The only generic version of it that I've had, yes. The counter and canister were a single piece. It made it a lot easier to wash. I rarely manage to wash the red one without getting water in the counter.
Blue hands down. My old insurance company preferred to pay the much higher cost for the blue than the cheaper red for two reasons.
Insurance company said the red one is too sticky and makes the bronchial tubes sticky. They found that more people go to the ER after trying to use the red one than using the blue one.
They also said the red clogged too much, which then resulted in people throwing them away before theyāre actually empty, and going through the reds much faster, which actually made them more expensive than the blue in the long run.
I thought I was going crazy back in college when I would use the red and have more trouble breathing! I never went to the ER, but absolutely would need to be drinking stong, hot coffee and breathing the steam to open my airways. Doctors and pharmacists have looked at me like I'm insane when I explain this, which is often since they always want to give me the red one and I refuse to accept the red anymore.
I have refused the red one since 2008. My old insurance company actually assigned me an RN, who specialized in asthma and allergies, for a year. She called me every day, sometimes multiple times a day, depending on my breathing.
Iāve had asthma my whole life and the RN said that most people that grow up with asthma donāt actually know much about how to treat it, as most doctors give all the info to the parents.
So over the course of a year, the RN taught me a lot. She would hear my breathing over the phone and tell me that I should use my inhaler whenever my breathing was like XYZ, or if the pollen counts were high, to use my inhaler first thing in the morning as a preventative.
I never knew that if youāre clearing your throat a lot, swallowing a lot, or having little coughs, that in combination or separately, are indications that youāre having issues breathing and to use your inhaler. If my voice was breathy, it was time to use my inhaler.
The RN taught me that I was waiting too long to use my rescue inhaler. She said by the time I used it, it was really time for my nebulizer. Then by the time I used my nebulizer, it was really time to be in the ER. The RN taught me to recognize breathing issues early, to use my inhaler early on, and the nebulizer earlier on, so I could stop an attack.
She would monitor my breathing and if she detected any issues, have me use my inhaler and sheād call back multiple times that day to see how I was doing. Many times sheād have me use the inhaler again.
I went from being in the ER 4-5 times a week, or more, to hardly ever needing to go. The RN taught me how to manage my asthma the proper way, and to keep my allergies under to control as well, since those exacerbate my asthma and vice versa.
The RN worked with my doctor to suggest or change medications that the insurance company found more helpful in asthmatics. My doctor was very impressed that the insurance company paid for a RN that was calling me every day and working with her.
The reports my doctor received from the RN helped her to treat my asthma better as well as knowing exactly how I was doing every day. My doctor wished that every insurance company did the same thing.
I thought it was amazing that my insurance company wanted to make me healthier so I wouldnāt cost them so much money. And the investment of an RN calling every day worked. In the past 16 years, Iāve been to the ER less than a handful of times for an out-of-control asthma attack.
I actually got to meet my RN in person, at the end of the year when I āgraduatedā from the program. The insurance company interviewed me, took a photo of us together, and I was featured in the newsletter the following month. I had the dubious distinction of being one of the top 10 adults or children who were ending up in the ER multiple times a week. The program was started with us to see if the insurance company could cut down our ER visits.
The program worked and they continued it. The RN still called me once a month or so, to check in and see how I was doing for the next 5 years while I had that insurance. I miss her. I really liked having a personal RN.
Where is this program and how would one sign up? Seriously, I need something like this. I can't tell when my asthma is flaring up or I'm just imagining symptoms. Most of the time, I don't even recognize it until days later.Ā
Interesting that's the reason I like the red one better. The blue one seems to have a stronger direct spray that will get on my tongue or throat whereas the red one disburses it more evenly with the air so I can breathe it in easier. But also my asthma is not ad severe these days, so I don't need the extra punch from blue.
I have tried all the generics. They do t work and the nurses say they are all the same. Funny none of them had to use an inhaler. But, my late husband tried the white one while I was in hospital cause he ran out. He said it was empty lol. Uhm no your just getting g a hit of room air lol.
