If you’re getting any benefit from the inhaler used inccorectly, then I’d drop by the doctor’s office and have a nurse show you how to use it properly. Practice repeatedly in front of them, and make sure not to cut any corners when you get home. Your doctor should ask you to demonstrate how you use it every time you see them (long after you start being insulted by the question). Few do. It’s tedious.
Misusing a “reliever”/“rescue” inhaler [like albuterol / Ventolin™ which contains a fast acting bronchodilator related to adrenaline ] can reduce its efficiency as much as 90%. Misuse of the longer acting steroid inhalers can dramatically increase side-effects.
If you aren’t a regular coffee drinker, you might find that a cup of coffee helps you through bad spots between allowed inhaler uses. Caffeine is related to theophylline, a potent asthma drug, and inhaling the steam won’t hurt, either. But keep your intake reasonable - and be wary if you have high blood pressure, etc.
Cough suppressants like dextromethorphan may help you rest by taking off the worst of the coughing, but by and large, coughing is your friend -an often sadistic one, but a friend nonetheless. When possible, I’d consider agents that produce a more productive cough, such as guaifenesin or steam/nebulized saline rather than a cough suppressant. Try to let the cough do its job
Since someone mentioned Primatene™
In my area, over the counter Bronk-Aid™ and Primatene™ tablets no longer contain theophylline, and are IMHO less effective than they once were. However, even after the local stores changed, I had out-of-state patients who said their bottles were still labeled ‘theophylline’, so it may be regional. Theophylline is used much more in the Midwest, than in in Boston, due to its narrow thereapeutic range and abuse by college student for regional fat loss, after a study showed that topical aminophylline (basically the IV/ cream form of theophylline) cream could cause local area fat loss.
If you get theophylline over the counter, follow the instructions carefully, and make sure your doctor knows you are using it. It is a fine drug, but it has a narrow ‘therapeutic range’. Unlike many drugs, the gap between the effective dose and the toxic dose is relatively small. We consider blood levels of 10 mg/dl to be the minimum for reliable effectiveness, but 20 mg/dl to be the onset of toxicity. With some drugs, blood levels can bounce up and down like a yo-yo by a factor of 10 or more; with theophylline, steady levels in the effective range are important
If your doctor has warned you to stay away from coffee, avoid over the counter theophylline. In fact, I’d call your doctor before taking it; they’ll probably want to monitor its effects and interactions with other drugs. Read the label and know what side effects to look for.
This is just a very crude discussion of a case scenario, not medical advice. I am not your doctor, I haven’t examined you, and don’t know your findings or medical history. For that matter, you don’t know my history. I could be an Internet mass murderer.