Discus symptoms and conditions

A few years ago, my doctor prescribed advair to better control my asthma. After a few days, I had an almost fatal reaction to the medication. I woke up feeling fine, took a shower, and got ready for work. I took a puff from the advair discus and immediately felt my throat closing. I started gasping for air and took my rescue inhaler which didn't work at all. The nebulizer didn't work either. Within minutes I collapsed and became unconscious.Luckily, my son was late for work that day so he called 911 and gave me mouth to mouth resuscitation until the paramedics arrived. My blood pressure dropped to 60/30 and I had to be intubated for the first time. I remained unconscious until I reached the hospital. The doctor said the only reason I survived was because my son saved me. If I had been alone that day I'm sure everyone would have assumed that I died from an asthma attack. I wonder how many other people that happened to. Since then, I have been very careful about taking new medications.

I have had EXTREME hair loss and I did not know what from. I never thought it was my advair. I checked all of my other medications and only one other one said there was a possibility of hair loss (PREVACID) so I went off of that but my hair was still falling out. I have been so desperate that I scheduled and appointment to see a dermatologist tomorrow. Today I happened to google "advair/hair loss" and I cannot believe all of the articles that came up with people expressing the correlation.
I have been so depressed from this hair loss. I had the thickest, shiniest hair and now I barely have a pony tail. I wear hats all of the time because I am embarrassed.It has been totally devastating.
What I need to know is which other asthma medication will NOT cause hair loss so I can switch? Too bad I just dropped $100 on a 3-month supply of Advair and now cannot use it.
Also, those of you who went off the Advair, how long did it take for you to experience hair growth or it not falling out?

March 9, 2008
I posted my reactions re: Advair HFA which I had tried as well as Advair Discus over the past 3 years in Feb. of this year. At that time I said I was going off Advair HFA and relying on Spring Forest Qigong for stabilizing my breathing. I also was pretty disgusted with my Allergist because I felt I was always getting the 'standard answer' from her.
About a week later I realized this plan wasn't working. So, I reread the Advair directions carefully on using the inhaler and started using it again.
Almost immediately my breathing stabilized w/use of Advair, and I use the SFQigong in tandem with it. The SFQ also helps w/calming me down since meditation is part of it; therefore, it calms down heart palpitations as well. I'm guessing any form of prayer, meditation, deep breathing techniques, 'time to slow down' during the day would do the same thing especially if done on a consistent, daily basis. This would help depression, anxiety, maintaining a state of well-being and probably other things I haven't thought about.
While I do not like meds of any sort, I will stay on Advair HFA until something tells me I should try getting off it again. In the meantime I will do more detective work on other symptoms I have that may/may not be caused by Advair.
Chronic problems such as asthma are so tough to work with; they change with the seasons, our personal make up, and also change as we get older.
I would like to hear from others who are finding natural solutions to these problems that many of us seem to be experiencing.
Good luck and better health to all of you who read this!
Pat, the wife, mother, grandma, teacher, and other hats I wear.

My daughter is ten years old and has had breathing problems since she was born, diagnosed with asthma/RAD when she was 2 or 3. She has been on several different medications since two or three including Singulair. To date she has been diagnosed with osteochondritis dissecans(bone necrosis in her knee), recurrent UTI's with kidney reflux and had a deflux surgery a few years ago, cold urticaria (hives when her body temperature is rewarming and vision problems. We just recently switched her Advair discus to a regular Advair inhaler with a spacer because her voice changed and had swollen tonsils for over two months. She has had stomach pains forever which I thought was from bladder infections but they are now getting worse with vomiting. After a few years I strongly believe that it is not from her bladder infections because she always has a trace of nitrates in her urine whether she has stomach pains or not. After reading the listings on this site I am definitely looking into this further. She has always had a very hard time with her emotions and anxiety and been very frustrated in not being able to control it. She gets headaches a lot. she also gets extremely bad cold sores. I am positive that these drugs we give are children need more long term studies to learn the short and long term-side effects. It is very frustrating to me that all these people have very similar side effects and nothing is being done. I just spent last night in the emergency room with my daughter having horrible stomach pains and vomiting again. No fever, normal stools etc. I will definitely be bringing this up ar our next doctor visit and be writing the manufacturer. Good luck to everyone out there. I sure hope some studies will be done soon and that we can find an answer to our problems. God Bless You All!

