My Inhaler Becomes Less Effective When Doses Run Low
Moan alert! I like to think that I know my body pretty well. Having had chronic asthma all my life I am well versed to spotting little changes in how my body reacts to certain things. I get quite frustrated when my Ventolin runs low because I have noticed that the efficacy of the inhaler is seriously reduced. Has anyone else noticed this?
When my inhaler runs low
There is nothing quite like getting a brand new inhaler and taking the first couple of puffs. It's like magic. Within seconds my airways open up and more oxygen is allowed to reach the lungs. An old inhaler or one that has maybe five or ten more doses of salbutamol does not have this effect on me.
In my experience, it still does the job of clearing my chest, although it is not straight away. It does not feel like it is working fully. The sensation almost feels like I will need to take another puff in an hour's time or so. And I usually do.
The expensive cost associated with asthma
As any chronic sufferer of any type of disease will know that medical bills can soon add up. It's not cheap to stay alive! And this is what makes me a tad frustrated. When I get down to the last five or ten puffs of my Ventolin and I can feel that it is not working as it should, I have to think about getting more inhalers.
If we are paying for these brilliant life-saving drugs then it should not be unreasonable to expect that the last few doses should work as well as the first few. Can you imagine drinking a can of pop and by the time you get down to the last few sips, the flavor is severely weakened and it tastes a bit watery and not like the first few glorious gulps!?
You would feel hard done by, wouldn't you? Now imagine that can of pop is there not to give you flavor and satiate your thirst, but to aid in opening your airways to allow you to breathe better. Now imagine that the cost of that can of pop is ten dollars.
Still very grateful
Don't misunderstand me, I realize I am having a bit of an old-man-rant here but on the whole, I have to say I still feel extremely lucky to be in a world where medical science has enabled me to live a nice balanced life. Without these brilliant meds I know there is a high chance I might not be here from a privileged position having a go at these meds. haha!
It would be totally amazing if the medical world could keep striving for brilliance. They might be, and perhaps I am being impatient and unreasonable, but it would be fantastic to think that in some corner of the globe there are people in white coats looking to maximize the potential of these drugs. But if truth be told, I am more grateful than frustrated. It could be a lot worse I suppose.
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