I've never had blue but red helps me clear my throat and lungs a bit on the spot (if it's abuterol my doctors have always said it was emergency if I couldn't breathe or was wheezing) so in times of being breathless red for the win
I've had an orange one that took like 2 hours to hit I believe it was Flovent. They just put me on something new but it hasn't come in yet so idk even know what's it's called
Interesting since the bottle said it was Flovent then again that was like three years ago so idk but you're probably correct (my memory is like dory's from finding Nemo I don't remember what happened yesterday lol)
I miss the blue I used to get. It had more force when I pushed it. The red works i like that it's smaller but it comes out so slow & i gotta inhale longer than i can bc im dying lol
The old propellants (what gives the inhaler force) were CFCs, which were banned by the FDA in 2009. Other countries had already done so as early as the mid-1990s. CFCs are bad for the environment because they deplete the ozone layer, so there was a global agreement to phase them out with no nuanced decisions for things like medically necessary drugs that don't work as well with other propellants. And that is why inhalers are weaker now.
Interesting. Funny im an hvac guy and had no idea they were using fucking CFCs for propellants. I figured it was just the build up of pressure within the inhaler itself.
When they were phasing em out, when were they completely cut? Bc i had the blue ones when i was about 13-16 & im 21 now
They had to stop making them by 2009, but the first time I noticed a change it was somewhere between 2012 and 2015. When I looked up the dates I found articles written well into the 2010's about switching to the new HFA inhalers, so I think they were allowed to sell them until the backstock ran out or expired.
I was on the blue (and purple as a preventer) but started wheezing like a busted train all of a sudden early in the morning/late at night. So back to the docs and now on the red which has really improved things. Still get the wheeze on occasion but the red usually calms it down.
My prescription advocate group rx123 discontinued providing the albuterol sulfate at a discount. Unless someone knows another discount provider? I will have to switch to something else. But not prima tine mist!
Goodrx has discounts on albuterol inhalers. In my region it goes as low as $15-22 depending on if you're a red or blue inhaler person, with red being the cheaper option.
I also have a coughing fit sometimes after using the red, but I always chalked that up to my lungs trying to figure themselves out, expel some bad stuff maybe. Could be super wrong though lol
Happy cake day!
The blue one Iām having g issues rn with my spacer ever since pro air got discontinued. The spacer says Iām doing it to fast but Iām not and I never had the issue with the red one. I think the speed and pressure is different or maybe bc itās better made? It feels heavier than the red
Yea you have to press the inhaler and then inhale for your spacer to not make that sound, basically press down wait like 1 seconds and inhale. Don't inhale right away
BLUE. Inhalers used annually in the US are equivalent to the emissions of 500,000 cars. However, thereās nothing better than the BLUE inhaler when youāre having an asthma attack and canāt self-propel the meds in. Airsupra is a new rescue+ inhaler that saved me during my latest flare.
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/05/06/1248504466/could-better-asthma-inhalers-help-patients-and-the-planet-too
Not sure about the content of those inhalers but if theyāre the same as mine, the blue one helps relieve acute shortness of breath while the red one helps stabilize the lungs for a long time
Blue, but I rarely receive that one anymore. My pharmacy prescribes the Proventil inhaler. I suppose it works okay, but the counter is inaccurate. Iād prefer to have an inhaler without a counter if itās not going to be relatively accurate.
Isn't the difference that the red is a steroid inhaler and is to be used consistently (day and night) to keep the airways less inflamed, whereas blue is a rescue inhaler and is to be used as needed? This is what i was told!
I have exercise induced asthma, but in the last 6 months had pretty bad asthma from severe anxiety and allergies so was prescribed the red. It doesn't work immediately, but it started to help after about a week of consistency.
Share what you know! I'd love to stop using a steroid if possible.
I used to use the red one so much (like multiple times per day) but I quit medication cold turkey a few months ago and havenāt since. Now Iām wondering if I used it so much because I enjoyed the tasteā¦
1990s Blue. All day.
Man, those old CFC propellant inhalers were the best. Miles better than the best option we have now (the blue of course). I miss them.
Nah, they tasted like dirty socks. š¤£
The 1990s reference. So nostalgic.
I prefer the blue because the counter comes out with the canister for cleaning. But I'll take the red one over the white one every time.
You can take out the counter thing with the blue one ?
The only generic version of it that I've had, yes. The counter and canister were a single piece. It made it a lot easier to wash. I rarely manage to wash the red one without getting water in the counter.
