Hello, I'm not quite new here, but I am returning to mostly lurking after a
very long gap.

I would appreciate any comments and opinions about new and/or current
thinking on long term effects of inhaled steroids.

I have never liked taking them though sometimes I'd get fed up enough with
asthma I'd start them again. I used to find that there was not much
improvement either, until a year or so ago one doctor I saw said it wasn't
worth taking anything less than (if memory serves me correctly) 800mcg of
beclomethasone per day.

I must admit this did help a lot but I worried about long term effects and
the fact that I knew it just was masking symptoms. I keep thinking or
hoping, optimistically that my asthma might just go away one of these days.
Sometimes it does fade away a bit of its own accord but inevitably
returns... disappointingly.

I have taken up running over the past three years and  although I'm slow and
find it hard work (lots of walk breaks), I have completed the London
Marathon twice (and raised ?1800 for the National Asthma Campaign in 2001!)
It is running that really makes me consider taking the steroid inhalers all
the time because otherwise I use up my normal reliever (salbutemol) too
quickly. In addition I've now started to find that the ventolin is less and
less effective and my running is no longer so enjoyable as I just spend the
time too knackered to do anything except walking slowly.

I apologise for the 'sorry for self' ramble, I know that many of you on this
NG have asthma a lot more severe than me, but it gets to me all the same now
and again even after all these years.

Opinions appreciated.

Mia
miasarosi01@ntlworld.com