"Green" Initiative Hurts Poor Asthmatics

[Dr Steve]

As of January 1st, people with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease will no longer have access to inexpensive albuterol inhalers. These are the so-called "rescue" inhalers that are used as a short-acting response to acute shortness of breath.

The reason? The Federal ban on Chloroflurocarbons.

CFCs are generally inert substances, but when they enter the atmosphere in gas form, conditions in the upper atmosphere knock chlorine atoms off the main molecule, wreaking total havoc on atmospheric ozone and contributing to the ozone hole over antarctica (well, we assume it contributes). The chlorine atoms act as a catalyst, in that they can participate in multiple reactions and come out unchanged...in theory one chlorine ion can destroy any finite amount of ozone given the right conditions.

Anyway, the ban on CFCs hurts poor asthmatics because they use the darned things in inhalers. The CFC-driven inhaler is $7.00 cash at the pharmacy. The new ones, which use Hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) instead cost around $48.

I get the CFC ban. Even though the CFCs in the inhalers was miniscule compared to, say, a refrigerator, I get that if they're banned, they're banned. It just stinks that once again a "Green" public policy affects my patients in their pocketbooks.

"Replace your light bulbs with fluorescent bulbs!" Except they cost $13 instead of $1.00. Don't get me started on how much more a hybrid vehicle costs. I'm not stupid, I understand the back-end benefits to most of this, but the folks I work with can't afford the short-term "solutions".

Is there any "green" initiative that, in the short term, is cost effective up front? It's frustrating that things usually seem to go this way: "Hey, we have this new thing that you have to do, and it will help the environment...but it's going to cost you three times what you were paying before." I guess composting is reasonably cost postive.

Up front I admit I'm ignorant of all that's going on out there. If I could put a windmill on my house to decrease my $400/month electrical bill I'd do it.

For now, I'm just worried about my patients who are paying cash for their inhalers because they don't have insurance and now some of them will have to choose between their inhalers or food or something.

IT'S POOPY!

[Thebazile78]

I'm an asthmatic with insurance.

I stopped taking my controller meds 4 years ago because I couldn't afford them ... the thing that stinks the most about it was there were no generics that did the same thing as the name brand, so even with prescription coverage, I'd have an average $90 pharmacist's visit.

We didn't have a FlexSpend account option at the time, so ... I stopped taking my controller meds. I know that this is dangerous, especially this time of year (one of my worst triggers is humidity), but tell that to my pocketbook!!!

I empathize.

So glad you brought up compact fluorescent bulbs, too, Dr. Steve. They will save you $$ in the long run (and they are cheaper at Wal*Mart) because they use less energy and last longer than a conventional bulb (so, basically that $13 price tag is paying for all your bulbs for a couple years up front...really) BUT ... they're manufactured using mercury gas and if you just chuck the bulb in the trash like you would with a regular bulb, you're putting your entire community at risk with increasing the amount of mercury in the landfill, soil and groundwater. So you have to recycle them.

Where do you recycle CFL's? Ikea. (Although Home Depot announced that they would be adding CFL recycling to their services. This is good because the closest Ikea to me is 30 miles away, but there are three Home Depots from which I may choose within a 10 mile radius.)

The only "green" decision that manages to save you any money is if you're able to plant your own vegetables and fruits. (I don't care how you raise them, whether it's organic or conventionally, although I think that, for the most part, you'll think twice about putting insect poison on your veggies when your kids are starting to munch them directly off the vine!! Get some marigolds; they help and they're cheap. And they grow pretty much everywhere.) You save even more if you know about pickling and preserving, because you can extend your harvest into the winter.

Yeah, it's fun.

In the meantime, can your patients afford a small, strong, black coffee? The stimulant effect of the caffeine was as effective as albuterol for me when I had my last attack, but my symptoms aren't as severe as a lot of other people's.

[Dr Steve]

In the meantime, can your patients afford a small, strong, black coffee? The stimulant effect of the caffeine was as effective as albuterol for me when I had my last attack, but my symptoms aren't as severe as a lot of other people's.

Thanks for bringing up the mercury in the fluorescent bulbs...I've slowly replaced every bulb in the house with fluorescents...especially the hard to reach ones. Honestly I wasn't aware of the mercury risk, but it doesn't surprise me.


