Complain about a product or service

HFA Inhalers

Jane of Mesa, AZ July 2, 2009

These new Pro Air Inhalers have nearly been the death of me during attacks. I am now a severe Asmatic as well as having Copious Flem. I have had to reach up to my Husband's hand as I am passing out on our Floor. I have to spray the Pro Air in my mouth but cannot get the propellent in to my Chest. I am going to die if someone does not reverse this law and give us back the Rescue Inhalers. This product does not work or I need to use many sprays to even begin to open me up. Many people are going to die and I'd like to know how many have already died or had brain damage due to loss of of our ability to get the Airways open in time. I'm sure many have dies already. God help us as I know I've become very sick and cannot function.

Also I cannot get more then 50+ sprays from these new inhalers. I buy 4-5 times as much to get thru a month and they don't help enough to feel I won't die during my next spell. Who the heck thought this worked to change the Propellant in our Rescue Inhalers. Rescue is gone and replaced by Fear of unknown time of death. Janie

Cynthia of Santa Ana, CA July 2, 2009

I have had asthma for years now and when my old inhaler was deemed "not friendly to the environment" I, like many of my fellow asthma sufferers received a Pro Air HFA inhaler. I was not happy about it but was determined to live with it (breathing is a pretty important neccesity after all....). I receive one a month with 200 doses and so far I have not been able to even get 2 weeks worth of medication from these inhalers. Last week I finally had enough and went to my pharmacy. They filled another perscription (more money I had to spend) and it worked until 2 days ago. This time it didn't even last a week! Does anyone out there know if there is a class action suite against this company?? If so I would very much like to add my name to the list of plaintiffs.

Kimberley of Maurepas, LA June 10, 2009

CFC's removed from rescue inhalers, daily constant asthma, prevents me from being able to find a job and go to work. I would like to know what procedures I need to take to become considered fully disabled as an asthmatic since I can barely function on an everyday basis because of my asthma. My old inhaler quit working for me and new inhalers make me cough terribly.

The government wants this change that affects my quality of living as a normal person. I cannot live like a normal person having asthma and believe it is now time for the government to assist me so that I may have a place to live while I struggle to breath everyday.

My personal social security report says I can get up to 3000 on full disability and I believe I should qualify for every penny to pay rent, utilities, vehicle expenses, and finally get the medical care I need to cover the numerous inhalers it is going to require for me to get by - 1 inhaler just won't do it anymore. PLEASE GET BACK TO ME ON HOW TO GO ABOUT GETTING DISABILITY PAYMENTS SO I CAN QUIT BORROWING MONEY I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO PAY BACK.

I cannot afford the new inhalers which are 80 more (126 plus tax) than the one I've used since I was 12 years old, nor can I physically get out and get a job anymore because I am constantly out of breath. I have to rest constantly after everything I do. Even after a shower I need to rest before I can continue to do my makeup and hair and must take several breaks throughout a day.

Nancy of Seabrook, NH July 1, 2009

Pro Air inhaler. This product is the worst inhaler that I have ever been forced to use. I am forced because there is no alternative in the form of a rescue inhaler like albuterel. I have been using this since it was the replacement and have always had problems. It either does not expell any medicine, backfires on my tongue leaving it with a rash and soar, or the thing just does not work. I get the fact with the ozone layer thing but I'm positive someones life will be the outcome. My asthma has been the worst it's ever been because I can never get a full dose of meds. I have had bronchitis more times been up nights and use my nebulizer more then ever before because of this piece of junk PRO AIR INHALER. If someone out there is listening please help us. It's a terrible feeling when you really really really need to use your inhaler for relief and you get NOTHING.

elizabth of cleveland, OH June 30, 2009

proair hfa is the worst rescue inhaler i have ever used.it is junk.it does not work properly at all-and i have had visits to the e.r.since i was switched to this product.their are millions of people in the boat as i am,and i want to know what it will take for action to be taken?

Joseph of Binghamton, NY June 29, 2009

I am sorry if this is the wrong form to fill out, but I am currently experiencing an asthma attack that my HFA inhaler has regularly been held ineffective towards. I am not doing this out of "effect", I really am having an attack, so if this becomes out of focus, please forgive me.

