ProAir HFA Inhalers Reviews

I ended up in the emergency room 3 times during the time I was using this inhaler brand. The last time, I was actually admitted to the hospital. The night before, I was at the airport where I worked. I could barely breathe and I ended up calling the airport paramedics who gave me 2 nebulizer treatments. By the next morning, I was just as bad. I tried driving myself to the hospital but I couldn't make it. I pulled into a fire department parking lot that was on the way and ended up being taken to the hospital by medic unit. I now use ** and never have any problems.

I have asthma and get much worst when I use the inhalers as a rescue inhaler. Today my doctor told me I was reacting to the preservative, which are **. This preservatives can cause restrictions, creating breathing problems. I do not use them anymore.

Picked up a refill inhaler yesterday. My pharmacy apparently has switched from ProAir to Ventolin. I found it really awkward to use, the cap cannot be completely removed (presumably so people won't lose it?); already awkward to hold with the cap dangling under hand. I found it needs a much firmer push than any inhaler I have used before. I got the idea to remove the inhaler- exactly as one normally would do to routinely clean the dispenser- and try using the new inhaler with the old ProAir dispenser. No go - the counter mechanism is permanently attached to the medicine canister (patent issue?).

Prescription costs $40.00, 8 out of 10 times the inhaler gets clogged. Currently have 2 - one clogged after 42 inhalations, the other after 80. No amount of rinsing or cleaning or boiling in water alleviates the problem. So, I have $80.00 worth of medicine that I NEED, that I can't take.

Since CFC inhalers disappeared and the HFA type were introduced, my asthma symptoms have been so much worse that I needed to get on corticosteroid maintenance. HFA inhalers cause irritation to my lungs and I know I'm not the only one who noticed this! Proair is the worst! I recently had my pharmacy switch me to Proair and the stuff is literally making my asthma worse. I can take enough that I'm jittery and I'm wheezing worse for it!!! Terrible product and it also clogs frequently, so obviously not enough research and development went into this thing. I would not at all be surprised if this inhaler and its manufacturer are responsible for deaths of asthmatics who switched to using it.

It worsen the symptoms about 2-3 hours. After inhaling one puff, I start feeling chest and muscle tightness, shortness of breath, increased heart rate, swelling of throat, allergy alike watery eyes and running nose. This product is possibly most toxic inhaler I have ever try.

I'm really not familiar with these inhalers but I'm using one now for bronchitis. Just my third day but I can breathe better after 2 wks of this. Either I was getting better on my own or the inhaler or antibiotics are helping. I sympathize with all you guys that have breathing problems. And yes, big pharma does not care if we breathe or not! Lining pockets is what they care about. Plus the air quality from daily spraying will soon have everyone sick, which is the agenda. But so far I can breathe. If I had asthma, I'd be having the air tested inside my home, to see if maybe I was breathing dangerous chemicals.

I'm running around huffing and puffing, sucking on the end of this inhaler thinking I must be getting sick because I can't breathe and I noticed this morning, my inhaler had no meds in it… even though the number of puffs left was 30. This isn't the first time that has happened.

I have been using ProAir for a year because it is the only rescue inhaler my insurance will pay for. The insurance company has now switched to another rescue inhaler. One canister was empty when I picked it up from the pharmacy. Another problem is when it hits the back of my throat, it causes me to cough. The last problem I had was it was helping too much. I was using it every 1-2 hrs. The strange though was when I finished 1 canister and refilled the script the new canister worked fine. Not a safe product for me.

I have had Chronic Severe Asthma since I was 7 years old born in 1979. My triggers are dogs, cats, smoke and lack of fresh air indoor, air pollution. I used to go through 2 Ventolin type inhalers a month for years as a teenager. Was great when the white generic albuterol came out and you could get them for $16-$18 at Walmart. If I was not taking albuterol I was on Advair at $375.00 a piece and a crooked asthma doctor wanted me on 2 per month. It's funny the Advair disk have exactly 28 hits each like big pharma is counting their profit of each hit, anyway doc told me 1 hit every 12 hours. I could not afford 2 per month so I took only 1 hit a day and it worked, but when I ran out It was labored breathing. It was like a clock I needed to take the Advair every day at the exact same time or I would have trouble breathing many times.

I am a Respiratory therapist and I have asthma that is well controlled. My trigger is bronchitis, so when I get sick, which is usually every winter, I use my rescue inhaler PRN. I refuse to have any of my doctors give me a script for Proair, nor do I accept the pharmacy trying to pawn this product off on me. I will only accept Proventil or Albuterol HFA. In my time of need Proair simply does not work. What good is a rescue inhaler if it doesn't rescue you from restricted airways? I tell my family not to use this product as well as informing my doctors.

Tip, it's actually the ethanol that is hurting your lungs and heart. Ventolin HFA does not have ethanol. It costs $63 now, and I pay it. I can barely afford to eat, and the other inhalers like PROAIR HFA are covered for free. But, alas, what's the point of taking a medicine that doesn't work and that will probably kill me too? No, I can't afford to eat now, but at least I can breathe. TAKE THE FREAKING ETHANOL OUT OF THESE INHALERS! (Good Lord, what kind of world do we live in where they don't even care that they are killing asthmatic children by the hundreds?)

I rarely ever use a inhaler unless I'm sick but one day this past summer I wasn't breathing well to the point where I decided I will use my inhaler. After taking the Proair I had no relief at all and it made me extremely jittery and my heart race. That usually happens for me with albuterol but it was worse than usual, and on top of the fact that my breathing wasn't improving I started to get nervous which made the breathing worse. I thought I was maybe crazy for thinking the inhaler didn't work for me but the other day I went to my doctor and even she said Proair is not good.

This inhaler is garbage. It's 3 AM and I have taken about 6 puffs because it provides no relief. The one prior to this got stuck after about 10 uses and I rinsed it out - still didn't work, I couldn't get another one because the insurance only covers 1 per month I believe. This is a health concern for me, the pharmacist rinsed it out in hot water for like 5 min and still didn't get it to work. I've never had issues until this new one came out. I have to use this in the middle of the night but after the usage it doesn't clear my airways at all, I wind up getting up to use my nebulizer machine and I feel I shouldn't! This is a very expensive product for it to not work, not to mention that it's an emergency product that should be used to prevent an asthma death. It's garbage and something should be done. Either lower the price and allow for us to get multiple ones or bring the old one back.

Pro-Air and ANY of the new propellant type of inhalers are an example of how sick and corrupted our government is and how much OUR government listens to greedy pharma companies. Does ANYONE who has asthma really prefer the resulting effects from these new inhalers as opposed to the old? I'm guessing not, and I'm positive after 30 years of problems myself I sure do not. They are horrible. How can we the people not have a voice and be able to choose what we want to use, all because of some Montreal Protocol??? So because the inhalers that worked the best contain CFC's the companies who manufacture the product decided to discontinue the production of them to abide to this protocol? Did I mention that the companies producing the medicine would generate an additional 1.2 billion dollars in revenue in America alone!

I have been using inhalers for about 10 years. I was on Ventolin for years, right up until about 3 years ago. When my insurance company decided that they wouldn't pay for it, so I got switched to Pro Air. I have been very unhappy with it since I started. It doesn't help, and I find myself trying to use it more than I should, because I am getting no relief. I have to use it as a rescue inhaler, and does not work fast. Also have had the same problem as a number of people on this site. It starts off with 200 but I am lucky if I get 50 out of it. I took the whole inhaler the first time it happened to my Pharmacy, told him what happened, that I pushed it down and nothing was coming out. In front of everyone he proceeded to say it was the way I was doing it, that it was something that I was doing wrong.

The last four inhalers I received worked for only 50 puffs, not the 200 puffs that were supposed to be there. I asked for another inhaler from my doctor only to find this is the ONLY product that my insurance company will cover. I called the company that makes this and explained how they were not working correctly. They insisted it was my fault for not taking the unit apart and cleaning it on a weekly basis.

After being sober for a year, my life saving generic Albuterol inhaler was changed to ProAir HFA. It tasted just like vodka. Well guess what happened? Didn't take long before I was back on the booze. It is a daily fight to not drink. The latest insult is my ProAir inhaler now tastes like vodka and cheap incense and gives me a severe headache. I would think it may have been produced in India but canister says Ireland. Sad that those of us with lung diseases (I have asthma/COPD emphysema) will have to struggle for breath until the day we die because of some bs about fluorocarbons destroying the ozone layer. Ozone layer is damaged due to numerous puncture wounds from aerospace technology.

I have had over 20 of these inhaler. This one has a rosy taste and smell. It does not relive my symptoms after the first two puffs. I been using this inhaler for years. As a matter of fact I called the doctor to get more mess because it is getting worse.

