Asthma Medication
Asthma Medication questions and answers
Have questions about Asthma Medication? Checkout the website Diet & Health.
Q: What can I do to treat my asthma without using medication?
I have asthma. The fast-acting inhaler I'm currently using is almost out of "puffs." I have no refills until I see a doctor.. and with no insurance that will be a little hard.
So I'm wondering if there's anything I can do INSTEAD of using medication to treat sudden symptoms like breathing techniques or tea?
This might be silly but I thought it was worth a try.
Thanks,
Meg
A: It would be cheaper to go to the doctor and get albuterol for less than 10 dollars than have an attack and go to the ER.. The doc may even have samples. There is always free clinics.
Best wishes.
Q: Does Asthma medication effect womens fertility?
Does Asthma medication effect womens fertility? im on Ventorline (Inhaler +nebulisation) I m not able to concieve despite of any health or fertility problem. is mediaction is the reason ?
A: Talk to a fertility specialist for the answer to this and any other reasons that may prevent conception. There are a number of web sites that will gladly give you the information if you ask them to send it via mail.
Q: Is there a way to get asthma medication without health insurance?
A: When I was diagnosed with asthma while living in the US, my doctor gave me a large box (no joking) of physician samples of the inhaled steroid he thought would work. I obtained medication that way for four months. Basically, it cost $60 to get diagnosed and $45 every two months to go back and get more meds. I really don't know how much it would have cost otherwise, likely far more.
The poster who mentioned Wal-Mart's $4 prescriptions is partly correct. I have seen the list of medications available and unless you're on Albuterol unit doses (for a nebulizer), then there isn't much there for you. Even then, $4 only gets you 20 unit doses, which is 5 days at maximum dose. There are no inhaled steroids or inhalers on that list.
Unfortunately, you will likely have to pay out of pocket for your asthma medication. It's important for you to know that if you are prescribed an inhaled steroid, it might be expensive and also be the backbone of your asthma control. I've found that my Albuterol/Salbutamol doesn't do as much to stop my coughing as my Advair does. Since I started on Advair ($150/month) I've been in control and feeling good.
If you don't have much money and will have to pay out of pocket, please inform your doctor of this. Instead of Advair ($150/month), you could get the same effect with Albuterol and Flovent at lower cost. This doesn't work as well, but much better than either alone.
For price, dry powder inhalers (DPIs) tend to be most expensive. These are: Advair, Spiriva, Pulmicort, Symbicort, Flovent, and there are a few others. They tend to be long-acting bronchodilators and inhaled steroids, also being generally the newest drugs.
Next most expensive are unit doses for nebulizers. These are usually short-acting bronchodilators and you would have to buy a nebulizer with air compressor to use them. Albuterol by unit dose usually runs about $1/dose and you might have to take it 4x a day. That can get pretty expensive fast. Drugs available by nebulizer are: Albuterol, Atrovent, Duoneb, Pulmicort, Xopenex, and there are a few others.
The most inexpensive, although still fairly expensive, are metered dose inhalers (MDIs). This is what is commonly called an inhaler. They usually hold a hundred doses of medication each. These are the most portable and normally don't require additional equipment to use. Drugs available this way are: Albuterol, Atrovent, Combivent (like Duoneb), Flovent and a variety of other inhaled steroids, Advair, Xopenex, and there are many more. This is probably the best and most cost-effective way to get your medication. There are a bunch of different inhaled steroids only available as MDIs too, far more than there are as DPIs.
To make an MDI work more efficiently, a holding chamber might be prescribed. It's a plastic tube that holds the medication so that patient co-ordination is less critical. These cost about $40 and are washable.
If I was without insurance and needed medication, I would either continue to get physician samples like I did when I was in the US, or I would try to get my medications as MDIs for greatest economy and portability.
Q: Do I need to change my Asthma Medication?
I need to know what my options are for Asthma Medication.
I have been on Albuterol and Proventil for about 16 years. I am allergic to cats and my asthma starts up if I do active things.
For the past 7-10 years, I only really use my inhaler once when I wake up in the morning to get my lungs going because they feel "tight". I also use it, of course, if I have been exposed to cats for an extended period of time, or have been doing lots of physical activities. Sometimes, seasons affect me, like spring and allergy season, but it is not too bad.
I am just wondering if I should consider Advair. I heard that Albuterol is an "emergency drug". It is NOT a "management" drug.
BUT, I have also heard that Advair is only needed for people who have SEVERE asthma which I dont think I have.
what other options are available? Not just Advair...anything else?
What do you think?
thanks
A: There are two types of inhalers - a bronchodilator and a corticosteroid. The bronchodilator opens up the lungs and the corticosteroid has medication in it that kills any bacteria in the lungs. Advair works as both, so if you don't need both aspects, I'd suggest staying away from Advair.
Ventolin (generic brand Apo-Salvent CFC Free or Ratio-Salvent) is a bronchodilator and might work well for you.
The other option for asthma medication is a prescription tablet called Singulair. You can ask your doctor for a low dose, which may be effective.
Hope that helps!
