Primatene mist

['85 supra]

Man Im really bent on primatene mist being taken off the shelf. I am a self medicating asthmatic. I remember buying PM for as inexpensive as 9.99 to my last bottle in December for 21.99. But it has always been "Johnny on the Spot". Well I went without till March, but it got bad with Spring. I broke down paid for and inflated doc office visit, got a prescription. After 150.00 I'm sadly disappointed spending that much for a lesser product.
So, thats my story and what Im curious about is if PM is available where you are? Im hunting some. Share your story

[williamb82]

why did they take it off the shelf? i thought it was still sold, but kept behind the counter as it is regulated like bronkaid and whatnot that have ephedra in them.

[cmdeshon]

you could probably have someone in Canada mail you a whole crate of it. its not fair for them to mark it up like that and expect your money to actually stay within the country...

[celipra]

"Despite its accessibility, many doctors say the medication wasn't a good option for patients.

"Primatene Mist does not treat asthma -- it treats symptoms that can come from asthma," said Dr. Kyle Hogarth, an assistant professor of medicine and the medical director of the pulmonary rehabilitation program at the University of Chicago Medical Center.

The danger in treating only symptoms, he said, is that repeated asthma attacks can permanently damage the lungs. Poorly controlled asthma can progress to a point where, "in their 40s and 50s, [patients] have the lungs of someone who is 80 or 90 who has smoked."

For that reason, the goal of asthma care isn't to react just to attacks -- it's to prevent attacks in the first place. That's generally done with daily medications, such as inhaled corticosteroids, which keep the airways from becoming inflamed. "

- http://articles.latimes.com/2012/feb...alers-20120213

I wish I could give a more detailed response than what I quoted from the article, but I was half asleep when we spoke about this in class. lol
(By the way, it wasn't banned because of what was mentioned above. It was banned because of CFCs.)

['85 supra]

why did they take it off the shelf? i thought it was still sold, but kept behind the counter as it is regulated like bronkaid and whatnot that have ephedra in them.

It was still being produced with CFC. Newer med is HFC (I believe). I understand Armstrong Pharm has a replacement but it hasn't been approved by FDA.

you could probably have someone in Canada mail you a whole crate of it. its not fair for them to mark it up like that and expect your money to actually stay within the country...

Unfortunately I understand Canada does not sell it either.

"Despite its accessibility, many doctors say the medication wasn't a good option for patients.

Doctors dont care for those who don't seek their prescriptions. Asmatha is not curable, only controlable

[Greg G]

Normally I wouldnt weight in on something I know nothing about, but a coworker just shared a story with me.

He was an habitual user of Nasonex for years.

He was recently diagnosed with a severe case of cataracts and he's only 32 years old.

His Eye Dr told him it was a direct effect of the steroids in the Nasonex product.

He is now scheduled for eye surgery this summer.

Perhaps the FDC re-evaluated the contents and side-effects of Primatene.

[celipra]

Doctors dont care for those who don't seek their prescriptions. Asmatha is not curable, only controlable

You're right. Asthma is only controllable. However, primatene mist is basically epinephrine and it's only used to treat acute asthma attacks. That's not controlling your asthma. It's only keeping you alive. Inhaled corticosteroids are used to keep asthma under control by preventing inflammation of the bronchi, thus preventing asthma attacks. Preventing asthma attacks instead of just letting them happen and controlling the symptoms reduces the amount of hospital admissions for severe asthma attacks and therefore reduces cost, as we all know hospital stays are quite pricey. Also, over time, not keeping your asthma controlled can worsen your asthma and result in more frequent and more severe asthma exacerbations.

http://www.needymeds.org/drugcard/index.htm "The free NeedyMeds Drug Discount Card is accepted at over 62,000 pharmacies, including major chains such as Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid and at regional chains and local stores....and can save you up to 80% on meds" This link also has a tool to search for pharmacies in your area that accept the needymeds drug discount card(btw, it can't be combined with insurance).

Also, there's a list of 248 free or low cost clinics in Georgia here, so you can save some money too. http://www.needymeds.org/free_clinic...=list&state=ga

[celipra]

Normally I wouldnt weight in on something I know nothing about, but a coworker just shared a story with me.

He was an habitual user of Nasonex for years.

He was recently diagnosed with a severe case of cataracts and he's only 32 years old.

His Eye Dr told him it was a direct effect of the steroids in the Nasonex product.

He is now scheduled for eye surgery this summer.

Perhaps the FDC re-evaluated the contents and side-effects of Primatene.

Cataracts isn't a common side effect of corticosteroid use. I've seen a couple of people on corticosteroids in the hospital and they didn't have cataracts. Every medication has possible negative side effects. Even tylenol, advil, and aspirin are taken like candy sometimes and one of their major side effects is stomach ulcers because they can damage the epithelial lining of the stomach.

[williamb82]

honestly, i dont trust dr's all that much. i was always told when i was a kid i had asthma etc.. and was on all sorts of crap. pills, inhalers, and a breathing machine at home. stuff always made me dizzy and light headed. i stopped using the stuff at school as soon as i was old enough that they let me take it myself instead of the school nurse keeping it and having to see her to take it etc.. my breathing never changed. finally my mom stopped makin me use the dumb machine at home.

now in my adulthood. every dr ive seen said my problem isnt/wasnt asthma, it is my tonsils are enlarged(freakin huge as most said). i had strep throat like 12+ times in k-2nd grade. i didnt want surgery, regardles of the ammount of ice cream they promissed, and my parents unfortunatly didnt force me to have it (i wish they would have now). now im an adult that needs my tonsils out and cant do it cause i have to talk to work and cant afford to miss the weeks of work it would take to recoup. my neice had hers out at like 13. missed 3-4 weeks of school due to it.

['85 supra]

Thanks for the links celipra. My breathing problems didnt really show themselves till after 40 yo. It is minor. In the winter while working it can be difficult and spring, oh and dairy (and I drink 1/2 gal of milk a day). One inhaler last me around 3 mths. The med I was Prescribed was Albut. and PM has always been more effective