Our 3rd son has Reactive Airway Disease, which in his case is an asthma-like response to respiratory viruses. We have always used albuterol with a nebulizer and it has generally seemed to help, but this past year one doctor prescribed an inhaler plus a mask. It seemed much more convenient, and worked for awhile, but we certainly haven't used the 200 doses it claims to provide. We usually only have to use it for a few days before he's better, and have only used it for two or three colds since we got it, so maybe 100 puffs max have been used (and it should be less than this, because we alternate use with the nebulizer).

I was on a Delta flight to ATL from MSP. The plane pushed away from the gate, delayed due to frozen components in the aircraft. Jet fuel power burner blowers were trained into an opening in the bottom of the plane for over 30 minutes. The exhaust fumes entering the cabin smoked up the air so badly that we couldn't see halfway to the front of the plane. This eventually triggered the worst asthma attack of my life. I calmly used my HFA based rescue inhaler and gave it time to work. Then later repeatedly with no relief of symptoms, I told the flight attendant that I thought I was having a medical emergency.

I've been using Proair inhaler for about a week now. It has taken about 6 or 7 puffs to get it working for me also. I thought that my asthma was getting much worse. Proair has taking a good couple of hours for me to feel "almost" normal. I still have some tightness in my chest but I am able to breathe. I had a different brand previously and didn't have these issues. Glad I decided to check up on things. I'm going to find out about getting my old brand back.

ProAir does not provide relief of asthma attack. It does not open up airways. Only Proventil works within minutes. BCBS makes doctors prescribe ProAir HFA instead of allowing them to prescribe PROVENTIL. ProAir inhaler does not relieve constricted airways. Puts asthma sufferers in a dangerous situation.

I have used this brand for several years. Most of the time they are fine, but the most recent two that I have gotten have been repeatedly clogging after a few uses. This causes no medicine to be dispensed. If you rinse the plastic part out with hot water, it will unclog for a bit. Because this is a rescue inhaler, do you see how it could be a problem if it doesn't dispense medicine? I do not know if there has been a design change, but this needs to be addressed. I do not have much confidence in this product right now, and it could literally be a matter of life or death.

I try to not use the inhaler much as possible. Yet when I do need it, it runs out for no reason. IT LEAKS. I'm talking about the yellow plastic dispenser.

I've had asthma since I was born and I've been using ventolin inhalers ever since I can remember and these proair inhalers actually make my asthma attack worse unless I take 5 to 7 puffs. I won't buy them anymore. I had to go through my insurance and get approval to continue using my regular ventolin inhalers. Luckily I have a ppo plan so they didn't give me trouble. Just a lil' aggravating to have to call and wait for override. I hope everyone will do the same and get rid of proair for good.

The Proair HFA inhaler I picked up today had 54 doses left of 200 doses according to the reading on the actuator. I also did a floating test and the canister floated instead of sinking if it had been full. Is this the norm or just a fluke?

I don't need the inhaler very often and about 3 years ago when I had to use it, it didn't seem to work at all. It was not clogged, it just didn't work. I used an expired CFC inhaler during the next attack I had and it worked immediately. I complained to my doctor who said that the new propellant was a very fine product that worked (end of conversation).

Bronchitis diagnosis in ER prescribed ProAir HFA. Hot showers provide much better relief than this inhaler. After 5-6 doses, a metal piece fell out of the inside causing canister to detach from plastic housing. Searched and searched for maker's contact information to no avail. $45 is a considerable unplanned expense for this senior widow on fixed, limited income. Are healthcare professionals responsible for staying informed about integrity and effectiveness of medications prescribed for patients paying for and relying upon their medical expertise?

My doctor and insurance keep pushing these HFA Inhalers on me for my Asthma. They don't work. They usually make me far worse, especially the next day, my lungs are much worse. They give off a horrible taste where I feel like I'm coughing up paint fumes for days after I've tried using the inhaler. The product doesn't even feel like it reaches my lungs. I get shaky on it, headaches, dizziness. And it doesn't help my Asthma. If it wasn't for my nebulizer, I'd probably be dead from trying to use useless, ineffective HFA Inhalers. And, I'm allergic to ethanol which doesn't belong around asthmatics. These need to be taken off the market. We need something that is safe and works.

I don't see how you are all buying inhalers that aren't working. I've gone through numerous inhalers over the course of the past couple years and never had a problem. They always work. Also, if your review includes you saying you had to take 50+ puffs to save your life. You're doing something wrong and extremely abusing your inhaler. Overdosing on Abuterol can be FATAL. I also like this inhaler because it is cheaper than Venotolin, which my doctor tried to prescribe. A lot cheaper.

Normally when I suffer from Bronchitis my Dr. prescribes antibiotic Levaquin (perfect for bronchial issues), best, well known choice of drug for bronchial issues. He'll also prescribe Prednisone (steroid) cough medicine. When available I can often get s sample inhaler. I have Humana insurance, which I applaud for my 3 months of each 1 of my 7 medications, big co- pay it, mailing free. Dec 8, 2014 I became very sick - sinus, throat infection, worsening laryngitis. I was so ILL when nurse was writing script for stronger strength Levaquin (which I wouldn't use any other). She wrote rx for Proair hfa. First off I noticed the difference in the mist, not the spray at all like vermilion! I used it for 3-4 days, adjusted to ** mist, but clogged. Great, midnight. Also noticed weird feeling, read side effects from enclosed information, then went online.

I've been using Flovent 220 and Proair for about 3 years now. My asthma isn't bad. I used to wake up at night feeling out of breath but the Flovent fixed that. My problem is with animals. The Proair doesn't work when I need it. I spent some time around cats last evening around 6. It's now 11 AM. I didn't sleep. All the Proair has done, it irritate my lungs and throat. I can't afford a different inhaler and my insurance won't cover it. I wouldn't recommend it.

ProAir - Could be Dangerous. Entirely inferior to the Ventolin inhaler I was using as a rescue for 30 years, does not provide immediate or other relief. In fact it worsens symptoms because I expend energy and breath trying to suck down whatever medication it produces. Heading to PCP this afternoon to demand an alternative. For anyone in the throes of a severe attack, I would really worry for them relying on this junk. It could be dangerous to do so.

First, I studied environmental science and the major source of pollutants that cause our ozone depletion are ungoverned factory vapors. Years ago they made these filtering devices and when they tried to make companies buy them and conform there was an outcry. Taking the propellant out of asthma inhalers has made them useless for rescue. I have almost died 4 times since they did this. I have had to take as much as 30 inhales. People having an asthma attack that is severe CANNOT BREATH. They cannot take a deep breath!! They are smothering. It is like breathing through a coffee stirrer. As well, some cheap inhalers have been forced on poor people like ProAir. I barely made it to the hospital one time with my son when we both had asthma and they gave us these cheap ProAir inhalers. They are defective 90% of the time and you cannot get any medication. To top this off, all inhalers except Ventolin contain ethanol alcohol. Ethanol can be made from corn or potatoes.

Clogs frequently and still doesn't work properly (comes out in a stream instead of a mist even after washing it). This is consistently a problem and so much of the medication is wasted. I feel angry that I spend so much money on a product that consistently doesn't work properly.

I get Pro Air inhalers and they work a few times and stop. I need it. I'll be in the hospital with a purse full of useless inhalers and it's all insurance covers.

I am on Medicare, Humana suggested I switch to this product, instead of Xophenex. Less product for my 30-day prescription. I got down to 50 on counter and quit, the latest is going to quit sooner than that. I don't need to buy 2 or three of these to get through the month.

My cat was prescribed a PROAIR HFA inhaler, for immediate relief as needed. It quit working after 9 or 10 times, in 2 months. Not being able to easily afford another $80 or the fee for a vet visit to get another RX written, I went searching for internet pharmacies. I found one located in Vanuatu, search: Pharmacy located in Vanuatu. It's the first result, except change the (dot) .biz to (dot) .vu to order, call and speak to a person, instead of ordering online. Thankfully, my cat didn't need the inhaler again before the one I ordered online was delivered. My neighbor did offer to let me use hers, if she was home when my cat needed it.

The last 3 or 4, or maybe more, quit working after 10-20 puffs and this is all my insurance company wants to pay for.

I am a relatively new asthma patient who is only recently found a need for a rescue inhaler. I have found that neither of the 2 types of HFA propelled inhalers that I have been perscribed work for me. I was lucky yesterday to not need to be taken to the ER after having taken over 8 puffs of my Ventolin HFA inhaler during a martial arts class. The medication did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!! to ease my symptoms. It is outrageous that the drug conglomerates can replace an effective, life-saving medication with one that doesn't work simply to increase their profits. Please work towards reintroducing CFC propelled inhalers, as there is an exception in the environmental agreement for them already. Thank you.

Like others who have reviewed this product, I have also found it is not nearly as effective as the old CFC inhalers. I have to use more of it, and use it more often. The spray is much weaker, and every single inhaler stops working long before the canister is empty. This stuff stinks.

