Coughing and shortness of breath after taking ventolin

Hi Yes the rapid response team only loaned him the nebuliser when he came out of hospital it was their job to wean him off and make sure the other inhalers were working.  He does take his ventolin with a spacer but yes I think some of it may be to do with technique.  I myself am asthmatic allbeit mild so don't use ventolin very often.  I have always used a spacer because I could never master the technique of breathing in and pressing the inhaler so it ended up in my throat instead of lungs.  Because he has not had the lung function tests he has not been to see the consultant or any resp nurse although we have a phone number to call for any advise or during an exacerbation.  I do know you can purchase portable nebulisers but I doubt the gp would supply the nebules unless he needed a nebuliser all the time.  My daughter in law purchased one and does get the nebules for her doctor but we live in a different area.  They seem to be cutting back on everything in London.  He tried to get a blood sugar monitor as he has type 2 diabetes but the doctor said no not necessary.  I know of people who have got them free from the gp and many on the Diabetic forum find them helpful even for type 2.  My son who is type 1 also had to buy his own.  I just wish we could get the lung function and blood tests done (next week) and see the consultant and get into the system.

Thanks for your advice.

Inhalers which will take spacers don't supply anywhere near the correct dose without the spacer bc most of it doesn't get into your lungs:  I remember that from rehab even though the medications I use - Spiriva and symbicort - can't be used with spacers.

I think from memory you would only be getting about 20% of the medication if you're not using a spacer

Yes I agree with you. I suggested my husband use a spacer with the ventolin for the reason you say mention as I have done for years.  With symbicort and spiriva they are much easer to use so although they can't be used with a spacer don't think you would need one anyway.

As Jude 65855 mentioned you are more likely to get the proper dose using ventolin with a spacer as if your technique is not very good most of it ends up in your throat.  That said I do know people you use ventolin without a spacer.  I just thought it better for him to use a spacer to get the maximum dose.  We will see what the consultant says and whether it needs changing when we eventually see him.

Spacers were made for a reason, that it's difficult for people to inhale the maximum dose, especially as they're usually already short of breath

Hi sparkymcfly and anyone else reading this.  We came back from our trip up North last weekend.  We had a a good time no problems re COPD except my husband was coughing a lot.  We have noticed that cooking smells especially if something burns, supermarkets down the washing poweder etc aisles and some perfumes cause him to cough or become tight chested.  He wears a face mask in the garden when cutting the grass which he says helps.  He had his blood tests for allergies last week and lung functions tests.  I don't know what qualifications the people who carry them out have but the lady who did his said she thought it was asthma.  I am not so sure.  We will have to wait for the consultant appointment.  They did originally say 6 -8 weeks and that will be up end of the month.  The one thing that bothers him the most is the cough which is every day often in spasms not very often at night when sleeping.  It is this normal for COPD and is there anything he can do to help.  He said he sometimes feels like he needs to bring up mucus but can't  I know that peak flows really apply to asthma but he has been asked to do them until he sees the consultant.  They range from 250/280 in the morning and 300/330 late afternoon.  Any comments or advice would be welcome whilst waiting for the appointment to come through.  The lady at the lung function said an app would be sent but don't hold your breath which seems to imply there is a long wait.

"Thought" it was asthma?   Normally spirometry is done with and without ventolin to check for asthma:  simple then to diagnose whether it's asthma or something else, usually emphysema

The reaction to smells is common:  if you can smell it, you're getting some of it into your lungs.  Washing powder smells and some perfumes have affected me for decades before I had COPD.

The nonproductive cough is a feature of COPD and the only thing that relieved it for me was being prescribed a cortisone inhaler in addition to Spiriva.

I've said this before on this forum, I have never found specialists or consultants any  more use than a well-informed gp or practice nurse:  a gp could prescribe medication to relieve the coughing, which is exhausting.