Complain about a product or service

HFA Inhalers

Brenda of Des Moines IA (01/04/09)
The new inhalers do not deliver the 200 doses of albuterol which they claim to deliver, and this is fraud. We need to come up with a class action lawsuit. People with asthma are being put at real risk because the drug companies want to sell Advair and want to get away from generic albuterol because it doesn't make them enough of a profit.

Inability to breathe, serious consequences for quality of life, increased cost for a medication that does not work as well.

Ronald of West Mifflin PA (01/04/09)
Horrible results from inhaler and at twice the price. This is devastating to my family of 4 asthmatics.

We are going broke on just the co-payment

Carrie of Chino Hills CA (01/04/09)
These new inhalers do not work. If they are worried about teh ozone they could start in any number of places but instead they go after what brings great relief to asthmatics. I have had to go to a breathing machine to get my treatments because the HFA inhalers do not work well or last for any length of time.

The cost went from $10.00 per inhaler to 35.00. I do not have insurance and this is alot considering this is not my only medication. Advair charges 150.00 for 15 days worth of a steroid inhaler. Not only do they hit us at our lungs they aim at our pocketbooks too.

Marcia of Dunnellon FL (01/03/09)
ProAir HFA inhaler was used to try to manage my asthma on January 1,2009.Since I could not get nor did I have any of the older inhalers left I had to rely solely on this one to try and thwart an all out, full blown episode. It didn't happen. I am lucky that it happened at home where I had access to my nebulizer

Because I had a nebulizer at home, a doctor on the phone who prescribed prednisone , and an azmacort inhaler

I finally came out the otherside of this. I used the ProAir in good faith and it did not deliver.With all of the other poisons in the world and land stripping and so on,why not chase those people down and stop them instead of taking a product off the market that asthmatics could depend on. AlbuteralCPC we need back. Maybe the new administration can do something about this. I sure do hope so.

Gerry of Quincy MA (01/03/09)
Have copd and used albuterol for most of my life. Works. Now it has been done away with the ProAir HFA does not work. Makes me sick and I had to go backon prednisone because I could not breathe. I hope Albuterol will be put back on the market to help people like me who need it to breathe.

Also ProAir HFA is much more expensive and I cannot afford it. live on Social Security and my insurance does not cover it. No generic -please find one

Tim of Springfield VA (01/02/09)
Pharmacy switch Albuterol Oral Inhalation device from CFC driven to HFA driven. Three problems I can see. 1.The price was raised as a new formulation.(minor rip off) 2. The new devices go flat, after thirty day they were all dead with little use.(Major hazzard) 3. The new propelent is not as effective. (Poor Medicine) In my case I need this very seldom but when I did I had a flat inhaler. Never had this problem with the CFC version over past twenty years. Bough a second and third inhaler with same result. The CFC version left over still works ! As for me I purchased a nebulizer and have given up on these convient items.

In my case it is just a matter of time befor this forces me into the ER.

Laurie of Grain Valley MO (01/01/09)
Pro-Air HFA inhalers are not doing the job they are intended for. Asthma. Helping people to breathe! Warrick/Armstrong inhalers were working fine. This is a money scam and the EPA be damned! This is A CRIME-- and if I never live for my last breath over this alternative--there will indeed be others in line for the lawsuit! What a travesty it truly is when the EPA or whoever is behind it (where is the AMA in all this---seriously??) is more concerned with lining their pockets than with people having the ability to breathe during a possibly fatal asthma attack. I dont care what they say --it is less product than the original and less effective and yet more money??? What I NEED to put into my lungs to breathe--- is effecting some unknown ozone layer at some unknon date?? Really? It also clogs. !! Just what you need in a rescue inhaler! C'mon people --wake up!!

35.00 with insurance for ProAir compared to 10.00 with insurance on regualr Albuterol Warrick -Armstrong CFC's.

Carrie of Las Vegas NV (12/30/08)
They switched my inhaler. I would only have to use maybe two to 3 times a week, now I am needing to use it seems every 4 hours or less, it gives me a headache, mouth sore and not to mention the cost of this new HFA inhaler, I am concerned I will not be around long enough to see my grand children grow up and oh by the way I was perfectly healthy before usiing this new in haler, I get no sleep due to this. I am only 38 and I feel these past few months I have aged 10 years. We need some justice here not to mention there is ethanol in every use which all of us use to start iur engines.

Ray of Xxxxx TX (12/30/08)
Doctors and others, like government officials who decided to approve/replace Albuterol CFC inhalers with the HFA type are either professionally incompetent and will have to be fired and their licenses taken away from them, or, they knowingly decided to go along with the pharmaceutical companies. If so, they are worse than thieves and more in line with violent criminals. They need to be tried and discredited, preferably in front of a panel of asthma sufferers. I, also, hope that there is an entity out there who will keep track of the number of people that may have already died because of not being able to get CFC inhalers.

I have, recently, run out of CFC inhalers, and now am having to take many more puffs from the HFA types, without much relief, and have to rely on taking Prednisone. If the names of persons responsible for pushing HFA inhalers on us were available, we could directly write or email them. As a long-time asthma sufferer, it was immediately clear to me that the HFA inhaler was ineffective in relieving my asthma. How could people who tested this drug, if they, in fact, tested it, consider it to be effective?

Patricia of West Chester PA (12/29/08)
My albuterol inhaler from just recently changed to a ProAir HFA Inhaler. I picked it up from the pharmacy thinking it was the same as before but it is not. My pharmacist stated that the old trusty albuterol inhaler is no longer being manufactured because of environmental safety reasons and that ProAir HFA is replacing it. She said it should work the same as the original one. I have had bronchitis and a terrible cold and needed to use my inhaler fairly frequently.

This new one did not work and I ended up going to the local outpatient emergency care center with difficulty breathing. They had me use a neubulizer for several minutes which helped and also gave me a stong antibiotic. I didn't know who to contact or what to do so that's why I'm filing this complaint. This medication is made by Teva Pharceuticals based out of Canada. I will try to contact them directly and file a complaint as well.

In the meantime, I am extremely upset about this drug change and feel I will always end up in the emergency room with any asthma signs or symptons. This is absolutely ridiculous as I had my asthma pretty much under control with the old albuterol inhaler. If you have any further suggestions, please let me know. Thank you so much.

Ended up in the local outpatient emergency room with shortness of breath due to the new inhaler not working as did the old albuterol inhaler. Feel this was unnecessary expense, time and energy on my part because of this new ProAir HFA product.

Jim of Chandler AZ (12/29/08)
Give me a break, the Albuterol Transition is a joke and does nothing to help with my attacks. I had to use an old almost empty Albuterol I had laying around.

This is just another way for the FDA to screw the American people and help the drug companies make more money. I am very disappointed with our government agency that do nothing to protect us and get in bed with the drug companies, sorry to be so blunt, but this is a joke and does not work!!!!

Kerri of Jamul CA (12/28/08)
Like all other asthmatic's that use a fast acting inhaler I was forced to switch to the new CFC free inhaler. I have found that since the switch I have had more and more issues breathing, I never had this much trouble. I used to only have to use my inhaler once or twice a day not it seems like I can't put it down. It doesn't work!!!!! I am afraid to work out because I am not sure that I could stop an attack with this inhaler. Did they test this out at all??? On real people with asthma??

Everone that I know who uses it says the same thing, My brother and his wife are going into Mexico to get the old inhaler, because they work!!! I am all for saving the enviorment but I would like to live through it. Boy did the FDA mess up on this one. Is there a solution?

Forced to purchase a inferior product for more money. It used to cost me 5 dollars for my inhaler now it cost $35.00 and I have to use it more and it still doesn't work.

Dennis of Centreville MI (12/28/08)
I cannot believe that becasue someone has declared that the old style inhalers were bad for air qulaity that we are now being forced to use this HFA inhaler. I cannot breath with that inhaler. There is very little inprovement with my breathing when I use the product. With the oc albuterol inhaler I received almost immediate improvement with my breathing, but with the HFA it seems it like it takes a lot longer and is not as effective and does not last as long.

Also, the insurance companys do not recognize it and we have to pay full price for that inhaler. I cannot believe when it comes to the health of the public that the FDA or EPA would allow something like this to happen. I am glad from reading this site that I am not the only person experiencing the same results from this inhaler. I truly believe that a law suit or something needs to be done to correct this misjustice. After all it is about the health of people. When you can't breath it is a scary feeling.

The new HFA Inhaler makes my heart race, and sometimes givesme the shakes.

Cheryl of Mission Viejo CA (12/27/08)
I have the same things to say as the others about the Pro Air inhaler. It doesn't work. I'm really scared. With the Albuterol I know that within a few minutes I will be be breathing normally. The Pro Air just doesn't work.  Who do we have to talk to in order to get the Albuterol inhalers we need and how long will it take? Please answer back.

Eric of Greenville NY (12/26/08)
They are either not carrying an equal amount of the drug in the actual product or it is not being atomized properly, but this product does not provide equivalent relief.

As a consequence I am suffering considerable breating difficulty when using this product. I consider this an emergency as I cannot breath well without the other and it has been removed from the market. This is affecting my oveall health and ability to sleep etc.. I will have to move to another country where it is legal to get the other or get my FDA to immediately recind this substitute and allow distribution of the Armstrong Abuterol pumps. I will be contacting my congressional and senatorial representatives about this abuse.

Tom of Fredonia NY (12/24/08)
I was swithched from Albuterol to HFA inhalers ( for asthma )

The HFA's are not effective and have side effects I cannot tolerate. This is one of the dumbest things the FDA has done, lately. My wife and I tried HFA and we both got nauseous with upset and bloating of the abdomen. We could always rely on our Albuterol inhaler for relief. What are we supposed to do now ? Could a class action lawsuit help ? How would concerned people get this going, before folks start dying.

Roger of Loma MT (12/23/08)
This new ProAir HFA has been forced on people only for drug companies to make more money. With this new HFA I have been using my inhailer twice as often as the old one with CFC's. And it also seems to cause pain in the chest. I don't think the tree huggers and the Government have the right to take away a good product for a more costly peace of crap product. What can we do? We need to fight this.

Heather of Jane Lew WV (12/21/08)
I just want to voice my opinion in saying that this new ProAir inhaler sucks. It doesn't work like it should it is really expensive to someone who has no health insurance like myself. It tastes terrible it reminds me of those huge inhalers you could get over the counter years ago. I have been dealing with asthma most of my life I have to have an inhaler that works It is is extemely scary to not be able to breathe I know that I am not the only person complaining about this product There are many of us Someone needs to listen and come up with a better solution than this joke for an inhaler.

I can't afford this new inhaler It is too expensive I have two kids to take care of and something needs to change There is a big difference in paying 20 dollars and paying 50 dollars for an inhaler.

Jennifer of Shawnee OK (12/17/08)
I went to pick up my albuterol inhaler. When I got home I noticed that I had recieved a proair inhaler instead. This was on a saturday night and my pharmacy is closed on sunday so I had to use this other inhaler. I used the inhaler for approx 1 week then on the following saturday night my inhaler would not work. I began to panic and could not breathe. I had to drive to another town in the sleet to get an inhaler from my mother. The next day I ended up in the E.R. I could not speak and was weezing heavily. The next day I notified my pharmacy that the inhaler they gave me did not work and I tried to explain the situation.

They told me that it is not their fault. I dont understand why I have to pay almost fifty dollars for an inhaler that does not work on top of the doctor bills as a result of this incedent. My pharmacist had advised me a few months ago that they had some problems with these inhalers. If this is true why are they still prescribing them? I dont want this to happen to someone else is there anything I can do?

