Connect
← Return to Bronchiestatis and albuterol
Discussion
Comment receiving replies
Hi Gayle & @gej53 - If you do not tolerate albuterol well (shakiness, etc) ask your doctor if you can try levalbuterol (brand name Xopenex.) It is buffered somehow to alleviate some of the side effects. Albuterol gave me such shakes & tremors that I would wait to use it until I could barely breathe. Although I get slight symptoms from levalbuterol, I would say it is 90% better. Since it used to be brand name only and very expensive, many docs don't usually prescribe it. Now that the generic version is available the price is similar to albuterol and is on the formulary for most insurance plans. It comes in both nebulizer solution and rescue inhaler.
Sue
Replies to "Hi Gayle & @gej53 - If you do not tolerate albuterol well (shakiness, etc) ask your..."
I don't tolerate albuterol either. It makes me crazy. When I switched from 3% saline to 7%, my doc wanted me to add albuterol but when I told him it made me upset and shaky, he switched it to generic for xopenex. I take two puffs of before using the saline.
Connect
The albuterol gave me shakes but I thought I would work thru it. It then gave me the sensation of a horrible "lump" in my throat with painful swallowing. That went away fairly quickly once I stopped the Albuterol. I wonder if Xopenex would do the same? Will mention it to my pulmonology doc. So far the saline does seem to be working and once he started me on the percussion vest I had much better results with a productive cough. Thank you for the suggestion!!