Clear my throat symptoms and conditions

While on Advair 50/250 for 9-10 years, I had increased mucus coming up my throat. Constantly having clear my throat or coughing. More and more the mucus was thickening up. I complained about this to my doctor and he took me off Advair.

I am on another inhaler now. Since being off Advair, the mucus has increased, but not as thick. My asthma seems to be worst and I am using my albuterol inhaler more often. My breathing is harder than ever before. I am now constantly coughing with no other cold or flu like symptoms. My lungs are constantly congested. There does not seem to be any other reason.

I was diagnosed with asthma after 34 years of a very athletic life. My dr. prescribed me predisone, proventil, singular and ADVAIR!! Although the predisone was for a 7 day period, the other three meds. I was to take indefinetly. For someone who has never been on any medication, this was a very hard adjustment!! I took all meds. for about 6 wks. but my gut feeling was just telling me to stop, so after blurriness of vision, weight gain, shakiness, loss of sleep,mood swings,loss of concentration, severe heart burn(especially at night), breast tenderness, back pain and the need to clear my throat all the time I took it upon myself to get off the drugs!! I stopped about a week ago and am feeling a slight shortness of breath but I'm going to stay on top of it and work out on building up my lungs and flushing all these medications out of my system. Sometimes doctors are to quick to diagnose a person and put them on unnecessary medications. I believe on our bodies having the capability of healing themselves with natural elements. I'm on my way to a natural product store to find a healthier way to heal my body. Thank you all for the comments!! I'm relieved to know that I made the right choice on stopping ADVAIR!!!!

Hi all. I am a 37 year old female. I was diagnosed with severe asthma when I was 30. Nothing helped me, nothing! I was coughing blood, in and out of the hospital, had to leave my job and for two years resigned myself to knowing I was going to die sooner rather than later. It was a daily struggle just to walk through the house.

Eventually a pulmonologist started me on Advair 50/500. Almost immediately my breathing became better. I had my life back. I had the energy to start my own business and am doing things I never thought was possible.

Sure, I have experienced some of these side effects...weight gain, moodiness, leg cramps, slight swelling in my throat and a very annoying urge to constantly clear my throat. BUT...I AM ALIVE!

I have read some of these other posts. If you can get by without the Advair then maybe it is not the best choice for you. If simply drinking enough water, as one stated, made me not have to use my albuterol, I would never even consider taking it. Hopefully someday there will be something better that does not have these side effects. But...until then, if you are like me, and need it to literally survive, then these side effects are worth living to spend another day with my family.

Although, I will say that it is a shame that it has to be so expensive. Since there are people that need this medication to survive, they should come up with a better plan to lower the costs.

Sept. 4, 2007 I am now 55 yrs old and have been on ADVAIR for 2 1/2 years. I recently stopped taking it because my insurance co-pay was maxed out for the year. It was going to cost me $235 for a disk and I didn't want to pay it. So it's been two weeks now. OMG, the differences I am noticing. My weight is dropping and I'm not doing anything different. I have gained about 20 pounds. Then when I started reading some of the side effects of ADVAIR on line I realized I had almost all of them. Fuzzy thinking, bloating (especiallly right after eating), disturbing dreams, hoarseness and the constant need to clear my throat, digestive problems and heartburn all the time, foot cramps, feel tired and rundown, heart palpitations out of the blue like just sitting at the computer or watching TV, weight gain.

So already no more bloating, dropped 5 pounds, sleeping without the bad dreams, more energy. I'm feeling better on a daily basis. I have an Albuterol inhaler that I have used, but just drinking enough water helps. I plan on seeing a Naturopathic doctor soon to try a natural way to deal with my asthma.

I have been using Advair 250/50 for about a month now. I couldn't figure out why I kept having to clear my throat...and it doesn't help. I know I don't like the feeling and after reading other responses regarding Advair, I will contact my doctor. I actually decreased my initial dosage. I was supposed to use it twice daily, but I had muscle tremors after two doses.

I started taking Advair 2 years and it has helped me tremendously. However, I did notice some side effects like the dryness of throat and the constant need to clear my throat which I can live with. My main concern is blood sugar levels. I have been told by my doctor over the last year that my blood tests shows I have hit the diabietes numbers on the fasting tests. Is this a side effect of Advair? Is there anyone out there that has experienced this?

I have been taking Advair for about 5 weeks now and I have just started noticing a sore throat and difficulty singing. I wondered if it could be caused by the Advair. (Thanks a lot for your postings) I will try rinsing better after use and see if I notice a difference. I have also noticed that I feel like I constantly have to clear my throat and I wondered if this could also by caused by the Advair? I can say I haven't had an asthma attack since I began using Advair.