Dana of Carrollton TX (12/16/08)
I have been using the Pro-Air HFA for a little over a year now. Luckily, I only have minor allergy induced asthma attacks most often triggered by being around cats. I say lucky, because this new product is worthless in treating my asthma. If I had to rely on this on a regular basis, I would probably be dead. Unlike the old CFC dispenser which gave me almost instant relief after one puff, this requires a bare minimum of 5 puffs. It is very hard to even get the medication into my lungs as one has to draw a very deep breath to help it along--practically impossible to do when one is having an asthma attack.

It now takes me three to four days to fully get over an allergy induced attack, and I find that I usually do better if I avoid using the Pro-Air inhaler. I finally decided to investigate if I was the only person noticing this difference. After some research, I am glad to see that I am not. I used to experience a shaking adrenaline rush with the CFC dispenser. I wasn't overly fond of that, but suffered it because the benefit of breathing was worth the shaking. With the new inhaler, I feel nothing. No shaking, but no relief either. If we asthmatics cannot have a decent inhaler due to government restrictions, at least prevent companies from lying about how much better the new product is. Tell us the truth--that our lives are worth less than the environment.

Frank of Oak Bluffs MA (12/12/08)
why would anyone change a drug that works well? my abuterol did the trick for me. the new hfa dose is worse than useless. if i have an attack i need the punch that the old scrip provided. i certainly hope that all astmatics band together to get this changed back. we dont need any treehugging people with alot of time on their hands to change our lives for the worst and think they are saving the world for a few cfcs.

the product doesnt perform as the old drug does. if i need a hit fast, no dice. you cant breathe, hsrd to suck this new thing down, old one had some punch behind it

Adrienne of Tacoma WA (12/12/08)
Pro air inhalers are NOT a substitute for the albuterol we've all been using for years. This recall on generic inexpensive albuterol for supposed ozone depleting cfc's ( do I have that right) is a bs money grab. The first month I was on Pro air I had to go back on prednisone and use a higher mg count steroid inhalor. I complained to my doctor who actually laughed at me saying the pro air was far superior. Thankfully I found a pharmacy that still stocks regular albuterol and will until they are all pulled permanaently. Pro air is dangerous AND expensive I don't know what I'm going to do when generic albuterol goes away. If my phamacist knows it's junk what kind of kick backs must my worthless doctor receive to push it?

Ruth of Alpharetta GA (12/12/08)
TO ALL ASTHMATICS: We need to ask Oprah Winfrey for time on her show about this switch from Albuterol CFC to this mess called ProAir HFA. The Asthma doctors are giving it out to patients like candy and do not care about their patients at all. I feel at a loss without my Albuterol CFC that I have taken for years. This mess they are forcing people to take states that it is deadly and will cause all kinds of problems for asthmatics. Same as Foradil and Advair. Advair almost took me out. It is suppose to last for 12 hours....after 4 or 5 hours, I was gasping for breath and had to use my rescue nebulizer.

The Asthma & Pulmonology doctors in American could give a darn about Asthma patients. We need to take to the streets and march against this those of us who can. There are a lot of children in our family with asthma as well, my sister has it too, but the medical community does not care about asthmatics at all and mainly because they are as dumb as can be on how to treat this disease.

Kristy of Bartlesville OK (12/12/08)
This product does not work a bit. I've had allergy induced asthma for 18 years and I'm allergic to everything so I use my inhaler quite a bit. Recently I ran out of my albuterol and had to go to the emergency room when I had an attack because I did not at that time have the funds to buy a new one right away. The E.R. that night had given me an albuterol inhaler and a new script for them.

I had never heard of the albuterol being discontinued, considering the E.R. had just given me one that night. Then when I went to my pharmacy they told me that all they had now where the Pro-Air ones and they told me that they heard complaints about it and that it is $22 more than the albuterol and to call around to see if anyone else had any of them avalible. No one did so I was stuck with the Pro-Air.

I ended up paying $37 instead of my regular $15 which I was not happy about already and then to find out that it doesn't even work half as good as the albuterol really makes me mad. I'm using the new inhaler twice as much as I used the discontinued one. The albuterol would last me for about 2 maybe 3 months and it worked effectively and quickly. I got an HFC inhaler around 11/20/08 and here I am on 12/12/08, not even a month later, at 6:30am having an asthma attack and my inhaler is completely emptied out. The doctors should have done their research on this new prescription way better.

How could they have not seen this simply does not work?! I do not have the time to be limiting my lifes activities because I can't afford to use my inhaler for the third time or forth time in a day and I definately do not have the money to be wasting on a completely useless, non-fuctioning inhaler just because its ruining the ozone layer. I don't think I, nor anyone else with asthma deserves to suffer and possibly die because of something that is clearly not causing the same amount of harm that cars do.

Tricia of San Dimas CA (12/12/08)
These new HHA inhalers do not work.

My asthma is worse than it has been in 20 years. I simply cannot breathe with these new inhalers. Guess I am going to die young now.

Debbie of Posen IL (12/12/08)
I would like to know who to complain to about changing the asthma ventolin inhalers to the HFA ones. First of all there is no generic equivalent for these inhalers and now my insurance will not cover them when I used to pay a $15 co-pay. There are limited coupons from the drug companies for just 3-4 a year which is ridiculous. The drug companies are making a killing on patients. The inhalers are now $39 a piece and more and this is horrible to have to pay the full price, who thought of this idea with no generic equivalent. Does anyone care about patients, I have insurance and pay alot for it to really have no coverage especially when it coes to medications,at least it covered generics but the government took care of that when they banned the old inhalers, is anyone going to do anything about this. I would like to know who else to complain to. Does anyone read the web site where patients are furious about this. Who is looking out for the patient. There are alot of people with asthma, does anyone care.

Paul of Pilot Mountain NC (12/11/08)
I have been asthmatic for 22 years and I am 42 years old. I have always prefered the Warrick CFC Inhalers due to their quick response time and lack of aftertaste. I have purchased many inhalers, without insurance coverage, over and above what I needed so that I could enjoy a little more time before being forced to use this HFA product forced on me now. I knew it did not work due to the fact that it was substituted for Warrick when my pharmacy ran out.

I am now out of my Warrick and sucking this HFA waste into my lungs in hopes of relief. Well, as before, I find that the ProAir HFA cannot be more than 50% as effective as my Warrick was and I paid twice as much. There is no way that all of the inhalers in the world can do as much damage to the environment as the limos riding all of our officials making these decisions around to their castles.

This is one time I wish bad on people, simply because they wish bad on my family-through me. If half of these people making this decision had asthma, this would have never made it through stage 1 testing.

It is my opinion that more than half of all class-action law suits are frivolous and costly to the consumers. Well, this is not a hot coffee in a hot coffee cup law suit. This HFA product WILL cost lives and cause major additional discomfort to thousands and I wish a law firm would help us all out. I really hope this occurs prior to a head count on deaths due to this decision. Unfortunately, sometimes that's what it takes.

If you agree, PLEASE add your comments on here so that we may have a chance to our lives back to as good as they can be. Thanks-Paul

My asthma attacks are longer and more severe. My activity level has been lowered as a result of this fear of an asthma attack without access to an effective fast-acting rescue inhaler.

Gina of Walton NY (12/09/08)
I too have been forced to change inhalers and find that the new pro air is ineffective. I have been forced to return to using my nebulizer at a considerable cost. I am on disability and my armstrong inhalers were 100% covered.

Andrew of Littleton MA (12/09/08)
My new Pro Air HFA inhaler for asthma is ineffective and very costly. I want the CFC albuterol brought back on the market. It's obsurd to take it away from people who need it because of concern for the enviornment. Is it worth people dying over because they can't get relief from asthma attacks?? I dont think so. Something needs to be done immediately!!!!

Aton of Brooklyn NY (12/08/08)
Secretly banning albuteral pumps containing CFC's by 2009 is a shock and an outrage. Most asthmatics don't know about this ban. The HFC pumps are just not as effective and have a bad after taste. This will cause some asthmatics to pay more for a medication that works half as good as the original. Some people may even lose their lives because of this madness. The FDA is making a huge mistake, and p[laying with our lives while they experiment with the HFC pumps.

More likely to panic during any shortness of breath.

Karan of Ommaha NE (12/06/08)
i have severe astmaand have been using albuteral ihaler for twety years. i was told by my doctot several months ago that my inhaler was being removed from the market because of enviromental reasons. as i sit here writing this i observe my husband spraying a cooking spray on our baking sheet while i sit here terrified that i am not going to be able to breathe soon. my albuteral inhaler is nearly empty and i can' get any relief from the proair hfa because it makes my sympthems worse, not better. my doctor then prescribed provental hfa and it is like poison to me.

Iwould sure k like to get a lawsuit started in the near future while those of us that aren't going to make because we can't breathe without our medication [albuteral inhaler] are still around to get our problems into the sttorneys hands.this is crazy,unbelievable,

Jacob of Gap PA (12/05/08)
When I learned the switch from my CFC Albuterol inhaler to a ProAir HFA inhaler I thought it would be great for the air when I learned it would help the environment. What I didn't know was that it didn't help my asthma. In July of 08 I was given the new HFA learning that CFC's would be discontinued in January of '09. After I started using my HFA inhaler I discovered that the inhaler was not taking full effect unlike my CFC inhaler.

I talked to my doctor about going back to my CFC inhaler until the end of the year, he agreed to put me back on my Albuterol CFC inhaler and I went from there. I also noticed that the HFA inhaler is $33.94, compared to the CFC inhaler which is $14.94. That's a $19 price difference. I was also told that when I went to make another prescription for my CFC inhaler on 12-06-08, I could no longer refill my prescription and when I asked the pharmacist if I could then make a prescription on an HFA inhaler, they told me that I would have to see my doctor again to make that happen. That would mean I would have to spend more money on seeing a doctor again and going through tests to get that prescription.

I just want the government and the Federal Drug Administration to understand that before they made the decision to get rid of CFC's they should have given us an experimental inhaler that would only last for so long so that they could get a better understanding and research more on their FAILED HFA INHALER.

Compared to what pollution vehicles put out into the air, CFC rescue inhalers DON'T EVEN COMPARE to what vehicles put out, PERIOD! This should be the last thing on the list to change for our environment!

Kenneth of Peabody MA (12/03/08)
On November 1st, I started having issues with asthma again. I used to have asthma when iwas a child but i did'nt have problems until recently. I was percribed the new Pro-air inhaler and I was told this works the same as the old CFC inhaler(I was very confused that they could'nt have the old ones do to environmental issues) so after i while i noticed the inhaler would only work half as good as the old CFC inhaler.

I was taking my inhaler twice as much as the old one and accually was getting worse. 12/2/08 I went to the emergency room because my inhaler didn't give me any relif at all. I Felt that my lung weren't getting enough air and very sore. I also have a nasty taste in my mouth when i breath. I just wish the opld inhaler would come backon the market.

Megan of Lebanon MO (12/01/08)
I had a severe asthma attack on 11/26/08. It was late at night (midnight or later). I could not breath so I took out my new inhaler to try it for the first time. I've used the old CFC Albuterol for years & it was always fast acting & worked. I was very unhappy when I went to get my inhaler script refilled & they gave me a new inhaler I had never heard of or seen before, to begin with.

Well, when I tried this new inhaler, it did not work at all. In fact, it made things worse. I vomited. I also ended up having a 3 hour asthma attack. I had to take out my nebulizer machine in order to get any kind of relief. I was scared I was going to die and/or have to go to the emergency room. I started having pain in my neck so I called poison control as well to make sure that I did not double dose, since the Pro Air did not work at all & I also had to take the nebulizer medicine.

The next day I could not talk at all. I have larigintis but I've never had that before either. I do not know if any of this has damanged my lungs. I am severely concerned. I felt so sick after taking the Pro Air. I was terrified. I just wanted a medicine that works. My CFC Albuterol worked. I need my medicine. Please get the CFC medicine back. It was effective & cost-efficient to boot.

I cannot afford to pay $100 or more each month for a fast acting inhaler - let alone one that doesn't even work. I cannot afford health insurance, typically. I cannot talk & I do not even know if it is simply my bronchitus causing this or if that inhaler caused me to loose my voice. I've never had laringitus before, but I get chronic bronchitus every year.

