- Check your asthma management plan to see how often your doctor wants you to use your Flexhaler each day. The Flexhaler comes with 60 or 120 doses of medication. How long one Flexhaler will last depends on how many doses your Flexhaler holds, how many times a day your doctor wants you to use it and how many puffs you should do each time.
- The first time you use a new Flexhaler, you must "prime" it. Twist off the cover of the Flexhaler. Make sure you keep the Flexhaler upright like a rocket.
- Holding the Flexhaler upright by the brown grip, use the thumb and index finger of your other hand to grasp the inhaler in the middle—NOT at the top of the mouthpiece. Twist the brown grip as far as it will go in one direction and then all the way back until it stops (it does not matter which way you turn it first.)
You will hear a click during one of the twisting movements. Repeat the two twists. Your Flexhaler is now primed. You do not have to prime this Flexhaler again, even if you don’t use it for a while. You are now ready to load your first dose.
- Hold the Flexhaler upright in one hand and twist the brown grip forward and back one time until it clicks to load one dose of the medication. Do not shake the inhaler.
- Breathe out. Do not blow into the Flexhaler.
- Place the mouthpiece between your lips and take a fast, full deep breath in.
- Hold your breath for 10 seconds and then breathe out normally. You will not feel or taste anything.
- Repeat steps 3 through 6 for each dose of medicine as prescribed by your doctor. When you have finished, put the cover back on the Flexhaler. Store it upright, if possible.
- To keep the medication from resting on your tongue, either brush your teeth or rinse your mouth out with a sip of water. Swish the water around in your mouth then spit it out.
- Check your Flexhaler after each use to see if it is running low so you can order a refill before it runs out.
Download the Pulmicort Flexhaler (PDF)
