You are teaching me something here; a few things actually. I don't think I
was aware of Ventolin HFA and had never heard about discarding it after
three months (Advair also has a short shelf life once opened but should not
be as much of an issue). I compared the product info for each and found them
to me remarkably similar.

http://www.drugs.com/PDR/Proventil_HFA_Inhalation_Aerosol.html
http://www.drugs.com/pdr/ventolin_hfa_inhalation_aerosol.html

They both say to discard the inhaler after 200 inhalations but only the
Ventolin adds to also discard it after 3 months. You may want to confirm
this with the pharmacy since I may be missing it in the Proventil monograph
but it looks like you might want to ask for a switch to Proventil HFA. The
other option is to continue to use the generic albuterol CFC MDI until you
have to switch to an HFA formulation.

BTW - while doing some searches for this response I learned that several
MDI's have gotten an exemption from the CFC ban including some beta agonist
rescue inhalers (Alupent and Maxair - similar to albuterol) and Proventil
brand of albuterol. They may be alternatives for people who do not do well
on the HFA formulations.

http://www.uspharmacist.com/oldformat.asp?url=newlook/files/Feat/ACF2F19.cfm&pub
_id=8&article_id=50

I'll throw this link in there for the cynics (like me) who wonder if this
really has anything to do with the ozone layer:

http://www.in-pharmatechnologist.com/news/ng.asp?n=59304-cfc-ban-will

    I loved you when you played for the Knicks. Do you plan on running
for President again?

    Brad_Chad