I think im addicted or at least have a heavy reliance on my inhaler

Hi there and welcome to the community. I see that you are a new member, so welcome! I hope here you find a community of people dealing with similar situations and you can discuss asthma topics openly.

Have you had a chance to discuss the frequency of your use of inhaler use with your doctor? The amount of times you mention using an inhaler seems high. It may be helpful for you to learn the names of your inhalers, so we can gain more information. My son has asthma and his 'blue one' (asthmanex) he takes 2x a day, while his 'white one' (albuterol) he uses as needed. Do these colors/medications seem similar to yours?

Please reach back out if you have a chance so we can learn more about your situation. And thanks for joining the community!

-Lauren (team member)

Hi. I too would like to welcome you to our community.

I see you received a good response from my colleague Lauren above. I agree with her response, and would second that the best next approach for you is to talk to your doctor about your asthma and how many times per day that you are using your albuterol inhaler. It's easy to blame ourselves when we realize that we have been poorly informed -- although your doctor may be partly to blame as well. For instance, as your doctor is renewing your prescription, he/she must be aware of how often you are getting an inhaler. Right?

That said, are you thinking that your inhaler is making your asthma worse? This may be a topic to discuss with your doctor as well. Your doctor should be able to let you know if this is the case, or if your asthma is poorly controlled.

As a side note here: Most doctors now agree that most asthmatics should be able to obtain good asthma control. And that means you should be able to do most of the things you enjoy doing (including working out) without experiencing asthma symptoms. And, while you should always have a rescue inhaler, good control means you only need to use it sometimes.

I hope this bit of information helps. Are you currently taking other medications besides your rescue inhaler to treat your asthma? John. community moderator

Hello there, - welcome! We hope this site has given you enough information to help guide you to assistance and through the experience of your asthma. Thanks for being so open here in our forum and expressing your fear of dependency on medication. Reading your testimony, a few things came to mind.

Feeling dependent on inhalers can indeed be concerning, but it's important to remember that they are a crucial part of managing asthma for many people. It's not uncommon to feel like you rely on them heavily, especially during periods of exacerbation or heightened symptoms. However, reducing reliance on inhalers should be done under the guidance of a healthcare professional.

First and foremost - as both John and Lauren above state - Talk to your healthcare provider about your concerns regarding inhaler dependence. They can assess your asthma control and provide personalized advice on managing your condition. There may be another medication to help prevent attacks, not just control symptoms. Here's an article that may help https://asthma.net/treatment/prevention

In addition, work with your healthcare provider to identify and avoid asthma triggers as much as possible. This can help reduce the frequency and severity of asthma symptoms, potentially decreasing the need for inhaler use. Keep track of your asthma symptoms and peak flow measurements regularly; a symptom diary is a good help. Clink on this link for some help https://asthma.net/living/an-asthma-journal-why-you-need-one Keeping track can help you and your doctor gauge your asthma control and adjust treatment accordingly.

Another step is implementing lifestyle changes. This can also be highly beneficial for you. Adopting a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise, a balanced diet, and stress management techniques, may help improve overall asthma control and reduce reliance on inhalers. Your doctor may suggest adjustments to your asthma management plan, such as trying different medications or techniques to improve control.


All in all, your doctor may recommend a gradual reduction in inhaler use under close supervision. This should only be done with careful monitoring to ensure asthma symptoms remain well-controlled.



Asthma is a chronic condition that requires ongoing management. While it's natural to want to reduce dependence on medications, the primary goal is to maintain good asthma control and quality of life. Always follow your healthcare provider's advice and treatment plan. Wishing you well on this journey. Despite the challenges, I feel you will overcome the difficulties. Warmly - Rebecca (team member)

I also have been dealing with asthma and inhalers for 70+ years. I was in my 60's when I was made aware that my use of inhalers was quite high (I had been using OTC inhalers sometime using the complete inhaler within a week) so I saw my Dr who recommended Symbicort with albuterol rescue inhaler. There was a reduction in use of rescue inhaler but breathing was not greatly improved so a nebulizer was added with the aforementioned Symbicort and albuterol. Breathing improved somewhat but i found myself using nebulizer on a daily basis and still short of breath (stairs, turning over in bed) so I am now using trelegy and have completely stopped nebulizer use and rescue inhaler maybe once in a 2 week period and breathing is greatly improved!