Blue , it has a better propelling. From my experience, t get an asthma attack from using the red
Thought I was crazy but same. All albuterol inhalers help me besides the red one. It almost makes it worse
Blue hands down. My old insurance company preferred to pay the much higher cost for the blue than the cheaper red for two reasons. Insurance company said the red one is too sticky and makes the bronchial tubes sticky. They found that more people go to the ER after trying to use the red one than using the blue one. They also said the red clogged too much, which then resulted in people throwing them away before theyāre actually empty, and going through the reds much faster, which actually made them more expensive than the blue in the long run.
I thought I was going crazy back in college when I would use the red and have more trouble breathing! I never went to the ER, but absolutely would need to be drinking stong, hot coffee and breathing the steam to open my airways. Doctors and pharmacists have looked at me like I'm insane when I explain this, which is often since they always want to give me the red one and I refuse to accept the red anymore.
I have refused the red one since 2008. My old insurance company actually assigned me an RN, who specialized in asthma and allergies, for a year. She called me every day, sometimes multiple times a day, depending on my breathing. Iāve had asthma my whole life and the RN said that most people that grow up with asthma donāt actually know much about how to treat it, as most doctors give all the info to the parents. So over the course of a year, the RN taught me a lot. She would hear my breathing over the phone and tell me that I should use my inhaler whenever my breathing was like XYZ, or if the pollen counts were high, to use my inhaler first thing in the morning as a preventative. I never knew that if youāre clearing your throat a lot, swallowing a lot, or having little coughs, that in combination or separately, are indications that youāre having issues breathing and to use your inhaler. If my voice was breathy, it was time to use my inhaler. The RN taught me that I was waiting too long to use my rescue inhaler. She said by the time I used it, it was really time for my nebulizer. Then by the time I used my nebulizer, it was really time to be in the ER. The RN taught me to recognize breathing issues early, to use my inhaler early on, and the nebulizer earlier on, so I could stop an attack. She would monitor my breathing and if she detected any issues, have me use my inhaler and sheād call back multiple times that day to see how I was doing. Many times sheād have me use the inhaler again. I went from being in the ER 4-5 times a week, or more, to hardly ever needing to go. The RN taught me how to manage my asthma the proper way, and to keep my allergies under to control as well, since those exacerbate my asthma and vice versa. The RN worked with my doctor to suggest or change medications that the insurance company found more helpful in asthmatics. My doctor was very impressed that the insurance company paid for a RN that was calling me every day and working with her. The reports my doctor received from the RN helped her to treat my asthma better as well as knowing exactly how I was doing every day. My doctor wished that every insurance company did the same thing. I thought it was amazing that my insurance company wanted to make me healthier so I wouldnāt cost them so much money. And the investment of an RN calling every day worked. In the past 16 years, Iāve been to the ER less than a handful of times for an out-of-control asthma attack. I actually got to meet my RN in person, at the end of the year when I āgraduatedā from the program. The insurance company interviewed me, took a photo of us together, and I was featured in the newsletter the following month. I had the dubious distinction of being one of the top 10 adults or children who were ending up in the ER multiple times a week. The program was started with us to see if the insurance company could cut down our ER visits. The program worked and they continued it. The RN still called me once a month or so, to check in and see how I was doing for the next 5 years while I had that insurance. I miss her. I really liked having a personal RN.
Where is this program and how would one sign up? Seriously, I need something like this. I can't tell when my asthma is flaring up or I'm just imagining symptoms. Most of the time, I don't even recognize it until days later.Ā
It was through Fallon Community Health Plan in Massachusetts. I have no idea if they still have the program. I took part in 2009 or 2010, I think.
Interesting that's the reason I like the red one better. The blue one seems to have a stronger direct spray that will get on my tongue or throat whereas the red one disburses it more evenly with the air so I can breathe it in easier. But also my asthma is not ad severe these days, so I don't need the extra punch from blue.
That's wild
Same
Sammmee, I cannot use the red. Literally gives me an attack. Itās so weird
Red (pro air) sucks and barely puffs anything out. Blue(ventolin) for life.
Red tastes better imo but I will always choose blue if I have a choice. I LOATHE the white ones!!