Like many other users, my voice is affected by Advair. I constantly feel the need to clear my throat, but it has no effect.

My greater concern arose when I indavertently ran out and had to wait 7-10 days for a refill. For that period, I found that my left ear was weeping continually, blocking my hearing. Upon resumption of the Advair, it stopped. I told my doctor and he had never heard it before.

The drug enclosure does list "ear signs" as a side effect, presumably of taking the drug, not of ceasing it. Now, though I find it expensive and feel I would rather do without it and use my albuterol inhaler as needed, I am afraid to stop.

Having now read many of the postings here I feel very luck. I have had asthma for a lifetime. I have used every medicine known to man and for the most part have been able to maintain a relatively normal lifestyle. Although sometimes I still struggle to breath those times that I feel overwhelmed are somewhat rare.
I came to this website to learn what others might be dealing with as far as side effects and found a bucnh of things listed by others that I had never thought of before.
Advair to me has been somewhat a wonder drug. Till I started taking it my breathing was much worse and I never wanted to be far from my emergency inhaler. I have been on Advair now for maybe 5 to 6 years. I don't even own an emergency inhaler. Although sometimes I wish I did as I still have an occasional flair up.
The things that I have suffered with are a constant and very annoying need to clear my throat. And a loss of voice that just seems to get worse with time.
And yet, If you told me to get up and walk 3 to 5 miles I wouldn't hestitate doing it. And in fact would feel better when I was finished than when I started.
I feel like many others ---- the side effects are a real drag. However ---- breathing is job one. Without a good breath of air what difference does the rest make.
One last thing. I am 58 years old. I had a sister that died of asthma at 28. One thing that I have learned that I would like to share. Part of effective asthma control is controling your emotions. Thinking about it too much ----- always makes it worse.

* Hoarseness (continuous)
* Phlegm in throat causing me to clear my throat frequently (my spouse is a speech therapist and she said frequent throat clearing will irritate the vocal chords and cause hoarseness)
* Canker sores occur more frequently and take longer to heal
* Two occasions of thrush (Oral candidiasis) over past year

I have always rinsed after using Advair. This medication has effectively controlled my asthma symptoms.

Hi there, 35 y/o male, in decent shape (though have moderate to severe allergies and get reoccuring sinus infections). In Mid-Nov '04 was diagnosed with acute bronchitis and was perscribed a Z-pak and 500/50 Advair diskette. Symptoms improved some, the wheezing I was experiencing subsided. So after a few weeks of taking the Advair I started to get this deep phlem, in my epoglotis/trachea area. Seemed I was always having to clear my throat, was getting very annoyed and concerned. So I went and saw a Ear, Nose & Throat MD who diagnosed me with GERD. Put me on a very restrictive diet, non dairy products, no caffiene, alcohol, sleep w/head propped up at a 30 degree angle, and yada yada. Also perscribed Protonox for acid reflux. Well, it seemed to help some, but now that I think about it, it kind of coinincides with my Advair perscription running out. Then I started getting the slight wheeze back, my doc put me back on Advair 100/50 2x/day. The whole time though I've had this persistent annoying phlem issue, I thought maybe it was still atributed to the GERD, but now after reading all of your posts, I'm beginning to think it might be caused from the Advair. Long story short, seems I've had this phlem issue, dry throat, some dry cough and I'd say a 10lbs weight gain in the four (4) or so months I've been on Advair. Am I going nuts, or could the phlem issue really be caused by the Advair? Feel free to email me at ****** if you have/are experiencing the same/similar symptoms. Bye the way, I'm going to ditch my Advair today and see how it goes.

It's 12:42 am and I finally decided to check the internet to see if anyone else taking this medicine was experiencing / experienced what I am. I cannot sleep. Having to clear my throat or cough all the time. Mouth is so dry that there are times I cannot swallow. It's awful. This medicine is going in the trash!

