So, I have inhaler now..

[Eris0303]

Last weekend I helped my sister look for something in her closet. Shortly thereafter I started having trouble breathing - an obvious dust allergy. As Saturday turned into Sunday the issue didn't correct itself. I grew more and more weak and my breathing remained labored. By the time Monday came along there was no denying that I had to see a doctor.

My blood oxygen level was 94 and there was definite wheezing in my lungs. My doctor let me borrow her nebulizer and gave me a prescription for a rescue inhaler.

Now every time I cough someone at work asks me where my inhaler is or suggests I use it. I don't actually have asthma but my understanding is that a rescue inhaler is just that - for rescue. Is there such a misunderstanding of what an inhaler is for or are they so overused that people think you need them for every little thing?

[HorseTears]

I have nothing useful to contribute, Eris, but just wishing you good health!

[Eris0303]

I have nothing useful to contribute, Eris, but just wishing you good health!

Thanks. Other than lingering fatigue I was back to my old self after my first nebulizer treatment

[Jane2]

I think your best bet for the correct answer to your question would be from your doctor, as opposed to us, as well meaning that most of us are.

p.s. Eris- I looked up oxygen levels because I knew nothing about them. Levels under 90 could be problematic, so you should be ok!

[JoeKv99]

Yeah 94 isn't so bad. And I agree, talk to your doctor not a web board but I bet you'll KNOW when you need to use your inhaler.

[Eris0303]

p.s. Eris- I looked up oxygen levels because I knew nothing about them. Levels under 90 could be problematic, so you should be ok!

Yeah, I was okay but I had I waited I might not of been. I actually didn't want to go to the doctor and was trying to get dressed for work. It was when I couldn't even get dressed that finally convinced me to go.

My question is less "medical" and more "general". What I'm wondering is if there seems to be a general misunderstanding of inhalers. A friend of mine told me that she feels doctors prescribe inhalers too readily and that people grow too dependent on them. And, I've been wondering the same thing.

[Anakela]

I am not a doctor.

I do have asthma, though, and to answer the general inhaler questions (again, just from my experience as a patient. not a doctor.) there are basically two kinds of inhalers, rescue and daily. I have both. So, the daily inhaler I use daily, it's preventative, and the rescue inhaler I use either during an asthma attack or also before any type of cardio based workout, to open my lungs and prevent an exercise induced asthma attack. And I would never use either just because I'm coughing.

I see my allergist every 6 months, and we adjust my inhaler(s) accordingly if needed, and my inhaler prescription has actually dropped by half since I started seeing her. I've never really thought about overprescriptions of inhalers - not that it doesn't happen, but I've never really seen/heard about it?

[Mister Matt]

Inhaler? I hardly know 'er!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Sorry...I couldn't resist.