Inhaler Dosage

I am confused (It doesn't take much I hear some of you say!!!)

I have been prescribed oxis 12 turbohaler and told to take one puff morning and night. I was changed to this from serevnet mid March. I am now about to start my second inhaler which I collected from the chemist earlier. Both times this inhaler has had to be ordered in specially and both times when it has come the inhaler is Spanish with an English sticker stuck on it. The two inhalers have come from different chemists.

What has confuzzled me is that the box, patient information leaflet and English sticker all say Oxis 12 micrograms on them but the inhaler itself when you take the lid off and on the Spanish sticker (under the English one) say oxis 9 micrograms. My questions are:

1. Does this mean that when I take the inhaler I do not get the correct dose? 2. Does anyone else use this and has found the same thing?

3. Why do I keep ending up with Spanish inhalers?

4. What should I do?

Sorry to be a pain. Any advice would be greatfuly appreciated

Love

Steph xx

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Hmmm- puzzling-But I do often get given foreign versions of some of my drugs. I have had a glut of Italian and even Turkish versions of some! They are always the same brand, ie not just another generic, and always the same strength.

My suggestion is to go back to the pharmacist and voice your concern about the different strength inhaler you have received-show them both your 12 and 9 mcg ones and let them sort it out rather than you try and calculate extra puffs.

It does seem the most likely explanation is that they have ordered you in the wrong one...but prescriptions are suposedly checked and rechecked by the dispenser???

Are you also certain your repeat prescription said 12mcg and not 9mcg on it.....?

Sorry I can't be of any more help other than to say what really seems a little obvious-you are right to query this. When I get foreign versions with slightly different packaging and the English labels are stuck over the Italian for instance, they are always the same strength drugs. Mosy common culprits here are Singulair-usually Spanish or Italian and Imigran-very often Italian and recently from Turkey!!!! These labels are added by the distributor and arrive at the pharmacy already labelled.

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Thanks for your advice Sus. I checked my repeat form and it definitly said 12 so I have just been back to the chemist and caused cahos. The pharamacist didn't know off the top of the head so phoned someone else.

It turns out that altough there are 12 micrograms in the inhaler, only 9 micrograms of that are the active ingredient (formoterol) the other 3 micrograms are what transports the drug to your lungs. In this country they label the dosage by calculating everything but it turns out that in Spain they only write the amount of active ingredient on the label hence the 9 micograms. So the inhaler is correct and it just comes down to different countries displaying different information on the doseage labels.

Love

Steph xx

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I frequently get imported Flixotide accuhalers!

But one my tablets is forever being imported as it is the cheapest option for a very expensive drug!

[Moose1]

Glad you got that sorted out steph. I guess it just goes to show that if you're not sure, ask someone :o)

Christine