I am terrified now of having an asthma attack because I won't have any medicine to help me. If I die because they do not supply me with medicine that works, my husband will be looking into a class action law suit against all parties involved in changing my medicine to an ineffective one without my consent or knowledge prior to doing so. Thanks!

Jimmie of Texas City TX (12/01/08)
I am very dissatisfied with the change of the Albuterol Inhalers to the new ones. My son complains that they do not work as well, he gets less usages from them and they taste bad. Besides that, the new ones cost over $32 and I was paying $19 for the Generics.

Since the generic is not available it uses more of our Social Security money to buy them and this means more people are using the new ones and the pharmacy is out of them most times I go there to get him one.

This should be reversed if at all possible. I can not believe that such a tiny bit of the gas that they say harms the ozone that is in the old styles can possibly make a difference. Just drive anywhere close to the refineries and chemical plants in this area and tell me that again. BS.

Mandy of Hermitage TN (12/01/08)
In April 2007, I was issued the new HFA inhaler. At the time, I didn't know about the change from CFC to HFA inhalers. I took two puffs from this new inhaler while traveling. While traveling, I got incredibly sick with chest pain, shortness of breath, etc. I actually thought my doctor had prescribed me the wrong inhaler, consider I have taken the CFC Albuterol inhaler for years.

Upon my arrival home, I imediately went to my PCP. I had to be put on Prednisone and receive two breathing treatments. I expalined my reaction to the new inhaler. Until we could figure out a solution, she wrote a prescription for the old CFC Albuterol inhaler, which was, at the time, in stock at a few local drugstores. Now it is December 2008 and my old CFC inhalers have been used.

I have had asthma for more than 20 years, and I am terrified what this new inhaler will do to me. I am overwhelmed by the number of consumer complaints, yet this product is still able to come into the lives and homes of our families. Has anyone reported this to the FDA, www.fda.gov/medwatch? I have a few more puffs left in my CFC inhaler, and once it is gone... then what? Will I have to be hospitalized when my asthma has been under control and well-managed for years? I absolutely scared and something has to be done.

Dean of Boca Raton FL (12/01/08)
I am 46 years old and have asthma my whole life. I cannot exercise without using albuterol inhalers. I used Warrick, Armstrong or other generic with great success. Two puffs 15 minutes prior to workout and its under control. A couple of months ago I was given the new HFA Proair inhaler and paid $20 copay instead of usual $7.

My next workout I took my usual 2 puffs and could hardly breathe at all!!! I always breathe the albuterol in very deeply and hold my breath as long as possible, so I know I was using it correctly. I tried it several more times after with same totally ineffective results. In fact it made my breathing worse!! The feeling is like always needing to yawn and not getting a complete satisfying amount of air in my lungs. Its very scary. I was afraid to push and complete the workout.

I told my doctor and she said there have been many complaints! How is this possible? She told me Target had some CFC inhalers left in stock and to stock up so I did. So here I am with five inhalers left which should last me about 10 months. What the hell am I supposed to do after they are used up?? Stop working out? What if I get an asthma attack? This is a crime! Do these people know what its like to not be able to breathe? My god, where do we turn to to fix this??

Chris of Lomita CA (11/30/08)
I have been using the proventil hfa inhalers since I am running out of the proventil with cfc in it. The HFA doesn't work well. I have given it some time by using it, but it gives me lung pain, coughing, burning, nausea, and tastes like I'm inhaling alcohol?!? My old inhaler with the CFC in it never gave me any problems. I heard they are banning the CFC inhalers from the market...I am so scared.

I have used my old inhalers for over 50 years with no problem and now the new one doesn't help and causes even more intolerable side effects. I already had 2 pneumothoraxes and major lung surgery in the past, and I'm so afraid with this new inhaler I'll land up in the hospital again. How can we stop the fda or who ever it is thats replacing the old inhalers with new ones? The CFC in these medications is not enought to cause damage to the ozone.

Kamarah of Houston TX (11/27/08)
I am an asthma sufferer, who recently developed Bronchitis. I was given a new inhaler since my previous one(Albuterol,USP by Warrick) was almost finished.Last night I had an asthma attack and decided to use the new inhaler. What a shock I got after a couple of breaths and nothing happened. I decided maybe I was too tense and therefore was not maximising the medicine. I then placed it in my AeroChamber Plus to enhance the flow, still nothing.

I was a bit apprehensive now as my mucus was getting thicker and my chest was closing in. I decided to grab for the old albuterol and squeeze whatever I could from it. I felt a bit better after that but was so nervous that I slept sitting up. I did not want to make another trip to the emergency room as I did last week.

This morning, I decided to check out the difference between my old and new inhalers. First, I had not concerned myself about the medications that was inside the pump but now since my episode with the new inhaler, I wondered if there was a coincidence with the non-effective inhaler I received. Lo and behold, I came upon this complaint site and started reading. I experienced similar reactions to my new inhaler. I believe that even though we are a super nation and our committment and expectation to reduce CFC's are closely scrutinised this is not one of the ways to go about this reduction. In general, this is about improving each person's quality of life. Should we then knowingly put another's person life in danger, when the overall effect will be miniscule in saving the earth? I propose litigation against the government and pharmaceutical companies in trying to invoke manslaughter- or whatever legal name is given to killing people by being irresponsible and negligent.

I cannot breathe. Breathing is essential to living. I will die if I cannot breathe.

Margaret of Athol MA (11/26/08)
I don't like the HFA inhalers the medicine sits in the back of my throat.

I like the ones with the propellant. I heard they did away with them because of the Ozone layer. BUT what about the,,, construction trucks. buses, tractor trailers, diesel vehicles put out more bad chemicals in the air to breathe than taking away our propellant inhalers which help us Asthma sufferers BREATHE because of these unregulated vehicles spewing nasty vapors into the air!!!!!!!!

Sandra of San Antonio TX (11/25/08)
The ProAir HFA inhaler, the replacement product for the Armstrong albuteral sulfate inhaler is a medical nightmare for the patient. The change from CFC to HFA propellants has only succeded in producing a medication that is not effectively relaxing the restricted airway. It is obvious that the propellants used are not delivering with enough force required to penetrate the airways allowing the medication to take effect. Also, the ethanol additive in the product is somehow exacerbating the breathing crisis. It is my understanding that ProAir HFA was not even clinically tested on moderate to severely compromised pulmonary patients. This pharmaceutical dilemma needs to be addressed by both the pharmaceutical industry and the Food and Drug Administration.

To compromise the health of an individual for the sole purpose of attempting to reduce a minute amount of CFC pollution from a device so miniscule as an asthma inhaler is a ridiculous pharmaceutical blunder. Environmental pollution from CFC sources does exist on a much larger scale. To directly effect the health of Americans by forcing a potentially dangerous and inferior rescue inhaler on the pharmaceutical consumer should be against the law. The pharmaceutical companies should immediately address the medical issues at hand. Recall the ProAir HFA inhalers and restore the CFC inhaler. Initiate a scientific study using oxygen instead of ethanol as an environmental friendly propellent. Minute amounts of oxygen should not prove to be a significant combustion factor.

My lungs are deteriorating rapidly with the new ProAir HFA inhaler and I am forced to use a portable neubulizing device to open my airway in a crisis breathing situation.

Michelle of Portland OR (11/25/08)
My mother, twin brother and 2 sons have asthma and Albuterol has been instrumental in them living a normal life. They now constantly complain about ProAir and it's lack of effectiveness. My younger son now takes Qvar daily to prevent irritations and Prednisone pills if needed.

My Mother's asthma is much more difficult to manage and I'm scared for her. I believe in saving the planet, but not by the lungs of millions of currently suffering people. Please come up with something better fast! PLEASE!

Kourtney of Conway AR (11/21/08)
How is it legal that a that a company that makes generic medicine can brand a generic and charge regular price? Generic is generic is generic no matter what the name...isn't it? I am outraged that the government has allowed this to happen!

Teresa of Modesto CA (11/21/08)
My daughter has had asthma for over 20 years and has been on albuterol rescue inhalers for over 20 years which have worked wonderfully. The first time she used Proair HFA inhalers she told me it didn't work as well for her but the doctor told her It should be the same. For the last few months she went back to the albuterol inhalers and did noticed they are more effective she is able to breath much better. Now we are unable to get the albuterol inhalers and she is back to Proair HFA and told me again it's not working as well

today when she went to use the Proair it did not work which put her into a panic we rinse off the inhaler tip and cleaned the red plastic housing and then it worked again the inhaler is only 2 weeks old. In all the years she has used the albuterol she has never had that kind of problem. She now wonders is my inhaler going to work when I need it most. It is sad that to protect the ozone we are causing trama to those who just want to breath.

The extra cost is stupid since it is now the only form available. For the past 20 years my daughter has not had to go to the emergency room. Her albuterol rescue inhaler and the Advir inhaler she uses has kept her active and healthy functioning like normal young adult.

Cindee of Redding CA (11/20/08)
I have had asthma all my life. I am 47 years old. I was given the new inhaler last year and my asthma got worse and worse. I couldn't breathe and I was very ill. Finally I went to the pharmacy and they said I could still buy the old one if my doctor o.k'd it. So the pharmacist called and got an o.k. since then I have used the original albuterol.

Now my pharmacist tells me that its no longer available. I am in a panic. What can we do? Someone needs to do something and fast. I mean come on a little inhaler causing the environment trouble? When we use hairspray/deoderant etc everyday? Is there no way to stop this ban on these inhalers? I would love to see the person who has banned the original inhalers have an asthma attack and have to use one of the new inhalers. Is the Government trying to kill all the asthma sufferers in the world?

The cost of the new inhaler is over three times as expensive as the original albuterol inhaler. Many missed days from work because I can't breathe. Anxiety and depression because I can not breathe.

Marcia of Fremont IN (11/19/08)
I've tried to use to new inhalers ProairHFA, But they just don't work. I'm getting less and less done. Then i have to go to the store to get another inhaler and I have allergies. i'm forced to wait in a store walmart, cvs etc. And i cannot breath because to much perfume on people or in the air due to displays or the constant spraying of said items by everyone. I use the inhaler and nothing i use it again and still nothing. i'm just tired of the government telling us what is right for us. When actually it's just better for the companies making the products

my inhalers went from 7.00 dollars to 32.32 and i use 3 times as many and being disabled as it is i get no help from anyone on the price my insurance will not cover them because i will not do mail order on my prescriptions, i refuse because they tend to end up on the other side of the county or left outside in the sun which is not good on the refrigerated ones.

why doesn't the government step in and help us the tax payers. instead of the housing market. we need proper meds that work not something they think should work for all. and the stores refusing to give the old inhalers they say they do not have but still advertise. we have a month and a half before we all end up in the Emergency room.

Sandra of California MD (11/19/08)
My daughter was born with asthma. We always relied on the Armstrong Albuterol. Since they stop making it, we had to rely on the HFA inhalers (ProAir and Xopenex). She has very bad side effects....tightening of chest, shortness of breath, racing heartbeat, nervousness, severe headache and stomach ache. We have no idea what she can use. It is really poor that the medical field cannot fight to get the Armstrong Albuterol back. Her doctor says it is the same, however the results are real; bad and scarey. I am concern and willing to do what it takes .....writing letters, etc. I'm very scared for her. What can be done?

A life threatening issue.

Drew of Stewartsville NJ (11/15/08)
Just like everyone else, I was told last week that my pharmacy was officially out of the CFC inhaler. The first thing I couldn't believe was the price.. my prescription went from $15 to $38. Absolutely absurd.

The next shock came when I started to have an asthma attack and this piece of crap did almost nothing. It takes me 3 or 4 puffs to get any relief and it's usually short lived. Needless to say, it's been about 2 weeks and I've already gone through most of this inhaler! I can't believe the government would put people at severe risk because of a minute amount of CFCs in something as important as a rescue inhaler.

