Blue inhalers at the supermarket

Reliever inhalers will be on sale in Supermarkets costing £7 which is just less than the current prescription charge. Sales of Salbutamol inhalers will be carefully monitored by an online G.P. service and the pharmacist.

So far reaction to this news appears to mixed. For those of you already prescribed this medication it will be a little less expensive, perhaps more convenient and more accessible, especially at times such as when you are away from home. The news does have a downside though and as most of our Kindred Spirits point out,

Relying on a nebuliser when you are feeling more breathless than usual and taking extra doses of nebulised relievers will only disguise and delay the need to seek medical advice. British Lung Foundation

We also see a slightly different cause for concern. One that prompted us to recently revisit the basics of nebuliser therapy Many people don’t always grasp just what a nebuliser or an inhaler actually does. The news is calling them Asthma inhalers but many of you have been prescribed salbutamol for lots of other clinical conditions, and as we witness on an almost daily basis, many people believe that an inhaler or nebuliser will help cure a multitude of passing symptoms such as a cough, dry mouth, sneezes, wheezes, and all manner of upper respiratory infections as well as minor annoying tickles.

It will certainly be interesting to see what unfolds. Why not check out our Kindred Spirits and read their opinions on the subject.

Nebuliser Medication

For some of you who need regular nebuliser medication cost of prescriptions can be very expensive, especially if you are to taking other medications as well. The Prescription Payment Certificate can offer a way to keep costs as low as possible for those of you who aren’t entitled to free prescriptions and more details can be found here

Asthma UK along with other organisations in the Prescription Charges Coalition have campaigned for many years to keep prescription charges down and once again are asking for your support to encourage this Government to freeze the cost of prescriptions till 2015

If you would like to add your signature to their campaign click on the link below: 

http://www.asthma.org.uk/news_media/news/freeze_the_cost_of_p.html

Nebulising Saline

Can you sing?

We can’t or at least not very well. 

Recent research however shows that after nebulising isotonic saline Sopranos can sing more effortlessly and as a matter of fact over the years we have had occasional calls from exotic visiting entertainers needing a nebuliser to assist their performance. 

This research no doubt has a more serious aspect and is part of a ‘dehydration challenge’ where dry air and sterile water were used for comparison and although the results were noticeable, the benefit was only short term which helps explain why some of you will be prescribed saline at regular intervals. 

So what is Isotonic saline? 

Its basically sterile salt water at a concentration of 0.9% and often referred to as normal saline. It has many medical uses, nebulisation being just one, but for those of you with a tracheostomy or laryngectomy it can be vital to prevent sticky secretions blocking your airway.

Sticky mucus secretions in lower airways can cause serious long term issues in many chest conditions . They are difficult to clear by coughing and can lead to frequent recurrent chest infections, lung damage and often exhaustion from over coughing and lack of sleep. 

Treatment is very individual and can range from being recommended a simple oscillating PEP device such as the Flutter or the Shaker, regular nebulisation with normal saline, to a complex therapeutic regime  which may include chest physic, mucolytics, inhaled bronchodilators, antibiotics or steroids. 

So what is Hypertonic saline ?

As part of your therapeutic regime many of you are prescribed hypertonic saline. This is a stronger concentration of sterile salt solution which can be anything from 3% to 7%. 

It has been used over the years to treat many chest conditions such as bronchiolitis,  bronchiectasis and cystic fibrosis, and it has helped to the reduce the number of recurrent chest infections and improve lung function for some of you over the short term. However the research is still very much ongoing and where some of you find it beneficial, for others it is not appropriate or you may find it unhelpful. Your health practitioner may suggest a short term trial. 

As to which nebuliser to chose? You may find the hypertonic saline more difficult to nebulise due to its higher concentration of salt, therefore long term a slightly more powerful unit may be more appropriate or one with a specialised chamber. You can view our full range by clicking HERE 
There will almost certainly be more residual salt so cleaning the accessories will need extra attention and you can click on the red links for more advice.

If wish to chat about which nebuliser may be more appropriate or you can recommend a particular unit for others, please give us a call on 01942 701210, email HERE or post below. 

Prescription Payment Certificates

Nebuliser medication when prescribed for home use is often prescribed long term, so, having purchased your own nebuliser whatever the reason and having been prescribed the medication is there anything you can do about reducing the cost, which in England is set to rise by another 20p April 2011.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12646111

First question to ask is are you entitled to free prescriptions? 

This covers certain age groups, pregnant woman, holders of a valid medical exemption certificate, those of you who receive specified  government allowances and benefits, but only some  medical conditions

You can find more details here:

http://www.nhs.uk/nhsengland/healthcosts/pages/prescriptioncosts.aspx

If you are you are on a low income you may also be able to apply for help with payment and those details can also be found on the link above. 

If non of these apply to you, then the next thing to consider is a Prescription Payment Certificate (PPC).  If you have to pay for four or more prescriptions in three months, or 15 or more items in 12 months, you may find it a cheaper option. 

Asthma UK have recently been asking the Health Minister a lot of questions on your behalf. They, along with the Prescription Charges Coalition , have campaigned for many years looking for reform of the prescription charge system in order to make it fairer for more of you with long term medical conditions and to raise awareness of the PPC. 

The PPC can be obtained on line, by phone, by post or at a registered pharmacy. 


Why not find out more and see if you can make a saving. 

So what do you really know about your nebuliser medication?

Previously we have looked at how the medication you are prescribed can effect the choice of nebuliser that you may need to buy. But what do you really know about your prescription? 

Unfamiliar words and best practice instructions don’t always get your undivided attention when you are distracted by the anxiety and worry of coming to terms with a new and possibly long term illness. Added to that is the stress of having to learn to live with a “new machine”. Initially it can seem overwhelming and confusing but the best place to start for advice is always with those closest to you. 

Your local pharmacist will know your medication history as well as everything there is to know about your prescription, so why not start there.

The health professional who suggested this course of treatment will know you and just what benefit they hope you will achieve from having a nebuliser.  

Which nebuliser to choose? Your health professional may recommend a particular unit but if not we are always happy to help. https://evergreen-nebulizers.co.uk/contact 01942 701210

Medications are used to treat, prevent or control an illness. Some such as Salbutamol are used in breathing disorders to relax the muscles in the airways of your lungs, helping to keep the airways open and making it easier to breathe, and can bring almost immediate relief from your symptoms. Others like Ipratropium take longer to become effective but the effect lasts longer if taken at routine prescribed intervals through the day. 

Nebulised saline (0.9% saline) is used to aid airway clearance and sputum induction in a variety of respiratory disorders, such as cystic fibrosis and bronchioectasis, and occasionally you may be recommended a stronger solution  for short or long term use. It is also prescribed to provide moisture for those of you with a laryngectomy or tracheostomy

Medicines such as Pulmicort are used to prevent attacks of breathlessness by reducing inflammation in your airways while others such as Colomycin are used to reduce any infection by killing certain types of bacteria. Both have very different usage and storage instructions and carry their own warnings. 

All medications carry risks and not all are suitable for everyone. Again your pharmacist or health professional will be able to provide you any with specialist knowledge. Don’t be afraid of asking even if it may seem a silly question. They know you and your condition best. 

If you want to read more about your medication then check out these links:

 http://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/                             http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Pages/hub.aspx 
If you want to contact fellow suffers or kindred spirits then check out our useful links.