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Original poster

is there a max amount of times I can use my blue inhaler in a day?

21 replies

Jenkeywoo · 26/04/2008 22:00

Before xmas I was ill and coughing from half term to xmas. After 4 lots of anti-biotics a different GP diagnosed me with asthma but told me it's something that will only be a problems when I am ill. He told me to take the brown inhaler 'until spring' and the end of the cold season. It really helped and meant I didn't need to use my blue inhaler and was able to do exercise for the first time in years without getting puffed out instantly.

Anyway, my brown inhaler ran out, I was feeling fine and didn't think I needed it. But this week I have got another cough and am now really really struggling - I can hardly walk up stairs and can't stop coughing and wheezing. It's like I just can't get breath. I must have used my blue inhaler about 6 or 7 times tonight and I'm sure that's not good. I'm going to start back on the brown one tonight but it takes a few weeks to notice any effects. It's really getting me down and I'm worried about how often I'm having to use the inhaler (which does work but only helps for about an hour).

OP posts:

Original poster

Jenkeywoo · 26/04/2008 22:01

sorry, meant 6 or 7 times today.

OP posts:

misdee · 26/04/2008 22:02

get an appointment for monday.

steroid inhaler should be used daily as its a preventer, and the blue as and when.

Wheelybug · 26/04/2008 22:03

No - I tend to get a bit shakey if I take too much but it passes quickly. If you think about it - if you took a nebuliser you'd be on a much higher dose.

KatyMac · 26/04/2008 22:03

I'd go back to the dr & get another brown inhaler tbh

You can use the blue one frequently - but it means you need more medication

Wheelybug · 26/04/2008 22:04

But yes, Misdee is right - you should get a new steroid inhaler if you're taking it this much.

avenanap · 26/04/2008 22:05

The blue one's a reliever to make you feel better and the brown one's a preventer.

It should be fine to use it like this, just be aware that it can make your heart beat faster. I would say that if you needed to use it alot, ie, hourly then you should give NHS Direct a call and go and see the out of hours incase you need some antibiotics. You can increase the puffs you take from 2 if that helps. Does the inhaler make you feel any better?

Original poster

Jenkeywoo · 26/04/2008 22:05

I have not got a brown one which I've started today but until it kicks it I guess i'll have to keep going with the blue one as frequently.

OP posts:

jalopy · 26/04/2008 22:06

I think you should go to A & E and get assessed. Sounds like you could do with a nebuliser. They will also be able to advise you about your medication.

avenanap · 26/04/2008 22:06

It can be normal to take an inhaler 6-7 times a day when you have a cold or a cough. It's best to contact your GP though.

thirtysomething · 26/04/2008 22:06

should only use blue one a couple of times a day really, if you need it more you need the brown one. i take it year-round, also have a long-lasting ventolin that you inhale once every 12 hours (much better than ventolin, it's called seravent). They try you with the minimum but it sounds like you need a bit more control of your asthma. i now have 3 inhalers year-round and my asthma seems to be under control, but it wasn't when I only had ventolin.

madcol · 26/04/2008 22:06

If there is an underlying reason for using the blue one lots e.g. chest infection you need to know about it.
If however you're got increasing symptoms because your asthma's not well controlled you may need a long-acting version of the blue inhaler such a seretide which woud help reduce the number of times you use the blue one.
First you need to get your steroid one renewed.

Original poster

Jenkeywoo · 26/04/2008 22:07

yes my inhaler does really help - I had two puffs about 20 mins and haven't coughed since and can breathe more normally. I have noticed my heart is racing a bit tonight but thought it was due to anxiety (for some reason have chosen now to start night weaning 2 year old breast addict).

OP posts:

jalopy · 26/04/2008 22:07

Sorry, was that 6 or 7 times tonight?

Original poster

Jenkeywoo · 26/04/2008 22:09

no sorry - it was a typo - 6 or 7 times today.

OP posts:

WendyWeber · 26/04/2008 22:15

The exact same thing happened to DH this past winter, Jw - he was practically on his knees before he did anything about it and ended up being admitted to hospital via A&E.

The consultant there put it down to "acute bronchitis" and signed him out with no medication at all (men!)

I made him go to the GP and now he also has a steroid preventer, plus a bronchodilator, but he just didn't get it - when the steroid was low he just started using less of it until it ran out (men!) didn't organise a repeat prescription, and ended up struggling for breath after a day or so.

I think he has learned the lesson now - don't stop taking it just because you have run out and felt OK up to then!

Yes, it's a pain to have to take something every day but the alternative is much much worse

Original poster

Jenkeywoo · 26/04/2008 22:29

thanks wendy - that sounds a very similar situation to me. I'm going to see how I go overnight and hopefully this time I'll be more sensible and not stop the preventer.

OP posts:

RubberDuck · 26/04/2008 22:55

The rule of thumb I was given is that if you're using your reliever more than a couple of times a week on a regular basis, then your asthma is not under proper control.

You must go back to the asthma nurse or the GP and get reassessed for asthma meds.

Spidermama · 26/04/2008 22:59

Jenkey I was using mine all the time because I didn't trust the steroids. Eventually it got ridiculous and I think it puts a strain on your heart or something scarey like that.

Anyway I finally went to the asthma nurse and they gave me a purple inhaler which is a small dose of steroid with a long acting bronchio dilator mixed in. I have to say it's fantastic. I just take one puff every night (They told me to take two morning and night) and it's as if I don't have asthma. I get no symptoms ever and I'm a life long sufferer.

Don't just go on with the blue one. There's much better stuff out there these days.

WendyWeber · 26/04/2008 23:07

FWIW DH was back to no probs within a day of starting the repeat steroid inhaler, Jenkey - yes, it takes a few weeks at the very start, but that's on top of weeks of problems - you should find that you feel fine again after a couple of days.

Spider's purple combined inhaler sounds good though

Spidermama · 26/04/2008 23:09

Yes and far more attractive than those nasty brown ones.

I got the impression it's expensive.
I was given it because I was so obviously overdosing ridiiculously on the blue one (night and day.)

RubberDuck · 26/04/2008 23:33

Yep, I'm on the purple now (seretide) and it's absolutely awesome. Use my blue inhaler extremely rarely now. I had it because I was on a decent dose of the brown but after a bout of 'flu I was just taking the blue inhaler excessively.

(I also get the 'flu jab now!)

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