Bricanyl inhaler

Hi

I am new to the board but not new to Asthma.

Mine was adult onset asthma which started about 22 years ago when I was 36 yrs old. Generally it comes on as a complication to a chest infection/cold etc but occasionally I have quite bad bouts for no apparent reason. My normal peek flow when ny chest is completely clear, is 560, which is high for my age etc but once it drops to around 320 I start to get trouble breathing, the lowest it had ever gone was 150.

I have recently been told by my GP that the Bricanyl inhaler that I have been on as a reliever, for the last 22 years is to be discontinued (was tried on Ventolin originally but it gave me very severe shakes and made me feel sick). My GP recently decided to try me on a CFC free Ventolin which she assured me wouldnt give me the shakes etc, but it also did absolutely nothing to relieve my wheeziness!!! I still had a Bricanyl inhaler at home that was in date and still about half full, so I went back to that and the wheezing was relieved.

I have asked my GP what else I can be prescribed instead of the CFC free Ventolin due to her saying the Bricanyl is to be discontinued and she said there is nothing else she can prescribe. Surely this cant be right?????

Have any of the rest of you using Bricanyl been told that it is to be discontinued??? I have read quite a few posts lately where people have just been prescribed Bricanyl, which I found strange if it is to be discontinued.

Any help would be appreciated, as at the moment I have only a preventer (budesonide turbohaler) to use with no reliever whatsoever if I should need one and as you can imagine, I am very concerned at the situation I find myself in.

Rgds Marilyn

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Hi Marilyn,

I have just checked up on this, and they are withdrawing the bricanyl metered dose inhaler (the aerosol one) but not the turbohaler, so it may be that changing to the turbohaler would suit you better. Ask your GP or pharmacist for more information

Sarah

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Glad they're not taking the turbohaler off the market! I have a bricanyl turbohaler to take when my asthma is ok and when I am bad I have salbutamol inhaler with a spacer because I can't suck the the turbohaler well enough.

Beth

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Hi Sarah

Thanks for that, phew, that take a weight off my shoulders. I will have a word with my GP and see if she can prescribe me the turbohaler one instead of my metered dose one.

Marilyn

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They had to withdrawer MDI as wasnt cfc free, so only option is turbohaler which is ok but when tight is quite hard to get full amount in, i am allergic toi ventolin so bricanyl my only choice!!

andreaxxx

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Seeing as Ventolin inhaler is now available CFC free I wonder why they cannot do the same with the Bricanyl metered dose inhaler??

[KateMoss]

Hi Amber,

Astra Zenica have had years to sort out a CFC propellant but they say they counldn't get the mixture right! eg they couldn't get a CFC propellant to work with / mix with the bricanyl.

The turbohaler is the only other option inhaler wise.

Take care

kate