Although that's made many people unhappy, the HFA inhalers are not going away. But the good news is there are many things you can do to make your HFA inhalers work better, so that you get the most out of them.
Getting the Most From Your HFA Asthma Inhaler
- Use better MDI technique. It's the technique that forces the drug into your airways, not the type of propellant. One big difference with at least some of the HFA inhalers is that they must be shaken much harder and more times than your old inhaler. One pharmacist recommends that you shake your inhaler at least 15 to 20 times before each use.
- Clean your HFA device frequently, to make sure you're getting the full dose of medicine per puff. The new HFA inhalers clog much more easily than the old CFC inhalers, which can decrease the amount of, or even prevent, the medicine from coming out. Frequent rinsing helps prevent clogging. Cleaning is performed by removing the metal canister, running warm water through the plastic actuator for 30 seconds, shaking the actuator to remove excess water and allowing it to air dry.
- Prime your HFA inhaler, using the instructions it comes with. HFA inhalers need more and different priming than your old CFC type. Be sure you know how to prime correctly, following the directions that come with your asthma inhaler.
- Try until you get relief. Different brands of the new HFA inhalers may not be exactly alike. So, if one doesn't work well for you, ask your doctor if you can try something different until you are able to achieve effective asthma control.
- If you use more than 1 puff of your inhaler, be sure to wait a full minute between puffs. This ensures that the first puff of medicine is fully circulated through your airways before you inhale the second puff.
- Ask you doctor to switch to a Ventolin HFA rescue inhaler if you are allergic to ethanol / alcohol. This is the only HFA rescue inhaler that is ethanol-free. Switching can prevent allergic reactions and / or side effects.
- Get financial help for the more expensive asthma inhalers, if needed, so that you keep taking them as much as prescribed. HFA inhalers cost more because it's too soon for generic equivalents. The transition to new manufacturing has cost the pharmaceutical companies too. Generic versions should emerge in time, but it may take years. Meanwhile, many of the pharmaceutical companies are offering discounts, coupons, and other financial assistance. Check their websites to learn more. TogetherRx.com is another option where you may find some financial assistance.
Using these tips should help you feel better about using your new HFA asthma inhaler, which is a good thing, because these new asthma medications are here to stay.
Sources: AAAAI. "Topic of the Month - May - Transition to HFA Inhalers." <http://www.aaaai.org/patients/topicofthemonth/0507/>.