Coffee is a really old-school asthma remedy...I had just hoped that we didn't have to go back to 19th century medicine in this day and age. It does work, and you rule for bringing it up! We actually had something that worked great and was cheap, though, and now it's gone. I'm frustrated that we're regressing from some of the progress we've made.

Of course, asthma ain't about the short-acting inhalers. Using them alone is not a good solutioni either, as those patients are at higher risk for complications. Standard of care is to add an antiinflammatory (steroid) to just about anyone who doesn't have the mildest form of asthma (mild intermittent). In the more severe realms, two long-acting meds are recommended, with the short-acting albuterol still serving as a "rescue" medication.

[Thebazile78]

Thanks for bringing up the mercury in the fluorescent bulbs...I've slowly replaced every bulb in the house with fluorescents...especially the hard to reach ones. Honestly I wasn't aware of the mercury risk, but it doesn't surprise me.

Not many people do know about it if they haven't bothered to educate themselves...and with the government mandating a switchover from conventional, filament-based bulbs to compact fluorescents (CFL's) within the next couple of years for all bulbs, it's something you do need to be conscious of.

I'm all for a greener world, but I REFUSE to buy CFL's until there's a closer recycling center than Ikea. Polluting the planet isn't what a green initiative is supposed to be about, right?


Coffee is a really old-school asthma remedy...I had just hoped that we didn't have to go back to 19th century medicine in this day and age. It does work, and you rule for bringing it up! We actually had something that worked great and was cheap, though, and now it's gone. I'm frustrated that we're regressing from some of the progress we've made.

Of course, asthma ain't about the short-acting inhalers. Using them alone is not a good solutioni either, as those patients are at higher risk for complications. Standard of care is to add an antiinflammatory (steroid) to just about anyone who doesn't have the mildest form of asthma (mild intermittent). In the more severe realms, two long-acting meds are recommended, with the short-acting albuterol still serving as a "rescue" medication.

Thanks. My brother Ger and I have been using black coffee for years as symptom relief ranging from a nasal decongestant to a fast-acting asthma remedy. (He has severe allergies and pretty severe asthma; I have seasonal allergies and mild asthma. Between the two of us, we've figured out what works when we can't afford modern meds.)

Heck, if I have a really nasty headache I'll often boost an OTC analgesic like ibuprofen or acetaminophen with half a cup of coffee. (Wouldn't do it with naproxen, though, because naproxen makes me really spacey.)

I've told other people about my coffee quick-fix ... and they're always surprised. Probably because a medication like Advair works so well (and it does) for asthma, etc.

[MisterSmith]

I heard your take on this Saturday night and was shocked. Wasn't there an attempt to add, or couldn't there be, an addendum to the legislation that exempts inhalers or use of CFC's for medical use?

Is anybody attempting to remedy the situation or has everybody just given up? You would think the American Lung Association or a similar group would be trying to get an exception for using CFC's in 'medical devices' or at least delay the onset of the legislation as it applies to inhalers so a more affordable inert alternative could be found.

[sailor]

when this went down, they switched me to cfc-free pro-air hfa. it's the same albuterol with a different propellant (hfa134a) with ethanol. i've noticed no difference in effectiveness or cost (tho' i can't say what the effect would be without insurance). runs me either 10 or 15 a month and i never use one a month so i stockpile them a bit.

also, i'm confused by thebazile's insurance. i go to the doctor once a year (probably a $20 co-pay), they write up rx's for a few months. those cost 10-15 a month. when they run out, you call the doctor and they send more to the pharmacist. how are you paying 90 a pop?

[Thebazile78]

....

also, i'm confused by thebazile's insurance. i go to the doctor once a year (probably a $20 co-pay), they write up rx's for a few months. those cost 10-15 a month. when they run out, you call the doctor and they send more to the pharmacist. how are you paying 90 a pop?

This was for multiple meds per month, not just asthma meds. I included my allergy meds (Allegra then Zyrtec ... now moot because Zyrtec is OTC), long-acting inhaler (Advair), rescue inhaler (Albuterol) and birth control pills (name brand with no allowed substitution.)

