Xopenex

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Marcie - 28 Jul 2006 03:40 GMT

Is anyone aware of Xopenex? My doc says it has the effects of albuterol
without the "speedy" side effect. What are your thoughts? I'm using Asmanax
2 puffs daily with this as an emergency inhaler - to be used 3-4 times/day
with exacerbations.

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Sheri - 28 Jul 2006 23:26 GMT

> Is anyone aware of Xopenex? My doc says it has the effects of albuterol
> without the "speedy" side effect. What are your thoughts? I'm using Asmanax
> 2 puffs daily with this as an emergency inhaler - to be used 3-4 times/day
> with exacerbations.

I have been using xopenex in my nebulizer for at least a year now and I
love it!! I don't have the emergency inhaler yet as my insurance
company doesn't cover it. I still get some shakes after using it.. but
nothing compared to using the albuterol. I use spiriva, asmanex and
pulimcort inhalers on a daily basis as well as singulair

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00doc - 29 Jul 2006 14:58 GMT

> Is anyone aware of Xopenex? My doc says it has the effects of albuterol
> without the "speedy" side effect. What are your thoughts? I'm using
> Asmanax 2 puffs daily with this as an emergency inhaler - to be used 3-4
> times/day with exacerbations.

The drug company that sells it makes all sorts of claims of this type. Their
basic science explanations about why this might be so are tenuous and the
clinical trials that have not been conducted by them don't support it. For
most people Xopenex is probably little more than an expensive form of
albuterol.

On the other hand, it is not uncommon to hear of individuals who say they do
better on it. How much of this is placebo and how much is from a small
subset of people who genuinely react differently I don't know.

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00doc

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pavane - 29 Jul 2006 15:34 GMT

>> Is anyone aware of Xopenex? My doc says it has the effects of
>> albuterol without the "speedy" side effect. What are your thoughts?
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> they do better on it. How much of this is placebo and how much is from
> a small subset of people who genuinely react differently I don't know.

The experience base should become significantly larger now that the
VA has replaced albuterol with Xopenex in its formulary. I can hardly
wait to have problems so I can try it.

pavane

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Marcie - 30 Jul 2006 01:06 GMT

You are right about more expensive.....$40 copay rather than $15. Hate to
even imagine what it really costs. So far,not much of a difference but I
will finish it and watch.

>> Is anyone aware of Xopenex? My doc says it has the effects of albuterol
>> without the "speedy" side effect. What are your thoughts? I'm using
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> do better on it. How much of this is placebo and how much is from a small
> subset of people who genuinely react differently I don't know.

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00doc - 30 Jul 2006 14:52 GMT

> You are right about more expensive.....$40 copay rather than $15. Hate to
> even imagine what it really costs. So far,not much of a difference but I
> will finish it and watch.

Unfortunately, the older CFC versions of albuterol are not being made
anymore. The pharmacies/suppliers are now just working their way through
their stocks. There will be a gap before the introduction of generic HFA
versions where the only albuterol products available will be brand name HFA
inhalers.

So for a while (something like a year or two) the products may be very close
in price (or at least in co-pays). I can't confirm the comment about the VA
formulary but if it is true it may be because they are anticipating this
issue (or they may already be unable to guarantee their supplies of generic
albuterol). After a year or two generic albuterol HFA's should hit the
market and re-create the price difference.

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0doc

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