As a lifelong asthmatic, I am dependant on my albuterol sulfate inhaler. This is very effective (usually). However on some days when I have to use it several times (in excess of 4x-5x) I wind up with a splitting headache. This doesn’t hapen every time, but the majority of times (90%).
Is the albuterol causing the headaches, my asthma, or whatever is triggering my asthma?
Has it got a label? Does it say anything about side effects on the label? Like this?
Albuterol is a Beta-2 agonist.
http://www.cheshire-med.com/programs/pulrehab/asthma/a3beta.html
So it looks to me like you need to talk to your doctor about the fact that your medicine is giving you headaches.
And, honey, in sickness, “90% of the time” counts as “every time”. 
Talk to the doctor, don’t try to tough it out. It’s not normal for your medicine to give you a headache.
If you need your albuterol rescue inhaler that often, there’s a possibility your asthma is not under optimal control, and you might benefit from a visit to your doc to review your maintenance medication regimen. Anyone needing albuterol more than once a week for allergic asthma should generally be on at least one maintenance medication.
And if you are able to cut back on your albuterol use, I bet your headaches go way down.
QtM, MD
IANAD, but I’m asthmatic, too, but apparently not nearly as badly off as you are. I can usually go weeks or months without using the darn inhaler. If you are having to use your albuterol inhaler 4-5x a day, that’s waaaaay too much if it’s on anything approaching a regular basis. I would highly recommend that you talk to your doctor about using some other maintenance medication in addition, if you aren’t already.
I am on mantainance medication, and the 4-5x a day thing only happens every few months. I usually am a once a week “puffer”. I have brough this up with my Dr., who just dismissed it with a scoff.
I had a nasty bout with asthma several summers ago, and whenever I tangle with bronchitis, the wheezing starts again.
Yep, Albuterol is a nasty headache-inducer. I had better luck with Intal in the headache department.
Kick your dr in the rear end. I’m willing to bet he/she is not a headache sufferer. You need someone who tangles with headaches on a frequent basis to be sympathetic to headache triggers.
(Hint: if you go to the ER with a killer headache and your doctor prescribes a single Tylenol #3, it’s time to find a new doc)
~VOW
Damn straight, vow. Narcotics are generally contra-indicated for nearly every type of headache. If the ER doc gives you tylenol #3 for yours, she’s probably not following good medical practices.
And heaven forbid an albuterol rescue inhaler gives you a headache while allowing you to avoid dying of asphyxia. Work with your doc on this issue, other strategies can be used. But there are issues of relative risk and benefit here!
And if any patients where I work kick me in the rear end, they are going into the hole!
Well, I didn’t kick my Dr. in the rear end, but I did violate the chain of command.
I’m with a HMO and unable to choose my Dr. However, I was able to talk with my ex-pediatrition (sp?) about this problem. (He was the one who orginally prescribed albuterol for me). He agreed that it was probally just over use. Anyway, I know have a sample of the Combivent, which has two medications, so on my next “bad day” it’ll either work better, or I’ll have twice the headache.
Unfortunatly my current Dr. is an a-hole, and doesn’t even beleive that asthma is a real affliction. Add that to the fact that he as disdain for the physically handicapped, and that really puts a hamper on discussing any sort of health issues with him.
I can’t believe that if your doc is that much of a schmuck, they won’t let you pick another one! Asthma is a very real affliction and kills thousands of people every year. Please write a nasty letter to the head of your HMO! I did that once, and got some wonderful results…
As an asthma sufferer who spent a few days in the hospital after an attack (one day in the ICU on a ventilator) because I tried to use an albuterol inhaler only instead of proper maintenance medication, I think you need a new doctor. Soon.
There are scads of new asthma medications on the market, in pill and inhaler form, that are easy to use and affective.
I was lucky (really, I could be dead). The doctor who treated me in the hospital has a son with asthma. She was very up to date on the most current treatment options.
Good luck and start calling around for a new doctor!