Inhalers?

[BabyFacedAbortion]

Well, I was diagnosed with Asthma when I was REALLY young, I don't even remember it but for some reason I stopped using an inhaler, either I was diagnosed wrong or.."grew out of it". So lately, I've been having a hard time breathing..tight chest, not feeling like I'm breathing in deep enough but I'm breathing in as much as I can, just having a hard time..my boyfriend offered to give me his "safety" inhaler until I could get to the doctor. Should I take him up on this? I can't find anything on the internet about a "safety" inhaler. I don't want to be inhaling steroids or something that I shouldn't be but I'm starting to get freaked out..I really hate feeling suffocated. Can someone give me info or experiences? I really appreciate it <3

P.S
I smoke cigarettes too, dunno if that effects anything.

[jrs212]

I had respiratory problems as a kid too. They went away too. They came back. You don't grow out of asthma. His inhaler is probably albuterol. Safe enough, no steroids in it. Been dealing with this for a few years so if you want to ask anymore questions feel free.

[birdgirl73]

Yeah, BFA, the cigarettes will definitely affect your asthma and make it worse. It's time to stop smoking so the asthma doesn't get worse. And so you dont later develop emphysema or lung cancer--or don't prematurely age yourself (cigarettes are hell on youth and beauty, too).

If your boyfriend is lending your his "rescue" inhaler, that generally means it's some form of an albuterol inhaler. Albuterol is a bronchodilator, and it's basically a vaso-constrictor that shrinks the capillaries and swollen passages in the airways and thus reduces inflammation and airway construction. You should be able to look at the little canister and see what the main ingredient is. Look up the term "rescue" inhaler on the Internet and you should see lots of info there.

The inhaled steroids these days generally come in disk-administered powder form such as Advair, but they may still be in canisters if insurance is too cheap to pay for the newer stuff. The steroidal inhaled anti-inflammatories, even the canisters, typically have a different looking plastic inhaler device. If you don't see the word "albuterol" on the ingredients, don't use it. Those steroidal anti-inflammatories have to be used regularly every day and aren't good for episodic attacks of airway constriction. That's why you need an albuterol inhaler for "rescue."

You need to get to your doctor and get your own prescription for albuterol refilled as soon as you can. We don't want you getting in trouble by having a bad asthma attack.

By the way, people do grow out of asthma on occasion, just as they sometimes grow out of allergies. It's much more common for people to develop asthma/allergies when they haven't had those conditions before, but I know two folks who had asthma as teenagers and then outgrew it. I didn't have asthma as a child but got it as a young adult.

[FakeBoobsRule]

Damn Birdgirl beat me to it. I was going to tell BFA it was a rescue inhaler and not safety inhaler but Birdgirl gave you a perfect answer, not like that is surprising or anything. You have some inhalers that work by preventing attacks and the rescue inhalers for acute attacks.

[BabyFacedAbortion]

It's an Albuterol inhaler, so I'm good I think... how often should I be using it? He taught me HOW to use it, breath in..two puffs..blahblahblah but he just told me to use it as needed except not all at one time. Thanks so much for the quick advice..I've used it already and it made me feel so much better.

[birdgirl73]

Usually the dosage is two puffs every 4 - 6 hours or less frequently as needed. Sometimes only one puff is all it takes. Typically shake the canister very well and then insert it into the inhaler and squirt one puff into the air before you breathe your first--that's to make sure you get a full puff of it. Seems wasteful, but it's a good way to make sure you're getting a real dose of it when you do "huff" your first blast of it.

The inhaler is a fairly mild soluiton of albuterol. You can definitely overdo it, though, and if you do you'll know it because your heart will race and you'll feel a little shaky. You're so small that you may feel that anyway just from normal use. I don't normally feel that from the inhaler, but when I'm sick, like with bronchitis, and I have to use the stronger albuterol-saline pre-mixed solution in a nebulizer, it makes me tremble like a leaf for a few moments. But it sure helps me breathe!

Definitely get your own prescription for it as soon as you can, OK?

[BabyFacedAbortion]

Thanks so much, hon! I've got the shakes but they go away after a lil bit. I've got a doctors appointment soon coming up (gotta get blood drawn, as well..) so I'll be discussing MANY things with her..my stomach, my lungs, and birth control. lmao it'll be a fun visit.

[birdgirl73]

You're more than welcome, sweetie! Glad to help a fellow asthmatic. Glad you've got an appointment coming up. Much love to you!