New Hydroflouroalkane Inhalers

**Derek** · April 8th, 2009, 09:44 PM

I don't know how many asthmatics we have here, but I figured I throw this out to get some feedback

Short story is...beginning January 2009 asthmatics are undergoing a forced change of medication. Albuterol, which is a "rescue" medication dispensed from inhalers traditionally have been propelled by CFCs. CFCs are those bad things that damage the Ozone layer. The new inhalers are propelled by hydroflouroalkane or "HFA" and HFA apparently does not damage the Ozone. The bottom line is the new inhalers are causing problems. Most people (including myself) are finding them less effective and they are finding people are having negative medical reactions to the new meds. The new inhalers contain different chemicals, including ethanol that are causing allergic reactions. I've been reading complaint after complaint after complaint about these new HFA inhalers. This changeover was all done by the FDA (obviously) and it has come to light that the tests done by these companies may have been inadequate and not an accurate sample of the asthmatic population. There reason for the switch was the environment...because asthmatics were apparently causing some serious damage to the ozone.

. It is also coming to light that the amount of CFCs released by asthma users is basically insignificant but someone had to push there agenda.

I had to switch personally a few weeks ago when my old Albuterol ran out. I was far from impressed which is why I began to look into the switch. The new inhaler is barely a "rescue" inhaler. My Advair seems to do a better job of allowing me to breathe free in a "rescue" situation. My asthma was well controlled until this switch, although I don't feel I'm having any actual negative reactions to the new meds. Just looking for a little input from other asthmatics as it seems despite the amounting evidence the FDA is standing their ground and refusing to consider lifting the ban on CFC inhalers. I might be making a run to Canada or trying to order from overseas if this doesn't get any kind of resolution moving.

A few links...

http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=7&sub=92&cont=554

http://www.lungusa.org/site/c.dvLUK9O0E/b.2222599/

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/health/hfa_inhalers.html

http://www.revolutionhealth.com/cond...fc-ban-effects

Any input from some fellow asthmatics?

~ Derek

**BIGSHOVEL** · April 8th, 2009, 10:00 PM

I have had the new Albuterol HFA for a year now and it SUCKS!!!!! Tastes awfull and is slow to provide relief unlike the areosol predecessor.

It doesn't work in the cold at all to heavy to dispense and if you leave it in the car overnight it really sucks.

Save the fucking trees and planet but I can suffer and die.

FUCK YOU OBAMA, PELOSI AND RIED TOO!!! Oh yea Greenpeace too.

Brad

**Derek** · April 8th, 2009, 10:09 PM

BIGSHOVEL, I appreciate your opinion but I wasn't looking for politics or bashing.

Have you had any adverse reactions or just finding it's not as effective?

~ Derek

**BIGSHOVEL** · April 8th, 2009, 10:29 PM

Not effective, if I take it at night I don't sleep well and if I do sleep I wake up with leg cramps in the morning, patterned in conjunction with use.

Headaches occur after relief begins "two hours after dosage" within a half hour.

Hands shake bad.

Other than that no ill effects.

**Derek** · April 9th, 2009, 12:02 PM

We can't be the only asthmatics on this board...

~ Derek

**jahwarrior72** · April 9th, 2009, 12:15 PM

the new inhalers suck, bad. luckily, i have a nebulizer, so when i'm home, i use that. it's being out and about that's a problem. my doc prescribed me a Symbicort inhaler, two puffs, twice a day, but it doesn't seem to help.

**Tomcat088** · April 9th, 2009, 12:54 PM

The new inhalers SUCK, BIG TIME. In this area, most of the pharmacies weren't even getting or said they weren't able to get the old ones. That everybody was switching over. So I start using the new inhalers and decided like 6 months ago that they sucked. I had to puff on it like 10 times to get it to give me any kind of semi immediate relief. Finally the full effect of the dose kicked in and I had hands trembling and feeling kind of "buzzed". As others have said, I've noticed that when it's cold I can't get it to dispense any medicine. I thought they were just low, but when I pulled the canister out and rubbed it between my hands really fast and got it warm, it would dispense medicine. I haven't had any allergic reactions or anything else, just the fact that they suck and really don't work. I'm a "mild" asthmatic. Mine is mostly limited to hard athetlic induced asthma, or when we go into harvesting, or when there's alot of dirt in the air. I do have a nebulizer, but I don't even usually have to use it more than once a year usually because my albuterol fixed me up. Now when I start to have an "emergency" I just break out my nebulizer and get to feeling better. The new stuff SUCKS.

**mrwildroot** · April 9th, 2009, 02:44 PM

I used Primatene inhalers for most of my life.
The powers that be decided that they were being abused, so now I can't replace them.
I despise doctors, and refuse to pay them for prescribing expensive meds that don't work as well as the Primatene does...
So it looks like they have banned another effective med for our relief because of someone else without asthma complaining/lobbying against us all.

mrwildroot

**TaePo** · April 9th, 2009, 03:11 PM

Sounds like government at it's best at being worse.

Sorry to hear that. Sounds like the fire-safe smokes that magically appeared, too amongst so many other things done for the greater good.

Thankfully, we live in a Republic where these kind of things cannot happen.

**mrwildroot** · April 9th, 2009, 05:29 PM

Mexico is much more correct with medications...
Most are freely available OTC.

After surgery where I was sliced and diced, I had to beg for pain meds...they offered ibuprofen...
One nurse, god bless her, told me what I needed to maage the pain till the healing began....as usual, the POS doctors gave me enough for two days finally, but I was on the road, and 5 days away from home...I had to drive myself, in excruciating pain, till I almost passed out on the interstate.
We pay more for medical care than any other country in the world, and this is how we are treated....
Every doctor in this country needs to have their bones broken and left by themselves for a week, screaming and writhing in pain...perhaps they will then empathise with patients under their care...
POS drs...

mrwildroot