Author: Unknown

ABOUT YOUR NEBUHALER

Nebuhaler makes it easy for your inhaled medicine to be breathed down into the lungs where it is needed.

It contains a ONE–WAY VALVE.  This means that when you breathe IN through the mouthpiece, the valve opens up, and the medicine goes down into your lungs.

When you breathe OUT through the mouthpiece, the valve closes up.  None of the medicine will escape from Nebuhaler until you are ready to breathe in again.

So, whenever the inhaler canister is pressed down, the spray of medicine released will stay inside Nebuhaler until you are ready to breathe it in.

CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS

It is very important that Nebuhaler is cleaned regularly.

The clear plastic parts and the white canister holder should be washed once or twice each week in warm soapy water.

To make washing easier, Nebuhaler should be taken apart as follows:

Remove the canister from the white plastic holder before washing.

Pull out the white canister holder.

Press in, at the same time, the two round lugs near the middle of the Nebuhaler.

Twist the two halves, and pull them apart.

Lastly, pull off the mouthpiece.

After washing, allow all of the parts to dry out completely.  You may find that leaving them in a warm airing cupboard will speed this up.

HOW TO RE-ASSEMBLE NEBUHALER

Push the mouthpiece carefully back onto its seat.  Then ease the two halves back together, making sure that both of the round lugs hove clicked back into their holes.

Push the white canister holder back into place.

Finally replace the canister into the holder.

FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE CAREFULLY

INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING NEBUHALER

1.	Shake Nebuhaler well to mix up the contents of the canister. | 2.	Place your lips around the mouthpiece.  Make sure that you don’t cover up the raised ring around the mouthpiece.. If you do, the small hole behind the ring will be obstructed.  Then breathe out gently, but not fully, THROUGH the mouthpiece. | 3.	Press the canister down once, to release a dose of medicine into Nebuhaler.  (It will stay there until you are ready to breathe it in.)  Then breathe IN slowly and deeply through the mouthpiece. | 4.	Wait for at least 5 seconds before breathing OUT through the mouthpiece.

| REPEAT STEPS 1-5 IF YOUR DOCTOR HAS TOLD YOU TO TAKE MORE DOSES

Breathe IN again slowly and deeply through the mouthpiece, but DO NOT press the canister.  This will make sure that as much medicine as possible has been breathed in from Nebuhaler. | NOTE.  If you are very wheezy and cannot open the valve when breathing in, tilt Nebuhaler upwards to open the valve.  Then breathe in with your head tilted slightly backwards.

NEBUHALER

Two different types of medicine can be used with Nebuhaler.  These are Bricanyl and Pulmicort, which are both available in canisters.  Your doctor may have prescribed one or both of these.

Make sure that you follow your doctor’s instructions carefully, and if you have been prescribed both types of canister take care not to get them mixed up.

Bricanyl acts by opening up the airways quickly to make breathing easier when you feel wheezy or tight chested.

Pulmicort is designed to help prevent the attack and must be used regularly at the dose and times recommended by your doctor.  It will not help once an attack has started so do not take extra doses.  However, you should still carry on using Pulmicort at the prescribed times.

CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR AS A MATTER OF URGENCY IF:

Your breathing is getting worse. 

You are not getting relief from the current dose. 

You frequently wake up at night with asthma. 

You develop chest tightness in the morning, or it lasts for longer than usual.

Don’t wait until your canister runs out before you ask your doctor for a new one.

Nebuhaler should be replaced about every 6 months.

CAUTION – The aerosol canister is pressurised  – keep away from heat and direct sun.  Do not incinerate.  The valve should not be tampered with.