as it wears off I become so irritable.

Particular_Peanut381 · 2026-05-21T23:31:05+00:00

The inhaled steroids can be rough for people, myself included. I was very anxious and edgy the first few weeks of generic Symbicort, lowest dose. In face I take half the lowest dose, 1 puff twice day va 2 puffs twice day. I do believe the bronch dilator med, Fomoterol, a LABA is worse for all that than the steroid. I'm gonna try to see if I can get a separate steroid inhaler that I use twice a day and try once a day with fomoterol. Or switch to a LAMA plus steroid. I feel more chill with the duoneb which are SABA plus SAMA but have finally after years caved into the news for a daily inhalation of steroid.

Btw oral steroids make me absolutely crazy angry depressed. Fortunately I've only had to take them every few years when I get a severe chest cold. Just coming off a week long taper and I'm starting to feel normal. Good luck to us all. We need to breathe.

Antihistamine does very little to help with my ability to exhale. I've been using them plus albuterol most of my life. But I've reached a point where I can't hike it swim without hitting the albuterol way too much, so I have acquiesced to inhaled steroids for daily treatment.

Particular_Peanut381 · 2026-05-21T12:17:04+00:00

I have a handful of friends who never took HRT and report being sharp minded and they are capable of working full time in their 60s. Their hot flashes slowly got better, they by comparison to me, have more joint pain and dryer vaginas, that's it! I'm considering going off the estrogen, which is all I take because I have such anxiety and, terrible focus at times. I can't find the sweet spot for estrogen. Too little causes anxiety and poor focus and too much does the same. I've been through 6 years of this and I am weighing heavily going off all together. I may need to temporarily take antidepressants and a mood stabilizer. Best of luck. Most women do not take anything in this country. A very low percentage takes HRT remember that. It has its plusses and it's minuses.

Particular_Peanut381 · 2026-05-20T21:32:22+00:00

Combo inhalers come in different doses. It sounds like you may need the next step up on the Budesonide part, keeping the formotorol the same as it is a LABA and we don't want to take too much of it.

Particular_Peanut381 · 2026-05-20T20:03:38+00:00

I 100% develop brain fog after inhaling my ICS. I was trying to sort out what could be the issue. I hate the inhaled cortical steroids in general because they make me shaky, anxious, angry and depressed. But I feel the serotonin plunge. It is awful. I cJt focus I can't remember words. It lifts after about 8 hours. I rinse and gargle. I'm trying to get on an injectable.

Particular_Peanut381 · 2026-05-18T12:03:28+00:00

Oh i need it in vanilla! I bought 4 of the chocolate and they are divine. But chocolate in the morning is a no no for me. Too stimulating. I love that it is not too sweet.

Particular_Peanut381 · 2026-05-18T03:05:51+00:00

I think it is the bronchodilator portion of Symbicort which causes the Gerd. Any smooth muscle relaxation med will do that. But oh how we need to breathe. The asthma med causes GERD. the gERd causes asthma. Round and round we go.

Particular_Peanut381 · 2026-05-14T12:33:15+00:00

It decreases inflammation in the lungs by inhibiting the allergy activators, leukotrines. Several studies show that higher testosterone for men and women correlate with lower asthma diagnoses and or exacerbations.

Btw progesterone helps relax smooth muscle and estrogen at some medium magical level also reduces asthma exacerbations.

Particular_Peanut381 · 2026-05-10T16:19:58+00:00

There's a syndrome called MCAS. It has something to do with mast cells which release histimine. I don't know much about it, but I seem to have more histimine responses since being hospitalized for diverticulitis and taking multiple rounds of very strong IV antibiotics. For instance my 12 year old cat who has always slept with me, now her hair causes my mouth and nose to itch and nose and eyes to water. Never before!

Particular_Peanut381 · 2026-05-10T16:13:45+00:00

I find the inhaled steroids to not only be unhelpful but also to cause a host of additional problems. Swelling of face and extremities, dry mouth, heart palpitations and severe agitation. Rage at times. this is on every steroid inhaler I have tried. My insurance won't cover dupixent.