If you rely on a CFC inhaler to stop a LIFE THREATENING condition and are now in trouble because of this HFA garbage that's been pushed on us PLEASE GET THE WORD OUT!!

Asthma now out of control, over double price of a monthly prescription.

Laura of Stanhope NJ (11/14/08)
This product doesn't work at all....it is NO substitute for the old Armstrong Albuterol, which will no longer be available after Dec 31, 2008. I have argued with my pharmacist, who insists that I just don't like it....the fact is that it doesn't work....Amazing how they can undo 35 years of pollution controls but let people who rely on Albuterol to save their lives. I'm big on saving the environment, but a real substitute needs to be found that is as effective medically and similar in cost before Albuterol is eliminated.... 

Ivy of Van Nuys CA (11/13/08)
I've been using CFC inhalers all my life. I am 26 years old and have severe asthma. I was informed about the new CFC free inhalers coming out and thought it was a good idea... Until I tried one! This is my second day on it and I'm ready for a trip to the emergency room! I haven't felt this bad since I had a severe infection. I've had to cancel my day because I can't get enough air. I've had to used over 10 puffs in one day only for it to not work and end up worse with sore lungs by the end of the day. There is NO WAY I can continue ANY of my normal activities with the ProAir Inhaler. I do my part for the environment every day, but for our government to allow aerosol hairspray from the 80's and take my inhaler off the market without enough research is absurd.

Betty of Red Bank NJ (11/11/08)
Renewed Armstrong albuterol rescue inhaler. Received ProAirHFA with explanation my usual inhaler was being discontinued because it is detrimental to the environment. ProAir does not relieve anything. It probably gives me a respite of 5 minutes in order to assemble my nebulizer in order to survive. Until I found this site, I thought I was overreacting.

I have had copd for a number of years. It is a progressive disease. My only income is from Social Security. Old px was $10; new px $42.

Rosemary of Vineland NJ (11/09/08)
The replacement ProAir HFA inhaler should have never replaced the Albuteral Inhation Aerosal by Armstrong. When in respitory distress my old inhaler worked in seconds to open my airway. The new ProAir doesn't work at all. I have awakened serveral times during the night and used the Proair and doesn't work. I continued with shallow breathing and had to stay awake fearing if I went back to sleep I would never wake up.

 At work when there are phyiscally strenuous thing to do and I have an asthma attack I have always relied on my old inhaler and after a couple minutes after an attack I could continued working. Walking for exercise around the block is totally out now...even if the new inhaler would work it gets clogged and you have to wash it out...really practical..NOT. The bottom line is that the ProAir HFA nowhere comes close to be used as a RESCUE inhaler and does not work in that manner at all compared to the Albuteral Aerosol.

The HFA inhaler cost me $25 verses the new one at a generic price of $10 with my insurance. I don't know how I will be able to handle the stress at work in the long term with the 'NEW' inhaler or if I really have a very serious attack will I servive? I fear if I get a bout with Brocchitis I am domed because the biggest relief I get is from my old inhaler with its immediate relief.

Elaine of Wyandotte MI (11/07/08)
As they phase out the cfc albuteral inhalers I was given a script for one. I didn't immediately fill it because I had some of my old cfc inhalers still. My doctor also changed the medication I use for COPD to an inhaled powder. It didn't work for the 24 hours I was told, but I could get by with the cfc inhaler... until I ran out.

Upon filling the HFA inhaler script, I used it and got little relief. Later that same day, as my breathing got worse, I used it again and again. I ended up wheezing and gasping for air. I was able to find a cfc inhaler with a little left in it. One inhalation did what 6 of the others couldn't. My bronchial tubes seemed to relax and I could get air again. I tried unsuccessfully to get the old inhaler at that time so I had to use my nebulizer with albuteral. That works, but you can't take it with you everywhere and you can over do it, as I found out. When you can't breathe you do what you think will help you get air.

The HFA inhalers cost 3 times as much as the cfc inhalers. They don't help and when reading about them, the user is blamed for not using it properly. That's nuts. I've been using inhalers almost my entire life. I was able to get some cfc albuteral inhalers, but they're only good until December. My doctor changed me back to a cfc inhaler I use for COPD. In 2010 those inhalers are set to change to the hfa type as well.

When that happens, I can only imagine a life doing nothing. Waking in the middle of the night because I can't breathe and have only the nebulizer to use. I imagine the inability to work because I have NO rescue inhaler or COPD med that I can get enough into my lungs to help. Who will take care of me financially? Welfare? The government? I don't even want to think about that.

It's awful when you can't get enough breath to have the ability to talk to someone let alone try and walk.. anywhere. No more trips to see my daughter and grandson who live out of state. Will I be able to make it to the doctor or hospital when I have a severe attack? Will I die trying to make my way through my house? My life as I know it now, with a minimum of limitations will be gone. I will be housebound, and afraid I'm going to die.

Victoria of Kissimmee FL (11/05/08)
I was prescribed a ProAir HFA Inhaler instead of my regular CFC inhaler. Upon initial use I realized I was in respiratory distress, and as I administered the second treatment I felt a burning sensation in my lungs.

Within a week I was feeling very sick. Over a period of months I was using the HFA inhaler all the time, I even had the inhaler changed to Proventil HFA, which also didnt work. I continued to go back to the doctor and was given antibiotics over and over again, but my health continued to decline. I was even rushed to the emergency room twice.

Eventually, I was up all night because of a constant choking sensation, shivering, temple headaches, nausea, throat pain, heart palpitations, general body pain and severe asthma. In the 30 plus years Ive had asthma, I never had my asthma spiral out of control this quickly nor this severely.

Then my hair began to thin outwhich never had never happened to me. I was living on my nebulizer which kept me breathing, except at work. During working hours I felt like I was choking. All along I continued to use my HFA inhaler and thought that my asthma had become worse due to allergy. I finally began to research options of what else I could do, since nothing I was doing worked. I was seriously thinking that I might die of this.

After researching these new HFA inhalers -- I found that I was not the only one experiencing serious life-threatening side effects from this HFA inhaler. I also found that the HFA Inhaler contains 10-14% ethanol. But most shocking of all was that HFA inhalers were never tested on chronic asthmatics. It was tested on people without asthma and those who presented with very mild asthma symptoms.

I cannot believe that the FDA accepted to allow these HFA Inhalers to be foisted upon an unsuspecting public. Believe it or not--clinical trials are being conducted with asthmatics now that the HFA inhalers are on the market. The consumers of these HFA inhalers are the case studies for this drug. And this inhaler is vastly different from CFC inhalers yet were promoted to FDA as though it were the CFC Abuterol inhalers.

The manufacturers of the HFA inhalers claim that this is the same medicine, but I know that the CFC inhalers that Ive used never made me this sick, nor did they contain ethanol!!!. I also now know that FDA allowed three drug companies to corner the market with a patented, ineffective, over expensive, life threatening substitute to the CFC inhalers and did not provide an adequate substitute for people who respond negatively to the HFA inhalers.

I did find a place out of state that had a small stock on CFC inhalers, and purchased one immediately. I am no longer exhibiting a portion of the problems Id been having and my asthma is more controlled. I do have to see a cardiologist and still have hair loss and choking sensations at night.

This experience has cost me time from work, money that I paid to get better, sleepless nights, and I still have no idea what the long term effects are.

Nicholas of Springfield MA (10/31/08)
I recently was forced to switch from the cheap and very effective armstrong albuterol inhaler to an overpriced inhaler that does nothing for me(Pro-Air). Its an outrage that inhalers are being switched for the environment, when we still have NASCAR as a sport. Thats a waste and danger to the environment, not inhalers.

The physical damage is that i cannot breath and cannot participate in physical activities anymore. what can i do? what are my options?

Alexis of Lake In The Hills IL (10/27/08)
The generic inhaler I was using has been removed from the market. Replaced with a more environmentally safe inhaler. I support the move to be more environmentally friendly, but now there is no generic inhaler available.

I have no choice but to pay $30 for an inhaler (versus $5 for a generic inhaler). This is just sign of how greedy pharmaceutical companies have become.

Tom of Vallejo CA (10/23/08)
My Proair horror story began a couple months ago. I was getting my Armstrong albuterol precription refilled and they pulled out this short red inhaler and told me that it was the Armstrong's replacement. I gave it a try for a week and said no way! I am an active person and when I took a couple puffs of the Proair during some hard work I panicked. It did not work.

I went back to the pharmacy and begged for my Armstrong inhaler back. I just got my perscription again and I was told the news that I have been dreading to hear -they no longer have the Armstrong albuterol. I love the environment! I recycle, I pick up garbage when I see it, I smog my truck - you can't convince me that the little bit of propellant that escapes from my mouth when using the Armstrong albuterol is killing the planet. Something needs to change!

I used to go on walks during lunch but now I sit at my computer because I'm afraid of having an asthma attack. I refuse to live with 70% lung function. I'm ready to take this as far as I can.

loss of lung function, loss of drive to be physically active, anxiety, loss of sleep

Marissa of West Hills CA (10/23/08)
Since being switched from my CFC inhaler to ProAir HFA inhalers My asthma has been out of control. HFA inhalers do litterally nothing for me and have taken me from an active individual to someone who carried a nebulizer with them instead of an inhaler. I am scared to go anywhere without a plug. I need SIX doses of ProAir for it to have ANY effect. I used to go hiking alot but I am affraid to after a severe asthma attack set in while hiking deep in a canyon... my HFA ProAir inhaler DID NOT WORK and I was fearful of dying on a trail far from any medical assistance. I have been in the emergency room THREE times this year due to my fast acting HFA inhaler NOT WORKING! Not being able to do the things I love, and not being able to get releif for my asthma is sheer tourture! I'm always out of breath and I have more severe asthma attacks than ever before.

SUV's are still legal, yet the very medication that can save my life not to mention improve the quality of my life is now illegal? I am a hardcore environmentalist, I don't drive, I dont eat meat, I eat organic locally grown products, I use cleaners that are environmentally safe, but I deffinately think something that can save lives should be made available to the people that need it. HFA inhalers DO NOT WORK for everyone. Take the SUV's and Hummers off the road before you take away my CFC inhaler, it is my breath, my independance.

Justin of Pueblo CO (10/22/08)
These new inhalers are terrible. The old one (white or yellow) worked perfect. One puff was usually all I needed. The new red inhaler requires several puffs (since it doesnt dispense very well, if at all). and it doesnt seem to work. I also use it more often, and with more puffs each time. And often dont get the same relief I used to get. Hate these things.

Death?

Susan of Syracuse NY (10/20/08)
I just wanted to let you know how the green movement to save the ozone layer has affected us. My elderly father has been an asthmatic most of his life and now has COPD too. His doctor switched him to the new HFA inhaler. I did not understand what it was, but was soon to find out it did not work. Dad would use it and could not breathe. He would have to rush to his nebulizer and was scared to leave the house because there was no dependable escape to take with him. I decided to find out where they still had his old inhaler.I called Armstrong to find out where the inhaler was available near me. It was only available at Wal-Mart, so I started going there instead.

Later, in the doctor's office, the doctor wrote Dad a new script for the ProAir HFA inhaler. I asked him if we could keep getting the Armstrong CFC as long as we could, that the HFA did not work for Dad. He said no. He looked at my 79 year old father and said, Don't you care about what kind of world you are leaving your grandchildren? Don't you want to save the ozone layer? My father, a happy, silly man, glared at him and said somberly, I want to breath. I told the doctor since Dad was nearing the end of his life, did we really have to do this? The doctor was so crazed on this issue he glared at me and would not yield.

