I'm not on disability Peter and only took a rough guess at the cost of pharmaceuticals, that's what my mother used to pay although it was some years ago.

As for the one way bronchial valves, i had them inserted on February 2nd all went well for two days until I had a pneumothorax (collapsed Lung). Seems I coughed so much I popped a few blood vessels, back to ICU for a weak and then had the chest cavity drained of air and blood, home five days later. I am slowly getting stronger, I used to use oxygen everyday but that has reduced to only when I am having a shower.

I had the valves done under private health, I know there is a trial for the public system and stringent criteria before they will attempt the procedure. They will do the procedure in the public hospital but my Medibank Insurance had to cover all costs. My right lung is too far gone but there is quite a great deal of difference within my left, I can feel a stronger and deeper breath so am happy I had it done, not at the time but happy it is over.

Some generics use different fillers which might make them act differently on some folks. Generic Synthroid is known by everyone and DRs. that it is junk. I get some of my Meds from Canada. Brand only.

I'm very fortunate in that I have a real good health plan that came with my retirerment. I have Kaiser Permanente, and they pay for the Oxygen, the Oxygen regenerator, as well as portable tanks. My meds are relatively inexpensive UNLESS there is no generic available. In that case I get a spanking on my wallet. I'm not always on oxygen. I use it when I sleep and when I feel short of breath only after I've exerted myself. I've tired of constantly tripping over my Co2 line, so thats another reason I keep it rolled up and the machine off. The drawback with the tanks is that even with the pulse dispenser, the tank is only good for about 2 hours. My wife and I don;t go away anymore because I'm not going to be able to bring enouygh Co2 with me in one tank, and I'm not going to lug 4 of them around. We used to go to Noyo for the weekend when we could, and thats pretty well kybaches for now. I can't complain. Nobody lit the cigaretgtes for 40 years for me. I did it myselkf, and if you're going to dance, sooner or later, you're going to have to pay the band. It breaks my heart to see young kids smoking. You tell them what they can look forward to if they keep smoking, but you can't talk to them as they think they have all the answers. The youth think they're invincible. So did I.

I got off spiriva and started spiriva respimat it's a mist boy have I noticed a big diff and started using mucous loosing device called Areobika between the 2 it has really changed things my mucous is easier to bring up know not so thick in my throat it has made a big difference

there can be a difference in the filler or suspending agent in an inhaler but not the drug itself .
I learned that the hard way when I was in a testing group and the inhaler had something in it that caused an asthma attack that had me in the hospital three days before it cleared .