Since the switch from CFC-based to HFA-based albuterol inhalers, a generic version of albuterol no longer exists. Today, there are 3 different brands of albuterol HFA available: ProAir, Ventolin and Proventil. Is there a difference between these inhalers? Does one work better than another? The truth is that all of these inhalers do basically the same thing -- relieve the acute symptoms of asthma, such as wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing and chest tightness. Ventolin, however, has a dose counter, while ProAir and Proventil do not. A dose-counter on a rescue medicine may be an extremely important tool to have, because there really isn't another way to know how much medicine is left in the inhaler. Read more about the different forms of albuterol, and why a dose counter should probably be on all forms of asthma rescue inhalers.
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I feel proventil works a better for me. At least between pro air and proventil. It seems to be stronger and last longer from my usual dosage of one puff.
I feel that the Pro air works better for me. I had been on the proventil for a while but every time I used it I found that it had a rebound effect for me( I needed it more and sooner until I was completely unable to speak because I was so short of breath) I was still having to go to the ER 3-4 times a year. last year I was sent the pro air and I use it before and after I exercise, when I have a cold/URI symptoms and 10 months later I have had no ER visits
ProAir works better for me. I took Ventolin for 3 years before I started using ProAir. When I took Ventolin, my symptoms didn’t go away immediately. I had to continue to use it before I had any relief. Using ProAir, my symptoms go away faster with one or two puffs.
Hi,
Just for your information, all three of these inhalers contain the same medication: a beta-2 agonist called albuterol. It’s just that because of the new HFA propellant standard albuterol MDIs are no longer available generically as they are considered to be a new preparation of the drug.
All three MDIs have excellent quality control and thus there should not be any clinically significant differences between them in terms of performance as they have the same drug and the administration method (the HFA propellant) is roughly the same as well.
That being said, I currently ask my doctor for ProAir because it is the lest expensive of the three right now. Many docs know this and will write for it anyway by default. Just thought I would let you guys know and try to save you some money!
However, if you feel like any one of these has worked better for you than the others I would encourage you to keep using it regardless, placebo effect can be a very powerful thing!
the active medicine is the same, but I pulled out the spec sheets for both and there are some minor ingredients that are different outside. Maybe due to their individual propellent types,
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Ventolin Albuterol dilates the airways of the lung and is used for treating asthma and other conditions of the lung. Asthma is a breathing problem due to widespread narrowing of the airways bronchial tubes.
HFA is ethanol, which is a poor alternative to CFCs. My CFC inhaler just became illegal in 2013, and shoving ethanol in my lungs usually makes things much worse. There is absolutely no oversight on the impurities contained withing the ethanol of these three inhalers, thus no actual quality control. They run out after 120 doses, and my CFC inahler has never done that. In short, the new inhalers are worth less than nothing.
I used albuterol for years and paid less than $10 with my insurance. It worked very well for me. Now that it is no longer available my doctor is prescribing proair. Unfortunately, it does nothing for me so a real waste of money at $45.
Ventolin works best for me .
I really find my proair inhaler is about worthless, it just seems to be weak in it’s delivery. I have an adapter because I thought it was me, with my delivery. It is not, it is weak. I have also had to pay my higher co pay for it because the pharmacy said it is not generic and all the other are not generic, they don’t make a generic any more I was told. Which to me was back words because years ago I started out with a generic. Kind of weird how it works, going through pharmacology in nursing it is complete opposite of what I was taught in the process of drugs manufacturing. I am sure it is because they changed one element of the generic so they could make more profit.
I have had asthma all my life and always used the cfc inhalers. When they changed them to hfa inhalers I noticed the medication was NOT reaching my airways half as well which caused me distress. The new inhalers simply do not work as well in delivering the medication to my airways and I frankly don’t care what the experts have to say to the contrary, I know what I’m talking about since I’ve used them my entire life. I guess that makes me an “expert” in some way. The best hfa inhaler I have found to date is Ventolin. Many of these “experts” have never personally used inhalers and another fun little fact: lots of them get sweet little paid vacations as rewards from the Pharmaceutical companies for pushing their medications. Yes I’m sure the cfc emissions that used to go directly down my throat into my airways was a big threat to the ozone layer of the Earth *sarcasm* ridiculous…People are blind, you can’t get generic albuterol anymore, coincedence? I think not, its allllll about the money honey!
my pro air has a counter on it for some reason. wish any of these worked for me. suffocationg, Rod
I have had Asthma since I was on the 6th grade. I have been using inhalers for the last 35 yrs. I have found that Proventil works far better than ProAir. I would get Ventilin if it wasnt 100.00 a pop. In any case. My dad was sent to the emergency room over christmas (he has copd), and also uses inhalers regularly. He has also said that ProAir is no good, but it is the only one Medicaid will allow him to use. While in the emergency room, I asked the nurse to show my dad how to use an inhaler, becasue he may not be using it correctly, since it seems it never works. We told her he uses ProAir, and she said it’s terrible, right ? She showed him how to use it, and she said what she does is she goes down to Mexico twice a yr, and gets HER inhalers there, because they have the good old fashioned albuterals at any pharmacy in Mexico, the ones we used to be able to use here in the US.. and for far less money. She said since they have made them “Ozone Friendly” … they dont work for anyone, anymore. Anyway … so my mom went down to Mexico 2 wks ago, and picked up about 15 albuterals for 70.00. A few for me, and the rest for my dad. She said when she comes down in April, she’ll take another trip down there, and get a bunch more. I have not tried it yet. But from everything Ive researched on the web, it’s the same exact product we were allowed to use 2 yrs ago.
There is a way to tell how much is left in your in haler with out the dosage meter. Take the canister and drop it in a glass of water, the part that remains on top is the empty part. It won’t give you exact numbers, but it will give you an idea if it’s half full or a quarter full.
Cali, where in mexico does your mom go?
Ever since the change in the propellent used (HFA) I switched to Ventolin. I had always used Proventil and then when the non HFA version became available as a Generic I was using whatever Albuterol was available in the generic form.
But when the makers of Proventil had the reformulate their product to HFA, it just did not work for me and provide the same level of releif. Also, the device would get routinely clogged.
Ever since 3 or 4 prescriptions of the HFA Proventil I had to try something else. I went with Ventolin and it is much better. Yes, they are both Albuterol, but the HFA propellent formulation in the Ventolin works much better and provides much faster less irritative releif.
I am 53 years old and i have had allergy induced/temperature difference induced asthma ever since I can remember.
Kaiser switched to Pro Air 3 years ago. I have had trouble ever since.
The Pro Air are completely ineffective it takes 5 huff to have any relief at all. An if you leave it in your pocket all day the heat from you body renders it useless and you jest have to toss then in the trash. I have complained since Kaiser switch venders to no effect. At a different medical group I was given Ventilin, One huff relief ! But I do not know if it was CFC inhaler, as it was 2 years ago. It seamed a much more power full delivery of the medicine.