My prescription coverage at the time was 25% or $30 for name brands, whichever was greater. So, if I bought all 4 above-mentioned meds at once, I would be spending upwards of $90 per visit to the pharmacy, on top of my $10 copay at the doctor. HOWEVER, that was 4 years ago, which was the last time I took all those meds at the same time.

Under my new prescription drug coverage, it's $10 for generic and $30 for brand-name meds. And I can get up to 3 months' worth of meds at the pharmacy. But, in order to get a new scrip, I need to see a GP, something I haven't done in ... 4 years. (I need to anyway to ask questions about what vaccinations I should consider updating. Like my tetanus booster. Ouch!.)

[Dr Steve]

when this went down, they switched me to cfc-free pro-air hfa. it's the same albuterol with a different propellant (hfa134a) with ethanol. i've noticed no difference in effectiveness or cost (tho' i can't say what the effect would be without insurance). runs me either 10 or 15 a month and i never use one a month so i stockpile them a bit.

also, i'm confused by thebazile's insurance. i go to the doctor once a year (probably a $20 co-pay), they write up rx's for a few months. those cost 10-15 a month. when they run out, you call the doctor and they send more to the pharmacist. how are you paying 90 a pop?

the reason your cost didn't go up is because you have insurance, and the HFA inhalers have to be on tier-one of the co-pay schedule. However, your insurance company is paying more for them, and people who are paying cash are paying $40 more per inhaler on average (at least according to my sources). You're right, though, if you have Medicare, Medicaid, or commercial insurance, you probably won't see a significant increase in your out-of-pocket cost for the HFA inhalers.

[Chigworthy]

So as I mentioned before, I am currently off prescription meds and using a Primatene mist inhaler for rescue. I have been trying to get one for the past few weeks, but have come to discover that they are no longer available. At first I thought they were simply being held behind the counter like the Primatene tabs, which are used as a precursor to speed. Today, I asked the Pharmacist at the Safeway where the inhalers were.

She said that they had discontinued carrying them because people were "self-medicating with them (Yes, that's what they are for) and hurting themselves". She went on to tell me that if I called around to smaller pharmacies, they might have some left. Fortunately I do have coverage and can go back on albuterol, but what are people who don't have coverage going to do?

[~Katja~]

I am annoyed, I doubt the new version will be part of the walmart 4 dollar prescriptions program.

I have the really bad habit of keeping the almost empty ones for the emergency... and then when I really need one I have a house full of empty ones
now I will buy them even less often. better keep up with maintenance meds

[HBox]

but what are people who don't have coverage going to do?

People haven't cared about that for a long time. Why are they going to start now?

[Thebazile78]

... what are people who don't have coverage going to do?

I read about this website - www.transitionnow.org (http://www.transitionnow.org) - in the September 2008 issue of Cooking Light magazine; on their Patient Information section there's this:

HFA Inhaler Cost and Assistance Programs

If you currently have prescription drug coverage through your employer or through Medicare or Medicaid, you will need to confirm the copay that applies to the HFA quick-relief albuterol inhaler. If you self-pay for your prescription drug coverage, the cost of your HFA quick-relief asthma inhalers may be higher than what you currently pay since there are no generic versions of HFA quick-relief inhalers.

If you require financial assistance, contact The Partnership for Prescription Assistance by calling 1-888-477-2669 or see their Web site (https://www.pparx.org/Intro.php) for more information.

Also, there are free trial and transitioning discount programs (https://www.proventilhfa.com/phfa/application?namespace=transkit&event=transkit&web_program_id=00000020) through Schering-Plough, one of the manufacturers of the new HFA inhalers.

Dr. Steve - maybe the information at these websites will help your poorer patients?

[Dr Steve]

Dr. Steve - maybe the information at these websites will help your poorer patients?

Absolutely they will! Thanks for posting that stuff.

The pharmaceutical companies actually do step up to the plate when it comes to helping our most financially disadvantaged patients. It's the "working poor" that don't qualify for any kind of help that really fall between the cracks. I'm hoping we can plug that leak with some focused legislation in the future.

thanks for posting, bazile, you rule. :-)

[~Katja~]

Absolutely they will! Thanks for posting that stuff.