After having problems with my own HFA inhaler such as: low dosage, dosage blocked by the mouth piece (this is also a reason why HFA makes claims that you have to clean the inhaler more, also why people might claim lower available dosing--since there is enough of the dose that doesn't make it past the pin head sized spray hole, the dosage actually starts to clog the hole up after drying on it), instructions to "breath in harder" are unrealistic; if we are gasping for air now, how much "harder" should we have to breathe in to use our Rescue inhaler?

I have been diagnosed with COPD, due to no fault of my own (non-smoker born with a bad lung and chronic bronch/pnuemonia), so I cannot say that my asthma was completely under control before HFA came out, but I can say that I haven't gone through an entire "old style" inhaler in a weekend because it wasn't working. I can say that my new (as of Friday afternoon) HFA inhaler is now defunct (as of Sunday 3 am) and I have started on my 2nd HFA inhaler in almost as many days.

When we, the affected, have troubles breathing we Really really have troubles; and gasping like a fish drowning in air does not make for a forced inhalation. Right now typing makes me dizzy. I lie. Right now not moving make me dizzy; the typing is just something to keep me from collapsing.

So, yes, I do have a complaint about the HFA inhalers. They are in-effective for everything expect for making the people that passed the law feel better about themselves so they could put an "enviromentally friendly" sticker on their resume.

Dear kind reader, please do not worry about me. I am about to take a nebulizer treatment; something that everyone I know that has to take one as a last resort rescue medication when their HFA won't even come out of the box and sprays only to clog the exit way of the dosage. I will take a nebulizer treatment right after I press send. I promise. The reason why we use these as last resorts? Because the side-effects make us ill. Not sick, not "don't feel good"; ill. Rapid heart, severe dizziness, weakness, and a general sense of "thank god, I can breath...now let me throw up and shake in my bed."

Beats suffercating though, but then again, we didn't need to feel these wretched side effects until we had our own usual protection of our Albuterol inhalers; you know, the ones that worked for the patient, the one that is ill, not the resume of some button pusher.

When Asthma becomes the illness of the rich, I do believe we'll have our old inhalers back, but until then, I can only thank you for recording my complaint and giving everyone a forum to express theirs...and thank you for not making us all use a phone number!

Cheryl of Lynnwood, WA June 23, 2009

I have asthma and have used the over-the-counter CFC inhaler Primatene Mist for about 30 years and have usually had excellent and quick results (about 99% of the time) but needed to buy a prescription recently because of the fact that I could not find Primatene Mist any where in the stores. I used Proventil which made my asthma worse! I needed to take puff after puff which had no quick result, yet caused my asthma to continue to get worse over time. I rely on Primatene Mist and have done so for approx. 30 years, I would like to see it stay available for poor people like me who can not use alternative medicines to regulate their asthma. Thanks.

Cynthia of Narragansett, RI June 25, 2009

The new inhalers do not provide relief at all. I was well under control and have had severe asthma for years but these new inhalers are not working. Something has to be done.

Karen of Van Nuys, CA June 22, 2009

I have had "well controlled" asthma for nine years. Since removing CFC Albuterol inhalers, I have had NO RELIEF from the HFA rescue inhalers prescribed to take their place. There are many asthma patients complaining about the exact same problem with the HFA inhalers. I have very little left of an old CFC inhaler, which works every time I have an asthma attack. I have tried to take the new ones up to six times after an attack with no relief at all. When my CFC Albuterol runs out, I am going to be in serious trouble. This will mean emergency trips to the hospital, very frequent medical care and time missed from work; and that's as long as my attacks don't become fatal.

vicki of PEARL RIVER, LA June 20, 2009

ProAir inhaler does not work like the albuteral. The FDA thinks it is environmentally friendly but in the end it will cost the lives of many people. It is so scarey not to get the relief and wondering if the next attack will kill you. Think of the people that havent found this site. I have made numerous complaints to the pharmacies and doctors. The only ones that insist that ProAir works are the non-asthmatics.