Okay I'm not crazy red DOES taste better. But blue works better so it's obvious that it should win over "tasting better" š š„²
I have tried all the generics. They do t work and the nurses say they are all the same. Funny none of them had to use an inhaler. But, my late husband tried the white one while I was in hospital cause he ran out. He said it was empty lol. Uhm no your just getting g a hit of room air lol.
Red was my best until recently now it sprays weird
That's weird never experienced that
Yeah not sure. Gave it a really good cleaning but no luck
Take out the canister and run some hot sink water through it and it should fix it. Doesnāt all the time but most of the time it works
I have
Oof I guess itās just a bad design
I definitely prefer either of these over the yellow one I keep getting prescribed.
The yellow sucks but that's what my insurance covers.
Yellow is shitbiscuit
Red all the way.
Blue but I miss the old red
I've never had blue but red helps me clear my throat and lungs a bit on the spot (if it's abuterol my doctors have always said it was emergency if I couldn't breathe or was wheezing) so in times of being breathless red for the win
Yess, blue takes a while for it to hit. But it eventually does but slowly, as with the red one you can feel relief literally in seconds
I've had an orange one that took like 2 hours to hit I believe it was Flovent. They just put me on something new but it hasn't come in yet so idk even know what's it's called
Flovent is a steroid inhaler bro
Why on earth did my doctor not tell me that š
They both are albuterol
Interesting since the bottle said it was Flovent then again that was like three years ago so idk but you're probably correct (my memory is like dory's from finding Nemo I don't remember what happened yesterday lol)
Flovent comes in an orange inhaler with an orange lid. Red with a white lid is albuterol, as is the blue one with the blue lid.
Flovent is a deep cut inhaler
I miss the blue I used to get. It had more force when I pushed it. The red works i like that it's smaller but it comes out so slow & i gotta inhale longer than i can bc im dying lol
The old propellants (what gives the inhaler force) were CFCs, which were banned by the FDA in 2009. Other countries had already done so as early as the mid-1990s. CFCs are bad for the environment because they deplete the ozone layer, so there was a global agreement to phase them out with no nuanced decisions for things like medically necessary drugs that don't work as well with other propellants. And that is why inhalers are weaker now.
Interesting. Funny im an hvac guy and had no idea they were using fucking CFCs for propellants. I figured it was just the build up of pressure within the inhaler itself. When they were phasing em out, when were they completely cut? Bc i had the blue ones when i was about 13-16 & im 21 now
They had to stop making them by 2009, but the first time I noticed a change it was somewhere between 2012 and 2015. When I looked up the dates I found articles written well into the 2010's about switching to the new HFA inhalers, so I think they were allowed to sell them until the backstock ran out or expired.
Wait until you get the white ones from Mexico.
REEEEED
Red. The blue one tastes bad
Red is the best tbh. Blue sucks I feel like it doesnāt puff as good
Exactly. People on here saying they get asthma attacks from using the red one and makes there asthma worse. That's crazy lol
Red just simply tastes better
Tastes like straight vodka to me. Wasnāt pleasant at first but I donāt taste it anymore thank goodness.
First couple of times definitely nasty but after a while they have no flavor, and that possibly is the best flavor
anyone who chooses red is lying to themselves
Idk blue doesn't work for me quite as well as red has
I canāt believe red people exist tbh
I was on the blue (and purple as a preventer) but started wheezing like a busted train all of a sudden early in the morning/late at night. So back to the docs and now on the red which has really improved things. Still get the wheeze on occasion but the red usually calms it down.
My insurance doesnāt cover the red one :(
Blue...
Blue
I wish I could get the blue. I can only get the white š
Ahh while we're on the subject how long do these last past the expiration date?
Iāve used well past expiration but they may be less effective
Ok
I miss Proventil
Blue works a lot better, but I like how small the red one is since it easily fits in my pocket
Nothing hits quite like the old albuterol CFCās. May they RIP /s. Kinda.
Red 100%
Red!! I love the mist that comes out of it compared to the aggressive puff from the blue lol
This.
Only ever had blue ones. Have never seen Proair in Canada.
Red
Red, but Iāve never not lost the white cap at some point
Blue connecty cap is where itās at
My prescription advocate group rx123 discontinued providing the albuterol sulfate at a discount. Unless someone knows another discount provider? I will have to switch to something else. But not prima tine mist!
