Taking ventolin through a spacer

[Celie1]

Hi,

Has anyone else experienced dizziness when taking ventolin through a spacer?

I get a bit dizzy when inhaling just ventolin, (none of the other’s) slowly through the spacer and then holding my breath. Does anyone else have this or know why? It’s a bit puzzling that it doesn’t happen with other meds. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[twinkly29]

I assume you've been doing it this way (the single breath method):

asthma.org.uk/advice/inhale...

but maybe this way (multiple breaths) would help as it removes the need for the breath hold and uses regular breathing?

asthma.org.uk/advice/inhale...

Not sure why it does it with ventolin and not other inhalers though!

[Celie1 in reply to twinkly29]

Thanks very much. I’ve just tried it and it works much better, no dizziness! Is it ok to breathe out through your nose while doing the tidal breathing or do I have to breathe back into the mouthpiece. It feels a bit hard to breathe back into the spacer. 😳 😁

[twinkly29 in reply to Celie1]

My instinct is it's probably fine as the breathing out in that situation is just so you can breathe in again (not sure if that's the correct answer though!)

In an attack where one was using tidal breathing (eg needing several puffs and more intense than needing a "usual" couple of puffs, if that makes sense) it might feel less weird to breathe out through your mouth because, in that situation, you might be breathing out through your mouth anyway.

Glad it helped though - at least having options for technique means you can pick and choose as feels best at the time. For a long time I didn't really twig that the one breath thing existed for spacers as I was used to being with 4/5 year olds (pre my asthma) who would use tidal breathing as standard for their inhalers so I thought was the only way 😅. Always a learning curve!

[Celie1 in reply to twinkly29]

Yes definitely better to have options! Yes you just stirred a memory for me too as I worked with young children and remember them using their spacers and doing the tidal breathing thing but didn’t connect it to my adult asthma duh! 😆. Thanks again- hope you’re breathing better today 😊