sc bricanyl v sc ventolin

Hi all

Have noticed that a lot of people using the forum are on sc ventolin. I have been on 12mg sc bricanyl for 20 yrs (yes you read that right), i have got to the point were nothing seems to work as well now and have mentioned sc ventolin to my consultant but nothing has been mentioned since. Any views on the pros and cons of trying sc ventolin?

Thx

almo x

[KateMoss]

Hello Almo,

I have been on s/c since 1994. I started with Bricanyl 7.5mg to 10mg ( 15 - 20mls) and above on occasions till about 1998 I think! Then changed to Ventolin because of two reasons.

1 - less volume as it is 1mg / 1ml wereas bric is 0.5mg/1ml as the quantities where affecting my skin and absorbtion rate. It was pooling under the skin and not being absorbed consistently!

2 - cramps and also tollerance.

I think I am one of the only people here using ventolin. In 2000, I was using it all the time still and whenever i was in hospital i needed ever increasing amounts of IV ventolin which was not good and also it was all begining to affect my heart!

So we weened it all down, over a week in hospital on IV ventolin to virtually zero then stopped it. It was tough and I needed quite a lot of nebs.

I was better but now prone to sudden severe attacks (Type 2 Brittle) as well as still being type one! I still use s/c on an as and when basis, been back on it for a few weeks but I know when it isn't working to go in to hosp. I can tweek the dose up to 10 mg but after that , speak to cons if to go higher or go in.

I think that it looses effect after time and your body needs more and more of it to achieve the same results. I have friends ( some not with us anymore sadly) who were put on ever increasing doses of s/c and then permanent IV via portacath or hickman lines. It ended up silly in the end the amounts they were on.

Have you tried a break from s/c at all? can you have IV aminophyllin? I used to have bricanyl breaks when my sites were too bad and had home IV ventolin at a low dose but others have aminophylline instead.

Just some thoughts ........... hope they help!

Take caere

Kate

xxx