The nebulizer is a machine that delivers the Albuterol which is the same as Proair. It get the medicine deeper into your lungs than the inhaler does. It is good to use especially when you get up. I hope this explains the difference. Breathe easy and have a good day,

I have old and new Proair inhalers. I finally found a doctor who would submit the form to the insurance company saying the Ventolin inhaler works best for me, so the insurance would cover it. Now I have a Ventolin inhaler, and things are better.
The bottom line is, if one inhaler works better for a patient, for whatever reason, it shouldn't be a huge ordeal getting that medication. The only thing that should matter is making sure each patient has the medication that most helps his/her condition. Being condisending and smug, reminding me you're a pharmacist and I'm not, will not make my breathing any better. And since I quit being the remedy for people with self esteem issues, the only outcome there is hurt feelings, and they won't be mine. Those encounters were totally unnecessary and accomplished absolutely nothing. It certainly didn't help my breathing.

They are the same medication and the same dosage. What may be different is the delivery mechanism. If the Proair is now and HFA device, that is different from the way Ventolin used to be dispensed, so if you have one of the older ones, that may account for the difference you feel.

I have to pump the Proair 2 or 3 times to get the same dose as the actual Ventolin inhaler. Pharmacists, doctors and insurance people have argued with me and implied that I was less than intelligent because Proair contains the same medication as the blue Ventolin inhaler, therefore it works the same. I've never been able to get them to understand that the Ventolin inhaler works better for me because it delivers a higher dose of medication than Proair. I've used both and I really do know the difference. I also know the Ventolin inhaler costs more than Proair. I wonder if there's a connection?

My insurane stopped covering ProAir and my doc switched me to Ventolin for an on demand inhaler and Brovana 2x a day through a nebulizer. That stuff really helps.