Me too.

This company's albuterol might be the same drug, supposedly, as another company's. But the formulation and delivery systems are different. Like you, tried 'em all (or so it would seem) and of the pack, found one that works - and it works especially well.: Ventolin.

In talking to other wheezers their experience is the same. Well-metered doses delivered in a fine-enough mist to get the job done when it arrives. Best solution for an emergency inhalater that I've found.

I've also found at the urging of two providers that a plastic chamber about the size of a hot-dog (several brands - mine is a Philips, available OTC) that diffuses the mist in air before being inhaled makes a ton of difference. It consists of a sealed port for the inhaler at one end, and a mouthpiece at the other with a whistle in between that warns if you're sucking the medicated air in too fast.

Result: the medication goes deep into the bronchia in a well-distributed fog rather than a concentrated blast, most of which gets stuck on the back of your throat and is of no effect.

The idea of combining fluticasone propionate and salmeterol in one formula is encouraging! Have used both but combining them for a controlled double-whammy makes a lot of sense. I'll tell my PCP.

Thank you, thank you, for passing this along!

The word that passes between us here on this forum has to be at least as valuable, and likely more valuable, than what the doctors hear from the pharmaceutical reps who visit their offices.

In the vast sea that doctors navigate, polluted by politics, the insurance industry, and big pharma, we do best when we can become well-informed advocates for our own health care, working pro-actively in partnership with good docs when we find them.