I swear I'm using this spacer ...

[Shannon97]

I swear I'm using this spacer wrong..like sometimes it feels like a complete different to other times what am I doing wrong..I'm shaking my inhaler..putting it in..breathing out...putting it in..my nurse did say to make sure you press it down maybe I'm not pressing it down hard enough??

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador]

Shake the inhaler first (for 10-30secs). You should hear the canister dispense the medication into the spacer (sounds like a whoosh or poof noise) like you would hear when just puffing it into the air. Do this when you're on the mouth piece and have breathed out. Use both hands on the canister if you need to make sure it has dispensed.

Use inhaler once, and either tidal breathe (basically breathe as normal for 5ish or so cycles) or do one slow inhale, hold your breath for 10 secs (or as near as) and breath out again slowly (do whichever you have been told to do). Wait a couple of minutes and repeat the process (if doing 2 puffs).

If you hear a musical noise (humming/buzzing) from the spacer you're not breathing correctly, relax and be less 'sucky' with the air (the med will come to you, you don't have to pull it in).

If you're hearing the puff but not the tune (and are breathing through the spacer) then you're doing it ok.

Easiest way to check you're doing it correctly tho is to see/speak to your asthma nurse and ask them to watch you so book in with/ring them.

[Shannon97]

So you shake the inhaler with it being in the spacer??

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador in reply to Shannon97]

You can do but it doesn't matter if you don't. It's just mixing up the med (like when you shake fruit juice/j2o to remix it). Just make sure the inhaler is in the spacer, fully sealed before it puffs.

[Wheezycat]

Perhaps you should also talk to your asthma nurse about it so that he/she can show you. Or perhaps your pharmacist. Our local one is good at showing this.

[Shannon97]

She has showed me..I just don't no why it don't feel right🙈