The pharmaceutical companies actually do step up to the plate when it comes to helping our most financially disadvantaged patients. It's the "working poor" that don't qualify for any kind of help that really fall between the cracks. I'm hoping we can plug that leak with some focused legislation in the future.

thanks for posting, bazile, you rule. :-)

that's exactly the problem.
when you make too much for assistance yet way too little to be able to afford 100's of bucks in medical costs a month there is a high risk of people juggling the meds and stretching them out to last longer and therefore not getting the most effective treatment.

[KatPw]

I have been an asthmatic since I was 5 years old. I am 34 now. I was told, for most of my life, that I would never be able to live without the medications that I was on. I was on Slobid, Ventolin, Beclovent, and Intal, in addition to weekly allergy shots for 8 years. At 18 I decided to try to control my Asthma though lifestyle choices. I have been completely medication free since then. I do keep an albuterol inhaler with me in case I have an attack. It is always the last thing I turn to, and that happens very rarely.

I do not have insurance, and my doctor will not prescribe for me an inhaler for emergencies. She will only prescribe one if I sign on to a traditional treatment regimen of steroids and anti-inflammatories. When I was on those medications I actually felt worse. I tend to get idiosyncratic reactions to medications (Nyquil speeds me up, medications that say non-drowsy make me feel drunk and sleepy). I cannot even take allergy medications because they screw with me so badly (severe nosebleeds, they impair my cognitive function, etc). Even when I take the dosage recommended for children, it throws me for a loop.

I do not want to go back on prescription medications unless I can no longer control my asthma, and seeing as I have had 3 attacks that required the rescue inhaler in 15 years (give or take), I think I am doing a pretty damn good job.

Guess I will be stocking up next time I am at Walgreen's.

[~Katja~]

I have been an asthmatic since I was 5 years old. I am 34 now. I was told, for most of my life, that I would never be able to live without the medications that I was on. I was on Slobid, Ventolin, Beclovent, and Intal, in addition to weekly allergy shots for 8 years. At 18 I decided to try to control my Asthma though lifestyle choices. I have been completely medication free since then. I do keep an albuterol inhaler with me in case I have an attack. It is always the last thing I turn to, and that happens very rarely.

I do not have insurance, and my doctor will not prescribe for me an inhaler for emergencies. She will only prescribe one if I sign on to a traditional treatment regimen of steroids and anti-inflammatories. When I was on those medications I actually felt worse. I tend to get idiosyncratic reactions to medications (Nyquil speeds me up, medications that say non-drowsy make me feel drunk and sleepy). I cannot even take allergy medications because they screw with me so badly (severe nosebleeds, they impair my cognitive function, etc). Even when I take the dosage recommended for children, it throws me for a loop.

I do not want to go back on prescription medications unless I can no longer control my asthma, and seeing as I have had 3 attacks that required the rescue inhaler in 15 years (give or take), I think I am doing a pretty damn good job.

Guess I will be stocking up next time I am at Walgreen's.

what kind of life style changes?
I did the imunnotherapy for a while and stopped after I had my kid. (cost and time was making it impossible to keep it up). Singulair and Zyrtec are what control it for me. I was given advair and don't use it at all.

[KatPw]

what kind of life style changes?
I did the imunnotherapy for a while and stopped after I had my kid. (cost and time was making it impossible to keep it up). Singulair and Zyrtec are what control it for me. I was given advair and don't use it at all.

No carpeting in the house (except area rugs) so it is easy to keep the dust level to a minimum. I try to eat local honey, supposedly it helps increase your tolerance to pollen allergies because it is made from local flowers. Like someone said above, coffee. I do not drink a lot of coffee (I did that once, holy heart palpitations!). But I do drink a cup or two a day. Chamomile tea is also supposed to help, though I do not know the reasoning behind it.

I vacuum the mattress often, and the pillows, to get rid of dustmites. I actually think having cats has helped me become less allergic to them. Only time they bother me is if I pet them, then rub my eyes. They are short hairs, and we brush them often.

Any type of exercise or activity that builds up lung capacity is great. When I was a kid, I was fortunate enough to be in a program run by the American Lung Association that taught us breathing techniques, relaxation techniques, etc. Swimming is great, dance, light weight training (upper body), chorus (singing requires incredible lung capacity), walking. For young kids, like your cutie, have him blow a ping pong ball across the table/floor with a straw. Make a game of it. Breathing out through a straw, with the force needed to blow the ball, really exercises the lungs and the surrounding muscles.

