Nebulizer medication

[mkopc167]

SWMBO has always suffered with asthma but it has flared up over the past few days resulting in a visit to A&E this morning. She was put on a nebulizer for 10-15 minutes and it helped a lot however when she asked the doctor for a prescription for the medication they use in the nebulizer (we have the machine at home) he said they don't give scripts for that because if you need a nedulizer then you need to be in hospital. This seems to be overkill as I remember a girl at school who used a nebulizer in school every lunchbreak. Does anybody know if you can buy the medicine over the counter, or dare I say it, over the internet?

Thanks
Mike

[anonymous-user]

mkopc167 said:

SWMBO has always suffered with asthma but it has flared up over the past few days resulting in a visit to A&E this morning. She was put on a nebulizer for 10-15 minutes and it helped a lot however when she asked the doctor for a prescription for the medication they use in the nebulizer (we have the machine at home) he said they don't give scripts for that because if you need a nedulizer then you need to be in hospital. This seems to be overkill as I remember a girl at school who used a nebulizer in school every lunchbreak. Does anybody know if you can buy the medicine over the counter, or dare I say it, over the internet?

Thanks
Mike

pretty sure you cant, not without a prescription.

[knk]

Speak to your GP.

[JumboBeef]

It was Salbutamol or if it was a bad attack, Ipratropium Bromide (Atrovent).

[Paul Dishman]

knk said:

Speak to your GP.

Correct. Its what your GP is there for. You'll need a prescription, you can't buy such meds over the counter. Don't even attempt to buy over the net-its asking for trouble

[Lois]

You can get the medication for home nebulisation, however this should be reserved for those who would otherwise never leave hospital and are known to HAVE to have it to breathe daily.
I don't know of any doctor who would prescribe the medication to have "just in case". The reason they want you in hospital is because if you need a nebuliser they need to be doing a full review of the problem and possibly adjust other medications.

[mkopc167]

Thank you all for the replies. Having had a nights sleep I realise now that buying medication on the internet may not be wisest idea I've ever had! However, when SWMBO is in such pain and discomfort I'd try anything.

Will see how she goes over the next day or two and then maybe speak to the GP and see if they can suggest anything else.

Thanks once again.

[spdpug98]

I am in exactly the same position, I have my own nebuliser at home for when I have an asthma attack and have had for over 20 years. Up until last year, I have had prescriptions for my nebules without any problems, but as of last year, the doctors have been advised not to prescribe the nebules to patients as if their attack is bad enough to warrant a nebule they should be in hospital

I lodged a complaint with one of the Doctors (who I can't praise enough) he took it on and tried to get the Surgery to start prescribing again - but eventually he called me to say he had tried everything he could and had lost

So now if I have an attack, we need to get 2 children out of bed (2 & 4) get them dressed and then the wife has to get me out of bed and down to the car and then drive us to the local A&E. I then have to walk to A&E somehow in the middle of an attack, wait in reception until they can see me, which could all take 30 minutes to an hour – whereas in the past she would get my nebuliser out of the wardrobe and within minutes I would be on the road to recovery

[Coco H]

I have been told that using your inhaler through a spacer is just as effective as using a nebuliser - ceratinly this is what some asthma organisations seem to be promoting x

[K77 CTR]

GP surgeries and out of hour docs will normally nebulise, as will walk in centres and if bad enough 999. This allows for the initial attack to be dealt with and then further assessment can be carried out as necessary.

[Leve Lad]

Hello all. This is my first post so please bare with me.

I have suffered with my asthma pretty badly this year. About 5 short visits to A & E so far as well as a 3 day visit.

I started with my asthma in January last year after 35 years of having no issues. I have really studied it because if im honest it frightens me to death

I think the main reason now that doctors are reluctant to promote home nebulisation is to prevent people from over doing it. Whilst the nebulisers are great when you are having an attack, using them when its not really required can be harmful. Unfortunetly a lot of people will use them when they are not required and lots of people will use them for a cheap thrill.

In very extreme cases the doctors will issue them but usually its for people who have regular asthma attacks or older people.

[TXWRX]

thats it yeah, if overused it can be very harmful, i'm not on it anymore but i assume it has been pulled from general availablility because they've linked a lot of problems people are having with overdosing

[Lois]

They even stopped me having them in hospital as my heart rate was over 140. Unfortunately nebs were the only thing that helped stop me coughing and therefore reduced the associated pain...so my heart rate was up either way!

[Kudos]

Sort of as above. They want to do it under supervision so that they can note how much/often you are taking it. if you do it at home then they can't monitor this.

Thankfully I managed to grow out of it and haven't had a bad attack in 20+years, still on medication though.

[Bill]

spdpug98 said:

So now if I have an attack, we need to get 2 children out of bed (2 & 4) get them dressed and then the wife has to get me out of bed and down to the car and then drive us to the local A&E. I then have to walk to A&E somehow in the middle of an attack, wait in reception until they can see me, which could all take 30 minutes to an hour – whereas in the past she would get my nebuliser out of the wardrobe and within minutes I would be on the road to recovery

Tbh (and I'm not one for abusing the system) that's what an ambulance is for IMO, that or a taxi. Or getting the out of hours service out.

[spdpug98]

Bill said:

spdpug98 said:

So now if I have an attack, we need to get 2 children out of bed (2 & 4) get them dressed and then the wife has to get me out of bed and down to the car and then drive us to the local A&E. I then have to walk to A&E somehow in the middle of an attack, wait in reception until they can see me, which could all take 30 minutes to an hour – whereas in the past she would get my nebuliser out of the wardrobe and within minutes I would be on the road to recovery

Tbh (and I'm not one for abusing the system) that's what an ambulance is for IMO, that or a taxi. Or getting the out of hours service out.

This is exactly what the Surgery advised me to do!

[Cogcog]

So basically we can't be trusted to make our our decisions on our own health and should only do what they tell us eh? I wonder how many truly dangerous mis-uses there have been compared to the risk and discomfort by withdrawing home nebs?

[mph1977]

Cogcog said:

So basically we can't be trusted to make our our decisions on our own health and should only do what they tell us eh? I wonder how many truly dangerous mis-uses there have been compared to the risk and discomfort by withdrawing home nebs?

sadly the number of pine boxes brought about by misuse of home nebuliser therapy ssepak for themselves from a clinical governance point of view.

inhalers via spacers as effective if not more so in actually getting the drug to the broncioles ...

[Loopyleesa]

I was told by my GP that you can use boiled water in a nebulizer, to help.

I've done this in the past with my son when it's been needed.

Thankfully he seemed to have grown out of it.