CAN’T TOLERATE ALBUTEROL INHALERS - ALTERNATIVES? LOOKING FOR INFO/IDEAS.

[Snickers72]

Has anyone not been able to tolerate any Albuterol based inhalers due to tachycardia and arrhythmia issues? This has happened twice - and I am wondering what the alternative options are to these Albuterol based inhalers?

[Bevvy]

Be well worth discussing this with your pharmacist. They have best understanding (what they trained for) of this. Should be able to give you some suggestions to take to gp. If you have pharmacist within gp surgery they could even speak to gp and arrange for you.

[Snickers72 in reply to Bevvy]

I have spoken to a number of Pharmacists - they had no idea…….you would think they would - but they did not. Quite concerning! Someone else must have had this same problem! I can’t be the only one!

[Keisha192001]

I use a combination inhaler (fostair) and use it for maintenance and reliever therapy (MART). This is an option with a couple different combination inhalers meaning you use a rapid onset LABA instead of salbutamol/albuterol. I also believer terbutaline is one which can also be used as a reliever

[Snickers72 in reply to Keisha192001]

Thank you for the response! Please tell me how the Fostair is working for you, as a reliever and as maintenance…? How long before you feel relieved? What doses are you using as maintenance, and what are your instructions for using it as a reliever? Thank you!

[Keisha192001 in reply to Snickers72]

Apologies I didn’t see this until now. The approved dosage for fostair 100/6 as MART is one puff morning and night for preventative use and then up to 6 reliever puffs throughout the day. It takes minutes for it to work as my reliever about 3-5 mins I would say. And it’s long acting so it should stay working longer than salbutamol does. When my asthma is well it lasts 8-12 hours between my preventer doses. When my asthmas worse not as long but still longer than salbutamol.

[Keisha192001 in reply to Snickers72]

moatfield.co.uk/media/conte...

[Poobah]

Have you tried a combination inhaler for maintenance (Fostair, Symbicort, Seretide)? Ideally you should only be using your Albuterol as a rescue inhaler, maybe once or twice a week.

Combo inhalers have a steroid plus a long acting bronchodilator. Unless you try one you won't know if the long acting bronchodilator suits you. But you'll need to take for around 8 weeks for the steroid element to build up its effect and then have a review with your asthma nurse or doctor in order to monitor your progress, consider changing the dose or even trying a different combination inhaler (trial & error finding the one that suits you as an individual). Initial side effects usually settle down with regular use.

Maintenance medication is key to controlling asthma symptoms so that you don't have to depend on Albuterol, Ventolin etc. All rescue inhalers will produce similar side effects because of the way they work, but if they're only used for rescue situations then it's a matter of weighing up the benefits against the side effects for the odd occasion that they're required.

If you have cardiac problems then your heart and respiratory specialists should be liaising with regards your overall treatment.

[Beader3]

I’m allergic to albuterol. Instead I use Xopenex. My Dr told me that there are only 2 choices. Xopenex contains levalbuterol tartrate. 45mcg/actuation.

[Snickers72 in reply to Beader3]

I had the same reaction to both of them. I had used each of them previously in the past, and had no problem. I did speak to a hospital pharmacist in the states, that said reactions can be dose dependent - and that smaller doses (1/4 to 1/2 of typical dose) of Albuterol have been tried under doctor supervision - and have been quite successful with children and adults, without the side effects they experienced from a full dose. An interesting fyi.