After just being rushed by ambulance from my home, where I care for both he and my mother, and spending a week in the hospital barely making it, a Physicians Assistant that was covering for the regular doctor took my plea to heart and called us in 5 refills until these inhalers become illegal to the green elite in 2009. I hope that all the climate change zealots will at least do the right thing and fight on behalf of forced medicine changes that are creating the REAL crises. Is there a class action lawsuit? I will fight.

I have personally fought against the use of pesticides and their effects on human and the environment. To what end? When the same movement can murder my father?

Robyn of Topeka KS (10/19/08)
I have been taking albuterol for practically all my life. It has worked great for me all the time I have used it. I was doing breathing test at the doctors several of then within a year period and the person giving be the albuterol says after taking the inhaler my asthma improved significantly. When I take proair it barely helps me at all and it is alot more expensive. Please help.

I have to take inhaler several times more then recommended for it to stop my asthma.

Cherie of Durant OK (10/17/08)
I am 34 yrs old and have had severe asthma my entire life. The only thing that works for me is the cfc albuterol. I have been dreading the day that they stop making my inhalers available. I will die within a month. There is nothing I can do. My doctor wont listen to me, neither will the pharmacist. There is no one to call , no one to help. And so I sit here just waiting till my lungs literally burst from not being able to breathe.

Tractor trailors can billow out 10 tons of black smoke into the atmosphere but my inhalers that have kept me alive are banned? I wonder how many people are going to die before something is done. Inhaling Proair or any other hfa inhaler is like breathing in cotton it immediately makes my heart pound and my blood pressure spike and does not relieve my breathing difficulties at all, it makes them worseQ! And this is what is suppose to sustain the millions of people with asthma???

The consequences? I'm waiting to die..... how's that for a consequence? I have given up on going back to school. I have had to quit my job. Given up on having children. I have no hope.. for anything.

Stephen of Reno NV (10/14/08)
Just a short note concerning the discontinuation of Albuterol inhalers. My doctor told me the HFA replacements are no better. They will just cost us more, since there is (how convenient) no generic equivalent. That's the bottom line. More money for somebody. I guess it's the environment first, and our health second. I feel it is very unfair.

Danielle of Brentwood NY (10/14/08)
Please help- I am a 29 year old female who is ready to burst into tears knowing that I may die sooner than later from an asthma attack due to a medication that works better than any other (albuterol inhaler)being discontinued.

I have had asthma since I was 4 and always used an albuterol inhaler and it always helped! I have used many other asthma medications and other types of inhalers and none rescue me the way albuterol does. Since the birth of my son my allergies and asthma have become exasserbated.

I was hospitalized three times this year relying on a proair inhaler. I was able to find a pharmacy that still carried my albuterol- so i requested to have a perscription written that would give me as many as I can get at one time so i can stock up. My son was born with asthma and the thought of the two of us relying on proair dealthy frightens me. I just dont get the relief from the proair, its like nothing is happening. Is this enviornmental awareness or population control? We should be able to do something about this!!!!! Other than sit back and die.....

Pain, suffering, anxiety, hospitalizations, and possibly death.

Kevin of Mesa AZ (10/13/08)
Lack of CFC albuterol inhalers is forcing the use of the new HFA inhalers which are not as effective (don't work) and cost 3 times as much.

This is a total scam and has nothing to do with saving the atmosphere. This is putting my life at risk so someone can make more money. Action needs to be taken.

Effie of Nashua NH (10/13/08)
I have been using albuterol for many years, last year around the month of April I went to get a refill and the pharmacist filled pro air insyead of albuterol, he said we no longer carry the albuterol, this is what we will be filling from now on. Well it cost me a 25.00 co-pay instead of 10.00 and I was using it more often because I was not getting relief in breathing properly and the medicine was half the size I normally got.

I started feeling very light headed and anxious and then a very bad burning sensation throughout my chest and down my arms, I thought I was going to pass out. Immedietly for the first time in my life I had a panic attack from fear on how I was feeling and went to the hospital, my blood pressure was through the roof and the Doctor on call gave me 2 adivan to settle me down.

Since then I had quite a few panic attacks because of the pro air with hfa. Thanks to anothe Dr. at my local hospital I was able to get my albuterol that I was used to. CVS carried it for a while now, they too have the pro-air I refuse to get it filled. I found another local pharmacy that has a good amount of my albuterol for now but, she said once it's gone that's it. I'm so nervous over this, what can we do who can help us. I wish I could sue the pharmecutical company for what they are doing to us. I bet we have a case. The hospitals hold my records for proof. Please help us someone please.

Jake of Pasadena CA (10/12/08)
I am reading about the HFA asthma inhaler complaints on this website, and it appears that most of the complaints are specifically against Pro Air Albuterol HFA. My first HFA inhaler was a Pro Air and it definitely caused me a lot of problems. It irritated my throat and lungs and made me cough a lot worse. I had properly primed the inhaler.

I eventually switched to either Proventil HFA or Ventolin HFA and those two brands have worked really well for me. I don't think it's specifically the HFA that's the problem, but ProAir is my specific bad experience.

HFA inhalers cost too much -- 3 to 4 times as expensive as the previous CFC inhalers. While the need to prevent ozone depletion is understandable, charging $45 for vital asthma medication is a shock when that same relief used to cost only $15 per inhaler.

Nicholas of Madison IN (10/10/08)
Was dispensed ProAir HFA as required by federal law to remove CFC's from the environment. 1st use resulted in immediate outbreak of hives and trip to the ER at the Veteran's Administration hospital in Louisville, KY.

Loss of work. Unable to manage asthma properly. 2nd trip to hospital a week later due to increased sensitivity to environmental changes.

Laterria of Alpharetta GA (10/10/08)
I have had asthma for almost 30 years of my life. Each year I get pneumonia induced by my asthma because of the change in season/pollin. Earlier this year I went to the emergency because of my asthma and they gave me a breathing treatment and prescribed Proventil HFA inhalor.

Trusting that this would work like my Warrick Albuterol inhalor, I got even sicker because I could not breath. So I decided to use my Albuterol inhalor and found that it worked much better. This week I noticed that my Albuterol inhalor had expired (I only have to purchase about one a year). So I contacted my doctor for a refil.

The nurse advised me that CFA inhalors are no longer sold and that I would have to use the Proventil. I said that it made my asthma worse. In fact, I coughed much harder and louder because my lungs could not get any air, which means that I can not go to work nor sleep at night. I called the pharmacy myself to see if there was an equivalent to what I am use to and she suggested ProAir HFA. Just this evening I went to the pharmacy to pick up my prescription of ProAir and used the inhalor on the spot because I was experiencing some trouble breathing. I noticed that after a minute I did not feel better so I immediately used another application. I could not understand why I still could not breath.

So when I got home I used the Proventil just to see if that would makie a difference...and it did not! Keep in mind that I have now used 3 applications. At this point I am still struggling with my breathing and my chest is still feeling tight. I decided to use my old expired Albuterol and guess what...it worked better as an expired drug in only one application than 3 applications from both the HFA inhalors! SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE!! I REFUSE to die or even suffer because people are concerned that a couple of puffs will endanger the atmosphere. I think that the livelyhood and health of Americans should be the priority!!

Patricia of Millis MA (10/09/08)
I have had asthma since I was a child. In the past, I had used a Werner CFC albuterol rescue inhaler that worked great for me. Now our government has converted to HFA inhalers. I am currently using ProAir and I find that I have to use it more often with much less benefit. It boggles my mind that this change has been made with really no notice to people with respiratory problems.

The new inhalers cost three times what the old ones did and that leads me to believe that our government does not care about people's health at all, but only cares about making health insurance and drug company executives rich.

How can a medicine that is going into your lungs affect the ozone layer? And how then can we continue to sell products like Raid, spray paint, hair spray, room fresheners, and multiple other products? Anyone who has never had an an asthma attack cannot possibly know that it is like to be unable to breathe and cannot possibly tell me that the medication I am currently using works exactly the same way my previous medicine did when I know for a fact that that is not the case.

I think it will be very interesting to see what kinds of law suits emerge when someone who turns to their new HFA inhaler for rescue has quite the opposite effect. This change in such a necessary medication could even possibly cause someone's death. I am horrified that this change has been made in a medication that worked so effectively to stop an asthma attack. Does our government care about nothing anymore? Not even human life? I read on-line the other day that the inhaler industry is going from a $90 billion industry to a $400 billion industry. That just boggles my mind -- the executives are going to get rich at the expenses of our very breath.

Cheryl of Orange Park FL (10/04/08)
Everyone who needs a refill for their Albuterol is being prescribed ProAir HFA and that product does not work nearly as well as Alubuterol did. For many of us, when something triggers an asthma attack, we need help immediately and Albuterol did that - and ProAir doesn't. My personal experience has been that aside from the product not being even half as effective, it may have actually made my condition worse. Forcing a product like ProAir onto people in this way is inexcusable and will result in many ending up in emergency rooms or even possibly dying.

Consequences of this inferior product could be devastating. I know I can't use it - so, unless there are alternatives or Albuterol is made available again, I have no idea what will happen.

Charles of Lakewood OH (10/02/08)
I have used CFC Albuterol products for 25+ years. Now, I'm forced to use the ProAir HFA as a replacement. This product is not as effective, clogs all the time, and costs 1000% more than old inhaler....yes, 1000% more! I have talked to many doctors and pharmacists and they have heard many complaints from their customers and patients as well. They all just shrug their shoulders as if there is nothing they can do. This is simply unacceptable.

Ali of Acworth GA (09/27/08)
I am 24 years old and I have had asthma all of my life. I have always been prescribed the Albuterol or Ventolin CFC inhaler which has always worked for me. Just recently I had to go to the ER and the doctor wrote me a prescription for the Proventil HFA inhaler. I had tried it before because my sister-in-law had one and we both agreed it did nothing for our attacks. I told the doctor about this and he told me I was crazy, that they were the exact same thing. I made him sign the thing on the prescription that says if the generic form is available that I could get that. Luckily there are still a lot of pharmacies around here that have my generic albuterol CFC inhaler.

I can't even put into words how frightened I am about having my medicine taken away from me AND having a doctor tell me it's all in my head just makes this bad situation even worse. There has to be something we can do. My asthma has always been bad. I've been hospitalized numerous times throughout my whole and even had to call 911 3 or 4 times (Sep-Oct my asthma is always bad because of the ragweed). If it wasn't for the paramedics, I wouldn't be here right now. This was when I was using my inhaler that WORKED FOR ME. If this medication situation doesn't get resolved there is a very real chance that I could die.

The Albuterol CFC inahler would last me a month, the proventil only lasts two weeks and costs twice as much. I have no insurance and it's draining all my money.

Erika of Elma NY (09/24/08)
The use of HFA propellent is great if it were for spray paint cans (which i believe still use CFC) that is a much greater danger than a puff a couple of times a day from an athsmatic.

HFA is more expensive because there isn't a generic yet and probably not for 7 years. also the propellent gets skunky. that's [un]pleasant when you can't breath. this product also doesn't work as well (more puffs more frequent).

Susan of Minnetonka MN (09/17/08)
I have used albuterol from Warrick for fast relief of ashtma for years and it has worked just fine. I was forced to change to ProAirHFA and the product does not work very well if at all at times. It is very scary when you cannot breath. I now wake up several times a night not being able to breath very well. The ProAir does not despence very well and the product only lasts two weeks, where I have the Warrick brand that would last about 6 months to a year for me. Now I have to use the ProAir every night and sometimes twice a night. Thr product just does not work like it should.

Now the cost. I do have insurance, so what, the Warrick inhaler would cost me a co-pay fo $10.00. The ProAir costs me a co-pay of $35.00 times twice a month. That would be $840.00 a year compared to the Warrick brand that I would get approx twice a year for a total of $20.00. The Warraick worked just fine. The ProAir does not work and my asthma seams to be getting worse by the day. My doctor now wants me to add another asthma medication for long term use.

