Are Turbohalers rubbish... or is it just me

Mombee
Mombee Posts: 170
edited January 2008 in Pro race
Hi,

'Pharmacy' seemed the best place to start this thread.

Does anyone out there have problems with turbohalers? My old-fashioned 'puffer' was great, if I felt a bit asthmatic then a quick puff would sort me out... not so with a turbohaler. I can't get anywhere near the same effect with one of those and have started to wonder whether a large proportion of them actually don't work.

The real problem is that, according to my local Boots pharmacy, you can't get the old 'puffers' anymore... although there might me an option if I change the actual medication (with the doctor's agreement).

Any thoughts??

Cheers, Mombee.
http://www.mombee.com ... more than just bikes.
Cannondale CAADX Disc

Comments

  • Speedup
    Speedup Posts: 191
    by old puffer do you mean Ventolin (salbutamol) in the blue holder then they do exist. I picked up a new one today...
    la-di-da
  • Meredydd
    Meredydd Posts: 496
    Know what you mean.
    Though actually apparently inhaled powder inhalers have been shown to deliver medication more effectively (my suspcion would be that that's in part 'cause so many people were so bad at using aerosol inhalers).
    My issue with dry powder inhalers is that you can't use them with spacer / nebuhaler / volumatic devices - which are extraordinarilly useful when you peak flow plummets, and you can fill them full of aerosol medication and just breath as deeply / shallowly as you can manage, and not worry about having to try to get the whole lot in at once.

    As for availability, Ventolin / sabutamol is still available in aerosol form, Bricanyl / terbutaline sulphate isn't.


    About to change my asthma medication to combined steriod / broncho-dilator dry powder inhaler - be interested to see how that works for exercise induced asthma.
  • Meredydd
    Meredydd Posts: 496
    Picked up new turbo-ey-haler type medication last night. No go faster stripes. Seems tidy enough so far. Hard to tell whether it's working - counter stuck on 120 - but presume it is as lungs feel best they have in a while.
    Great thing is it's one inhaler to do the whole lot. Whoppee. That'll save a lot of bother.

    Still not sold on the format though. Can't get them wet. That's another draw back. What am I meant to do when I go swimming - used not to be a worry with aerosol jobs, just took 'em in the pool / sea with me.
  • bluntandy
    bluntandy Posts: 15
    It sounds like you have the formoterol inhaler. i'm using that at the moment. At first you think that you're not inhaling it right because you can't feel anything going in like you did on ventolin or becotide. Stick with it though i've found it to be e revalation for my athsma. I almost never use my reliever at all even now when i have a chest infection. :D
  • Meredydd
    Meredydd Posts: 496
    bluntandy wrote:
    It sounds like you have the formoterol inhaler. i'm using that at the moment. At first you think that you're not inhaling it right because you can't feel anything going in like you did on ventolin or becotide. Stick with it though i've found it to be e revalation for my athsma. I almost never use my reliever at all even now when i have a chest infection. :D
    Yeah Symbicort - combined formoterol / budesonide (or visa versa), and as you say a revelation. Magic medicine.
    Now I've only got to address the loss of fitness over the last year spent trying to get someone sort my asthma out.
  • Meredydd
    Meredydd Posts: 496
    Meredydd wrote:
    bluntandy wrote:
    It sounds like you have the formoterol inhaler. i'm using that at the moment. At first you think that you're not inhaling it right because you can't feel anything going in like you did on ventolin or becotide. Stick with it though i've found it to be e revalation for my athsma. I almost never use my reliever at all even now when i have a chest infection. :D
    Yeah Symbicort - combined formoterol / budesonide (or visa versa), and as you say a revelation. Magic medicine.
    Now I've only got to address the loss of fitness over the last year spent trying to get someone sort my asthma out.
    Hmmm, maybe not so magic. Possible side effects..... .....sleep disturbance........
    Don't mind me if I nod off in the corner will you. Knackered I am.
  • term1te
    term1te Posts: 1,462
    I used to use a "spinhailer" as a child. I always thought they were pointless. I didn't have any breath because of the asthma, so how was I to get the little capsule spinning fast enough to get it's contents airborne?

    Ended up with liquid ventolin, now that was good stuff.
    The Master
    The Moser
    The VN

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