My mom has COPD and Asthma and took a pirbuterol autohaler for over twenty years and it kept things pretty much under control. Since they took that inhaler away and forced her on to this ProAir it has been a battle for her to breathe on many days when the ProAir works or doesn't show signs of being tampered with. The ProAir has come to us straight from the pharmacy and the counter is already down to 150 or my mom will only use it for a day or two and the thing will just stop dispensing the medication. My mother was a CNA for nearly twenty years from the age of 18 to 37 and was certified in two states until she was injured on the job so she knows how to distribute medications. She is the one that sees to it I take my meds for my epilepsy and Rheumatic Fever but the pharmacy has gone so far as to accuse her of over taking the ProAir. There is something very wrong with ProAir with albuterol in general. I have never seen my mom shake so much after taking an inhaler. I wish they would just let her have her old one back.

It is unusual because not only are the inhalers junk, but the HFA inhalers are also hard to come by. I feel like they're kind of being taken away from people that need them. Ok ok, I'm having trouble getting them for my daughter for some reason. However these albuterol adrenal stimulators are horrible in the long run. Then when someone gets on a corticosteroid that person better get off the right way or it's affecting their pituitary. Just like all the other things like the inhaler and big big issue and it seems like how to get them. Hard to breathe nowadays. Not to mention that the doctors deny the knowledge of having to prime vs inhalers with counters like the Hfa inhalers. So it looks like you have enough for a month but you really don't coz you have to prime it each time you use it.

It is absolutely NOT true that the two products yield similar results. As any Asthmatic such as myself can tell you. While the old CFC-propelled Ventolin and other products when used have a smooth feeling when inhaled down the airways, the new HFA-propelled products cause substantial irritation to the airways. It feels like someone has dragged a rake down your airways. In most, particularly children, this can cause an immediate and very dangerous bronchospasm. Be careful when using the drug that's supposed to save you maybe kill you!

After using for a week to ten days, they stop functioning properly. And the medicine won't spray out right. I have to throw away way more than I get to use. I do not have insurance and can't afford to keep doing this. Someone needs to fix this problem. I need my inhaler to work if I'm having an attack.

I cannot believe CFC inhalers have been deemed bad for the environment. What about hairsprays, etc. I have had asthma since birth and people with breathing problems need an inhaler that propels medication! Bring back the white and blue!!

My daughter has mild asthma which was controlled for years with the CFC inhalers; first albuterol, then Maxair. She only took her puffer prior to exercise, and it would also help keep her airways open when she had a cold or sinus infection. She recently had a cold turn into a sinus infection, and under the advisement of her allergist, she was to "try" the HFA inhalers to keep her open. These were the Ventolin HFA and the Flovent HFA.

My asthma is not bad, so I cannot comment on how good this products works really works. But today I was using my ProAir HFA inhaler, still fairly new. Two puffs and in the second one I felt something shoot in the back of my throat. I coughed it up and at first could not figure out what it was. I looked closer and realized it was a disgusting little bug. I ran to the bathroom and threw up 3 times out of utter disgust. It was a traumatizing experience and I will NEVER use this inhaler or trust this company ever again. If I could post a picture of the bug, all of you would be horrified too.

I have had asthma since I can remember. I used to use the white Warrick Albuterol inhaler. It worked great! At the first sign of an attack, the inhaler kicked in within 10 seconds or so. These new HFA inhalers are terrible. I don't care what clinical tests say... Listen the the majority of the consumers. How many medicines pass clinical trials only to be recalled at a later date? Be smart... listen to the majority. And yes, I care about the environment, but I care about people more! What good is the environment to me if I can't breathe? These new inhalers don't work! Us asthma sufferers are suffering more!

This inhaler is being used.....and does not work...... People are dying in the USA from using this product.

I think the aerosol is not very good quality as there is no pressure. They should have more effective quality to check products periodically from retail outlets/prescription outlets. My lot expires in October 2015.

I hate these new inhalers. The Flovent I take worked great for 25 years. Now I have to take twice as much, without the Dr.’s permission, to get the same results. For people who have trouble paying for their medications, there are all kinds of assistance programs out there. Try Needymeds.org.

I have been an asthmatic for 30 years. A few years ago I was prescribed PROAIR after the ban on the other inhalers. Luckily, I knew that they were discontinuing the old white Warrick albuterol inhaler so I had a few stored away. I threw the Proair in the garbage and told my doctor that I needed something else otherwise I would die. I have been using the ventolin spray these days. It is not as good as the old white Warrick ones but it is better than Proair. Anything is better than Proair. It is a Placebo. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS. I AM SURE PEOPLE ARE DYING USING PROAIR. By the time we realize that lives are being lost it will be too late. If I had to rely on Proair only I would be dead right now.

Daughter's asthma NOT getting better. Almost died 2 weeks ago because her ProAir inhaler wasn't giving her the medicine needed to help her breathing. After researching ProAir complaints and ineffectiveness, something needs to change. 1) Why are doctors still prescribing? 2) Why aren't pharmacies telling customers they clog? 3) Why isn't the manufacturer liable for near death experiences??? WHY?

I was assured that these inhalers were just as good as Ventolin when Kaiser switched me over without notice. Been using them for a few years now and NOT happy! The medicine isn't as effective! In times of need I have to spray 4-6 times to get any relief! The canister is also half the size of the Ventolin inhalers I used to get. The design of the whole thing needs an update as well. The L shape is really annoying to keep in your pockets. A straight tube would be a lot easier. Like everyone else says, it gets clogged once in a while but that was pretty normal. Soak it in water, it'll be fine! I also sometimes end up making the hole a bit bigger with a safety pin and it ends up spraying a bit better.

Several of my patients who were able to tolerate CFC inhalers have had reactions to HFA. These include tachycardia, significant agitation and other adverse events. Are there other physicians or health care professionals with similar patient encounters where HFA was associated with cardio, neuro or psych changes that did not occur when same patient on CFC inhaler?

My inhaler clogged after a few times and the pharmacy technician told me they couldn't replace it and to clean the new inhaler with water. I paid $60 for something that worked ten times. Solution: I put a coffee cup of water in the microwave for two minutes and soaked the inhaler in it and then took the bottle of ProAir and soaked the tip of the medicine in the hot water. It worked! Clean both the inhaler and tip of the medicine bottle. Soak for about 60 seconds.

My ProAir inhaler has failed completely. I am stuck late at night with no rescue inhaler. Cleaning it has not helped ever. I tried to get the pharmacy to give me a replacement but they said to just go home and run hot water in it. That didn't work!! Again! Insurance won't pay for a replacement until the month is up. Rescue inhalers must work! Asthmatics cannot afford to have them fail!! I have 82 doses left and it is useless which is has been for most of the doses. I got maybe 10 good doses out of this prescription... the rest were duds! ProAir! People are depending on you to produce a product that for some may be a matter of life and death!!

I was switched from the Ventolin inhaler to the Pro Air when they first came out, as was my son. I immediately noticed a difference of quality and effectiveness and asked my doctor about it, who assured me that there was no difference in the effectiveness. The inhaler gave me no immediate relief. I would have to do 5-6 puffs to equate to the effectiveness of the Ventolin or Albuterol inhalers. Due to this, I was going through the inhalers at a much faster rate so my doctor put me on a restrictive watch/monitor because of the increased request of refills. My son was also complaining that his was not working for him.

ProAir HFA Inhaler - I typically get 2 of these inhalers a month. In the last year, I have had about 9 that would not work. They were brand new, so not dirty, and the canister was full... The inhaler/mouth piece would not dispense the medication. This can be very dangerous. I would like to find out how I can be reimbursed for these inhalers that were just wasted?

I've been an asthmatic since I was a teenager, so I've been around this block. That was long before the HFA inhalers came out and somehow albuterol was no longer generic so the prices shot through the roof. After years of struggling with ProAir and thinking my asthma was getting worse, I obtained a prescription for Proventil, and it worked remarkably well. As a result, I also use less of it. But I'm also a physician, so about that time, I also began asking patients if they had problems with their inhalers, and everyone said they only had problems with ProAir HFA. I began changing patients' prescriptions for ProAir HFA to either Proventil HFA or Ventolin HFA, discussing that their copays would likely be higher (they are) and they have all noticed tremendous improvement on anything but ProAir.

Hi everyone! I have read all of your reviews and complaints. I wanted to say I agree with all of you 100%. I recently started having breathing difficulties due to my severe allergies that I've had all my life. I knew I would probably need an inhaler to get my breathing under control, and I was totally fine with that because I have had many friends with asthma. They used the white CFC Albuterol inhaler, so I knew what to expect. When I did go to the doctor, I got a bit of a surprise. They did tell me that I'd need an Albuterol inhaler, but what they gave me wasn't a white CFC Albuterol inhaler. It was a red and white Pro Air HFA inhaler. Let me tell you, these inhalers are junk! They barely spray any medicine out. You have to clean them every time you use them and they don't work! They barely have any effect on me at all to help me to breathe better. I hate these HFA inhalers!

