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Can you have too much inhaler

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Health & Wellbeing
Firstly I'm talking about my asthma inhaler. From reading before I guess you have two different kinds over there? But the one I speak of is the fast acting inhaler, the "emergancy" one. The one you use when you cant breathe to releive it right away.

Anyways, I'm one of those people, make no waste. I'll use my inhaler till theres not a bit left in it. I'm still using one thats almost empty before I start my next one. So to get one normal spray out of it I have to spray it three times. Well yesterday I grabbed my full one without realizing and took it. Before I could think about it I had already puffed three times. Immediatly after I got all shaky. My hands and legs were shaky and just everything. I got ill to my stomache.

Was this just a crazy coincidence or can you actually take too much inhaler. I didn't think you could. But maybe...

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If it's the blue salbutamol one then fine tremor is a side effect of overuse yes. Luckily it's short acting and a short lived side effect. Palpitations is another.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It was the short acting one. Though whether it be what your speakin of, I have no idea. Each pharmacy picks from a variety of colors.
    Its called Albuterol here, but I doubt that means anything. It doesn't give me any other generic name or anything on the thing, I looked. Though apperantly its aerosol so a hippie dies every time I use it. I was just weirded out as thats never happened and I've beeen diagonosed with asthma since I was 5ish.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    the term albuterol used in the USA is the same as salbutamol used in the UK

    fromhere
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Salmeterol is the long acting beta agonist, salbutamol the short acting.

    Maybe your inhaler technique needs work. :p
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Kentish wrote:
    Salmeterol is the long acting beta agonist, salbutamol the short acting.

    Maybe your inhaler technique needs work. :p


    More than likely. They say if your using your fast acting one more than twice a week you don't have it under control. I use it up to four times a day. But I'm also on a pill and advair (which thinking about it, I'm guessing thats probably the salmeterol) So maybe I just need new lungs.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Do you use a steroid inhaler?

    Prodigy guidance for asthma
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Kentish wrote:
    Do you use a steroid inhaler?

    Well I looked online and I do not believe any of them are. There is albuterol, the advair, and the square pill


    When my Dr's asked, I used to tell them how often I used it, but no matter, any Dr's, ER people, specalists, when I told them that and everything I was on they were just kind of shocked. I've tried so many different things and combinations this works the best. Now when asked I just tell them, oh I use it a few times a week and leave it at that.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You should be honest with them though. Asthma is deadly serious.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Anyways I totally rambled there. Thank you for the info. Cheers.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i'm on salbutamol and a steroid based one that i can't remember the name of, tis a brown inhaler anywho

    and i'm still taking my blue one 2 or 3 times a day, but it is getting better

    and i only have very mild asthma :eek2: i've never actually had what i would term a full on attack
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The other day the news did a story on a girl who overdosed on her inhaler because there wasn't a school nurse watching her. Either she or her mom said that she took about twelve puffs.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Im a childrens nurse and we use salbutamol every day for those having asthma attacks...under hospital circumstances we give 10 puffs hourly which does cause them to feel shaky, their heart to race and general hyperactivity...so it is a side effect of a lot of salbutamol! However if you are having to use your inhaler you really need to get a check up. All asthma sufferers will need their salbutamol (also called ventolin) more in the winter, however as someone has already said, if you need it so often you may need to start a preventer, which is a small dose of steroids, generally a couple of puffs morning and night...really you should have check up :yes:
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Welsh Jemz wrote:
    i'm on salbutamol and a steroid based one that i can't remember the name of, tis a brown inhaler anywho

    and i'm still taking my blue one 2 or 3 times a day, but it is getting better

    and i only have very mild asthma :eek2: i've never actually had what i would term a full on attack
    Becotide (beclomethasone). :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I haven't used my becotide inhaler for months cause i kept getting a sore throat and losing my voice with it even when using a spacer my asthma is mild but i'm still having to take my ventolin inhaler at least once a day which i thought was ok but obivously it seems it's not, i just hate the becotide inhaler
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If I take my salbutamol inhaler too much I get exactly those symptoms.
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