Why don't Ventolin have counters?

[Elspe]

Why don't Ventolin inhalers have counters?

[IncognitoC]

I have often wondered the same thing.. most other inhalers have a dose count.

[Troilus]

I think they do in the USA. It would make a lot of sense to me if they did the same here. I’m sure it would save money as we would know exactly how much we had left and possible cut down on A&E visits caused by people not having enough when it is needed most.

[fraid]

Oh dear, still don't know how to drive this thing. Pressed like then it went unlike? Anyhoo, I agree! Nor does my Flixotide so have to guess, wondered why asthma worse to find it was empty, then takes ages to get another. Clenil has one, why not all?🤔

[Patk1 in reply to fraid]

Nor does alvesco/cicleside.i rely on shaking mine.a counter is useful

[runcyclexcski]

I bought a mechanical counter on amazon and taped it to my Ventolin

[Poshcards in reply to runcyclexcski]

excellent idea x

[IB1707672008]

I have the accuhaler version of Ventolin which does have a counter. Worth asking your doctor for this.

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador in reply to IB1707672008]

I would like those to work for me but they don't seem to - I can use them fine, technique fine but the medication doesn't seem to hit the spot when I actually need it!

Just wanted to say this as people aren't always aware that different types of inhaler device can work better/worse for different people. I found Symbicort less good for me than the Nexthaler device.

I do really wish the MDI spray had counters!

[Emaych61]

It’s evohalers that don’t have counting devices, so it doesn’t just apply to ventolin inhalers, though the lack of them with ventolin is the more dangerous omission. Why? Because they are taken on an as and when required basis only which makes it much harder to keep track of how much is left.

I’ve raised this issue here a number of times and I must admit I’m getting more than little irritated that Asthma+Lung U.K. don’t seem to be doing enough to get this changed - let’s face it, ventolin evohalers have been around for decades which is ample time to see the problem of no counting devices and try to get something sorted. As someone else has said (and as I am very well aware having had an asthmatic son live there for a few years) ventolin evohalers do come with counting devices in the US, so they do exist.

As is so often the case, I’m sure the reason is down to cost. Unfortunately it’s a “too often seen” trend that those whose job it is to deal with this sort of thing don’t seem to look beyond the price tag or consider the long term implications of their decisions. I’ve often wondered - and argued it, successfully, when my local medical practice has tried to get me using ventolin evohalers instead of accuhalers because they’re cheaper - just how many asthmatics end up needing emergency treatment at A&E simply because their ventolin evohalers have run out of medication without them being aware of it.

Ventolin is a life saver. I wonder how many other life saving medications come in a form where you can’t tell how much is left? My guess would be not many, if any.

[Patk1]

Fostair has a counter.I'm still looking for counters for salbutamol - Australia & US have them