I have been suspicious of this for some time, but never paid close enough attention to confirm. I filled my last Pro Air inhaler with 200 metered doses on 9/17/2012 and was completely out by 10/19/2012. This means I would have had to use my inhaler 5.8 times (if one puff was used) or 2.9 times (if 2 puffs were used). I do not need my inhaler every day nor do I use it every day. There is no one else in my home that would tamper with my inhaler. There is no indicator on the inhaler itself as the Ventolin brand inhaler does to show each metered dose. Ventolin brand also states it has 200 metered doses and will usually last me six months. I feel I have been ripped off with every refill of Pro Air I have ever filled.

I suffer from asthma for more than 20 years. It goes on and on; sometimes better, sometimes worse. ProAir is the worst inhaler I have ever used. It is not even a comparison to Ventolin. It is so bad and has no effect at all when I have an asthma attack. I hope they will take it back from the market. Why kill people with asthma by protecting ozone and keep all the inhalants and cleaners with sprays destroying ozone on the market? Why? What did people with asthma do to deserve poor formulated drugs when in fact, Boehringer Ingelheim produce wonderful inhalers that works?! Germans know how to do it. In WA state, I was trying to buy inhaler from Boehringer for six months and was unable to do so. ProAir is a horrible inhaler. Please do something! FDA has no link to complain about ProAir.

I've had asthma since I was 12 years old. It started off as bronchitis, but eventually left me with a chronic asthma problem. That was 30 years ago. Up until a couple of years ago, my asthma was controlled by Ventolin, an Albuterol CFC inhaler. In 2008, CFCs were deemed environmentally unfriendly and asthma patients across the country were switched to ProAir, an Albuterol HFA inhaler that was environmentally friendly.

After Albuterol was discontinued, I was forced to get this Proair inhaler. It is a total waste of money. It works about 1/10th as good as Albuterol did and instead of purchasing 1 inhaler a month, I am forced to purchased 2 or 3 just to breath. This last time, I refilled my inhaler. It didn't work at all like there was a problem with the manufacturing of it and the active ingredient was left out. I'm not saying it was, but that is what it felt like physically. My pharmacist told me to call the company, that it wasn't the first complaint of this type the pharmacist has heard. The pharmacist told me to report the problem with the company.

When I was prescribed HFA inhalers, nothing happened. I do mean nothing. It didn't help me at all. It was as if I had not even used it. And I do not want to hear some cockeyed story about the way I used it. Nope. I've watched others use it, the doctor gave me a how-to lesson on how to use it, I read the directions, and I watch a video on how to do it. None of that helps. And it will continue to do nothing because it's like putting a band-aid on a gunshot wound. Asthmatics, COPD sufferers, and people with emphysema need real help.

ProAir Inhalers - I agree with the comments regarding this inhaler. It works for me, initially, but does not last long enough. I have never gotten very many inhalations out of it. I always have to rinse the accentuator, or it won't work. Even then, the pressure is low and does not seem to dispense the amount needed. I do not know why this has not been changed or looked into. Who decides that, and how does it get done? They just keep producing it, we keep having to purchase it and yet it still doesn't work. I am tired of spending money on a product that I need, but won't work the way it is needed.

I am not able to use any of the HFA inhalers; all make my asthma much worse! When every CFC inhaler is removed from the market, I will be using a nebulizer which is not a quick rescue! I have written to the President, my Congressmen, signed petitions all to deaf ears! So, I saw someone else had emailed the Montreal Protocol Administrator, Samira de Gobert. These are the people responsible - maybe we should all write!

I have had asthma since I was 7 years old. I started using Primatene for my asthma until that no longer worked and then started using Preventil and that helped me a lot. Then, the pharmaceutical companies decided, for me and all the others, to stop making certain types of inhalers because of the environment. Please give me a break. What about the industries that produce all types of pollutants into the air. They are the ones the government should be going about, not my right to breathe. My breathing has gotten worse and worse over the years, and the ProAir does not work. You definitely do not get 200 inhales. That is an out-and-out lie. You are lucky if it lasts you a month with only one use per day. It is also expensive and I have insurance. I pay $48.00 every time I get it refilled.

Ever since the EPA has tossed millions of Asthma sufferers like myself to the multimillion dollar pharmaceutical wolfs, my overall quality of living has been seriously compromised! The ProAir inhalers that I have been forced to use now don't work anywhere close to as good or as fast as Primatene Mist. Not only that but I'm currently without health insurance so now I have to pay nearly three times as much for a crappy little ProAir inhaler and that's not including the cost of the doctor visit that's required to get the prescription! I used to be able to go down to my coiner drug store and pay under 20 bucks for an inhaler that would usually last me around two months but because of how poorly the ProAir and other albuterol inhalers work, I'll be lucky if they last me two weeks.

I am losing hair from ProAir inhaler HFA.

I've had asthma my whole life, inherited from my mother who died of an asthma attack at age 56 when I was 17 years old. I'm 51, and I was doing okay with it until they stopped making the old inhalers. Now, I have to sleep sitting up at times, and whenever I have to use the new HFA inhaler, it hardly works. It's very slow to work, and it makes me cough up mucus for hours, which makes my asthma worse at times instead of better. I'm afraid I'm going to die of an asthma attack because this new inhaler does not work properly, and it takes so long to have any effect at all.

The Pro Air HFA inhalers do not work, do not last 10 days! I asked my doctor for the Ventolin Albuterol inhaler with the meter on it and it works and lasts. The Pro Air is 8.5g and the Ventolin is 10g. Why is that, if they are both supposed to be 30-day supplies? The Pro Air says on the package that it has 200 metered sprays. That is totally false! I wonder when someone will bring a class action suit? Most of the time when I ask for Ventolin, I get Pro Air instead! That infuriates me.

I was so angry when I went to get my regular Albuterol inhaler filled and was given this crap. It does not work! I was normally using my old inhaler, maybe, once a day during allergy season. Now I'm taking this ProAir at least 4-5 times per day. That's 8-10 puffs! That's crazy and I've been told dangerous! But not breathing is even more dangerous! Not to mention you only get a 23-day supply (if you use it according to their guidelines) and it cost $50! I have no insurance and we're low income. I can't afford this! I don't understand how people can get a painkiller for $4 bucks a month, something that is not a necessity to live, but people with asthma have to pay $50-$100 a month to live!

I am very dissatisfied with the inhaler. It gets clogged up after use. I clean the plastic unit, etc. I think it is poorly made and it should be a better quality unit. I also take Combivent and have no problem with their device. I went through 3 plastic units today. As this spring is very bad for allergies, I think something should be done or send me some units so I don’t have this trouble anymore.

My husband had used Primatene inhaler for years for his asthma and allergies and it worked great. Recently, he was also told that he had the onset of COPD and Primatene also worked to help that. Since Primatene has been removed from the stores and all you can get are the CFC inhalers by prescription (and that is at 3-4 times the price and they do not work), he suffers more with breathing problems and is unable to go to work. I cannot believe that something that is inhaled into the body is going to destroy the ozone and this was just a ploy by the big pharmaceutical companies to have control of what we can use and line their pockets. I thought they were in the business to help people. I guess it is to help themselves!

HFA Inhalers are deadly! Furthermore, I wish to add to my March 28th post. I have recently suffered an attack of bronchitis, at least in part caused by the useless HFA inhaler I had. They do not clear my lungs as the old CFC inhalers did. My personal story is just a byline to the bigger issue that I see here. I try to serve my community by helping out with education. I am on a local university's Atmospheric and Space Research Team as an outside consultant. I have discussed the HFA -CFC issue with a chemist whom I work closely with. He assures me that HFA is even more toxic in the air (and in our lungs!) than CFC. Among the HFA breakdown chemicals is Hydrofluoric Acid, one of the most toxic chemicals known to man. You see, we trusted the big pharmaceutical company's research which in reality is only another big whopping lie. I suppose Americans are just going to sit back and watch while a few million asthma/COPD sufferers are exterminated. So be it.

Pro Air Inhaler is worthless - I have been using inhalers for 20 years and now, they do not work. My life as I knew it is over. Ever since they took out the CFC, it has all been rendered useless and 3 times as expensive. This is serious. People are dying as sure as they did on 9/11. What are you doing about this! Spend some money and get this right!

Look, I'm so angry. For years, I have contacted state reps, the ALA, or anyone I can think to contact. No one cares! But my anger was refueled by an ad by the EPA using asthmatics as the reason why we should pass their latest act! Well, thanks a lot! It is because of the EPA, the inhalers we used for years are completely useless! Not only they do not work (really they do not work), they also clog up causing life threatening situations! The new propellants work only under the assumption one can breathe normally. How stupid is this?

I have asthma and have used the Pro Air so-called inhaler. It doesn't work! I think the government wants to kill off all the people with asthma, so they said the inhalers with albuterol with the assist push by Warrick damaged their ozone layer. Oh gee, like so sorry, but I want to breathe and it is my right to breathe. Why should I have to drown because of that? Worry about the cars and the Freon in the refrigerators and air conditioning units. Our air is polluted, and I need help. So do many thousands of others. What a crime to say that the Pro Air is as good. Who are you kidding?

