Wixela Inhub is a dry powder inhaler that delivers two medications in one puff: one to reduce airway inflammation and one to relax the muscles around your airways. You use it twice a day, about 12 hours apart, at the same times each day. It is not a rescue inhaler. If you’re having an asthma attack or sudden COPD flare-up, reach for your quick-relief inhaler instead.
Preparing the Device
Hold the inhaler upright in one hand with the mouthpiece facing you. With your other hand, grab the gray grip and pull the mouthpiece cover downward, from top to bottom. This exposes the mouthpiece and gets the device ready for the next step.
Now push the yellow lever all the way down to the end of the purple arrows. You should hear a click. The lever will stay locked in that position until you inhale. Don’t push it partway and stop. One usability study found that the most common lever mistake happens when people try to grip the mouthpiece cover like a handle while pushing the lever, which creates an opposing force that prevents the lever from going all the way down. Just hold the body of the inhaler steady and push the lever with your other hand.
Inhaling the Dose
Before you put the mouthpiece in your mouth, breathe out fully, away from the inhaler. You don’t want to exhale into the device because moisture can clump the powder.
Place the mouthpiece between your lips and seal them tightly around it. Breathe in quickly and deeply through your mouth. This is a dry powder inhaler, so your breath is what pulls the medication into your lungs. Lab testing confirms that an airflow of about 30 liters per minute is enough to get a full dose, and most people with asthma or COPD generate well above that. Think of it as a quick, forceful sniff rather than a slow, gentle draw.
Remove the inhaler from your mouth and hold your breath for about 10 seconds, or as long as feels comfortable. Then breathe out slowly. Close the mouthpiece cover by sliding it back up until it clicks shut.
Hold It Upright, Not Sideways
One detail that trips people up: the Inhub is designed to be held vertically (upright) when you inhale. In a usability study of 110 people, about 9% held it horizontally instead, the way you might hold a Diskus inhaler. The good news is that nearly all of them still received an effective dose. But holding it upright is the correct technique and gives you the most reliable delivery.
If you previously used an Advair Diskus, be aware that some habits from that device don’t transfer well. The Diskus is held flat, and some people also inhale while sliding the lever. With the Inhub, you push the lever down first, then inhale as a separate step.
Rinse Your Mouth After Every Use
After each dose, rinse your mouth with water and spit it out. Don’t swallow. The medication that reduces inflammation is a steroid, and any residue left in your mouth and throat can encourage a yeast infection called oral thrush. Rinsing takes five seconds and is the single easiest thing you can do to avoid that side effect.
What to Do if You Miss a Dose
If you forget a dose, skip it entirely and take the next one at your regular time. Do not double up. Taking two doses at once increases your risk of side effects without improving symptom control.
If Breathing Gets Worse Right After Use
In rare cases, Wixela can cause the opposite of what you’d expect: the muscles around your airways tighten right after you inhale, making breathing harder instead of easier. If this happens, stop using the inhaler and contact your healthcare provider. Use your rescue inhaler in the meantime.
Keeping the Inhaler in Good Shape
Do not wash the Inhub with water, and do not take it apart. Keep it in a dry place at room temperature (roughly 68°F to 77°F). The device comes sealed in a foil pouch. Once you open that pouch, the inhaler is good for one month or until the dose counter reads “0,” whichever comes first. When either milestone hits, discard it and start a fresh one.
Check the dose counter on the back of the device regularly so you’re not caught off guard. When it reaches zero, there’s no medication left even if the lever still clicks.
Quick Reference: The Full Sequence
- Open: Pull the mouthpiece cover down by the gray grip.
- Load: Push the yellow lever all the way down to the purple arrows until it clicks.
- Exhale: Breathe out fully, away from the inhaler.
- Inhale: Seal your lips around the mouthpiece. Breathe in quickly and deeply.
- Hold: Remove the inhaler and hold your breath for about 10 seconds.
- Close: Slide the mouthpiece cover back up until it clicks.
- Rinse: Rinse your mouth with water and spit.