Switching to HFA inhalers (question)?!
Question: I have asthma and I normally used albuterol its generic and cheap and now they are taking them off the market because they destroy the ozone.So now they are switching to HFA Inhalers I got my first one and just let me say they are useless.The meds. do spray out good you have to pratically hold it down your thoat to get any in your lungs I think i end up eating most of it lol.
I was wondering if anyone else is having problems with these HFA inhalers?They have me on proventil which is basically suppose to be albuterol, It just is not workig for me I use to be able to take one puff of albuterol but find myself taking a few puffs of proventil and it still feels like iam suffocating it feels like it doesnt work at all.Is there anything else i can switch to.This sucks I get to suffocate but aleast our ozone is not getting depleted,I do care about the enviroment but what are we suppose to do here?
Answers: I have asthma and I normally used albuterol its generic and cheap and now they are taking them off the market because they destroy the ozone.So now they are switching to HFA Inhalers I got my first one and just let me say they are useless.The meds. do spray out good you have to pratically hold it down your thoat to get any in your lungs I think i end up eating most of it lol.
I was wondering if anyone else is having problems with these HFA inhalers?They have me on proventil which is basically suppose to be albuterol, It just is not workig for me I use to be able to take one puff of albuterol but find myself taking a few puffs of proventil and it still feels like iam suffocating it feels like it doesnt work at all.Is there anything else i can switch to.This sucks I get to suffocate but aleast our ozone is not getting depleted,I do care about the enviroment but what are we suppose to do here?
I also have switched inhalers and the HFA inhalers don't seem to work as well. Have you tried using a spacer with it. That seemed to help me. Now I have my asthma under control and haven't needed it so much. There is not much you can do about the inhaler. If you need to use it alot tell your doctor and try to get your asthma more under control so you don't need it so much. I know its easier said than done but its about the only thing you can do. Good Luck
you cant do anything. you are not doing that much harm to the ozone. not driving car ONE TIme will be equilant to 1000 puffs of the inhaler. dont worry!
Unfortunately, the generic Albuteral is no longer available. It is possible that you have a faulty inhaler. Tell your pharmacist that it is not properly administering the medication. They should replace it. There is another albuteral product marketed under the name of Proair.
i heard that advisory too about the pull out of certain inhalers because of their packaging. i advice that you follow-up with your doctor and ask him/ her about a replacement if you're experiencing no effect on his new drug. Also, ask your doctor to demonstrate to you how to properly use an inhaler, majority of patients do not know the proper way because their doctors do not show them how to do it properly. Inquire also about the discus preparations... they might help.
Seriously, some of this is in your head.
The new dispensers give the same quantity of the same drug. What may be happening is that you're getting a lot of it onto your tongue and other surface areas of your mouth, so you're not inhaling it where it's needed.
First, is your asthma under control? Do you need to use a rescue inhaler more than 2-3 times a week? If yes, then your asthma is not under control and you should see a doctor.
For me, I take Advair & Singulair and they are really, really the key to long-term maintenance for me. I ran out of Advair and noticed a big increase in rescue inhaler usage. So be aware that other meds are out there to better maintain your asthma.
Second, do you smoke? If yes, STOP TODAY. I recently quit smoking (using the new drug Chantix, which I loved) and my asthma is so much better since. Hopefully you're not as dumb as I was and don't smoke (anything!).
Third, do you have and use a 'spacer'. It's a device like a tube that you attach to your inhaler. What it does is oxygenate the spray of the inhaler so that you can breath it in more smoothly. This prevents a lot of the problem with spraying into your mouth and tongue. It increases the effectiveness of inhalers by a notable percentage (40 or 60, I forget which). If you don't have a spacer, ask your pharmacist. They should fit in a purse.
Finally, if none of those work, try adjusting the way you use your inhaler. Take a deep breath before you squeeze the inhaler so you have good airflow already. Adjust your aim and lower your tongue out of the way. And last, remember to hold your breath for about 20-40 seconds after a puff.
See if some of these tips don't make you feel the way you think you should. Good luck.