Albuterol causes severe shakes, so I stopped using it. I grew up with Alupent. It was the greatest ever. It worked instantly. Once it was gone, I switched to Primatene. Surprisingly, it was almost as good as Alupent. Alas, now they've killed that too. I cannot go back to the others. They need to bring back the Primatene inhalers. If you post on Facebook, there is a group started there as well to help get someone moving on this issue.

I had used CFC Albuterol inhalers for over 10 years when I was told I had to switch to the new HFA inhalers. Besides costing me three times as much (I'm not insured) and the product not working, I have proof in my hand that the ban was totally a scam! A friend of mine was recently prescribed Albuterol at a local clinic and I asked to see his inhaler. It is a Combivent inhaler and clearly states that it uses CFC. Not all sick people are created equal. All of us sufferers who were forced to use the bogus inhalers need to organize and seek restitution from all those involved in this FDA scam. By the way, FDA's website shows Combivent as available by prescription. The articles I have read say that all CFC inhalers were removed from the shelves in the US. Somebody is lying! I'm not just a little bit mad about this!

ProAir has got to be the worst asthma medication I have ever used in my life. I was a severe asthmatic starting at age 3 and used (original) Proventil all the way through high school. Upon leaving home to attend school in NYC, my asthma dramatically improved, as I had removed myself from my chain-smoking parents. However, I allowed myself to be guilt-tripped into visiting for this past Xmas. And when I returned to NYC 36 hours later, it was to the ER I went!

I have used Primatene Mist for 40 years, not because I don't have health insurance. I do. But albuterol does not work for me! It makes me worse! I feel like my government, for political and not medical reasons, has taken the only medication that works for me off the market! They have in effect signed my death warrant! When I die of an asthma attack, I hope my family sues the people responsible for my death! I have already had 3 very close calls where I almost died! There is no evidence the CFC inhalers caused as much ozone damage as reported. The "new" inhalers have not been properly tested. I have very little doubt I will die without Primatene Mist.

I have had a lingering bronchitis. I have had it for 5-6 months. Now, it starts to get better and come back—rough, loud inhalations and very productive cough, especially in morning and at night. I can't sleep. I don't breathe deep enough to stay asleep. People all over my town and nearby areas are sick with this. We were covered in chemtrail toxins from airplanes for several weeks. Then, I came down with this. I guess they made enough of us toxic now because they stopped spraying. Now I’m scared. To have a good life, wear an N95 mask.

I have been using Primatene for the last 25 years and have been able to manage my asthma without emergency room visits. Now that it was banned and my doctor prescribed ProAir - it's hard to breathe, and I need to use the inhaler more often and no relief. At age 55, I am very worried about keeping alive and being able to control my asthma with these new inhalers. The government will have a lot of lawsuits soon with death caused by taking away the Primatene. I really hope that they see their error soon and make our lives easier by letting us continue to be able to breathe.

I have no insurance and I suffer from asthma. In the past I used Ventolin inhaler and had no problems. Now I'm using ProAir. First of all, it doesn't work! If I used it as much as I needed to everyday, I would go through a $50 inhaler per day. Instead I use 8-10 puffs a day just to get by. I still struggle to breathe and I shouldn't have to. This ProAir is bogus! It costs too much and is not effective! Something needs to be done!

I don't have severe asthma. But I get a cough from outside irritants and I carry an Albuterol inhaler. I'm a nurse. I don't smoke. I was born with severe allergies. The cough went away easily with a few doses of my older Albuterol inhaler. If I don't treat the cough, it goes into asthma reactions. I noticed the cough returning and knew I'd be flying on business, so I got my new inhaler, which was HFA Proventil. It cost not $20 but $50, and I have health insurance. I was planning on using the $50 on my business trip. After priming it, I noticed when I first used it, it was very heavy in the back of my throat. It took about 45 minutes to finally feel the effects, which only seemed to be a fast heart rate.

I have had Asthma for almost 25 yrs. I have done great with my Ventolin inhaler with occasional break through problems that required Albuterol for my nebulizer. Since the ban on Ventolin, I have switched over to the Proventil HFA inhaler. I have had constant breakthrough asthma attacks. The HFA does not infiltrate the lungs to the bases like the Ventolin did. The HFA does not work even 25% as well as the Ventolin, sometimes you might as well be sucking in water! I have been a nurse and I worked with pediatrics for a long time. I am very well educated on lung diseases and how to treat them. I am greatly disappointed and I want my old Ventolin back!

I have been suffering through using the ProAir inhaler for the past year or so, simply because I can't afford the more expensive Ventolin version. The delivery is no good for adults with large lungs, and it rarely brings me full relief from my asthma symptoms. To add to the frustration, the inhaler that Wellmark Blue Cross Blueshield covered for a cost of $5 last year, is inexplicably increased to $25 this year. There are no cheaper alternatives under my plan. I can afford it, but it bothers me to pay so much for something that doesn't work. I feel so sorry for people with lesser income than us.

I can't believe they took Primatene mist inhalers off the market. My wife has been using it since she got back from Iraq to ease her lung problems. After she got back from Iraq, she's had problems with wheezing coughing and hacking (known also as the Iraqi Hacki to most service members). Since she didn't want spend an arm and leg on Albuterol. She was prescribed Albuterol when she was active duty but since she left the military, Primatene has been her replacement since its more cost effective, sure she could go to the VA but since it's not service connected. She would spend a ton more than we can afford. The government would be better off outlawing cars which do more harm than an asthma inhaler ever could.

I am one of the many who had to use this new type of inhaler because Primatene was taken off the market. These inhalers are ineffective and, I believe, aggravate breathing issues. I was put on abuterol by my doctor when I was pregnant because I didn't want to harm my baby, I agreed. Awful. As soon as I gave birth, I went off it and returned to Primatene which I used Primatene Mist for many more years with no problems. Now I am worried about how things are going to work out in regard to my breathing. I can't believe this is because of the "ozone". Are you kidding me? That's the best they can do, go after people with asthma? I wrote my senator and got a form letter back. What else can be done about this?

The new inhalers don't work and cost too much! Luckily, I had a Primatene Mist Inhaler which I bought before the ban and was able to prevent a hospital trip. Did anyone even do a study to find out if this stuff was effective before putting it out there? Now, I'm drinking coffee every 4 hours for the mild bronchodilating effects!

I have had asthma as long as I can remember. My mom said I was diagnosed at 3 months old. I'm now 27. Since I have to rely on these newer inhalers, my management has gone completely down the toilet. I have been in the hospital more times than I can count because they not only do not work but make lungs more prone to pneumonia and other illness of the lungs. I rely heavily now upon Advair and my nebulizer. Without the nebulizer I would most certainly die. With the previous inhalers I would go years without any complication whatsoever, now, I always struggle. I can't do a lot at a time because in seconds I will go into a full on attack and all this piece of *** does is manage to let me get to the emergency room before I pass out. I visit our ER. so often, the entire staff knows me by name. This is horrible and it's actually doing a lot more harm than good. This needs to be pulled immediately. They are expensive and worthless.

I was diagnosed with asthma as an adult in 1980. Inhalers have been an essential part of my treatment over the years. With the advent of the HFA inhalers, I find that my "rescue" inhaler does no such thing. I am using nebulized albuterol solution much more than ever before. These new inhalers are extremely dangerous. I have been left literally gasping for air even after repeated use of the HFAs.

I cannot believe that they have pulled Primatine Mist from the market as I have been taking it for 51 years. I wake up in the middle of the night, sweating trying to breath and the Primatine Mist was a life-saver.

I have to take responsibility for most of my actions in this, as at 52, I had had wheezing and shortness of breath during bad allergy attacks for years, but had never been told I had asthma. After one very bad night of not being able to get a deep breath, I went to our local free clinic for respiratory health, and oddly, after being told I had asthma, was given a script for ProAir inhaler. I stopped that day going home and bought a single packet of Claritin, and quickly my breathing went back to normal; however, due to how frightening the night of laboring to breath was, I took the inhalers. I started using them. However, I never took more than one puff, and not really deeply.

There is something that you, asthmatics, need to understand. Your government has deemed you obsolete, thus, have been targeted for elimination. For decades, you have thumbed your noses at the system with your cheap, safe and effective CFC inhalers; no more. You will either properly utilize the system which has been created for you to get your medicine, paying to the doctors, insurance companies and most importantly the government what is rightfully ours to take from you or you will die.

I absolutely agree with all of the posters. The ProAir inhaler is all but useless! I got virtually no relief, and I used a spacer. My sister uses this too, and she said the same thing. This inhaler doesn't work! We are getting sicker out here. Are you listening?!

Recently, I had to go to the urgent care for my asthma because over the counter inhalers were pulled from the shelf. The doctor there gave me this stuff called ProAir, it sucks big time. Why in the world would these people put this ** on the market? It's more expensive, symptoms are harder to control and it does not last. Bring back Primatine mist, the ozone has bigger enemies.