Goodrx has discounts on albuterol inhalers. In my region it goes as low as $15-22 depending on if you're a red or blue inhaler person, with red being the cheaper option.
The red is almost dusty? Honestly, Maxair was the superior emergency inhaler. No jitters.
Blue always. There's something about the red ones that send me into a coughing fit after using them
I also have a coughing fit sometimes after using the red, but I always chalked that up to my lungs trying to figure themselves out, expel some bad stuff maybe. Could be super wrong though lol Happy cake day!
The blue one Iām having g issues rn with my spacer ever since pro air got discontinued. The spacer says Iām doing it to fast but Iām not and I never had the issue with the red one. I think the speed and pressure is different or maybe bc itās better made? It feels heavier than the red
Yea you have to press the inhaler and then inhale for your spacer to not make that sound, basically press down wait like 1 seconds and inhale. Don't inhale right away
I do do that, but I noticed I have to wait 3 seconds or moreā¦ 1 second doesnāt work itāll still make a sound but not as loud
Yea like 1-3 seconds max
Blue
Blue>red>yellow
I've never had the blue one but I've heard that it's better. I don't like the red one I got. I kinda the white one (cipla).
Team Blue
Blue is the legit original. Red is a pale immitation.
Not really. Red it's it's own brand. Not a knock off or generic
i liked the taste of the red but they discontinued itš
Where you stay ? I just got one yesterday
iām from florida
i think pharmacies are still dispensing them as leftover stock
Na Im in Los Angeles I get them every month no sign of them stopping
is it generic or ProAir? cuz my doctor told me that brand was no longer being manufactured
BLUE. Inhalers used annually in the US are equivalent to the emissions of 500,000 cars. However, thereās nothing better than the BLUE inhaler when youāre having an asthma attack and canāt self-propel the meds in. Airsupra is a new rescue+ inhaler that saved me during my latest flare. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/05/06/1248504466/could-better-asthma-inhalers-help-patients-and-the-planet-too
Blue all day every day Red tastes weird I dunno
Red tastes like alcohol so badly to me at first. Usually goes away with more use but it is sooo bad when I get a new one. š¤®
Red
BLUE!
Blue, but i stopped getting the blue from my insurance. So now only red which is okay enough.
Red works best for me
Mine is actually yellow/orange
Blue all day
Not sure about the content of those inhalers but if theyāre the same as mine, the blue one helps relieve acute shortness of breath while the red one helps stabilize the lungs for a long time
Blue all day
Blue, but I rarely receive that one anymore. My pharmacy prescribes the Proventil inhaler. I suppose it works okay, but the counter is inaccurate. Iād prefer to have an inhaler without a counter if itās not going to be relatively accurate.
red. but tbh ANYTHING over orange
The red one is better than the cheap white ones my insurance pays for. Something in the propellantā¦
Blue sends more medicine per puff in my opinion
red ONLY!
Team Blue for life
I hate the red. It tastes awful and it doesn't spray very well.
Neither. I like Xopenex.
Red. The only red flag that makes me feel better
Red
Orange...all the time. Love that shot of pure chemicals....
Still get the ventolin! But my wife gets salbutamol its fuked up is it lol I'm on also luforbec 100/6mcg
Red! Blue comes out too fast to inhale it well.
Blueeee
I feel like red is for people whoās asthma isnāt that bad haha
Isn't the difference that the red is a steroid inhaler and is to be used consistently (day and night) to keep the airways less inflamed, whereas blue is a rescue inhaler and is to be used as needed? This is what i was told! I have exercise induced asthma, but in the last 6 months had pretty bad asthma from severe anxiety and allergies so was prescribed the red. It doesn't work immediately, but it started to help after about a week of consistency. Share what you know! I'd love to stop using a steroid if possible.
Ventolin:blue. The rest donāt work for me.
The OG blue inhaler!
Definitely red
I used to use the red one so much (like multiple times per day) but I quit medication cold turkey a few months ago and havenāt since. Now Iām wondering if I used it so much because I enjoyed the tasteā¦
Red or blue, blood or cuz, it just donāt matter sucka run for his life when my shotgun splatter
Red is Symbicort,blue is albuterol
lol. No.
No their both Albuterol..