Teach him to breathe with his diaphragm by laying on the floor with him, both on your backs. Tell him to put his hand on his stomach, right below the sternum. When he breathes in, tell him to breathe so that his tummy moves his hand up. If his chest is rising, not his stomach, he is not breathing with his diaphragm (this is shallow breathing).

Relaxation techniques are important, because sometimes stress or anxiety can trigger an attack. We used to lie down, and you start with your legs. You tense up all your leg muscles, keep them tensed for 30 seconds, then relax. Then you do arms, stomach, etc. Then you tense all your body muscles at once, hold, then relax. Yoga is also helpful for some people.

Wow, I even babble in type don't I.

[~Katja~]

No carpeting in the house (except area rugs) so it is easy to keep the dust level to a minimum. I try to eat local honey, supposedly it helps increase your tolerance to pollen allergies because it is made from local flowers. Like someone said above, coffee. I do not drink a lot of coffee (I did that once, holy heart palpitations!). But I do drink a cup or two a day. Chamomile tea is also supposed to help, though I do not know the reasoning behind it.

I vacuum the mattress often, and the pillows, to get rid of dustmites. I actually think having cats has helped me become less allergic to them. Only time they bother me is if I pet them, then rub my eyes. They are short hairs, and we brush them often.

Any type of exercise or activity that builds up lung capacity is great. When I was a kid, I was fortunate enough to be in a program run by the American Lung Association that taught us breathing techniques, relaxation techniques, etc. Swimming is great, dance, light weight training (upper body), chorus (singing requires incredible lung capacity), walking. For young kids, like your cutie, have him blow a ping pong ball across the table/floor with a straw. Make a game of it. Breathing out through a straw, with the force needed to blow the ball, really exercises the lungs and the surrounding muscles.

Teach him to breathe with his diaphragm by laying on the floor with him, both on your backs. Tell him to put his hand on his stomach, right below the sternum. When he breathes in, tell him to breathe so that his tummy moves his hand up. If his chest is rising, not his stomach, he is not breathing with his diaphragm (this is shallow breathing).

Relaxation techniques are important, because sometimes stress or anxiety can trigger an attack. We used to lie down, and you start with your legs. You tense up all your leg muscles, keep them tensed for 30 seconds, then relax. Then you do arms, stomach, etc. Then you tense all your body muscles at once, hold, then relax. Yoga is also helpful for some people.

Wow, I even babble in type don't I.

I am definitely planning to get rid of my carpets. both living and bedroom are wall to wall. Maybe I should really vacuum my mattress more often, my problem with vacuuming is really mostly cleaning out the dust bin.
Having my cat around definitely does not bother me as much anymore, but when I am at my sisters house, her cats still give me strong reactions.

The honey and the chamomile tea sounds great.

I heard they have some other therapies in Europe that are not FDA approved here. Sometimes I feel like some alternate methods are being held back by the FDA because it is all about the big money. It seems allergies and asthma have increased significantly over the years and of course dominating the markets with one form of therapy is big money.

[KatPw]

I totally think it is about the money. The FDA drops the ball so often by jumping the gun and approving certain medications before they are researched adequately, and at the same time they close doors to even the thought of trying out alternative treatments. Look how over medicated our society has become, and how unhealthy we have become at the same time. But it is easier to pop a pill than make changes to how you live. Ugh.

[Thebazile78]

...

I do not have insurance, and my doctor will not prescribe for me an inhaler for emergencies. She will only prescribe one if I sign on to a traditional treatment regimen of steroids and anti-inflammatories. When I was on those medications I actually felt worse. I tend to get idiosyncratic reactions to medications (Nyquil speeds me up, medications that say non-drowsy make me feel drunk and sleepy). I cannot even take allergy medications because they screw with me so badly (severe nosebleeds, they impair my cognitive function, etc). Even when I take the dosage recommended for children, it throws me for a loop.

I do not want to go back on prescription medications unless I can no longer control my asthma, and seeing as I have had 3 attacks that required the rescue inhaler in 15 years (give or take), I think I am doing a pretty damn good job.

