Over The Counter Inhalers

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   LindaSmith1posted 12 years ago

   While I was looking something up about inhalers, I found that Primatene Mist for one, is no longer going to be available by the end of 2011. It is being taken off of the market.
   
   So, those without insurance, who purchase this type of inhaler to save money due to cost of prescription needs to read this news flash.
   
   http://www.huliq.com/10473/primatene-mi … -announces

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      homesteadboundposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I will share this!

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      frogyfishposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Yes regretfully as your link says, they will no longer be sold after December 31.  There are not very many left out there right now.

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      justateacherposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      My daughter has grown up with asthma - and is now a 28 year old mother of a wonderful little boy and still has asthma. Throughout the years, we have been told that these over the counter inhalers can be dangerous to your health and should only be used in an extreme emergency because of the damage they can do to your lungs. My mother and uncle and father-in-law with COPD have also been told the same things by their various doctors. I know that many people use these over the counter inhalers as a last resort due to insurance and cost, but I would caution them to be very careful with them.

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   kmackey32posted 12 years ago

   My doctor gave me a script the other day for an inhaler and the cost of it was $55. Total cost for all my meds was almost $100 and I have no insurance. I cut the inhaler out.

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3. 74

   WriteAngledposted 12 years ago

   It is very easy to buy the proper inhalers online. Many of the online pharmacies will issue a prescription themselves free of charge if you are able to make a proper case to them. Generic salbutamol and beclamethasone inhalers cost about $10 each and if you get 6 or so at a time, the postage per inhaler is not too bad.
   
   Although I technically get free prescriptions/medication in Wales, I buy my inhalers online because the time spent in making two visits to the doctor to get the repeat prescription every month plus then going to and waiting in the chemist shop would cost me far more in lost work time and earnings than the price of an online purchase once or twice a year.

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   MikeNVposted 12 years ago

   I would bet the CFL's are really doing serious damage to the Ozone layer are coming from Asthma inhalers.
   
   Meanwhile the US Military burns 360,000 BARRELS of fuel PER DAY.
   
   Thank God the FDA is looking out for the Environment.
   
   And for the people who can not afford the additional cost - The US Government has a program for you... it's called early death.

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   Purple Turtleposted 12 years ago

   I agree with WriteAngled. I have used over the counter inhalers before and I have found that it is much simpler to just get them from a pharmacy or right from the source online.

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   IzzyMposted 12 years ago

   This is an interesting thread. In the UK, certain drugs cannot be bought over the counter at the pharmacy, and are only available with a doctor's prescription.
   
   Salbutamol is one of those.
   
   But Ventolin (the brand name)is cheap to buy, but unless you are entitled to a free prescription, you have to pay... what is it now...£8?
   
   Here in Spain, you can buy your salbutamol inhaler in the pharmacies for about €3 or less (£2.50).
   My daughter used to come out to Spain and buy a years' supply and save herself a fortune.
   
   She is asthmatic. the trouble with drugs like salbutamol/Ventolin, call it what you will, is that they contain powerful drugs and can cause damage if you don't actually need it. That is why they sell it prescription only in the UK, not because they are miserable bar stewards who want you to pay through the nose.
   
   Can you only get drugs like these in the US with a prescription, or do you have pharmacies willing to sell to you direct?

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      kmackey32posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      That is cheap. Wanna send me a few...

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   kmackey32posted 12 years ago

   My perscription is called Proventil HFA 90MCG and it is $55 at Walmart.

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      IzzyMposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      http://www.rxlist.com/proventil-drug.htm
      
      It probably is an expensive one then. I know my daughter was prescribed some inhaler or other as well as salbutamol to control her asthma, but was shocked to discover the pharmacies here sold it for €90 - about $130 - but she could get it on prescription in the UK for only £7 (at the time).
      
      Ask your doctor do you really need this drug, and is there a cheaper alternative. It is better to do that, than miss it out altogether.

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         kmackey32posted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Yes I really need it. I have been having attacks for days. The doctor also has me on steroids and an antibiotic but nothings working yet.

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            IzzyMposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            It looks to me like your doctor has prescribed you an expensive brand name drug as opposed to a cheap generic one.
            There is NO DIFFERENCE between the two except on price.
            Brand name drugs were developed and produced by the manufacturer, and their licence allows them exclusive rights to sell their drug for a period of time, and to sell at a price which will help them recoup the cost of developing the drug in the first place.
            Out of licence, and anybody can reproduce that drug, and they must use the exact same formula. They can sell it at a fraction of the price because they didn't pay out to develop it.
            Go back and ask your doctor for the GENERIC version of the script he gave you.
            
            You will be able to afford it

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      rebekahELLEposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Have you checked out Walgreens pharmacy? They offer some kind of prescription savings for uninsured customers. I can't recall the name of it, but you could give them a call and find out prices. Hope you feel better.

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   IzzyMposted 12 years ago

   Just looked at my own link - this is salbutamol? Just ask the doc for a prescription for salbutamol which is the generic name. Cut out the middle man and the foreign holiday the drugs sales rep offered your doctor!
   
   It is a cheap drug, but powerful. You need it more than your doc needs the foreign holiday!!

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