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Wow, a lot of you have VERY strong feelings about these new inhalers, but I'm not at all surprised. Changing the single most important treatment for asthma sufferers? Well, I don't have asthma, but I'm shaking my head over this one, too.

Thanks to all who've emailed with your input. I have read every message, but a small medical issue will delay my responses for a few days. I also won't be on the forum again until this weekend, but please feel free to post in the meantime.
Thanks for your patience.

all cfc production world-wide will cease very soon. sulfa sensitive asthmatics will not have rescue inhalers. if you can't tolerate atrovent and serevent and maxair is withdrawn because it also uses a banned propellant, we are up the creek. protest now, no kidding. perhaps we should demonstrate in washington. president clinton signed the montreal protocol but he didn't ask us if we needed a medical exception. hillary clinton is concerned about health care but she didn't consider an exception for us. does anyone have an idea?? do we just quietly suffocate??? can an HFC propellant be used with a sulfate free albuterol? does anyone know???

Hi there,
I've been out for a few days, so I apologize for this late reply. A HUGE problem is something you've pinpointed ("does anyone know?")

I'm an advocate for the environment and I support the Montreal Protocol, but this change seems to have come TOO SOON and without adequate preparation and/or education. I couldn't even find a pharmacist who could tell me if the spacer my daughter uses comes in a model that fits the Flovent HFA. I pretty much had to find the answer myself on the Internet.

Many, many people are having problems and expect the new propellant and/or excipient are responsible. I'm not a doctor or a clinical researcher and make no medical claims, but I wonder if testing for the inhalers was as extensive as it could have been. After all, eliminating the CFC inhalers' essential use designation means pharmaceutical companies can make massive profits off their brand-name HFA inhalers for the next 2 years under patent law.

And why do some questions about the HFA inhalers seem to have no answers, even among medical professionals?

Check out what Marianne Lavelle at U.S. News and World Report has to say about the economic impact of the change:

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Hi everyone,
this might be good news! the Asthma and Allergy Network, Mothers of Asthmatics informs me that they have questioned a leading pharamacist about the possiblity of allergic reactions to the new HFA Albuterol inhalers which are only available as Albuterol sulfate. I am allergic to sulfites and was worried that I would get an allergic reaction from the new inhaler. i was informed that the albuterol sulfate is inert and does not pose a problem. They said that even if you are allergic to sulfites, sulfates are a different chemical and will not cause an allergic reaction. We should all breathe (literaly) a sign of relief and use the new inhaler without fear.

P.S. Anyone can join the Allergy and Asthma network, Mothers of Asthmatics, you don't need to be the mother of an asthmatic, and you will receive their up-to-date newsletter which is very informative about asthma. They will also answer your questions about asthma and they are advocates for asthmatics in Washington and around the world. They are fighting for us and our children.

Hi there,
Thanks for this! That IS good news. I don't know much about medicine allergies--it's thankfully not a problem I've had to deal w/for me OR my kids--so I appreciate this information and the help it can give readers.

Thanks again!

Both my Dr. and pharmacist advised againt sulfides, since I have an allergy-both organizations you mentioned may be a little too pro HFA for me after reading the above article-here is a quote, which leads me in this direction; More from Asthma Center
More from Health
More from This Issue
Proventil HFA and GlaxoSmithKline's Ventolin HFA, introduced in February 2002, lagged far behind the cheaper generic CFC albuterol in sales. So the FDA took action, saying: "This regulation is necessary because private markets are very unlikely to preserve levels of stratospheric ozone sufficient to protect the public health."

Two big patient advocacy groups, the American Lung Association and Allergy and Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics, support the FDA decision�and in fact helped spur it by filing a 2003 petition requesting CFC withdrawal. Both groups undertook CFC public awareness programs sponsored by drug companies. The ALA's "Time to Make the Switch" campaign was underwritten with $1 million from Teva, maker of ProAir HFA. The AANMA promotes "Smart Moves to an HFA Inhaler," sponsored by Sepracor. That company sells the albuterol-like drug levalbuterol as Xopenex HFA."
Looks to me like the money is talking-

A recent letter I wrote to Leslie Hendeles, Pharm.D-consultant to FDA's Pulmomary Division:
Hello Dr. Hendeles,
In 2005 I was introduced to Flovent-after a week of nausea, headaches and increased wheezing I threw it away.
Last year I was introduced to Proair-not only did I have the same symptoms, but my hands developed what looked like chemical burns-the medical professionals were sure it was not from the inhaler. OK, I'll try it again, well the same thing happened-next it was suggested I switch to Proventil HFA-guess what? The same thing happened-asthma worsened, nausea set in and the burns once again appeared. I have been told there is Ventolin-I am allergic to sulpha. So as far as I see it-there are no options for those of us allergic to the HFA relief inhalers. Ok now what about the preventive inhalers-powder form does not work for me-both Serevent and Advair did not help-the new Advair aerosol contains ethanol, so that's out. I was using azmacort, which also has ethanol-I am now down to my rescue CFC inhalers! Are we to all carry portable nebulizers around with us?
Last May my 14 year old daughter had an Asthma attack in PE(exercise induced asthma)-her Proventil HFA inhaler did not relieve her symptoms(the nurse was present and knew the proper procedure)-I rushed to school with the CFC inhaler-had to repeat usage a couple of times. My child said it was the first time she thought she was going to die-how sad at 14 you have to switch from a sure thing to a very poor product forced on us by the government. Everyone making these decisions should try a puff of these new efficient inhalers-deal with the nausea, the dizziness, inability to breathe and the aftertaste of rubber tires before forcing those of us already having health problems to engage in mandatory regulations set by the Gov.
I am asking that the CFC inhalers be made available to those of us that cannot tolerate the new HFA formulation.
I hope you take the time to listen to those of us falling victim to the HFA inhalers.
Sincerely,
Lynn
PS-if anyone else is having these problems, please sign the petition-note the inhaler and side effect. We really need options here, some of us cannot tolerate the new HFA formulatory.
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I am personally having an extremely difficult time since losing my Warrick inhaler. My doctor has tried me on Proventil, ProAir, Xopenex, and quite frankly I can't remember all the one's. I am having the same allergic reation to all mentioned above, but with the Xopenex I seem to have an even worse reaction that included an entire upper body, painful rash. Now I'm on a nublizer and life has changed so dramatically for me that I can't even tell you. I just with they wouldn't have come up with HFA stuff.

My lung function has dropped quite a bit since being on the nebulizer and the Armstrong which I don't undersatnd, because the nebulizer IS the albuterhol, but the hand held one doesn't work nearly as well and I have to use twice as much. I found this site below. You don't have to sign anything to read all about how bad HFA stuff is for you. Thanks for listening.

http://tinyurl.com/yphmp4

Was this rash-bright red and everytime you itched it it burned like heck? My hands had this and the skin seeped a little fluid almost like a burn-this occurred each time I used the HFA inhalers for a few days!