Ok, I may be exaggerating just a little bit, but I'm more than a little annoyed today. I was diagnosed with asthma when I was 22 years old and have pretty much just stuck with the normal albuterol inhaler for all my needs since my asthma is basically triggered by allergies or strenuous activity. Well, I was trolling my local news website and found an article about how the inhalers were going green and thought "how cool, let me check that out." So, the article was really positive and everything, explaining that inhalers were going to be CFC-free now and would be using HFA. I had used a few HFA inhalers in the past and currently and like them because of it tasting much much better than normal CFC inhalers,which can be pretty bitter. Well, I decided to find out more info on HFA and was startled by what I had found. Some of the side effects make it dangerous if not deadly (http://copd.about.com/b/2008/07/24/cfc-vs-hfa-inhalers-are-you-ready-for-the-switch.htm). I have had heart palpitations that have lasted for quite some time while using it and just thought it was normal, since I haven't been asthmatic for a long time, I didn't know any better. I also tend to get dizzy and lightheaded and I will normally have to use it several times to get it to work. Others have complained and some of their side effects are just as scary (http://www.consumeraffairs.com/health/hfa_inhalers.html).
So, why has the government banned a product that is needed for people with asthma or copd to breathe?? Is this just another way for the drug companies to make more money, since the HFA version cost 3 times as much? The testing done by the FDA (what a joke) was minimal. Is it going to take people dying and ER visits for asthma to increase before the government will bring the old version back? I am all for the environment, but I am more for being able to live a productive life. I can't imagine that the ozone layer, the reason for banning CFC inhalers, will suddenly reappear just because asthmatics start using HFA inhalers. This is just another example of the government sticking their hands into things they shouldn't be and passing regulations unnecessarily.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
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