How to use a Diskus®*
The Diskus® is a plastic inhaler device designed to help you inhale your medication. It contains a foil strip with medication blisters. Each blister holds one dose of the medication. It can be used in 4 easy steps:
Open: To open your Diskus®, hold the outer case in one hand and put the thumb of your other hand on the thumb grip. Push your thumb away from you as far as it will go. When you take your Diskus® out of the box for the first time, it will be in the closed position.
Slide: Hold your Diskus® with the mouthpiece towards you. Slide the lever away from you as far as it will go – until it clicks. Your Diskus® is now ready to use. Every time the lever is pushed back, a dose is made available for inhaling. This is shown by the dose counter. Do not play with the lever – this releases doses that will be wasted.
Inhale: Before you start to inhale the dose, read through this section carefully.
Hold the Diskus® away from your mouth.
Breathe out as far as is comfortable, and remember to never breathe into your Diskus®.
Put the mouthpiece to your lips.
Breathe in steadily and deeply through the Diskus® and not through your nose.
Remove the Diskus® from your mouth.
Hold your breath for about 10 seconds or for as long as is comfortable.
Breathe out slowly.
Close: To close your Diskus®, put your thumb on the thumb grip and slide the thumb grip back towards you as far as it will go. When you close the Diskus®, it clicks shut. The lever automatically returns to its original position and is reset. Your Diskus® is now ready for you to use again.
Rinse your mouth: If you are using a Diskus® that contains a corticosteroid medication, rinse your mouth and gargle with water, then spit out the water. This step is not necessary if you are using a Diskus® that contains a bronchodilator. If you are unsure whether the medication in your Diskus® is a corticosteroid or a bronchodilator, ask your pharmacist.
Second dose (only if instructed by doctor): If your doctor has instructed you to take 2 inhalations (doses), close the Diskus® and repeat stages 1 to 5. If you are using a Diskus® that contains a corticosteroid medication, you only need to rinse your mouth after the second dose. The Diskus® has a dose counter that tells you the number of doses remaining. It counts down from 28 or 60 to 1. The last 5 doses will appear in red.
How to look after the Diskus®
- Keep the Diskus® dry.
- Keep the Diskus® closed when not in use.
- Never breathe into the Diskus®.
- Only slide the lever when you are ready to take a dose.
- When the red number 5 appears in the dose counter, it is time to get a new Diskus® so you will be ready when the doses run out.
*Different medications come in Diskus® form. This information is intended to provide general instructions for the use of a Diskus®. Instructions may vary for different products. If these instructions are different from those given by your doctor or pharmacist, check with your doctor or pharmacist to confirm how you should be using the product. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for specific information about your particular medication.