I started with a new allergist 3 years ago (other had retired). She said my asthma, moderate to severe, was out of control. Put me on allergy shots AND Advair Discus to begin with. I had too many problems with hoarseness, and being I'm a teacher, that interfered with my teaching! Then she put me on Advair HFA two years ago. It seemed to be better for awhile. Then I noticed hoarseness, dry mouth, and so I went down to 1/2 dose. I told her about it, and she got very angry that I would not follow her directions. She probably does not like me as a patient since I do speak up to her.
I decided to go off the HFA yesterday. Today I have no dry mouth, and my voice is normal, also no palpitations. I started Spring Forest Qigong which is a Chinese healing discipline, part of which there are certain breathing exercises and self healing techniques I can use, some directed toward asthma specifically. I will watch my diet more carefully for the worst trigger foods; I usually get a delayed sensitive reaction of some kind so I rotate those known foods. In addition red wine, I know, has a lot of histamines. I can get an immediate reaction from that, mostly palpitations.
I am thinking strongly of changing allergists or seeking a pulmonary specialist' opinion.

I am a healthy 43 year old woman, recently diagnosed with bronchitis, I had a persistant cough on and off for about a month, my doctor prescribed antibiotics and gave me advair discus, since then I have a burning sensation, like heartburn continuasly and my tongue feels funny, I have also experienced a rash like itching, i have only used it for about a week, it is also given me palpitations I will stop, I never had problems breathing and now I do, whwn will this sensation go away?

I have been taking Advair Discus 250/50 for about a month for bronchitis. I have severe laryngitis and can hardly speak, particularly later in the day. Otherwise I am feeling pretty good but this lack of speech is really getting to me. I am an elementary school teacher. Could this possibly be related to this drug?

I am 29 and recently developed asthma like symptoms - wheezing and tight chest- 2 months after i quit smoking, and my doc put me on this. I am on my 3rd 250 mg discus of Advair (not including the 2 week sample discus) and have a couple of the side effects as described in other entries - a lot of acne on my forehead and cheeks, sides of my face... very rash like. I haven't had acne since i was 15. Also, none of my pants fit me in the waist, but they do in the thighs and butt - i also FEEL extremely bloated. Finally, i also have aching joints, particulary back, and have started stretching religiously, but still ache a ton. My sense of smell is just recently totally messed up - smells other ppl love i am grossed out by!! 2 weeks ago i started excercising daily and eating NO sweets and no junk, and my acne is not so greasy but just a steady bumpy surface to my facial skin. I am 29 and recently developed asthma like symptoms - wheezing and tight chest- 2 months after i quit smoking, and my doc put me on this.

I am taking Advair discus for approx 1 year and I have gained 22 pounds during the same year, although my doctor tells me it is not from the advair. I have always been 121 to 130. All of my adult life. I could eat anything and not gain weight. But this last year I am not 150 lbs. I need some answers and help.

I have COPD and use an Albuterol nebulizer 4x a day. I have a very hoarse voice. Could the nebulizer be the cause?
Also using Advair Discus and my glacoma readings have gone up 4 points. Now using two eye drops: Xalatan 2.5ml once a day and 10m; of Alphagan twice a day. What else can I do to lower my glacome readings?

For all parents of young asthmatics ... My 8 yr. old son had severe behavioral problems after being on Advair for a few months. Changes were gradual but the end result was exposive. Singular wasnt effective in controlling his asthma and the doctor at Glaxo Welcome recommened Flovent Discus. What a relief!! He was started on the lowest recommended dosage and not only is he behaving like his old self again but his breathing has NEVER BEEN BETTER! Don't just "listen" to your doctor - Do the research, call the drug companies, and listen to your gut instinct.