Ok, I am becoming WAY too dependant on these Albuterol inhalers. I have the flu right now, so they are the only thing keeping me coughing up the goo. I do have a nebulizer also, with albuterol solution.

My question is, how do I wean myself off these dumb inhalers? I still am having breathing problems, but I think my body has become dependant on the inhalers and it is making it worse. And also, does your body become just as dependant on the neb treatments? I am using the inhalers more and more frequently throughout the day and it is starting to worry me.

The more often you take the albueterol, the less they do for you. That's not to say you shouldn't take it when you need it, but you need to be on some controller meds for your asthma so you don't need to take it as often.

I agree with the other poster - it sounds like you need some inhaled steroids or another controller medication. Advair has a long-acting form of albuterol as well as flovent in it to help with control. Talk to your doctor.

ditto. i have asthma too. when i have the flu or a chest cold it obviously gets worse. but you may need to be on a long term treatment as well. i've tried both advair and singulair and have found both to be helpful.

I'm on both advair and singulair. They're great.

I have been on advair before and I agree it works very well. But my dilemma is my husband just started a new job a month ago and we don't have medical coverage which not only pretty much scratches out going to the doc right now, but without prescript. coverage, Advair costs about $150 a month. So, unfortunatly that will have to wait a little longer. But your posts backed what I was thinking, so as soon as it is possible, I will get the Advair.

Thanks!

I agree the more albuterol, the less useful it is! I remember bad days, taking it as much as 20+ times a day, the morning, it would take me min. 4 puffs to make it to the shower. I love xopenex though. Definitely kicks an attack much better than albuterol. as soon as it's offered as an MDI i'm switching. My body likes it better too- no dry mouth, albuterol gives me alot of nasty side effects after a while ick. So you may want to think about alonger term controller, less side effects & you wont need to reach for the inhaler as often=)

well.. i am an asthmetic myself.. but over the last year or 2 i've become less dependant on the inhalers... but before that i was, well you could say addicted to them.. needed to use them every once in a while almost 14, 15 times a day to get my asthma in control.. now.. i havn't used the inhaler for almost 4 or 5 months :D only when i run.. or do extreme excersices its a bit painful in the lungs.. but after a while they calm down.. and i don't need to use the inhalers anymore.. i don't know they say its a myth that u outgrow asthma.. but it seem to work in my case :D i've been having asthma ever since i was 2, now i am 18..

Asthma can go into remission, but it can come back at any time.

That is true. In my case I had it rather bad as a child up until I was about 6 or so. Then I had no problems for over 20 years. Now I am 29 (30 in about a week) and the problems started up again about 2 years ago after undergoing surgery to deliver my son. I was put under (it was an emergency c-sec) so I don't know if it had to do with the anesthesia or what, but I am worse than I was as a child. I miss all those years I never had to think about it.