I'm prescribed to use the albuterol (blue one), 2 puffs every 4-6 hours as needed. If you use it more often, you get side effects, etc. and it also means it's not "enough". My asthma has gotten "worse" over the 3 or so years I've had it, I had to go to the emergency room the first time and I've been back there once, last year (?) when I was using my inhaler every two hours for too long.

Sometimes the asthma will seem to go away for a few days or weeks even but then will come back; it will start back slowly, I'll only need my inhaler a couple times a day but then that will become 4, then 6, etc. When it gets too many times and I can't "beat it back" :-) then I'll usually have to call and see the doctor. They'll prescribe prednisone and that will wipe it out for a bit and "reset" me.

I have a second maintenance inhaler/puffer, Flovent, you all call it Flixotide: http://www.inhousepharmacy.co.uk/ast...y/flovent.html that is a "mild" maintenance or "preventer" one. Some of them are not very nice, have a literal side effect of "death" and I told my doctor I don't ever want those kinds. I'm supposed to use the Flovent inhaler twice a day, 2 puffs in the morning and 2 at night. It is supposed to keep me from needing the blue Albuterol as often.