The medicine works nowhere near as well as the old CFC Albuterol inhalers. Also, the price jumped over thrice just for changing the gas that propels it out. This should be considered a criminal racket! They didn't invent the medication, but now are charging 3x more for changing a gas!

I want the CFC Albuterol Inhalers back! Every complaint I read about the HFA inhalers hits home with me. I can't breathe as well, it clogs all the time. It costs too much money. If every employee of the FDA had asthma, they wouldn't have made this change.

I am asthmatic and have been for many years. It's only triggered by certain things and Albuterol always worked. I didn't need it often. It was cost-effective for me and mainly it was reliable. Now, using this ProAir is terrible. I'm using too many puffs of medicine. It makes me so jittery and I've been experiencing panic and anxiety attacks with a racing heart.

I am 25 and have been a life long asthmatic. This is my only medication to control my asthma, save a week long round of steroids usually during the transition from Winter to Spring and Summer to Fall. Before this mandatory switch as regulated by the FDA (of which I'm sure none of the principal investigators of their 'study' have asthma), my inhalers were cheap, effective, and I would very rarely run out early.

Pro-Air inhalers simply don't work! They get clogged after a couple uses (if that), and aren't nearly as effective as Albuterol. It makes me sick that they think they can screw with asthmatics this way. We need to do everything we can to get CFC inhalers reinstated. Seriously, the amount of CFC's in asthma inhalers is so negligible, and the benefits outweigh the "damage" to the environment that occurs when CFC's go into my lungs. Bah! This whole thing is a scam!

I am so sick and tired of not being able to control my asthma properly. When I was on Abuterol Inhaler it worked wonderfully. Now, with ProAir HFA, it costs twice as much, use it more often and run out at least two weeks before I can get another inhaler. I used to be able to keep my asthma under control and only use the Abuterol about four times a month so it would last--not. That ProAir crap is exactly that--crap! Now, I have to take Advair to help control my asthma (which I didn't before) and that medication does not have a generic form and is very expensive!

I've managed my asthma symptoms completely with BronkAid over the past 5 years. During that time, I was only sick once after having severe symptoms 2-3 times a year. Why did they discontinue BronkAid tablets? What does that have to do with the ozone?

Can I not give this any stars? Pro-Air gives me panic attack symptoms: heart palpitations, fast beating heart, tightness in my chest. I'm 26 years old, a college lacrosse coach, and had to call an ambulance on Christmas Eve. The symptoms were so outrageous. I've had asthma due to allergies since I was 12, and I've never even had a horrible asthma attack. The side affects of my medication shouldn't be worse than my condition. On the label, the side affects say discontinue use if experiencing the symptoms above. However, after the medics checked me out, they only said my heart rate was elevated, and I didn't have to stop taking it? So what the ** am I supposed to do? Magically know when the symptoms turn dangerous? Can we please get this ** off the streets?!

These inhalers are horrible. I have been a severe asthmatic since birth, and have been hospitalized on multiple occasions. Also, I have been told that I have had to be resuscitated once because of the severity of my condition. I rely heavily on products such as corticosteroids and Albuterol just to stay alive from a day to day basis.

Prescribed ProAir and it was completely ineffectual. The medicine and delivery mechanism does not provide enough power as a rescue inhaler. I have had asthma on and off my entire life and have never had such a poor treatment. I have been prescribed other branded albuterol inhalers that work much better. This is dangerous to prescribe to asthmatics. It is also cost prohibitive and there is no way of knowing how many doses are left before you run out. This drug needs to be pulled off the market before someone ends up in the emergency room or worse.

I, along with my mom, brother, and aunt, was born with asthma. Asthma just runs in my family, and we've treated asthma using Primatene Mist even though we all have insurance. I am distraught that prescription inhalers are not effective as the primatene, not even a little. I just got a prescription inhaler, Albuertol, 2 weeks ago and I'm already needing a refill. They don't last longer than the Primatene and they just don't work. It was only 11.00 dollars with my insurance, but I would pay 20.00 any day for the Primatene Mist.

The bottom line is, CFC inhalers are the only ones that work. For me, the Primatene Mist works great and everything else just doesn't cut it, especially in an emergency situation. This is obviously a government ploy for population control since so many people are going to die once the CFC inhalers are gone. The ozone excuse is ***. I happen to have my refrigeration license and know for a fact that CFC's don't effect the ozone at all because they are denser (heavier) than air, meaning it goes down not up. And because the government owns the FDA, EPA and Clean Air acts, yet doesn't employ any scientists is proof that it's all lies and an obvious ploy to make another soon to be poorly spent dollar.

I have been using Primatene Mist for 45 years. I have severe asthma. Primatene has saved my life countless times. The HFA inhalers are an insult. This is blatant corruption. I have no job or insurance. I will die. You have done this, so be it. But how dare you tell children that they must die so that some big pharma crooks can line their pockets? There will be a special place in hell for those who cynically and violently caused this.

This inhaler sucks and gets clogged after a few uses. This is not good when you have an emergency with an asthma attack, and you need your inhaler. This is not good when you can't breathe.

My daughter, 8 years old, has prescription for the Pro-Air inhalers due to her asthma. This inhaler is awful. It constantly malfunctions. Three times my daughter has had to depend on her Pro-Air inhaler it has malfunctioned. One time, she had to be taken off her school bus and transported by ambulance to the hospital. The first time she was at school and thank God, my dad was home and could run her nebulizer to the school.

Please bring back Primatene Mist or the equivalent. It is shameful to think that no one cares about people with asthma. The ProAir inhaler does not work. Save the planet! That's a ** excuse and everyone knows it. It all comes down to the almighty dollar. I hope they can live with the fact that they're shortening people's lives with their business decision. Maybe I'll find a way to cook up my own inhaler and sell it like an illegal substance. ** manufacturers can do it, so can we.** the insurance companies and everyone else involved in this business decision! Shameful indeed!

I was put on Pro Air to replace my CFC inhaler, Albuterol. It was as effective as the name implies. So I began using the only over the counter inhaler available, Primatene Mist. It saved my life numerous times. Since the ban on CFC inhalers and since losing my health insurance I am in fear for my life. The only relief I can find is with Brokaid, an over the counter pill, containing Ephedrine. It has given me moderate relief but it takes up to an hour to work. During a severe asthma attack time is crucial. A person could die before the med begins to work.

In my experience, the delivery of medicine with the ProAir inhaler is terrible. Half the time, nothing comes out; one is supposed to waste doses by "priming" if it hasn't been used in 24 hours. Even when the dose does come out, it is impossible to see if it's a full dose. It doesn't start working right away in the way the older inhalers or the generic Albuterol HFA inhaler seems to work.

I, too, think ProAir is not very effective. Half the time I don't get any medicine when I try to activate it. It seems clogged. The propellant used is not effective. If the FDA wants to do something about the ozone, they should ban smoking. Leave our inhalers alone. I, too, worry about having a severe attack and the ProAir is not working. I'm not always where I can rinse it to try to get it to work. I've used Primatene ever since it came on the market. It was literally a life saver and kept me out of the ER.

The decision to take over the counter inhalers off the market has affected my life greatly. I am in a constant state of panic that I am going to die if my doctor-prescribed inhaler runs out, because I will not be able to get a rescue-inhaler quick enough. I am on county medical, and some paper-pushers say that I can only have one inhaler a month. Well, if it is a ** inhaler, I'm going to need more than a month's supply, but I can't because some bureaucrat gets to tell me how to live.

I am appalled that the Primatene Inhaler is being taken off the market. I have been using it for over 25 years andd it is the best rescue inhaler on the market. Yet the "FDA" has decided to take it off the market due to CFC's, the propellant that releases the medicine out of the bottle. There are so many people that do not have any insurance or limited benefits to purchase scripted insurance more-or-less even to go to the doctors office. The FDA and all doctors who decided to take this stand to remove the medication will be responsible for many many deaths. It is ironic that doctors who do not suffer with Asthma can make a decision for everyone in the United States.

They don't work. My asthma was well controlled with one CFC inhaler for over 20 years and I could often go a few days without it. Now I have to take two inhalers (rescue and controller). And together they are much less effective. I have to take the HFA rescue inhaler multiple times a day, often with very little relief. I have had bronchitis several times since switching (every few months). I now worry about everything I do, what might trigger an attack, and if I can afford to take another puff, because I'm screwed if I run out before the insurance will cover the next replacement. Asthma used to be a minor concern in my life. Now it is a constant problem.

These HFA inhalers NOT only are ineffective, but there is no generic available. So, if you were using a generic CFC inhaler or OTC Primatene Mist and were paying $10-$20 a month for much needed rescue relief, you are now paying the following: A doctor's visit to get a script for a prescribed inhaler, the full cost of the inhaler or a hefty co-pay (remember: no generic available) for a rescue inhaler and a corticosteroid "maintenance" inhaler.

