I was wondering what people thought of the different inhalors that are available? i'm often asked if i want a dried powder, an acuhalor, a turbohalor, an easie-breathe and it can get quite confusing. Currently y Symbicort is a turbo-halor, then i have a salamol easi-breath and salbutamol MDI with spacer for emergency. I'm having trouble using the easi-breathe during an attack as i feel i want to cough as soon as i start to breathe in so on't feel i am getting the dose of the medication i need. does anyone else get this?
My Aero-chamber or volumatic is great when i have them on me but i nver know if i have breathed enough of it in - i have been told two breathes, i've been told 4 breathes, i've been told never to breathe more than two puffs at once - what can i/can't i do?
Sounds like you need an overview of devices with a trained asthma nurse, that why they can answer your questions and check your techniques qith all till you find ones that suit you.
Andrea xx
hi i always use my areo chamber at mo as only have mdi ventolin and have been told to use 3 breathes for each puff by asthma nurse.
What do you mean by 3 breaths to each puff. Excuse my ignorance, but I was not given any instruction on the use of the aerochamber.
I had a great little portable spacer for a while, and used to just relax, as long as I counted how many puffs of slabutomol and becotide I'd put in, I'd just sit back and breath the stuff through my spacer at my leisure, I actually got quite a lot stronger from using this little gadget, as probably wasn't getting much stuff by using the inhalers without it.
I then got a symbicort inhaler, which has been ok so far, though can't use this one with my little spacer, I am much stronger than I was back then
I like to make a cup of fresh coffee, sit back and use my inhalers slowly, it's not like swallowing pills, it's about slowly getting going again, and the coffee and wrapping up in a soft rug are just as much part of it as the drugs
all the best
the little, portable, (quiet) spacer is available from this web page
You should be able to get your doctor to prescribe an Aerochamber for you, which will save you money (especially if you have free prescriptions or use a pre-payment card).
Brief info about using all the different types of inhaler can be found here:
However, if you've never been properly instructed on inhaler use, book an appointment with your practice nurse (or your asthma nurse if you have one) and get them to show you and/or check your technique.
poggins i meant that i put one puff of ther inhaler into the aerochamber and then breathe in and out through the spacer about 3 times to inhale the medication. def worth asking for spacer on prescription and making an appointment then with your asthma nurse as steve said to check tecqnicue etc. hope this is bit clearer and def makes it easier to get medication into lungs if you not feeling great.
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