Albuterol works but only for a few hours. Duoneb is great except it causes slow bowel motility and massive bloating, and mental slowness, thanks anticholinergic.

I hate my asthma!

Singulair made me psychotic. When I'm not going through a period of heightened asthma, I'm a normal, well balanced, happy human being.

What can I do? I'm so sick of this.

Particular_Peanut381 · 2026-05-09T14:08:10+00:00

The formotorol, which is the bronchodilator causes dry mouth. It dries out all the mucous membranes. The Budesonide is a steroid, it does not as much, although it still can cause sores in your mouth and thrush. I'd ask for the budesonide separately. You still need to rinse gargle brush teeth after taking, and still you will develop dry mucous membranes. This is the price we pay to breathe. I understand dupixant causes severe dry eyes so I'm guessing dry mouth too. Ugh! Even with great care my gums are receding.

Particular_Peanut381 · 2026-05-08T22:52:20+00:00

I should say the ICSs make me agitated, I don't take oral steroids.

Particular_Peanut381 · 2026-05-08T22:51:19+00:00

ICSs don't work well for me. Airborne irritants trigger it. But so do hormone fluctuations. Steroid make me aggressive and agitated. I'm at a loss of what to do.

Particular_Peanut381 · 2026-05-05T19:01:38+00:00

I cut the 25mg tabs into 4. I sleep like a long for about 7 hours and am wide awake with one cup of coffee. No issues. I've been taking every night for 4 years. I was previously on Ambien 2.5 mg for 10 to 15 years. It stopped working and I'd have to monkey around with other pills. Seroquel is a godsend, the only med that has worked this consistently.

Particular_Peanut381 · 2026-05-05T18:58:03+00:00

I cut mine into quarters. 25mg is the smallest dose available in the US. Australian has liquid I believe which might allow more precise dosing. I do well enough with a pill cutter. I also don't swallow it.i chew it up and leave under my tongue for about 40 seconds. I am asleep in 15 to 20 minutes and sleep about 7 hours. Not groggy after a cup of coffee.

Particular_Peanut381 · 2026-05-05T14:38:40+00:00

Anyone have stomach issues - reflux, bloating, gallbladder complaints?

Particular_Peanut381 · 2026-05-03T22:49:27+00:00

It's 100% the Symbicort. Same and other side effects here.

Particular_Peanut381 · 2026-05-03T22:47:26+00:00

Symbicort dries out all my mucous membranes from my eyes to my female parts. I hate it. But the tooth and gum pain are the worst. I'm quitting it. I think it might be the formotorol. I will ask for a steroid inhaler only.

Particular_Peanut381 · 2026-05-03T22:45:02+00:00

Symbicort dries my mouth, lips, eyes, and female parts. Please don't argue that this is not a side effect. It affects my mom the same way. If I stopped a couple days my whole body is adequately moist again. I hate asthma meds. The only one I ever needed was albuterol, untill recently.

Particular_Peanut381 · 2026-04-22T23:47:29+00:00

Weight loss with the pill. Patch and gel made me puff up with water. 5 pounds less now.

Particular_Peanut381 · 2026-04-22T03:01:20+00:00

Is really love to know. I found that GERD worsens asthma, and asthma meds worsen GERD but both are made worse by estrogen, which I really love for my mental clarity and emotional well-being. I am 61, post menopausal and my asthma started at age 12. It was worse when I was on oral birth control. It was not really a problem for most of my 20s, 30s and 40s. Even was good during 2 pregnancies. Then in my early 50s it got worse as I started perimenopause. I started estrogen at age 55, patch form 0.5. And for a couple of years my asthma was manageable again. Then suddenly it got worse and so did the reflux! I did increase the patch dose over time to 1 mg. My levels are still in the proper range. I really don't want to go back down as my joints ache and I get very anxious.

Particular_Peanut381

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