Sandoz salbutamol inhaler question

View hulloo all!

Up until now I've been using a generic salbutamol CFC-free inhaler that looks like a ""normal"" inhaler.

The last two inhalers I was given (I'm prescribed them in pairs, presumably so each prescription lasts a couple of months) were made by Sandoz, and they look a little different. The canister part is the same, and they're also CFC-free (propellant is norflurane, or HFA-134a), but the inhaler section has a more rounded mouthpiece, and is blue and transparent.

I don't really care about what it looks like, it's more that it tastes vile, and feels harder to puff through - like as soon as there's resistance, it feels blocked. If I puff it into the air, it's clearly working fine, it just doesn't really feel like it works when I use it!

My asthma's mild, and currently well controlled. I use beclometasone 2 x a day, and since getting over a cold a couple of weeks ago I'm back to having excellent peak flow values, so I'm not overly worried at the mo, just find this inhaler design a bit odd.

Has anyone else used the Sandoz salbutamol inhaler and found the taste significantly different to that of other salbutamol CFC-free inhalers? Is the sensation of resistance to inhaling normal?

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Take it back to the pharmacy u got it from And see what they say ....

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Cheers Gussypoo! I shall do. I need to go back to collect the balance of the script so I can do that tomorrow.

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Good question, I would go back to your GP or pharmacist as change in brand may be the reason or slightly different inhaler style e.g. easibreathe.

I've only ever had Ventolin brand myself. Having a quick look around, the Sandoz has more excipients or propellant/base ""Norflurane (HFA 134a), Anhydrous Ethanol, Oleic acid"" as does Airomir than Ventolin which has the HFA134a or Salamol has 'ethanol anhydrous (alcohol) and the propellant norflurane (HFA-134a)'. I know Atrovent tastes awful with an ?ethanol base too but it depends which salbutamol you had before.

Edit to add, worth checking if the pharmacy changed it or your GP and if there was a particular reason

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It's not an interesting type of inhaler - just the press-the-top and inhale-the-meds type, it's just that Sandoz seem to feel the need to redesign the plastic bit!

Thanks for nosing at the ingredients, I couldn't see what was in other CFC-free salbutamol to try and see what the difference was that was making this one odd.

Blargh!

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Forgot to say a spacer may help if you have one, if not worth asking about as they are prescribed too.