The new HFA inhalers do not work. I have to use these at least three times as many inhalations and am left with a rapid heartbeat and headache. The term "rescue inhaler" needs to be a thing of the past. I do not have any confidence in the HFA inhalers and worry what will happen if a bad attack comes on.

I have been using this Proair inhaler for a year now. And within the last 3 months, they haven't been lasting as long. I don't ever use them. Now, I am completely out and still have 2 weeks left until I can receive another one. I don't know what I'm supposed to do but go to the ER? The pharmacy says its a manufacturer problem. My doctor just keeps giving me refills that the insurance won't let me fill! I'm at a lose right now :(

Buying the new Proventil HFA inhaler is equivalent to throwing money down the toilet along with my health. The use of these new inhalers is practically impossible with the constant clogging and low pressure.

Son's physician prescribed changed. Son's inhaler, from Proventil to Pro-Air, does not work as a rescue inhaler.

This complaint is about ProAir's HFA inhaler. This ProAir inhaler has time and time again failed to work because of what seems to be clogging. I rinse the inhaler under hot water to relieve the clog and by this time, my attack has accelerated. The ProAir also seems to have way less medication than the older albuterol inhalers. And after just two weeks of proper prescribed usage, I need a refill. But I am unable to attain one because of my insurance company's policy of having to wait a full 30 days. Many times, I have been thankful to have had these asthma attacks at home because of my backup nebulizer, without which, I believe I would be dead right now. I urge this company to rethink their product.

Since May of 2011, my puffers have not worked very well. They are working like the generic Ventolin worked. Even though my insurance company would not pay for the "real" thing, I did because it worked. When I noticed that the insurance is paying for it now, I checked with the doctor and pharmacy and they assured me that it was the real thing. If it is, me and my daughter need the old real thing badly.

The ProAir brand inhaler does not reach the lungs and does not contain more than 20 doses when it is supposed to contain 200. I and 6 children all have had lifelong asthma and we cannot get relief resulting in many trips to the ER. Every doctor and pharmacy argues with me that they work just fine and they have had no other complaints.

Although the HFA Flovent is not as effective, as the older CFC inhaIers, I still tried filling a prescription for this Flovent to learn it would cost $78.00. This was with my BCBS insurance! I did not fill it. Too often my asthma/COPD turns into Bronchitis. I feel stuck with no help with medication or pocketbook. The one thing that really bothers me is why the FDA takes a good medicine off the market with the pretense of damage to the ozone when here at Eglin, AFB, the military constantly use controlled burning on the reservation. The dark haze and stink makes the air stifling. Talk about damage to the ozone! This scenario is a good one for the population control conspiracy theorists.

These ProAir inhalers are a joke. They work about as well as the fake Pseudaphed that was put on the market. I have daily, year-round allergies and when asthma hits, I need the rescue inhaler to work now and not after 4 or 5 puffs. I need to break out the nebulizer when asthma strikes. It makes for loss of work in most cases, unless I am lucky enough to have an attack at home.

I lost trust in ProAir HFA over the past two years. It's just not as effective to the point of why bother? I have mild asthma and have kept it under good control. Head cold kicked up the asthma. This time, a 24-hour mild allergic reaction; shortness of breath, exhaustion, facial swelling and breathing never improved. I must not use this product. I will have to stay on my Steroid Inhaler and suffer with breathing problems that were controlled with a CFC Inhaler.

I have been using the inhaler for a number of years. Recently, the pharmacy began to use the ProAir HFA inhaler. It normally lasts approximately one week (at the most). There is nothing coming out. I consider this dangerous as this is an emergency inhaler. I would hate to have a serious attack with one of these in my hands thinking it would help.

The old CFC asthma inhalers have been taken off the market, as of a couple of years ago, due to concerns about ozone. My son is a severe asthmatic since the age of two and is now 11 years old. At about the age of 8, he was prescribed his first Pro-Air inhaler. It did not work effectively, according to him. He was prescribed a CFC (since banned, the following year, I think) inhaler, which did relieve his symptoms, when they occurred. His body needs oxygen to grow and develop properly. Every allergy season (Spring through Fall) bring episode upon episode of breathing difficulties. His lifestyle is limited (sports participation, etc.) by his asthma and the lack of access to a true "rescue inhaler" that is effective. I do not know that this benefits the ozone layer. After all, this generation of asthmatics may harbor the scientist who will figure out how to fix it. He or she may not actually live to adulthood without a proper rescue inhaler.

The VA switched my inhaler to ProAir HFA recently. The last canister I used lasted 4 days. After that, even though there was medicine in it, it would not work. Instead of pushing the medicine out, it sounded like it was sucking it in.

ProAir inhaler, they are all but useless. Have a brand new one, supposed to take 2 puffs and I am fortunate if 1 puff will come out. They clog constantly and are almost useless when I am struggling to breathe during an asthma attack. They are called rescue inhalers which is a joke. I have had asthma most of my life and I do know how to use an inhaler. My asthma has progressively worsened since this inhaler came on the market and replaced the old inhaler. Save the ozone and let people die!

The new ProAir HFA Asthma inhalers do not work. They never deliver the 200 inhalations listed on the canister. It fails to work half-way through the prescription. I need to use twice as much medicine with the new inhalers, HFA, as I did with the old inhalers, CFC. People are dying because of this product.

Have to use nebulizer more often cause won't have access to a working emergency inhaler throughout the day and even then wind up having difficulty.

Your inhalers do not last as long as the Albuterol and they always clog up and waste medicine. They say 200 puffs but I get 100 to 125 puffs. My company pay is 30 dollars and they cost $40. I saved more money before this garbage came out. I use to refill once a month, now I refill 4 times a month.

I have asthma. It is well-controlled but I still need to use my inhaler occasionally. When I use it, I am having an acute attack and need it to start to work immediately. Unfortunately, I've found that the new HFA inhalers do not work in this situation. I cannot get the medication deep into my lungs and the formulation makes me cough violently. Even though it has the same amount of medication, it does not work as quickly. I now have to be extremely careful of any activity that might possibly trigger an attack, because I know that my rescue inhaler won't help me.

The HFA inhalers that replaced the CFC inhalers do not work as well as the CFC inhalers and have increased side effects. Relief from the CFC inhalers takes about 30 seconds, while it can take 30 minutes to feel any effect from the HFA inhalers. In addition, complete relief does not occur. Side effects include cramping and muscle weakness.

My teen son has mild to moderate asthma as do I. When we need an inhaler, we used to use a generic albuterol inhaler which on our insurance plan cost only $5. Now I find there is no longer a designated generic for our albuterol because of CFC content. The new HFC (ProAir) inhaler is not as good and cost us almost 4 times as much at just over $19 (out-of-pocket) because our plan will pay only half the cost for brand name products while there is only a $5 or less co-pay for generics.

Since the substitution of Pro Air HFC for the CFC inhaler, I am not getting the relief I need. I have only had minor to moderate asthma attacks and it barely helped. It clearly will not help during a major attack or long-term use such as during brush fires. God help then and during a major attack because Pro Air will not. Worse yet, I have developed severe side effects, hypertension, heart palpitations and stomach upset so who knows what will happen next.

These inhalers are dangerous and do not work like the CFC. I want my inhaler back so that I can live a normal life again, free from worry and fear. This ban of CFC inhalers threatened the health and safety of the public and I do believe that is a violation of public policy. I worry every day that I will die from an asthma attack. I have used CFC's for 30 years and I was able to live a pretty normal life. I now lie awake at night unable to sleep. I worry every second because they have taken away a medication that has worked and saved my life for many years. I am allergic to corn; ethanol is in this new inhaler. The people deserve the right to have their inhalers back. We have the right to live and have access to a medication that is not dangerous. People are getting sicker from the HFA's, not better. We all have the right to our medication. How many must die before something is done?

However, since the introduction of HFA inhaler, my asthma has been out of control.

CFC inhalers have been unavailable since January 2009. The new propellent is ethanol, which doesn't appear to be as effective. Now instead of one medication we have to add others (Serevent, Advair, Symbicort, Spriva, Duoneb, oxygen, and others) to achieve results. Hundreds of sufferers have complained, including athletes. This change effects, asthma, emphysema, COPD (emphysema combined with chronic bronchitis), elderly with congestive heart failure. Repeat hospitalizations, additional pain and suffering, more doctor visits, inability to work, and increased isolation.

I have had asthma since two years of age. I was leading an active life with my asthma controlled with the old Albuterol for rescue, and Flovent to control symptoms. When I was no longer able to buy the before mentioned products due to the switching over to the new propellents, I started taking ProAir for rescue and Asmanex for control. I am never without asthma symptoms now. I no longer am active as I am afraid to bring on an attack as the ProAir does not ever completely allow my breathing to return to normal. I have had further problems with worsening asthma symptoms as I am allergic or sensitive to all sulpha and sulfates. My quality of life has changed dramatically since the new restrictions went into place. Is there any chance of being able to obtain the old product for people as myself? Thank you for your help. The new product is more expensive, and more importantly, my personal heath and relationship with my husband is being severely damaged.