Guess I will be stocking up next time I am at Walgreen's.

I thought I was the only person who got loopy from certain meds - naproxen makes me dizzy if I take the 24-hour dose, caffeinated coffee gives me heart palpitations (which is why I only use it medicinally), Benadryl makes me sleepy, decongestants make me spacey, etc. - because of the way other people would react to my mentioning that I don't/can't take x, y or z med because I get spacey or loopy. Glad to know I am not the only one with weird reactions to common meds, both OTC and 'scrip.

No carpeting in the house (except area rugs) so it is easy to keep the dust level to a minimum. I try to eat local honey, supposedly it helps increase your tolerance to pollen allergies because it is made from local flowers. Like someone said above, coffee. I do not drink a lot of coffee (I did that once, holy heart palpitations!). But I do drink a cup or two a day. Chamomile tea is also supposed to help, though I do not know the reasoning behind it.

I vacuum the mattress often, and the pillows, to get rid of dustmites. I actually think having cats has helped me become less allergic to them. Only time they bother me is if I pet them, then rub my eyes. They are short hairs, and we brush them often.

Any type of exercise or activity that builds up lung capacity is great. When I was a kid, I was fortunate enough to be in a program run by the American Lung Association that taught us breathing techniques, relaxation techniques, etc. Swimming is great, dance, light weight training (upper body), chorus (singing requires incredible lung capacity), walking. For young kids, like your cutie, have him blow a ping pong ball across the table/floor with a straw. Make a game of it. Breathing out through a straw, with the force needed to blow the ball, really exercises the lungs and the surrounding muscles.

Teach him to breathe with his diaphragm by laying on the floor with him, both on your backs. Tell him to put his hand on his stomach, right below the sternum. When he breathes in, tell him to breathe so that his tummy moves his hand up. If his chest is rising, not his stomach, he is not breathing with his diaphragm (this is shallow breathing).

Relaxation techniques are important, because sometimes stress or anxiety can trigger an attack. We used to lie down, and you start with your legs. You tense up all your leg muscles, keep them tensed for 30 seconds, then relax. Then you do arms, stomach, etc. Then you tense all your body muscles at once, hold, then relax. Yoga is also helpful for some people.

Wow, I even babble in type don't I.

CRAZY.

I never had asthma until I stopped singing ... I was a chorister all through high school and college but haven't done much more besides the occasional karaoke outing in the 8 years since I graduated. Before that, I was a swimmer during the summers and rode my bike everywhere; during the winter, I would walk or shovel snow...and my bedroom growing up was on the 2nd floor.

All of my college dorm rooms, except two, were above the first floor. All but one were also walk-ups. (No excuses not to exercise!!) I walked to most of my classes, up and down hills, sometimes running ... and one semester, I had a bike.

Now I notice that when I am most active, my asthma is better controlled. Which actually surprised my doctors a couple of times, but then I explained to them what kinds of exercises I was doing and it seemed to make more sense.

Wow. All the things I was doing before seem to be the "right" things if I don't want to use meds ... or if I can't afford meds.

[KatPw]

Now I notice that when I am most active, my asthma is better controlled. Which actually surprised my doctors a couple of times, but then I explained to them what kinds of exercises I was doing and it seemed to make more sense.

Wow. All the things I was doing before seem to be the "right" things if I don't want to use meds ... or if I can't afford meds.
I really wish more Doctors would emphasize the importance of exercise. I mean, there are Doctors that do, don't get me wrong. But it is an important subject that should be brought up at each visit, just as you would ask questions about medication compliance and emphasize the need for compliance.

[Thebazile78]

I really wish more Doctors would emphasize the importance of exercise. I mean, there are Doctors that do, don't get me wrong. But it is an important subject that should be brought up at each visit, just as you would ask questions about medication compliance and emphasize the need for compliance.

I'm lucky to have good doctors who are not only willing to teach but also willing to learn. It's a challenge finding a doctor who doesn't feel threatened by you coming to them with something you learned about recently, either in the newspaper or from WebMD, but you wanted to know if/how it could apply to you and your condition.

I constantly talk about exercise with my doctors ... asking for good places to get information, how to change my overall diet and lifestyle, but I suspect that I am different from a lot of other folks out there.