Q: how longs it take for asthma medication to leave your system? (PLEASE HELP)?
All of the different asthma medications has caused me problems. until this day for 4-5 years now. heart pulpitations, anxiety, sleepiness, loss of appetite, UGH they are my main problems and i want them to stop and start a better medication for me. and i need to see a special respiratory doctor to ask them questions, but i need to know the answer.
so how longs it take for asthma medication to leave your system
o thanks bro, im on (pulmicort)
A: there are lots of different types of asthma medications so no one can answer until u tell poeple what ure actually on
Q: Taking asthma medication in carry on baggage? What are the requirements?
A: When you go through security, they'll check your inhaler, but they always allow that through. Keep your asthma medications in their original containers, labelled with your name. Check the following websites for more information about carry-on rules.
For travel in Canada, check with the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority:
Q: If it normal for my heart to race after I take my asthma medication?
A: If your heart races most of the time or all the time after taking your asthma medicine, then yes it's normal, for you.
Should your heart be racing after taking your asthma medicine?
That's totally different question and the answer depends on what medicine you are taking and how your body responds to it.
Do other peoples hearts race after taking their asthma medicine?
Again, a different question. It depends on the medication and their individual response.
Most, but not all, asthma medications list "rapid heart rate" or "increased heart rate" as possible side effects.
For a list of common asthma medicines and their possible side effects, see this site:
American Lung Association
Asthma Medications Chart
http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=263990
Hope this helps.
Terry
Q: I was told by a friend that using asthma medication causes you to grow facial hair- is that true??
She told me that medications such as Symbicort and Ventolin (which btw are used to treat asthma) cause you to grow facial hair- is that really true?
A: No, definitely not.
Q: Has anyone tried the asthma medication Singulair?
If you have, did you experience any side effects and did the medication work? I'm 17 years old and I wonder if I will experience any of the side effects (seizures, headaches, dizziness, etc...) Thank You in advance.
The one I was prescribed are the 10mg pills
A: Singular is one of the drugs that xanthones can replace. they are all natural and have no side effects. It is on the drug page at xangohelps.piczo.com
but you should see the other pages first. My friend has a son who has asthma, and with this juice she says he is asthma clear. Once he runs out it comes back. It is expensive though.
Q: what"s the best medication for exercise induce asthma?
(Advair, singulair, or albuterol) i heard all this medications are great for exercise induce asthma, but which one works the best i play soccer in high school and we do so much running everyday so want to be taking the best medication....
Or if you know of any others that work better for my condition please feel free to let me know, thanks.
A: Hello,
I have been a respiratory therapist for 19 years.
The answer is.... Albuterol. Take it 15-30 mins. before you exercise.
Also the Advair can be taken daily to control over time. The Advair is a control medication and will not help with a attack. It has to be taken routinely every day in order to be effective. The albuterol is a fast acting or rescue inhaler. Make sure your technic of taking is correct when using your inhalers to get the best results..
Q: Do I need more medication for my asthma?
I am taking beclametasone (preventer), Salbutamol (reliever) and montekulast singulair (add on) for my asthma. I have started to wake up at night coughing and having to use my reliever at least once a day. I don't have a chest infection so I'm not sure whether to go to the doctors or not? Can he do anything else to help me?
A: Yes, this is an indication that your Asthma is not under proper control. How long have you been waking at night? Record your peak flow twice daily and take the chart to see your Doctor or Asthma Nurse. Your medication needs reviewing.
You really need to be taking a long acting bronchial dilator in conjunction with the Beclometasone (steroid) for better management. Your Doctor may recommend Symbicort turbo-haler, which is a combined long acting bronchial dilator and a steroid. This is more current management.
Are you actually responding to Singulair? up to 20% of people do not respond to it.
Q: Is there anyway you can reduce asthma attacks without medication?
I had severe asthma, esp. in the summer time. I don't have any medical care, and thus, cannot afford medication. I had at least two asthma attacks a day, but have a little medicine from a relative. I take albuterol. I know it's not good to take albuterol inhalers too much. I used to be on Advair a long time ago, and it worked great at preventing attacks, but I can no longer afford it. Also, I don't really like taking steroids anyway. Does anyone know of any non-medicinal ways to prevent an attack or treat one?
A: Depends on severity of your asthma probably you cannot stop the medication permanently. Folowing suggestions might help you.
1.Always eat same day cooked warm food. 2. Avoid any food or drink which forms the cough in your lungs. e.g.milk,yogurt,sweets which is made of milk and sugar. 3.Keep your daily diet very simple and prefer to eat dry items.Also do not eat anything after 7 pm. Means finish your dinner before 7 pm. 4.Avoid exposure to tobacco fumes and pollen like things. 5.Walking at slow but steady pace in open air(non-polluted).6. Take breathing exercise or yoga lessons to strengthen your lungs from a qualified teacher.7.Develop positive outlook of life,remain calm and minimize stress.And last but not least,everyday early morning sit in a quiet place of your home and pray in whatever you belive.During this time forget about yourself and connect with super divinity. I hope it might work for you and goodluck.