Nebulizer

[rugratsmomma]

We have an Omron CompAir elite and love it...its the smallest compressor nebulizer available. The neb does seem to work better and breaks flares up faster.

If you end up with a neb, you can less expensive ones before buying an expensive portable one..

1 daughter uses Pulmicort and Albuterol via neb, one daughter uses Xopenex via neb and one daughter uses Albuterol via neb.

[CarolynB]

Mary-
My asthma recently got very bad. As a child, I had a neb at home, but it had been so long since my sister or I had used it or needed it that my mom donated it.

My doctor recently prescribed me a new nebulizer (HMO route through insurance) and it was at no cost to me (but I believe it sold for $100 w/o insurance), plus it is a lot smaller than the old one I had. I keep it in my car in case I get an attack at work, it's roughly 4"x6"x5" and really lightweight.

I find I get better relief with my neb than with my rescue inhaler which has a built-in spacer. But before I was using an inhaler with a built-in spacer I found that using a spacer helped a lot. My doctor told me that most of the time a lot of the medicine from a regular inhaler doesn't get inhaled because they aren't being used correctly.

It sounds like you are on a lot of meds and I think that you might really find a neb helpful if you are having a bad attack (it may be a bit slower in relief, but I think it works better overall). The only bad thin about it is I find that if I take my neb (Albuterol) after taking my rescue inhaler (several times) or if I take more than 1 neb treatment in 6 hours it makes me nauscious.

I hope this helps...

[Mary Grant]

Dear all: Thank you so very much for your valuable information. First, I believe I mislead you with my current med regimen. Twice each day, I take 2 puffs Flovent; 1 puff Advair; 4 puffs Intal. Once each day, I take pills: Singulair and theophyll (also known as Uniphyl). I use Combivent and Albuterol for fast action.

Yesterday, I did a lot of research on nebulizers on the web, all of which basically matches what you all have said. However, I ran across an article that noted that hormones can affect asthma and since I recently stopped taking them since I am postmenopausal, I had a eureka of sorts. I had been doing very well on the meds noted above, used with spacer, until I stopped the hormones. I'm going to start taking them again and see if how I do. If there is no substantial change, then a neb it is. It must be portable, however, since I spend at least 9 hours per day at work five days each week. It appears that the jet nebulizer is the one to go for. I'll also consult with the pulmonologist before making a final decision (he is currently on mini sabbatical for about another month).

If there are any women who are post menopausal, too, and even if you aren't, let me hear from you.

Again, thank you all so very much.

Mary

[wrin]

1. You cannot get Flovent or Advair (or even Serevent) in nebulized solution.

2. You CAN get combivent and ventolin in nebulized solution.

3. You CAN get Intal in nebulized solution. Intal is best taken more often than twice a day. Try spacing your puffs of Intal out, 2 puffs every 4 hours or something. What does your dr. think? On a neb this might be tougher to do, though.

4. You CAN get an inhaled steroid in nebulized solution -- down side is that it looks like you're going to be switching to Pulmicort if you go to neb.

5. When you switch to neb, because neb dosages and MDI dosages are different, make sure they keep an eye on your theophylline levels for the first little while to make sure they don't fluctuate.

THe hormones is a good thing to look into. Congrats on paying so much attention!

Do you do daily peak flows?

[LynHW]

Originally posted by Mary Grant:

If there are any women who are post menopausal, too, and even if you aren't, let me hear from you.

Funny you should mention hormones. My Dr. just told me that menopausal women were the hardest to control, asthma-wise. Looks like I'm in for a long, rough ride.