I would ask my Dr. About it.

Combivent I think was in the last batch of inhalers to be reformulated because of the CFCs which I guess were destroying the ozone (how many COPD people are there!?!?!).

I don't know how your husband feels about it, but he could switch to two inhalers containing the two ingredients- albuterol and ipratropium- or a nebulizer of each, which actually is probably the cheapest way of doing it.

I would check with my doctor first - see which of the new inhaler meds he wants then go from that point. As for ordering on the internet, there are many of us out here who use ADC (AllDayChemist.com) in India or several Canadian online pharmacies. I for one love ADC because it's the first place I found that has kept me out of our famous USA donut. When you're on 4 or 5 respiratory meds and they all price out at $250 - $300 + your co-pay (on Medicare), you hit the gap in April. I have had no problem with foreign purchases and my doctor is used to it by now.
The price at ADC isn't 1/20th of our prices here for Spiriva or Advair and my albuterol inhaler is $ 3.95 for 1 as opposed to $ 69.00 here.

I use the $3.95 inhalers from ADC. Works fine for me. I'm sure if I asked my doctor about buying meds from India he would say no. I also have a prescription for Duolin (Combivent) for my nebulizer. It's albuterol and spiriva. I like the nebulizer best but usually only use it when I feel myself starting to get congested. It really gets deep into my lungs. The nebulizer vials come from my oxygen supplier (in the mail). I have Medicare and they use part B so it doesn't cost me anything. I also get Advair from ADC for $38. They sell it as Seretide. In America it's called Advair in Europe it's called Seretide. It comes in the very same discus and from the same manufacturer as Advair. The only thing different about it is the name and price.

Just to be clear, Combivent is albuterol and ipratropium. It is NOT albuterol and Spirva- Spiriva is tiotropium. One of those similar but different cases. Also, Duolin is not albuterol, but rather levosalbutamol, which is another one of those similar but different meds.

So if your husband wants to replicate exactly the meds he was getting, just be careful what you order. I also don't know if the overseas pharmacies carry the CFC-free inhalers or if they've all been converted, too. You could try writing ADC. I've found they've always been very responsive to any questions I had.

For the record, I don't know how much a Combivent inhaler costs, but for a month's worth of nebulizer solution, taken four times a day, at Wally World cash pay I paid $26&change, $10 for the albuterol and $16+ for the ipratropium.

Shells,.... Without question now is not the time for your husband to self medicate. He really needs to talk to his doctor. If the meds in the delivery system are not getting him the results he wants or needs, he needs to address this. I have never ordered any drugs online, but I know several folks on the list have and do on a regular basis. I am sure you will get very good advise, on who and where such orders can successfully be placed. But as for you husbands medical issue let the doc know asap. Take care, Bill

Thank you for the correction Dani. Sorry for the miss information. Just giving information as it was given to me by my doctor and your right. I told my doctor that Spiriva didn't help me and he asked me to try Duolin because they were similar. Spiriva you take once a day and Duolin up to 4 times a day. I really didn't check the particulars.

My understanding to put it simply is....

If you use Spiriva...do not use Combivent either as a nebulize or inhaler (never even realized they still sell it as an inhaler/rescue)

With Spiriva use Ventolin (Salbutamol) as a nebulize or rescue...

Thanks for the advice everyone. Ask your Dr. was my first response as well but the hubs can be a bit stubborn and sometimes thinks he knows better what he needs to do. If he doesn't get instant results from a medication he's convinced it's not working. Case in point - Advair. Though more than one doctor told him the benefits he didn't experience an immediate difference so for over a year he skipped or "forgot" to use it. (He's finally doing what he's supposed to.) I don't think its so much that the new Combivent Respimat doesn't work as it is that it works differently from what he's used to. My goal right now is to get him to the doctor for his flu shot and I'll bring up the inhaler if he doesn't. Right now I just want to keep him from ordering fake meds from unknown online dealers pretending they are sending him what he wants.

I have had pretty good luck with the brand name combivent (original version) from Global Pharmacy Plus.

https://www.globalpharmacyplus.com/buy-combiventr-inhaler-purchase-albuterol-ipratropium

PittFan, did you notice that post was over 2 years old? I believe combivent rescue inhaler was replaced with one that was better for the environment , and, even that was replaced by doctors for most people on spariva ..

Thanks for the response PittFan. Hubby (reluctantly) uses the new version but would prefer the original. I'll let him know about this and see if he wants to pursue it. I'm always a little nervous about ordering from the foreign pharmacies.

Good Shellsbells47, Always prefer to use the original one. Original one medicine is available Safegenericrx.
http://www.safegenericrx.com/

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