Aerochambers: How many of you find that... - Asthma Community ...

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Aerochambers

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How many of you find that the aerochambers actually work for you. I find mine keeps whistling and I'm hardly breathing in my doctor can't explain why.

However, I'm more concerned about if they actually work. I did use mine but suddenly

Y became really ill chest infection which I thought was really werid. After that I stayed on my inhaler doing it by mouth. I feel better now from doing it by mouth but shoved my aerochamber to aside because it doesn't seem to give me relieve anymore only had it 2 months. My technique is fine. I did once put too much washing up liqid e in the bowl but was told I hadn't damaged it. So for the sake of my life I've gone back to doing it by mouth.

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Do you use ventolin with the aerochamber? The reason I ask is that if you use a reliever which has more restricted airflow the aerochamber will whistle more easily. I used to have seretide evohaler and when I used it with the aerochamber it would whistle much more easily than the ventolin evohaler because the counter on the seretide restricts the flow of air.

I find that it works fine for me (much better than inhaler by mouth) and I carry and use it when I go out the house, but use my volumatic at home as it is a bit better. You could get/use a volumatic or other bigger spacer if the aerochamber doesn't suit you.

Will fostair work with volumetric?

in reply to

Will fostair work with volumetric? I don't know, but a pharmacist, GP or asthma nurse will give/prescribe you a spacer that will fit. I think it'd be worth you talking to your GP or asthma nurse and tell them you've been having some problems with and stopped using aerochamber.

Asthma-girl profile image
Asthma-girl

When I first started using the Aerochamber several years ago I was told by my respiratory team that if you are inhaling too fast then the Aerochamber will whistle, if you inhale slowly then it wll not whistle and that is the correct way to use the aerochamber.

KateMoss profile image
KateMoss

hello!

Just dug out my Aerochamber plus.... I usually use the Able Spacer device.

Firstly, think of your air passage from your mouth to your lungs as a road.

It has windy corners. If you inhale too fast, the drug will hit the back of your throat.

If you inhale too slowly, it won't make it to the lungs...

Spacers make things much easier as the particles are both airborn and you don't have to coordinate pressing the MDI and inhaling at the same time.

Spacers have these training whistles on to tell you that you are inhaling too fast and sometimes too slowly.

(these can be a tad anoying sometimes but are useful)

The aerochamber whistles if you breathe in too hard

The able spacer whistles if you breathe in too hard and too slow as well.

You can practice inhaling with the inhaler in but not pressing it.

Once you have got your technique right, you should be OK, though if it whistles occasionally, don't over worry about it......

Hope this helps!

Kate

PS cleaning it may have affected the whistle......... ???

Kate, I love your analogy ;-)

I use my aerochamber with three inhalers. The ventolin and fostair do not whistle, the ciclesonide does. As someone said before, the shape of the mouthpiece on your inhaler can affect the little device which makes the whistle. You also need to ensure the rubber end with the whistler in is cleaned thoroughly, and also the mouthpiece the other end. This is assuming you are not breathing in too fast. I was told to breathe in at a normal rate by the physio/consultant at Papworth.

The mouthpiece has a moving part in it. If I dont clean mine often enough, this moving part (which prevents you from breathing air back into the device) stops moving - and more than likely has an effect on the ability to breathe in the contents of the chamber. I often dont notice this has happened until I clean it, and then notice its moving again!

Using aerochambers (or volumatics etc) increases deposition in the lungs, reduces deposition in the oral cavity and thus reduces oral thrush, hoarseness etc.

Lynda :)

Thanks for the replys helped me understand a lot. I got my aerochamber but it has 2 scratches inside the plastic should i get a replacement?

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