Like many of you, I experienced weight gain (all around the middle); high blood pressure; already had an irregular heart beat; chronic sinusitius with thick thick mucous constantly running down the back of my throat (antibiotics offered no relief); the need to clear my throat many times before I could speak; and the terrible sounding voice. In addition, I had the worst leg crams inaminable in the upper thighs. These cramps completely paralyzed my ability to move and they came on n the middle of the night. Also developed dry skin and break outs on the scalp requiring the use of special shampoos. Two doctors told me they had never heard of any of these symptoms. . .told me that over and over and over and wanted to add drugs for blood pressure, sprays for the sinuses. . .had no idea why the voice even bothered me. Now the clincher is that I was on Advair for 2 years. At the time I started I had a diagnoses of moderate asthma. Two years later - of continuing to faithfully take the medication - I have a diagnoses of emphysema with only 46% capacity for oxygen/carbon dioxide excahnge. I am a non smoker (never smoked) and genetics was ruled out in a test. The doctors STILL want me to continue on Advair. The urrent pulmonologist insistes he, too, has NEVER heard any of these side effects and cannot imagine why I think any of them are connected to Advair. Needless to say, he apparently hasn't ever read the Advair insert as the company now owns up to at least a few. I wonder if . . instead of posting OUR eamil addresses and names (leaving us open to SPAM . .. we start naming the physicians who tell us they have NEVER heard these syptoms before. They can, truthfully, only make that statement one time each . . . after that they are out and out lying and if thier name in here we'll all know who they are. I no longer take Advair . . am very fearful of my lung disease and very inquisitive as to how my condiition could deteriorate so completely while I was following all the medical advice; even allowing myself to be convinced that the doctors are right. And, my blood pressure is now normal and I have lost 20 pounds so far. Everyone wants to know which diet I am following and I just say I have "changed a few habits."

OMG - I am SO glad for finding this site.

I have been on Advair for almost 3 years now. I started off on 250, and then went up to 500 when I had a severe attack in the spring of 2002. I use to be a relatively healthy person (besides my severe asthma and allergies) - since starting advair (coincidence? i think not) - I have developed a RASH of medical ailments. To the point where I can barely exercise now, I have gained over 40 pounds, and have hyperthyroidism. I experience fibromyalgia type symptoms on a daily basis as well. I have tried a VAST range of diets from weight watchers to atkins to sugar busters to south beach (which I am now on) - I have been unable to lose ANY weight on ANY of these diets. NONE. ZILCH. I tried an exercise plan for about 4 or 5 months - for 4 or 5 days a week, doing all the exercise I could stand to do (even though I felt like I was goin to pass out, and my heart rate was through the roof) - but I simply gained more weight. I have striae (stretchmarks), dark purple ones ALL over my hips, the insides of my legs all the way down to below my knees. I have seen women 200 pounds heavier than me that don't have stretch marks like these. My back constantly hurts, as well as the center part of my chest (around my sternum). I bruise easily. And it feels like I'm constantly having to clear my throat. As if I'm always congested. In the winters I get this insanely dry skin (which I never experienced before Advair). It gets to the point that I am constantly applying lotion because my skin cracks so severely that it bleeds. I cannot be in the direct sun longer than about 45 minutes, or I experience heat rash. And recently I had a raging case of hives, that did not respond to medicine lasting for about 2 months.

My anxiety is through the roof. I've dealt with a little bit of anxiety on and off my entire life, but NOTHING to this extreme. I can hardly do alot of the things I use to love (big sporting events, movies, weddings, etc) due to it. Just 3 days ago, I had a panic attack so severe, it sent me to the hospital, because I thought I was having a heart attack (again I am only 27).

I presented the notion of Advair being the cause of all of my problems now to my doctors. And they both (endocrinolgist AND GP) both laughed it off - saying that Advair is not systemic, and would not cause any of my problems (even though cortiscosteroids are KNOWN to cause hyperthyroidism *which I have now*).

I love the fact that I never need my inhaler. I love the fact that I can be around animals, and if I sneeze it won't send me into an asthma attack. I love being able to breathe, and not having to carry around my breathing machine with my wherever I go.

But I don't love who I have become EVER since starting Advair. Literally. I am 27 years old, and I feel like I'm 96. I can barely walk half a mile now. I always feel horrible, and I never quite feel like myself. I am lucky I have an office job that I can sit on my ass all day, because I don't know how I would survive otherwise.

Why are doctor's so quick to dismiss Advair as a culprit for these things?!?!? Are they that eager to just make our money? Is there an Advair quota? Do they get a bonud from the pharmaceudical reps for selling more of it?

I just don't get it.
Especially now after reading all of this.

Just had my dosage increased from 10 to 20mg. I have been noticeably fatigued since the change. I have had to pull over several times to take naps in the afternoon to prevent falling asleep at the wheel. I Also find myself sleeping much later in the morning. I thought I was experiencing depression symptoms. I also have a persistent need to clear my throat. After reading this thread I feel that I am experiencing the after effects of the Lisinopril. Will report to my doctor. Thanks for the information all of you.