Ventolin inhalers

[Blackbird8]

Anyone having problems with the ventolin contents I opened one last week use it x3 daily if that and its empty already... have tried everything with it to see it's not blocked anywhere did the water float test and its completely empty ...its so strange I havdnt mixed it up with another always particular about disposing etc..will ring the pharmacy later today x🧡

[CDPO16]

Not had that problem Blackbird. Hope your pharmacy can help but they certainly need informing. I wonder, as you may be, if it is a faulty batch. xx

[Spacecat1]

Hope you sort it soon always a pain when something goes wrong with meds. Did you sort out your picture problems missing Stanley and his antics. Have a lovely day. Sun has come through but a bit chilly.x

[sassy59]

Pete’s not had that problem Bb8 so a good idea to contact pharmacy. It could be part of a bad batch. Hope you get to the bottom of it. 💜 xxxx

[madonbrew]

That’s not good! I’d take it to the pharmacy . Hopefully they’ll be able to sort it out and give you a new one. They might have to recall others from the same batch.

[Damon1864 Volunteer]

I have just had one that did exactly the same only used it a few times and it was empty. I just sent it back to the christ and used my new one. Have a lovely day and take care 😊 Bernadette and Jack 🐕 xxxxxx

[Blackbird8]

Been to the chemist it's being replaced thankyou all 🧡

[Jaybird19]

Ive been having trouble getting them to work . Get no reaction . So i end up after final use and there's still lots in them. Okay for a week then no puff in less I tzke the metal containers out of the spacers and just put i them back . Very odd

[Annie31 in reply to Jaybird19]

Actually you have raised a subject that a few members and myself discussed two or three years ago. The efficacy of Ventolin seems to dwindle quite dramatically as you reach the middle point and we found that when we removed the canisters from the holders and weighed them, anything weighing 18gms or less was practically useless. It was at this point we threw them in the bin and I still do. We found that to get the effect of two puffs at that weight, you had to inhale 3-4 puffs! I'm lucky in that I'm not a regular user so prescriptlion-wise mine still lasted a good while but I did let my GP know of our findings. I do wonder if this is the reason a lot of people don't rate Ventolin and can't get on with it! It runs out of puff, like we do!😓

[Jaybird19 in reply to Annie31]

Thanks . Thought it was me losing strength! Seriously I find a week gives a strong puff then have more success if i remove the container from holder and try again. Tnis also applies to a new steroid inhaler called Soprobec. I will have to see "asthma" nurse if available. Cannot get doctors appointment for a week as doctors go to vaccine clinic in afternoons!

[Annie31 in reply to Jaybird19]

Good luck on that one!

[garshe]

Not had problems with Ventolin, have had problems with Spiriva though. The capsule goes into the handihaler device only to find no powder inside. Completely empty Not all just one now and again . Odd.!

Hope you sort your problem with the Ventolin .

As I only use my Ventolin twice a day mostly, I have built up a storage so always plenty to fall back on. My Respiratory team makes sure I have plenty so can put in different rooms and one in handbag etc. You should always have back up. Good luck xxSheila 🙌😘

[Annie31 in reply to garshe]

Hello Sheila, funny you should bring that up about the Spiriva - one of our group said exactly the same thing and that again was a couple of years ago! When they took it back to the chemist, the idea was poo-poohed but they did change it for her! Yes, folk should always have backup Ventolin so they say, but again lots of people don't have the good support you're getting - a lot of GPs don't like prescribing it and won't prescribe enough to last a month. My GP only lets me have one a month on my script at four times a day if required at two puffs each. 200 doses divided by 8 = 25! Last time I looked there was 30 days on average per month! This is why I buy my own to backup and again she knows this but nothing changes. I've read on here a lot of members have had this problem. I have in fact just been told by a hospice nurse to not take my Ventolin at all!😱 Frankly I'm sick of the mixed messages and confusion we get over meds by the so-called experts - they don't seem to have any more faith in the stuff they dole out than we do taking it!😫😫

[garshe in reply to Annie31]

They are forever trying to change my medication but I phone them or my Respiratory team does and I get my normal medication. I dont like change especially because its cost effective..I am fortunate as I have quite a back up of medication , sometimes they make a mistake somewhere along the line and I get it delivered twice in a month.Shhhhh! I dont say a word as it has happened they have not delivered on time so I am grateful for the backup. My Respiratory team are fantastic and got me extra Ventolin so I have one in each room and also the car for emergencies

Hope you get sorted. xxSheila 💕👍🙌😘

[Annie31 in reply to garshe]