In collusion with big pharmacies, the FDA has banned the aerosol asthma inhalers so that the companies can make more bucks with new powder inhalers. How can they possibly say that those tiny life-saving inhalers have anything in common with countless major pollutants like air conditioning, Hummers and SUVs? All those products are truly poisoning our environment. As a result, people like me, who have had asthma under control for years, now are struggling for breath and having to limit our activity.

My daughter, now 15, has had asthma all her life. It was under control until the switch came with these new HFA inhalers. She is using it twice as much and doesn't get the instant relief she used to have. Also, the outrageous amount of cost, even under insurance, is just ridiculous. It constantly gets blocked and doesn't seem to be completely full. She had to go on Singulair to assist with her well being. What is happening? At 15, she can no longer participate in all she loves to do being an active child and loving the outdoors.

The cessation of CFC inhalers, in my case the highly effective Azmacort, which kept my long-term asthma well under control to the now required HFA products has sent my health into a four-month tailspin. From late November 2009 until now (March 22, 2009), I have had three respiratory or sinus infections, bronchitis, a month of coughing (still ongoing), and frequent use of my "emergency" inhalers. At age 58, daily maintenance with Azmacort has turned into a daily struggle to sleep without wheezing and to breathe comfortably.

It is beyond me that with all these complaints the new HFA Inhalers are still on the market. Why? I was given a sample HFA Inhaler but after learning what it's doing to everyone and the cost of it, I threw it in the bucket where it belongs. I will use my nebulizer machine. As quite a few victims have said as far as the greener excuse, this sabotaged medicine is inhaled not exhaled. It goes directly into our lungs not the environment, which leads me to ask why they even tampered with a completely good and efficient medicine!

Pro-Air HFA Inhalers contain less actuation than specified in packaging. The last few inhalers my daughter got from CVS were empty after 15 - 20 puffs. There are supposed to be 200 metered actuation according to the box. This is a huge rip-off. Inhaler contains less than 10% of purported content. With copy being at $25.00 per refill, I have been ripped off by $22.50 per refill for the last 10+ inhalers I purchased.

I am a severe asthmatic whose asthma was well under control for a long time until the discontinuation of the CFC albuterol inhalers and the switch to HFA inhalers as mandated by the Montreal Protocol. My asthma is now out of control because the new albuterol HFA inhalers do not relieve my asthma. In fact, they seem to exacerbate attacks. Neither my physician nor the pharmacist take me seriously and tell me I'm probably not using the inhaler properly. My doctor simply thinks I have worsening asthma. It is strange that my "worsening asthma" began with the use of HFA inhalers.

The switchover from CFC abulterol inhalers to "greener" HFA inhalers has sacrificed the breathing health of millions of asthma sufferers in the name of the environment. The product simply is not as effective as the old delivery system. Search the internet for user complaints, and you'll find endless comments about how people's asthma symptoms are not relieved nearly as well with the new inhalers compared to the banned CFC inhalers. I have a few doses left of my old CFC canister (albeit several years old now) and I fear the day it's empty and I have to rely on my HFA inhaler. They don't work!

I have just read the stories about the CFC, HFA asthma inhalers. So many people are suffering so much. I, too, am a lifelong (75 yrs) asthma sufferer. I was also given every inhaler that came along. At times, near death as well. My defense was finally studying all asthma inhalers and meds. It amazes me how the experts can push these 'new products' upon us, without having any regard of our reactions. The light finally came on for me, and the instant a med does not agree with me, it's tossed out. Life is too precious. I cannot use CFC or HFA. I use dry powder inhalers as required. They are not propellant-driven. At times I will use a nebulizer with the necessary liquids. I also still depend on the good old Tedral or similar. That is a life saver.

The HFA inhalers do not work very well and now my asthma is not under control, which is making it hard to function as a professional. I feel like I’m exhausted all the time and can’t breathe well. I am having a hard time being there for my clients and at times, I feel I should quit my job as a result of the loss of energy and not being able to breathe well.

Ban of CFC inhalers. Azmacort was discontinued by Abbott. There is no generic, no alternative. Azmacort is the only drug that had my asthma under control. Now I am in pain, and desperately trying DPI replacements which so far only cause asthma attacks. I cannot work. I cannot breathe. First, it was the albuterol emergency inhalers, now a corticosteroid is no longer available. The first DPI I used started massive coughing fit and uncontrolled nighttime asthma. For the record, I can outperform the standard norm on a spirometry test. I know how to correctly use an inhaler and I can tell you that the new propellants are horrible, powder or otherwise. I am extremely displeased with politics driving medical decisions, as is my doctor and her staff. I am currently out of work. If I cannot find any replacement medication that gives me any kind of ability to live a 'normal life, which I did have, I will be out of work indefinitely and locked in an air cleaned house double over in pain.

The new HFA inhalers don't work. I thought maybe I had a defective inhaler. But I've tried Pro-Air, Proventil, Ventolin, and Xoponex. None of them work like the old albuterol CFC inhalers. What is an asthma patient supposed to do? I can no longer take walks when it's too hot or cold outside, because I can't count on these inhalers. They seem to make symptoms worse.

I have had asthma since I was 4 months old I am 26 now and now they have changed the only medication that would help me when I am in distress from an asthma attack. The new inhalers are always getting stopped up and they do not help my symptoms as well as the old ones I have to take it more often even with my other medications that help control my asthma. I went Friday to get a inhaler filled. It cost me 40 dollars and the old ones I was able to get for 19.99 and the old one helped me better.

The new HFA inhalers do not work for a major asthma attack. My daughter has had difficulty breathing for 24 hours with an asthma attack. The old style CFA inhalers would take care of it with usually just one puff every 4 hours. She has been using 2 puffs every 2 hours with the new (junk) and barely has any relief. We have used 2 different kinds and with and without the spacer. I'd love for the FDA to tell me what the heck the old inhalers could possibly do to the ozone that it isn't doing to our lungs?

I got 28 puffs and the inhaler is empty. These inhalers by ProAir HFA are defective. I am seriously impaired in my ability to work because of these ProAir HFA inhalers.

ProAir inhalers are defective. If the ProAir inhaler has a black label in the area of the expiration date, it will not work for very long. It still has drug in it but will not dispense the drug because of faulty propellant and unit. The pharmacy refuses to take them back indicating I have used it. Note that the ProAir with the white in the area of the expiration date works fine, so now I refuse to take the inhalers with the black area expiration date.

I'm an asthmatic and occasionally need my rescue inhaler. I just recently needed to use my rescue inhaler and came to find out the new HFA inhalers are much less effective, if at all. The spray is softer so it's difficult to get treatment when having an asthma attack. I didn't receive any relief from my Proventil HFA inhaler and luckily had an Albuterol CFC inhaler lying around. Apparently, the shelf life is shorter (2 months) on the new HFA inhalers and they cost much more since there's no generic. The CFC Albuterol inhalers need to be brought back! The HFA inhalers are not an effective product. I'm now looking into buying a nebulizer, which will limit my mobility and way of life severely. I'm outraged!

This inhaler is not nearly as effective as the CFC inhalers. It takes longer to feel the effect as well as 2-4 times the dose, meaning anywhere from 4-8 puffs before even marginal relief is felt. You are advised to take deep breaths but the problem is that when you are having an asthma attack especially a severe one, deep breaths are not possible; hence, the problem. I used my HFA inhaler on more than one occasion and had to use an increased dose. At times, I had to abandon the inhaler for a treatment using a nebulizer (which gives a more concentrated does of medication and takes approx 15 minutes to complete one treatment). The worst case is when I used the HFA with no relief, then I moved on the the nebulizer and three treatments later, I still had no relief. I finally had to call an ambulance and go to the ER. After this happened the second time, I stopped using the HFA altogether as it seemed to make the attacks worse.

ProAir inhaler is a joke. It costs more at $35 and does not work like albuterol, which costs $10. At first, I thought I had a dysfunctional ProAir but was told that's how it's supposed to work. It did not last and does not work medically like abuterol. Two puffs and I still do not feel better. Sometimes, I have to use more. I think the FDA is just like the drug makers. They help each other but not the welfare of its citizens. Bring back my generic brand, please. I do not want to waste my money to help making ProAir. Until I read all the complaints, I realize I was not imagining like I was told.

The ProAir inhaler is a defective product. It caused a very bad rash, sore throat and almost killed me because of its poor results. The new HFA inhalers are horrible. The only one that seems to help is Ventolin. The rest are pure garbage.

HFA inhalers are only one third as effective as the replaced CFC inhalers. The decision to replace CFC was a bureaucratic blunder. The FDA should stick to medical matters and let the EPA do their thing. By the way, only a silly person would think the fluorocarbons I previously inhaled were punching holes in the ozone layer (God save us from government bureaucrats devoting themselves to saving us). Inhalers are intended to be fast-acting medications to enable COPD and asthma victims to breathe. HFA inhalers fail this objective miserably. Help.