This is just crazy, now there will be more expense, more drugs needed to do the job of what the Warrick drug did just fine. What is a consumer to do? How many people have to die before this problem will be solved. This is just wrong to charge the consumer and insurance companys so much money for an enferior product.

I have to pay approx. $840.00 a year for ProAir that does an enferior job. Compared to $20.00 a year for Warrick that did a great job. I am now expected to add more medication from other drugs along with the ProAir to do what Warrick did on its own. I have sleepless nights and anxiety over not being able to breath. I am using old inhalers from up to three years ago to get relieve in place of ProAir. I fear for my life when these old ones run out. Something needs to be done and fast. I hope by writtng this it may help in some way. I will continue to look for ways to resolve this issue.

Stephanie of Saunderstown RI (09/13/08)
I have had asthma all my life. I control it with albuterol. I am not willing to use a steroid inhaler because two of the side effects would cause serious damage to my body. I recently tried two different HFA inhalers, one made my asthma worse and the other did not work as a rescue inhaler and caused a strange pressure on my temples. I am allergic to ethanol and fail to understand why this is used in an asthma product, as many people are allergic to it.

I am afraid for my future and I am afraid that I will die from an out of control asthma attack because the only effective rescue inhaler is albuterol that was made the old way. I will also add that the new inhalers cost much more than the old ones and obviously, someone is making money on me and all other asthma sufferers. Also, hairspray etc. is still on the market, making a farce of why this was done.

I could die and will have to spend much more money on an inferior product. I hope there will be a class action suit before my supply of albuterol runs out.

Susan of Minneapolis MN (09/12/08)
The CFC albuterol inhalers have been changed to the HFA type of inhalers because it has been reported that they are harmful to the environment. I am a person that believes in protecting the environment at most all costs, except when it comes to individual health needs and what is the best for the individual in prospective to the whole scope of things. I went to an allergy and asthma doctor and they ask me throw away my albuterol inhaler, number one, it was expired and number two, they were switching to a new one. The doctor gave me a sample of the new HFA inhaler (Ventolin or Proventolin) I tried it at home that night and didn't sleep well that night because I wasn't breathing well and feeling much worse than before I used it.

The next day I checked around to some pharmacies to see if I could still get the old type of albuterol that I have used for 14 years. There were some in circulation, but not many left. After finding a pharmacy that still had quite a lot in stock, my doctor orded me 3 of them, hoping they will last for a while. I don't use them excessively and they expire in a year. I don't what I am going to use when those run out. I may have to use a nebulizer which isn't very convenient if you're on the go. I think they make portable ones, though.

Honestly, I don't know why the drug companies can't allow the CFC's for people that may have a sensitivity to the ingredients in the new HFA. The doctors, nurses and pharmacists agree with me that this is a dilema. Not to mention the price is extemely higher for those of us with no insurance. I've heard they are going to be non-formulary for those with insurance. And the greedy drug companies are going to make more profit because these new inhalers don't seem to be as effective contrary to what has been reported.

Same as above

Verna of Bellflower CA (09/11/08)
Pro Air caused my throat to swell so that I felt like I was choking. I am on Proventil HFA, my asthma is under control. However, when Tedrol was avaiable I only had to take 1 pill per year because it completely knocked the asthma out and cleared the airways. The inhalers only control the asthma. Pharmacists have told me that many people do not benefit from Pro Air or the new HFA inhalers, and their quality of life has decreased. The pharmacist also said that many people are reacting to the propellant in the inhaler.

Why is it that hairspray and bug sprays can be an aerosol, but medications that improve lives cannot?

Adrienne of Vista CA (09/09/08)
I am outraged. I have COPD with Emphasema. The propellent which replaced CFC is awful. I whould like to make these points: The Pro Air is weak. I don't feel it is doing me any good. It is more expensive. I run out of product a lot sooner. Don't tell me that a few squirts of CFC by a bunch of asmatics is going to harm the ozone layer. Show me the figures of how much CFC's we are releasing to the atmosphere and exactly what we are doing to the ozone layer. I want my medicine the way I want it. I'll bet it is insignifant compared to other pollutants and cows.

Pro Air expensive, inadequate, insufficiant. I CAN'T BREATH.

Sivie of Chicago IL (09/09/08)
I have had the same horrible reactions to ProAir HFA. I am glad that it's not just me though of course I'm not happy to learn that others are suffering. My asthma has never been so out of control and CONSTANT. I wake up EVERY NIGHT and can't breathe and half to take at least three inhalations and wait about 15 minutes before I feel safe putting my head back down on the pillow. Sometimes up to an hour of waiting while doing what I can of some slow deep breathing exercises. I have found online pharmacies that still sell the old generic Albuterol and have ordered four of them from Mexico or Canada. I can't even remember now. Good Luck and let's hope that they change their minds about Dec 08

Elaine of Tampa FL (09/06/08)
the change from Albuterol to ProAir is not effective

Mary of Lebanon TN (09/06/08)
As stated by individuals in this forum, my daughter has suffered more since having to use pro Air The Albuterol was MUCH more cost effective and worked better. We understand about the HFA problems and love our planet too, but I feel medicines for people to breathe need to be left off that list. So many other things are hurting our planet more. Leave the poor asmatics alone and let them have their medicine!! We can't haul a nebulizer around & take that kind of time for a treatment!!

I buy MANY More pro air inhalers for my daughter than when I bought the albuterol ones. The puffs she took off of the Albuterol inhalers worked much better & faster & lasted longer. I do ask my Dr. for Provental (Orange box) it seems a little better than Pro Air, but not much. (not affiliated) alot of walmart pharmacies still have the Albuterol inhalers, so ask your doctor for a prescript for that name brand, and tell the pharmicist you want That exact product, and can you see the box it's in, and they'll help you. Remember, the Albuterol brand won't end 'till December, try to get a few!!

Richard of Omaha NE (08/29/08)
when I first got proair from my pharmacy I was sceptical about it. it was smaller and cost more. when I first took my dosage i did not get the relief that i needed and had to take more. the inhaler did not last as long as my old albuteral did and. Pro air inhaler is very disapointing and should be taken off the market and replaced with the old albuteral inhaler. Or at least a better more cost friendly and more relief inhaler

it has cost me more money to take this inhaler and I get less sleep havin to wake up more often to take it. and I cant do as much active activities as before.

Patricia of Tiffin OH (08/27/08)
I dont understand why they took Albuterol off the market, My Doctor gave me the pro-air inhailer as a Fast acting inhailer and it dosent work like it should,Not only do i have to take more then my recomended dosage to get any type of relief, The so called relief that i get is mearly half of what i had got before with my albuterol, I have complained before to my doctor to see if theres anything i can do to get relief and he suggested alot of other alternitives, and i did them all i even lost over 30 pounds to try to controll my asthma, and yet even with the so called Fast acting PRO-AIR inhailer i still have a very hard time breathing,

I suffer threwout the night time to where i am afraid to go to sleep, I am very scared to leave the house for the fear of an attack, Not only does this leave me feeling light headed but it leaves me gasping for air. IMHO i think that this is an injustice, I am a mother of 2 so i need to be able to be cohearant to there needs and alot of the time i have to tell them to wait, or slow down, this is unfair. I WANT MY LIFE BACK!

loss of sleep, Fear of doing something strenus, pain in my chest, wheezing, gasping for air, irritability, walking like im in a daze.

Lecarrie of Dublin GA (08/25/08)
The inhalers have all been changed to pro air and the inhaler cost 3 times more than the regular albuterol inhalers. The price of the inhaler needs to be lower or another cheaper one needs to be created.

Marlene of Philadelphia PA (08/25/08)
Last summer, 2007, I went to get my Albuterol inhaler filled from Walgreen's and they gave me Pro Air instead. It did not help my severe asthma and had more difficulty breathing, plus had to use more of it to get a little relief, so when I went to get it refilled I told Walgreen's that I wanted the Albuterol and they said Pro Air is what they got. Then I heard about the change that was taking place and the discontinuation of Albuterol, so thank God Acme Pharmacy still has the Albuterol but told me that it will be discontinued in December 2008. I cannot use the Pro Air and as a result my breathing peak flow will drop seriously and probably will have to go to ER because I don't have the proper inhaler.

I had much discomfort in breathing when using the Pro Air. It did not open my airways, as the Albuterol does.

Cathy of Dyer IN (08/22/08)
I used the Pro-Air HFA inhaler since last January (2007.) Since then my asthma attacks have increased and I have had three bouts with pneumonia, two of which I had to be hospitalized. Before using Pro-Air HFA I had always been able to stop an attack with my albuteral inhaler. I had never had to visit the ER for asthma. But now I have become all too familiar with my local ER. I even had to go to an emergency room while I was visiting friends out of state.

I had suspected the new inhaler and asked many doctors if they had heard anything about the new inhalers. They all insisted that they worked the same as the old ones. I am disgusted that our government has put the preservation of the environment over the health of the people. I am curious to research if there has been an increase in asthma related deaths since the new inhaler was foisted upon us.

Nancy of Seabrook NH (08/17/08)
This PRO-AIR inhaler is completely useless. It never works. It's glogged 9 1/2 times out of ten and my asthma is worse then EVER. I hear that I have NO ALTERNATIVE BUT TO USE THIS PIECE OF JUNK. I think that I deserve a choice and MY MONEY BACK FOR EVERYONE SINCE MY ALBUTEROL IS NO LONGER A CHOICE. I show up at my pharmacy one day and they tell me YUP THIS IS IT...BEST OF LUCK TO YA.

My asthmas is worse then ever since using the Pro-Air. It never works its always clogged and I've had to resort to using my nebulizer as my rescue inhaler (Thank God it's portable).

Subba of Columbia SC (08/14/08)
Since the forced switch to the HFA albuterol, my daughter's asthma symptoms at night have become worse. On 8/7/08, she tried to take her rescue puffs, but the inhaler was clogged. It is also not as effective as the older generic albuterol.

By the time we cleaned it with warm water and tried to use it, she became very breathless and we had to use the nebulizer. Obviously, this caused a lot of distress, in addition to waking up at 3am. Now, she is afraid of using PROAIR, but that's all she has.

Mary of Kalamazoo MI (08/09/08)
I was forced to switch to a HFA Inhaler.

My asthma which has always been manageable with proper medications has become much more unpredictable and it has made my life far more difficult. Simply put the HFA Inhaler does not work. I find it deplorable that the government has decided to force this change. Despite the claims that it works the same as the CFC inhaler it does not nearly match up. The articles that have been written claiming they match up are clearly written by someone who does not have asthma. I also find it suspect that these new inhalers are three times as expensive and last half as long. Where one dose with the CFC inhaler will bring immediate relief to me it will take 4 or 5 doses of the HFA to bring moderate relief (i.e. I continue to struggle to breathe for a few minuets and then even still feel congested) I have already had to go to the hospital because of the inhaler change and I worry for my and all asthma sufferers health and safety.

Sherry of Seaford NY (08/02/08)
I have asthma as long as I can remember, years ago there was a fast acting medication called isoprel that was fast acting to prevent an asthma attack. They took that off the market because they claimed it was habit forming. Which was just unbelieveable to me, it was only used for the purpose of preventing an asthma attack. Now was forced to take albuterol which never worked in the same way but did help as far as quick acting and preventing an attack. They took that away from me and forced to take pro air HFA.

My breathing has become much worse - the medicine does not help been to the hosiptal 2 times with asthma attacks and as I write this my breathing is limited. I am very mad to learn that that was taken away from asmatics for envomentel reasons, someone is going to die because of this. I am angry enough to take some legal action on this. How dare they do this to people who cant take a deep breath without the proper medications. Sure there are other meds to take but nothing like a quick acting inhaler to prevent as I call it (death).

