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Asthma UK community forum
11,072 members • 17,391 posts

problems getting repeat inhalers

hi first time posting here ive had asthma since i was 12 im now 54 its been relatively well controlled by salbutamol and for the last yr flutiform, given that its never been 100% controlled but ive never had a major asthma attack, 6 months ago drs decided as it wasnt right they would mess with my inhalers, which is always a bad thing and i told them so, alas they gave me a new duo inhaler and within a week i had a severe asthma attack, now back on flutiform preventer its not back to where it was 6 months ago and to make matters worse drs wont give 2 salbutamol inhalers so by the time im running low i try to make an appt and and always run out im off to uni in sept and finding this very frustrating as its going to make it even harder to get an appt, ive not been referred to a consultant since my teens but this is so frustrating anyone else having this problem with inhalers.

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Many GOOD Asthma teams allow 3 x Salbutamol, that is 600 doses per 56 days. Of course it would be better if your Asthma was controlled to a point where you don't need them at all or very rarely.

You should ask to be referred to a proper Respiratory team and try to find an inhaler regime which keeps your Asthma under control.

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hi thanks for the reply i see the asthma nurse at the practice, every month and it was through her meddling and changing my script i had the asthma attack, i saw a dr yesterday who sent me for a chest xray, so think next move may be hospital consultant, which id like to avoid but dont see that happening

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Quite often the nurses at the practice asthma clinics don't know very much more than we do - in fact we often know more. Get to see a respiratory consultant at a hospital. If you are moving away to Uni you will have to register with a different Doc so it may be you get better treatment then.

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Hi I am a bit confused! Don't you get your inhalers on a repeat prescription? Why do you need to see a doctor to get your salbutamol? I don't, just get them on a repeat prescription once a month.

New research on asthma says that you shouldn't use the reliever inhaler more than 4/5 times a week and if you do then the preventer needs to be tweaked instead. Maybe this is why your doctor won't give you 2 a month. Do you use a spacer with it? x

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i get them on repeat one a month and i know what the guidelines state but my asthma is so bad at the moment 1 a month isnt helping i use a preventer the flutiform and a spacer thanks for the reply i think

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Then maybe the use of your preventer should be increased or be changed to a stronger dose? I am on the preventer Symbicort and my doctor doubled the dose as and when needed ie when I am more breathless or wheezing more than usual. This was after me telling her that I was using my ventolin reliever several times a day. I have cut back on this more now because of that. x

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I should look forward to seeing the consultant if I were you. You should be able to talk about your concerns and when you do, make sure s/he is listening properly. You need effective preventative medicine so you don't need the salbutamol at all.

Once this is sorted out, you shouldn't need automatic repeats for reliever inhalers. In the meantime, make sure you ask for a repeat while you still have lots left and that way you accumulate spares. I have one in my bedroom, another in the kitchen, one in the car, and so on.

You have to take control of asthma and making sure you have enough of the right medication is part of that. Best of luck!

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