GINA World Asthma Day 2026: Access to asthma inhalers is still an urgent need. My patient had three urgent care visits in 3 weeks. Still ended up in the ICU.
This Q&A section should be required reading for physicians and patients. Thanks for explaining the different inhalers and cost savings programs so succinctly. Information about asthma management is literally life-saving.
OMG am I Mike?! 10 ER trips for not being able to breathe in 2025.
Discharged over my objection for anxiety.
Finally took an uber to Temple instead of Bryn Mawr… the new hospital did the testing the first never would.
Small airways disease, emphasyma, thickening of bronchial walls, mucus plugging, hyperinflation, air trapping.
My PCP had discharged me for being a “bad fit” in the middle of it all, so I didn’t have primary care from last October until a month ago. The very time my lungs progressed to damage that can’t be undone.
Hi Angela, unfortunately Mike’s story is not uncommon! As you know first hand. Of course “Mike’s” details are changed for privacy, but he is in Harrisburg (where I practice), not too far from Philly. Small world.
I’m glad you were able to get help at Temple, they’re a very good center for lung disease. I read about your experience, thank you for sharing. I’m sorry you had to go through all that.
Hi Nandhini, not at all. I'm very happy to see more eyeballs and awareness on this. Especially asthma and its morbidities are so preventable and the treatment much simpler than say for cancer or other more complex conditions.
I wish every uninsured person had these three inexpensive medication resources in their bookmarked websites. The manufacturer’s coupon is a great option but you have to jump through a lot of hoops fiscally. The pharmacist also should have told "Mike" that Symbicort generic is around $100 with a free GoodRx coupon, $182 at CostPlus, Mark Cuban's discount pharmacy and the brand Symbicort is just $101 for the 160mcg 120 dose Turbuhaler at IsraelPharm.com.
This Q&A section should be required reading for physicians and patients. Thanks for explaining the different inhalers and cost savings programs so succinctly. Information about asthma management is literally life-saving.
Thanks Nita. The cost piece is what frustrates me most in clinic. Especially tough to see folks on medicare/medicaid/uninsured struggle so much.
OMG am I Mike?! 10 ER trips for not being able to breathe in 2025.
Discharged over my objection for anxiety.
Finally took an uber to Temple instead of Bryn Mawr… the new hospital did the testing the first never would.
Small airways disease, emphasyma, thickening of bronchial walls, mucus plugging, hyperinflation, air trapping.
My PCP had discharged me for being a “bad fit” in the middle of it all, so I didn’t have primary care from last October until a month ago. The very time my lungs progressed to damage that can’t be undone.
Wrote about it: https://dispatchfromthemiddle.substack.com/p/i-was-not-fine
I think Mike and I need to hang out.
Hi Angela, unfortunately Mike’s story is not uncommon! As you know first hand. Of course “Mike’s” details are changed for privacy, but he is in Harrisburg (where I practice), not too far from Philly. Small world.
I’m glad you were able to get help at Temple, they’re a very good center for lung disease. I read about your experience, thank you for sharing. I’m sorry you had to go through all that.
I wrote about it in this article (https://lungspan.substack.com/p/shortness-of-breath-misdiagnosed-anxiety-pulmonologist-workup?r=2j3sdf&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web). Hope it increases awareness and helps others avoid what you had to go through. Take care.
-Taj
hi Taj - very informative- not sure if you would have minded if had sharedthe story in my linkedin post series as source inspiration on the idea/thoughts about bottle necks of care (Marginofcare) - here is the link to... https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nandhinisivakumarb_marginofcare-marginofcare-asthmacare-share-7457705437371719680-KXRx?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAABDNIi0BOcKpGSfBOiOasnszzSngSX80w_c
Hi Nandhini, not at all. I'm very happy to see more eyeballs and awareness on this. Especially asthma and its morbidities are so preventable and the treatment much simpler than say for cancer or other more complex conditions.
I wish every uninsured person had these three inexpensive medication resources in their bookmarked websites. The manufacturer’s coupon is a great option but you have to jump through a lot of hoops fiscally. The pharmacist also should have told "Mike" that Symbicort generic is around $100 with a free GoodRx coupon, $182 at CostPlus, Mark Cuban's discount pharmacy and the brand Symbicort is just $101 for the 160mcg 120 dose Turbuhaler at IsraelPharm.com.
Completely agree! Thank you so much for sharing these other options, super helpful.