I don't know if it's because I go to medical professionals affiliated with teaching hospitals or if it's because health care professions are things I've been interested in my entire life. Or maybe it's because my pediatrician was THE BEST pediatrician in the world and he always encouraged us to ask questions and learn more about what we were going through. I really learned a lot from him and his attitudes about a patient's involvement in their own health.

[Chigworthy]

KatPw, not meant as a snobby retort, just a friendly FYI:

I believe that the Albuterol that you carry for rescue now is the same thing as the Ventolin us Asthmatics knew and loved in the old days. Of course, I could be completely wrong.

Controlling asthma through lifestyle is a fantastic way to do it.

[earthbrown]

since my introduction to ADVAIR, I rarely need my albuterol, however the other day, I went to refill prescription, and was informed my prescription was not good, as the old style was discontinued....of course my doctor was on vacation, so I had to do a secondary plan so I could have the inhaler for a trip.

Fuck the greenies, I will pollute more now just for spite.


K

[Leticia]

After talking about this with Chris he found this site.

https://www.savecfcinhalers.org/


It's a petition to keep the other inhalers.


Apparently the new inhaler wasn't checked out well enough and people have died while using it.
...


Doc, what do you make of this??!!

(I am very concerned because I have asthma and my dad suffers from it in a serious way)

[Thebazile78]

After talking about this with Chris he found this site.

https://www.savecfcinhalers.org/


It's a petition to keep the other inhalers.


Apparently the new inhaler wasn't checked out well enough and people have died while using it.
...


Doc, what do you make of this??!!

(I am very concerned because I have asthma and my dad suffers from it in a serious way)

It's kind of late at this juncture for petitions like that.

The ban goes into effect on January 1st. It's not going to be taken down overnight.

Everyone is supposed to start transitioning now so they're not caught in the lurch.

There are risks associated with both the CFC and HFA inhalers.
There are also risks associated with the dry-powder inhalers, like Advair.

However, the Asthma and Allergy Association's website has an FAQ with good information (http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=7&sub=92&cont=554). Other concerns should be addressed by your own doctor.

[sailor]

i just received info from oxford about switching to xopenex hfa (http://www.drugs.com/xopenex.html). it's supposed to be much cheaper than pro-air. has anyone else heard of or tried this? i'm wondering how effective it will be.

[Bob Impact]

I know I'm slightly off topic at this point, but just to shed some light on the CFL bulbs containing mercury comment, here's the essentials:

1) Yes CFLs contain small amounts of mercury, about 5 milligrams.
2) Yes you need to be a little more careful about clean up in the case of a break.
3) Yes CFLs should be recycled and not tossed in a landfill (the same is true for batteries btw)

If you're concerned about wasting time recycling them think about this, the average lifespan for an incandescent bulb is around 1,000 hours, the average lifespan for new CFL is about 10,000 - 15,000. Each incandesant you replace with a CFL also saves you about $50 over it's life cycle over an incandescent... worth it to me to occasionally have to drive to a recycling center.

[Dr Steve]

I know I'm slightly off topic at this point, but just to shed some light on the CFL bulbs containing mercury comment, here's the essentials:

1) Yes CFLs contain small amounts of mercury, about 5 milligrams.
2) Yes you need to be a little more careful about clean up in the case of a break.
3) Yes CFLs should be recycled and not tossed in a landfill (the same is true for batteries btw)

If you're concerned about wasting time recycling them think about this, the average lifespan for an incandescent bulb is around 1,000 hours, the average lifespan for new CFL is about 10,000 - 15,000. Each incandesant you replace with a CFL also saves you about $50 over it's life cycle over an incandescent... worth it to me to occasionally have to drive to a recycling center.


I've converted over all my bulbs in the house to CFLs...the new GE ENERGY SMART 60s (in the yellow box) are indistiguishable from incandescents, as far as the light they give off. I was always turned off by the bright white light from CFLs but even the new indoor floods look just like incandescent light. I even replaced the outdoor floods; the cool thing is, I won't have to get on a ladder to replace some of the hard to reach overhead lights for a long time now.

Thanks for the info on recycing these darned things, though. I wasn't aware of that.