The damage to my body is awful. To take a deep breath is a thing of the past now. There are no meds to take and left only to take the steriods (that I will not take) because of the harm that it can do to the body. In the long run the only thing that matters is when you have asthma and you feel you cannot breath the only medicine that you can take is a quick inhaler which has been taken away from us. There will be deaths I am sure without the proper medication

David of Tucson AZ (08/01/08)
Having been taken off of my old generic Albuterol inhaler which contained CFC's, I have been on a variety of HFA inhalers since July of 2007, most notably ProAir HFA. I have also tried Proventil HFA, and most recently, Ventolin HFA. After a full year on these new rescue HFA inhalers, I can honestly conclude they DO NOT WORK as the old CFC inhalers did. I am also forced to use far more of the recommended dosage to achieve a fraction of the relief I used to receive with a single puff of the old CFC in haler. Also, I believe my asthma has seriously worsened as a result.

In the past two months I have had several episodes of waking at night with a serious feeling of suffocation, and no amount of the ProAir rescue inhaler actually succeeded in rescuing me. For the first time since learning I had asthma many years ago, I feel it may actually kill me; before the HFA changeover, any version of albuterol CFC would instantly work and clear my airways. Prior to the HFA changeover, I often felt asthma-free. I have discussed this with my Dr., but he insists the medications are the same. This is obviously not true, at least for me.

Since my experiences I have read of many others with similar experiences, and believe the HFA propellant to be the culprit. Until these problems can be sorted, the ban on CFC inhalers needs to be at least temporarily lifted. The benefits to the many millions who have asthma far outweigh the proven infinitesimal impact on our environment.

Shelley of St. Peters MO (07/31/08)
My daughter and I both have asthma. We were forced to switch from the Albuterol Inhaler to the new ProAir HFA. It does not work for either of us. I can not imagine that the original inhalers that helped relieve asthmatics did enough harm to the ozone layer to put all of us in so much danger.

This new inhaler does not work for either one of us to relieve our asthmatic symptoms. It is upsetting when I can't breath even after using my resuce inhaler but when my daughter still can't breath after 4 puffs (1 more than she should use) I get very angry. We need to breath in order to live.

Karen of Ogden UT (07/29/08)
I've had mild, allergic, nightime asthma for 40 years. Until 1985, I was given cortisone to control my asthma (injections). I started having bad reactions to it by 1985. Primatine Mist has always worked for me. I only need it at night so I can breathe. Now the FDA is trying to pull it off the shelves and I have been forced to use Albuterol and Levelalbuterol Tartrate. Both drugs caused a paradoxical reaction and I had to find Primatine Mist to reverse this scary condition! I used the Albuterol for 2 months, trying to give it a chance to work and ended up using it all day and night with conjestion that I've never had before and heartburn. After 2 months, I was in the shower and couldn't breathe at all!

Then I tried the levelalbuterol tartate, thinking maybe it would be different, but it did the same thing and after 2 weeks, I was using it day and night with a tight chest! So I went to the last place that sold Primatine Mist and the pharmacist lady treated me like I was a drug addict and said no-one had it anymore! It wasn't true and I found some at Shopko Pharmacy and the pharmacist didn't know if they would ever have anymore!. I need help! I used Cromolyn and got horrible headaches, everytime. There isn't anything else for me to use. I am very angry. My doctor said I should never have been put on cortisone in the first place because I have very mild asthma compared to most! I am healthy with clear strong lungs! Not being able to breathe is dangerous and it's torture! My life will be ruined if they get rid of Primatine Mist! I don't know what else to do!

Julie of Wentzville MO (07/22/08)
I have had asthma for 20 years and have always used the albuterol inhalers and had to recently switch to the new HFC inhalers. I have tried 3 different ones and none of them work. After using them I have chest pain and even more difficulty breathing and have needed to use a nebulizer which I haven't needed except for 4 times in the past 20 years. I am all for helping the environment, but helping people with asthma is much more than the environment.

Kevin of Brooklyn NY (07/22/08)
When I went to refill my albuterol prescription in May of 2008, I was told that only the ProAir HFA were available. I had no choice but to switch. These inhalers are useless. I went through an entire inhaler in one month. I'm half way through my second one now. It would be gone except that I noticed Primatene Mist actually works BETTER. I've always referred Primatene as crack for your lungs, but if I'm ever out without an inhaler and have an attack, it's a necessary evil. But the ProAir is so bad that that I actually reach for the Primatene first. It makes my lungs hurt and gives me awful headaches (and the occasional upper respiratory infection), but at least it'll open me up. ProAir is completely ineffective. Half the time the dispenser does even work.

I'm uninsured and it's extremely costly. I used to have to pay $10 for an inhaler that would last me 3-5 months (depending on the severity/frequency of my symptoms). Now it's running me $40 a month -- and for garbage. Primatene Mist really is AWFUL, but what does it say when it's a better alternative than ProAir? I'm investing in a nebulizer. It's ridiculous that such an investment has become a necessary assurance during a brutal allergy season, but I really can't afford to keep ending up in the ER. I've been once already since switching to ProAir, and I cannot afford to go again.

Tripp of Brookhaven MS (07/18/08)
someone, or a lot of us, are going to die if we do not get our old rescue inhalers back. they are screwing with someones breathing here. think about that. i am having trouble just typing this and i am 39 years old and scared.

cost is the least of it. i will not go in the wood, on a ski slope, nothing that may aggravate further my condition. i wont have a rescue inhaler to assist me

Nicole of Portales NM (07/15/08)
I have been reluctant to switch to the new inhaler, a: having one that works, b: stockpiling my rescue inhaler, which is the Warrick Abuterol, and c: I'm positive that the ONLY deterrent to the ozone layer were asthmatics using this inhaler. However, I have just about run out of Warrick inhalers, and begun taking the proair as a resuce inhaler.

Red flags should have risen immediately when with the first puff, I began coughing as though all the air were sucked out of my lungs. What I would imagine 'mustard gas' felt like. Anyway, not being able to breathe, I took a few more puffs, really with no relief. I have since been struggling with my asthma, which is very uncommon for me, now feel like I can not obtain a deep breath. Clinically, I have had high blood pressure and a fast heart rate. There has been nothing else to contribute to that except my proair inhaler. I understand that medication can affect everyone differently, it shouldn't ruin an organ at the sake of the ozone layer.

Vanessa of Schenectady NY (07/10/08)
I've been switched to the Proventil HFA inhaler and I'm actually surprised that so many people are unhappy with it! I really love it, I actually think it works better than any of my past inhalers did! It's really great, If I'm having any symptoms, I take it, and within a few minutes I feel fine. My old inhalers took a lot longer, and sometimes didn't change anything, but I'd been using them for so long that I thought thats what an albuterol inhaler was.

Anyways, I remember being told (when I was very little) by a doctor that these inhalers work best when taken BEFORE you know you are going to do things that might trigger symptoms (run... go to a house full of cats, etc.)I don't know, but either way, this is the first inhaler I've ever used that really works as a rescue inhaler for me.

Positive effects. Still Affordable. More effectively controls my symptoms.

Susan of Juneau AK (07/10/08)
These things are HORRIBLE! I was using an average of 2 ibuterol inhalers a YEAR.... I'm about to get my 3rd HFA inhaler refill since FEBRUARY! This stuff doesn't work. It is ineffective. Pointless... in fact, I think it's made my breathing worse. BRING BACK IBUTEROL, PLEASE!

I've used twice as many HFA inhalers in half the time. This is expensive and the medicine is ineffective. Hard telling what it's doing to my lungs.

Joseph of La Porte IN (07/08/08)
The new HFA Albuterol asthma inhalors DO NOT WORK, My asthma had been well under control and I had enjoyed many activities, basketball,softball, walking, as well as caring for my 4 children. Now just walking to the car or strolling in back yard has me gasping for air, sleeping is very difficult also.

My health has been placrd at serious risk do to the new style HFA asthma inhalors, I've also spent a good deal of money trying to find suitable relief.

Laurie of Bloomingburg NY (07/08/08)
These new inhalers with the HFA do not work. I have had asthma since I was 12. I am now 37 and have been using albuterol as my rescue inhaler. Now that they have changed the delivery propellant, I find myself gagging afterward, and using a lot more; and at times makes my asthma worse.

With all of the gas pollutions and aerosol can pollutants, why are they so worried about an inhaler that millions of people depend on to breathe? The people making this drastic decision obviously do not have asthma or even know what it feels like to carry one around all day for that security blanket. Something needs to be done before December 2008 before a lot of children and adults have fatal asthma attacks.

Stephanie of Hilton Head Island SC (07/07/08)
I too have switched from the standard albuterol inhaler to the Pro Air inhaler for my rescue inhaler for my asthma. at first i really didnt like it, especially the price ($32!! as opposed to the $8 inhaler i was used to!.

i have had 2 faulty inhalers. they feel like theyre only producing about half of the medication of a normal inhaler. whats even worse, is that pharmacists dont get it yet, so they just try to explain that there is no propellant in them.

this is the most frustrating thing. there is nothing worse than not being able to breath and then changing the drugs that make it so you can. what is nice tho, if you go to the proair site, you can sign up to get 5 $20 off coupons for the inhaler which is a pretty good deal. good luck all!

Tom of Denison TX (07/03/08)
My wife has chronic asthma and copd. She must use the albuterol inhalers to breathe properly. Last year our Pharmacy replaced her regular inhaler with the Pro Air HFA inhaler. I have since learned that the FDA is going to BAN her regular inhaler at the end of 2008!

My wife tried the Pro Air HFA inhaler. She said it tasted funny and did not seem to help her breathing. By the third day, she woke up coughing up blood! I looked on the label of the Pro Air inhaler. It contains ETHANOL!! What sort of stupid imbecile would expect people to spray GRAIN ALCOHOL moonshine into their fragile respiratory system?? This is like signing a death warrant on my wife! That crap will surely kill her!

Is there anything we can do, besides move to Mexico, or somewhere the Government still has a little common sense? This nonsense was mandated by the SS Gestapo EPA! The FDA is following orders from the EPA FACISTS!

Zandra of San Antonio TX (06/29/08)
I recently took my daughter in for her 4 year old wellness physical check up, her Pediatrician said he was going to write her a new Rx for an inhaler ProAir HFA,

well i went on their web site and they are not supposed to be prescribed to anyone under the age of 12 for starters, and also it made her chest tighten up and it defeated the purpose of having an asthma inhaler. i feel like it is a crock of lies being fed to us my daughter was having really bad stomach cramps and pains. she is only 4. needless to say i am not longer using that thing. i wasn her old albuterol solution back!

Shirley of Columbus OH (06/25/08)
For the past 15 years. I have relied on the Proventil brand of albuterol USP Inhalation Aerosol Bronchodilator Aerosol to give me relief from potentially life threatening asthma attacks. In the Fall of 2007, I tried to refill a prescription for the original Proventil CFC rescue inhaler and was told that the pharmacy could not fill it because it had been discontinued and they had no more left in stock. I then called another pharmacy to ask if they had any Proventil and was told that they could fill my prescription with a new version of Proventil having the propellant, HFA. So, I had my prescription transferred and filled with the new Proventil HFA.

Sometime later, when short of breath and in need of a rescue inhaler, I inhaled two puffs from the Proventil HFA inhaler and my asthma, rather than going away, got worse. The next day, I checked the inactive ingredients list and found that the propellant HFA contains ethanol. I then did a search on the Internet and found that the CFC used as the propellant in all or most aerosol inhalers had been banned by the FDA following the Montreal Protocol. The propellant chosen to replace CFC is HFA. HFA contains ethanol or ethanol is used in the process of manufacturing HFA.

Since I am allergic to ethanol, I am now unable to use any bronchodilator aerosol inhalers because they contain the propellant, HFA, which in turn, contains ethanol. With no rescue inhaler, I am at great risk of suffering an asthma attack, which if serious could force me into having to go to a hospital emergency room or could even result in my death. Note: albuterol (salbutamol) is classified as an essential drug by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the FDA may have done something illegal by allowing the original composition of the albuterol aerosol inhaler to be altered.

