Hello everybody, I have just signed on so I'm new here but have read past blogs.
I confirm what gennyop says I also weigh Ventolin canisters but I find that when the canister reduces below about 25 gms the efficacy of the dose seems to reduce. I wonder if there is a way of measuring the dose content i.e. % of Ventolin and % of propellant as I have gained an opinion after three years usage that the active dose of each actuation reduces as the canister empties.
Being a regular user of Ventolin, the canisters I use are never more than a month or two old.
I would welcome other user comments.
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Puffandpant
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I don't use Ventolin any longer, but I still use Fostair (MDI). I always shake them (MDI's) very vigorously before each puff, like shaking a bottle of ketchup. You must remember to shake it again before the second puff. When using a spacer do not put in two puffs together before inhaling, one puff to one inhale.
You could get the only alternative to Ventolin and it is a powder one called Bricanyl Turbohaler but you need to be able to suck quite hard. I use Bricanyl, after Ventolin became ineffective with me.
I have read some old posts on this subject because although I haven't been using Ventolin for very long, I too wondered about the efficacy of it as the canisters were getting lighter. There have also been comments on how users were sure the effectiveness of them had changed due to the change in propellant some time ago. They felt the puff was weaker. I am near to the end of one at the moment and am going to bin it and use a new one and I almost always use a spacer.
I've been prescribed the Ventolin 200 micro grams Accuhaler (salbutamol sulphate) which contains 60 blisters of the correct dosage for each puff. The cartridge also shows how many doses are remaining.
Hello Annie31, I started to notice this phenomena when I had a few breathless days. I checked the weight and found the canister weighed 25 gms as opposed to the 34+ gms when new. At this lower weight there seemed to be a reasonable output but it was having less effect and I was coughing more. That's when I started to consider content, the percentage of Ventolin to the percentage of propellant in the aerosol. I switched to a new canister and things righted themselves. This has now happened several times, since I became aware of the potential technical problem. I do know that the makers of aerosols used to have some difficulty in getting the correct balance between effective content and propellant into each fill. It will be interesting to learn from the experience of other users.
Now that's interesting about you saying you cough more when the canister is getting empty - I haven't a problem with coughing, sometimes I wish I could, but the last couple of days I have been coughing which has surprised me. Since I binned that canister this morning and have used my new inhaler once more today I have been fine. You mentioning this made me remember that - are we inhaling the propellant? If so, not too happy with that thought!
Hi Annie 31, you've got it in one. Unless someone proves otherwise I am certain that the proportion of propellant inhaled as the Ventolin canister is used increases. It's just that I was at one time a heavy smoker and developed a sensitivity with a cough. Added to all this I have also noticed that when the canister weight decreases it coincides with the days when I feel particularly breathless. Change to a new canister and I feel better within an hour or two. Maybe its just me!
Hello Folks, It has happened again. Another three days of increased breathlessness so I weighed the Ventolin canister again - without the blue cap - and guess what, it was down to that figure 25gm. I chucked it and started a fresh canister and an hour later I was feeling the benefit.
Hi Puff, never thought about weighing a canister. I do still use Ventolin as a rescue inhaler. It works very well for me. I also use Symbicort. Recently, I went back to see my Pulmonologist and they gave me a new one. It's little tricky to use, but it works good for me. It's called "Spriva Rispermat. It comes in a glass canister. Here in the US, these inhalers cost anywhere between $250.---$450. or more---each and that is with insurance!! I sure wish I had invented one of these! One other thing, don't forget to rinse your mouth out every time you use an inhaler. If you don't, you run the possibility of getting thrush in your mouth.
Hi Girliegirl2012 from somewhere in N.C. Interesting that you take Spiriva, I also take it in an inhaled powder form daily, the product name here is 'Tiotropium'. I discovered how effective it was a week back when I forgot it, I felt lousy! Despite different accents I think we are so lucky that we share the same language. The UK, USA, Canada, Aus, NZ etc are all like home from home for me, I have relatives in each and have visited often. Our shared language is something we should cherish. How dreadful to fall in love with someone special who wouldn't understand when you say, 'I love you'! Probably our common language is the reason I support 'Brexit', certainly I share the American love of Jazz, even play a bit myself but that's another story. Look after yourself.
girliegirl2012 Hi gg, I believe it is only the inhalers containing corticosteroids that may give you oral thrush. Using a spacer makes this a lot less likely.
Best wishes, JoHarr
Ventolin inhalers gunge up reducing the delivered dose. The cartridge must be removed and the mouthpiece washed out in warm water and left to air dry. Do this weekly and you should find that the efficacy is restored.
Thanks Ipogle, I haven't tried washing out but I have blown the mouthpiece through with compressed air at 90lb/sq.inch which ensured it is clear but that made no difference, however I will recover a canister which I discarded this morning and try your technique. I will probably blow it through after washing - that dries it instantly - and then try using it this afternoon.
Will report later but my contention is different. I am not complaining about the total delivery per actuation but that the proportion of Ventolin in each actuation reduces as the canister is used. A point is reached when the canister is delivering more propellant than medication and I think that could well irritate and cause the cough which I mentioned. I am hoping someone can tell me how to analyse the content of the actuations.
I use Ventolin inhalers and they dont seem to be as good as they used to be.
I do wash mine weekly but they still dont work properly after that either.
I do use 1 every 2 weeks so trying to get extra ones from my GP is hard work, my pulminary dept is next to useless since the nurse retired and I dont get much help there either.
Hi Ipogle, as promised I recovered the discarded cannister. There was very little 'gunge' but I washed it thoroughly, dried it with compressed air which I also blew through the little jet hole to ensure it was clear. Next day I used it and it worked well as before but the urge to cough returned and I felt less relief from breathlessness until I reverted to the newer cannister. I really would like to get to the bottom of this.
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