new Daliresp

[skate4life]

Finally found a posting about Daliresp being produced in the 250 mg size to help reduce initial side effects.

It is a blister pack of 28--250 mg tabs and another blister pack of 2 x 10 Unit Dose. I'm really not sure what the 2 x 10 unit dose actually is. The companies recommendation is 250 mg for 4 weeks and then go to the 500 mg dose. Can't find any price info yet.

I imagine many docs have sample packs on hand - mine gave me a lot; 500 mg, 7 tabs in a pack. Two packs = 4 weeks.

I'm going to stay on the 500 mg and continue to split them as I have taken 250 mg for 17 months with excellent results.

[jarca]

i only found 1 post about it also;
seems the smaller dose is to kind of 'ease' a person just starting the med into it slower so body adjusts to the side effects.

I'm glad to hear that it helps you; my PCP wanted to put me on it years ago but the side effects scared me---then i noticed it is for people that have 'chronic bronchitis' type of COPD ( which I have emphysema type) so was glad i didn't take it (i did take paperwork into my PCP about it only being approved to help chronic bronchitis & PCP said, 'the drug rep didn't tell me that.")
www.empr.com/news/daliresp-copd-starting-dose-250mcg-tolerability-treatment-discontinuation/article/740036/

[skate4life]

I used to think chronic bronchitis just meant that you constantly have inflamed airways & cough a lot. But it is part of copd and usually is listed along with emphysema. Also Daliresp articles listed cough & lots of mucus production so I did not think it fit me. But it took another copder in the know to explain that it is also highly recommended for those who have repeated flares. I had flares (only severe shortness of breath and lower sats - no cough, no mucus) every 4-6 weeks for 3 years requiring a prednisone burst and sometimes had to add a z-pack. I literally was going psycho until I had a meltdown in pulmy office, confused, angry, etc. I had terrible diarrhea from theophylline when we tried that 3 years before so he assumed I would have trouble with Daliresp too.

As I have written many times to everyone, I learned Europe and asia used the 250 dosing initially with good results about lowering side effects. So I started splitting the 500 mg pills, and it took a number of months to work up to a daily dose of 250. Yes, I had some days with urgent stools during the am, but then was fine. In 17 months, still on the 250, I have had only one exacerbation requiring a pred burst.

Everyone is different. Yes, some people have talked about their reaction - insomnia, depressed mood, diarrhea being the most common, all while taking the 500 mg.

[gnott]

Late again, but IMHO ...

It is a mistake to rule out Daliresp based on whether you have Chronic Bronchitis OR Emphysema. Chances are you have both forms of inflammation (**IF, see below), and there is confusion because European Drug Agencies recognize Chronic Bronchitis as a separate pathology, but the FDA doesn’t. So in Europe Daliresp is OK’d for Chronic Bronchitis, but in the US the FDA OK’d it for COPD. BUT all of that is purely medical geek speak for targets a drug is tested for during clinical trials.

Exacerbations are brought on by inflammation. IF you are in later stages of COPD and are having trouble with frequent exacerbations that are not otherwise controlled by common treatments THEN take Daliresp. If you can tolerate it, then it will help. Exacerbations will hasten decline.

If you are not having frequent exacerbations then it is probably not necessary, however IF the doctor is prescribing it THERE MUST BE A REASON. Ask them/her/him. Don’t self-diagnosis.

It produced a dramatic improvement for me. I am diagnosis with emphysema, I was also labeled with Chronic Bronchitis – I’m not anymore because since Daliresp I seldom have coughing attacks.