Sara of Decorah IA (06/12/08)
The new inhalers are not effective. I am scared for my health once they ban the old albuterol inhalers. They are still selling the old ones through December of 2008, so I am trying to stock up as much as I can. I am a huge environmentalist, so I appreciate that the government is trying to ban a product that gives off CFCs, but at the same time, I am scared of the consequences to my health.

Judy of Chicago IL (06/11/08)
I have had my suspicions that the new inhalers were not working. My sons asthma has been terrible this summer. He has needed the rescue inhaler more often than usual and is getting little relief from it. I am worried we are going to end up in the er because of its inefficiency. It is far more expensive and within a few months looses its strength to be worthless. He is taking multiple doses and still having problems unlike the Albuterol when one puff would usually be sufficient and two would resolve any problems. There needs to be an alternative to this medication. It seems negligent on the part of the pharmaceutical companies to put it mildly. These are lives at stake and potentially huge hospital bills that can result from this. The cost to life and finances is more dire than the small environmental issue here.

Paul of Orlando FL (06/07/08)
Proair does not work. I have to use more than I did with the Albuterol inhaler. The size is smaller, and cost is over three times as much. I would like to have Albuterol back. Why can't I have a choice in my healthcare. Had to stop working my profession that I have done for over 26 years, because of ineffectivness of Proair. Currently out of work.

Currently out of work. Having harder time breathing, to the point that I need to stay indoors. (heat).

Janice of King City CA (04/14/08)
PLEASE HELP THE NEW HFA INHALERS ARE NOT WORKING ON ME THEY ARE JUST MAKING MY ATTACKS WORSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ! PLEASE HELP ME. THE Small amount of CFC's that come out of these inhalers are not doing anything to the ozone. MOST of it is going in my mouth this is absurd!

I am having very bad asthma attacks due to the new inhalers. I am unable to work and function due to these wonderful new inhalers.

Georgia of Lisbon OH (04/09/08)
My daughter has activity induced asthma. She was given the new Pro Air Hfa inhaler. She took it 30 minutes before a basketball game. She then had an attack, took two more puffs and still wasnt working by this time she was panicking. Thought I would have to take her to an ER but she did have a CFC warrick inhaler left over so she took 2 more puffs of that. Now I was worried she would over dose.

These HFA inhalers dont work. She used HFA inhaler before about 6 months ago and she had to go back to her warrick inhaler, but we thought we would try Proair again. It is useless. She may never be able to play sports again. She has 2 more years left of H.S. Basketball that we have put alot of money into to increase her performance and now its all down the drain.

Jennifer of Bohemia NY (04/05/08)
The new HFA inhalers are a joke. They're completely ineffective. I've been on them for a year and my asthma is worse now than it was when I was a child. The propellant they use now releases the medicine at a slower rate so you have to breathe in deeper and longer to get the full dose, which is not something someone having an asthma attack can do. I woke this morning to an asthma attack at 4 a.m. and ended up having to take about five shots of Proventil HFA before it even made a dent in my airways. Not to mention the horrible side effects that I get now on the new inhaler. Heart palpitations, racing pulse and fabulous nausea. How the FDA and the rest of the world can lump in medically essential devices with unnecessary household products like hairspray and room sprays is beyond me. An issue like this shouldn't be put in black and white. There needs to be an exception to the rule. Let's get the old CFC inhalers back and give asthmatics the relief and peace of mind we so desperately need.

I've landed at the doctor's office several times now because the new inhalers couldn't stem the attack. The new inhalers will bankrupt me as I don't have health insurance. $40 roughly, compared to the $15 I was paying for generic albuterol. And it's impossible to properly manage my asthma so I don't have to rely on rescue inhalers when the maintenance inhalers like Advair cost $200 for a one month supply. That's insane. So I suppose I have to suffer and wheeze and have no life because I no longer have a medicine which I can rely on and trust to open my airways, God forbid I should have an attack.

Michael of Groton CT (04/03/08)
Does anyone know of a class action suit reguarding the cfc inhalers. I need mine back. I have been on albuterol for about 10 years now. After the switch my heart rate has changed dramaticly, my breathing overall has deteriorated quite a bit. I want the old cfc inhaler back. I know one person does not constitute a change, but when millions of people can not tollerate these inhalers, there needs to be a change.

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Ellen of Livonia MI (03/27/08)
I have asthma; specifically, COPD and I've been using Albuterol for many years. Just recently, the albuterol has been replaced by a product called Pro-Air.

As opposed to the delivery system of medication afforded me by Albuterol, the Pro-Air DID NOTHING@!! If anything, I had a worse reaction and was gasping for breath as a result of inhaling this medication!!!

I am on Medicare and had to pay MUCH MORE for this PRO-AIR than i ever had to pay for albuterol. It even came in a much SMALLER inhaler (smaller dosage) than the original albuterol.

Physical damage? It DID NOT--in ANY WAY--resolve my problem with any asthma attacks that I suffered. I was forced to utilize both my oxygen tank AND my NEBULIZER that I filled with Albuterol !!! in order to get relief. This was a necessary action in order NOT to have to call 911 and go to the EMERGENCY ROOM for relief!!!

Michelle of Montrose CO (03/06/08)
I have been taking warrick albuterol for my asthma. I got diagnosed with walking pneumonia and received a inhaler which supposedly is the same thing as my warrick albuterol...its an HFA inhaler and I almost died.

This stuff made my asthma worse and I thought I was dying...came close to going to the ER twice and then my husband thought maybe it was the new inhaler...this stuff made my asthma worse, I was dizzy, nauseated and felt like passing out...I was gasping for air. This is crap...we need to discontinue the HFA albuterol inhaler and keep the warrick one...there are going to be many deaths from this inhaler...and I am terrified that it is going off the market...what will I or anyone be able to use instead...we will just keal over and die thanks to the manufacturers of this HFA inhaler.

Andrea of Toledo OH (03/03/08)
I went to Sam's Club to pick up my prescription for my inhaler, not knowing the change went into effect. I had my exact change of $6.16, and they told me the charge was today was $43.50 or something like that. I was stunned. I asked why, and they told me that the new medication was being dispersed now. Well, I paid for it and left, completely upset. I do not have insurance so it cost me almost nine times as much. I see how it goes: you take something out and raise the price. That was the just the start of the problem. After trying it, I realized it worked nowhere near as good as my Warrick inhaler; and since my other inhaler worked great and was cheap, it worked out well since I had to buy one monthly. Instead of needing them monthly, I went to need a new one about every 2 weeks. But, of course, with the price I am not able to afford it. Does any one remember Primatene mist that was/is on the market? Just my opinion, but I have tried it, and it is very similar to the new pro air inhaler. It doesn't work that well, either, but at least is a lot cheaper, Ibelieve. It used to be around $15.

With all the problems of these new prescriptions, as well as office visits, it's no wonder people cannot afford health coverage or prescriptions. With as little as it costs to make some of these medications, we the consumer get cheated all around.

Michael of San Antonio TX (02/11/08)
I recently switched to ProAir HFA, and not only is this medicine four times more expensive than the CFC version, but it also gives me serious nausea after taking it. So do I breathe--or have a tremendous stomach ache for a hour or so? The FDA needs to get the CFC version of the Albuterol inhaler back on the market. If the government was so worried about the ozone then why start with hair spray and inhalers? They should have started with the automobile. I'm sure the amount of CFC propellant in a MILLION canisters of asthma medication doesn't even come close to the amount a hummer throws out on a basic commute.

I get terrible nausea and possibly even stomach aches when I take this medication. It might be due to the ethanol used in the canister.

Becky of Charlotte NC (01/12/08)
The Proair inhaler does not work and is more expensive than old inhalers which are banned.

Gary of Berkeley CA (12/31/07)
I used the new Exubera inhaled insulin according to all the rules and it never worked as well as my regular insulin injectons. I was told to increase the dosage which I did and it still did not work well. I developed a sore which turned into a wound which was infected on my right ankle/heel and it still won't heal up completely after over four months.

The result is that I have had very poor control of my diabetes while on Exubera and then developed this sore which is now an open, infected wound that it taking many trips to the doctor and much medicine, bandages, etc to take care of.

Ischer-Dike of Manassas VA (12/09/07)
Not only did the HFA inhalers worsen my asthma, I broke out with a rash which almost looked like a chemical burn on my hands each time I made the switch (3 different times), experiencing extreme nausea at the same time. I am apparently allergic to the new formulation. Proventil HFA did not relieve my 14-year-old's Asthma attack in PE last year. I made an emergency run to the school. How can the FDA make such changes and put our kids at risk?

Difficulty breathing, rash, nausea and fear of death!

Cheri of Greenfield WI (12/04/07)
I live in Milwaukee and I have asthma. Recently my inhaler was abruptly changed without my knowledge or consent to ProAir HFA. After researching why the change happened, I found that the CFC propellants in medical inhalers such as mine are being banned. I cannot tolerate the ProAir HFA and it actually made my asthma worse. I fear that others who have been switched to HFA propelled inhalers are having increased asthma symptoms, and may not even realize why.

I want to help spread the word that many people are finding these new inhalers seriously inferior. There is a petition that Id like to make asthma patients and those who care about them, or care for them, aware of.

Linda of Oxford NC (12/04/07)
I guess I am one of the people who cannot use any HFA product when I am having an asthma attack. I have been on all of them and thus far, they don't open up my airway. I've tested them knowing that I had my CFC Warrick Albuterol at hand. I've given them the best and most honest try that I am able to.

Proventil especially is going to kill me one day. I have to use five to six inhalations to get my airway open enough so I can get a nebulizer treatment in. In the meantime, my doctor has increased my alprozolam to 5, one mg. tablets each day because the HFA inhalers give me terrible anxiety.

Additionally, my blood pressure has increased substantially and I have begun to have heart rhythm problems that will have to be addressed in the near future.

I recently found out that some of what I was trying in HFA's contained alchohol and that is an absolute no-no for me. I now realize that some of what I have been feeling is because of that. I am highly sensitive to alchohol. I cannot drink anything with it at all; not even the slightest amount.

I had wished and almost just assumed, that when I was swithed to an HFA inhaler that all would be well. I never gave a second thought to my inhaler not working. The first two I returned to my pharmacist knowing that they were defective. As time went by, I realized that they probably weren't defective and that it could be the medicine itself. So I started doing some research and found out that my Warrick Albuterol was going away because it had CFC in it.

My pulmonologist had me start another brand, then another. Nothing seemed to work. I was also getting an Rx for a CFC brand called Armstrong. That one didn't work near as well as the Warrick CFC but at least it did work after 2 puffs, and then a nebulizer treatment.

I feel safe leaving the house now with the Armstrong in my pocket. I would never leave my house with an HFA product because once my airway begins to close, I need a product that will open it up.

Taste, feel, washing, etc., none of that matters to me at all. The only thing that matters is me getting my airway opened up. Three HFA inhalers that I have tried, simply don't do it. Again, I can't emphasize how much the taste, feel and that matter nothing to me. When I am gasping for an open airway, nothing else matters.

I am convinced that the claims made stating that the new HFA inhalers are as effective as the CFC one's, is a complete scam. I went to the links in the petition to save cfc medical inhalers and after reading all of that material, I now realize that HFA is not effective enough and that CFC albuterol is being taken off of the exempt list because of dollars, not the Treaty.

It's difficult to come to terms with the fact that my government is currently damaging my health and will continue to do so with HFA products, and that they are condemming me to be a home-bound person forever more because I will never be able to leave my nebulizer.

Lynn of Manassas VA (06/09/07)
This inhaler did not relieve my asthma systoms-made it worse, caused severe nausea and chest pain. Proventil HFA did not relieve my daughter's asthma attack during PE at school-had to rush to school with old CFC inhaler.

Having more tests done because of chest pain-EKG and now Stress ecko!

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