That's great Sheila and I'm glad you can get the system to work for you😁 when they change meds. Cost effectiveness is never a good reason for the patient. I remember my dad paying for his own blood pressure meds years ago, when they started all this cutting back. He was fine on his old meds, blooming in fact when he retired - doc changed his pills and she was honest and said it was because of costs. He was so ill on the new ones and went back and she said she couldn't let him have the old ones, she wasn't allowed to prescribe them. His answer - you're sentencing me to death then. Got a private doctor and paid for his script from them on!😱 He lived another seventeen years! Disgusting! He had worked all his life since he was fourteen, paid into the system, spent six years abroad fighting for his country and still had to pay for his own meds! Sorry for the ramble but I seem to be getting nowhere with my treatment either and it makes me cross! 😰

[Gladwyn in reply to Annie31]

Your poor father.... I’m so sorry that happened but glad he got a private Dr who prescribed what he needed. He shouldn’t have had to though!

[Annie31 in reply to Gladwyn]

No he shouldn't, thats true! It does make me wonder now though how many people's lives have been blighted or even cut short by this kind of thing happening over the years. He was lucky because he had a good private pension as well as his state pension!

[Gladwyn in reply to Annie31]

Yes that’s so true .... money does help when it comes to our health if we don’t get the care we need from our local surgery. Thankfully your father had a good pension. I do read with envy some posts on here about patients who get fantastic care from their surgery. The only person in mine who helped me by going directly to the consultant and asking him to put me on his list was the respiratory nurse from Pulmonary rehab.

[Izb1]

I find the ventolin inhaler a real pain to use, it just doesn't seem to work like the other inhalers and only puffs out a little of the medication so I use twice as much. The seretide inhaler that i have is great and puts out the correct amount. I think this has been reported before x

[Annie31 in reply to Izb1]

Yes it has!

[Dizzart]

Yes I had the same problem and the stuff I take now Atimos has run out early so do hope you have a good go who should always prescribe a spare to keep at home just incase. My go practice is very uncaring and the pharmacy at the practice has such a spiteful and unpleasant woman there that she refused but thankfully my little pharmacy in North Walsham where I collect medication is lovely and helpful and said they would ring the practice on my behalf. So I now have a spare . Do hope you get one too 👍🏻👍🏻

[Annie31 in reply to Dizzart]

See my reply to Garshe!

[MoyB]

This is really interesting. The first asthma nurse I ever encountered told me that near the end of the canister, all you are getting is propellant, so to change it before the end. This ties in with what Annie31 has said about needing to change it when it weighs 18g. Since then, I have been told by another asthma nurse, 'Oh no, you use it until the end.' I'll stick with changing it when it gets light, thank you.

As for having an empty or near empty one, I can't say it's happened to me, although some seem to last better than others. I'm an intermittent user so it's harder for me to assess but I certainly have been surprised sometimes that I have needed a new one. I'll be more vigillant now.

I think it was well worth reporting it as it could be a problem with quality control at the factory that produces them.

xx Moy

[Annie31 in reply to MoyB]

Absolutely MoyB! The pity of all this - it is only those of us who need to use these inhalers that can testify to what happens with these canisters and if they don't want to believe us they dont! Like I've replied to Sheila above, I'm fed up with it all, I now keep my mouth shut and do as my husband says - pay up and look big!!😨

[Annie31 in reply to MoyB]

I had this idea about the propellant too! Not only left in the canisters but seemed to lose strength as you use it, pretty much like in a deodorant can -the nearer you get to the end, it gets weaker and somehow makes the smell less fresh!

[MoyB in reply to Annie31]

I can't speak about the deodorant cans as have only been able to use roll on for years because the others affect my chest but I really notice the difference with the ventolin.I think my son-in-law uses Right Guard deodorant and when they come to stay the spray seems to permeate the whole bungalow so have to open all the windows. It's so long since they've been able to come, though, that he might have changed it by now. I can always hope! 😂 Xx Moy

[Annie31 in reply to MoyB]

Yeah, know what you mean, I use Roll-ons but I can smell the difference when my husband's gets low! He can never work out how I know when his is getting low and a new one needs to go on the shopping list! Lol!

[MoyB in reply to Annie31]

Very odd - it wouldn't let me 'like' your last reply! I just meant to do that and leave you a 🤣 xx Moy

[Annie31 in reply to MoyB]

Funny! I'm having the same trouble plus predictive text - Grr!😫😫

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I believe that some Ventolin were recalled over a faulty casing I cannot rememberthe batch no it was a fault in the manufacturing a pin hole in the casing which meant

it was not giving a full dose it might be worth looking it up

[Blackbird8]

Thankyou everyone I have spoken to the pharmacy no other reports of faulty ones locally chemist are replacing it so happy ending ☺️🖤