Pulmonary specialist symptoms and conditions

My wife (66) was using salbutamol inhaler for the last 10 years being a bronchial asthmatic. Even prior to that, she was being treated with a combination of theophylline, cortisones . In 2001 she was diagnosed to be suffering from OCD and citalopram 20 mg was prescribed. With significant improvement, the dosage was reduced to citalopram 10 mg, though we lowered the dosage only in December 2007. However, during the last month, when she had to be admitted in the hospital for a stomach virus the doctors prescribed MONTELUKAST SODIUM 10 MG combined with lEVOCETIRIZINE 5 MG. .
Dramatically,montelukast had a dramatic effect in that my wife never used the salbutalmol inhaler for well over 2 months, about which we were very happy.
But the worst was yet to come.
During the last few days, she again showed symptoms of the dreaded OCD once again, and she suffered like anything. On contacting a well known doctor, we were advised to stop MONTELUKAST and asked to continue citalopram (though escitalopram instead of citalopram ) along with clonozepam 5 mg to be tapered down every week for about a month.
I would like to be advised from a doctor whether (a) discontinuance of Montelukast will be able to bring back normalcy from OCD of course with citalopram or escitalopram. and (b) whether montelukast can be abruptly stopped. For the time being, we have reduced the dosage of montelukast from 10 mg to 5 mg.
PLEASE ADVISE US.

I am a 53yr old female, I started with bronchitis in Feb 2008, after two er visits, and treatment with antibiotics/ cough meds/ decongestants, etc. thought I was finally over it after 2/3 weeks, then all of a sudden I would start up with the same tight, non productive cough, twice accompanied by strep throut also, these symptoms started to return almost monthly, without warning. The last episode I had in July I was put on prevacid for acid reflux, (the first dosage of that gave me a slight improvement of symptoms of the cough, then the following week prednisone was added with almost instant improvement, Wow finally, each day better that the last, then as I started to taper off a bit of increase in congestion, nothing that a child's dose of mucinex didn't help. Then almost a month to the day after thinking that I was finally better, I started all over again, up for almost 36 hours straight from coughing, started back on steroids, antibiotics, etc. But this time is tougher, The initial steroids helped right away, but there is a lot more mucous with this episode, My Doctor set me up for a PFT (pulmonary function test) and pending results plan to followup with a Pulmonary specialist, but as I've been tapering off the prednisone again the symptoms have increased, almost back to the beginning of the episode, with more coughing than not. Nervous about the last day of my steroids, my doctor put me on the Advair Diskus, my results of my pft should be in tomorrow, I took my first dose this morning, (quite nervous about it because I have several medication allergies and reactions) Now for my dilemma, my dose went well, I almost thought I felt a little something good, I know it's supposed to take awhile to help, but I felt positive about it and looked forward to my next dose in 12hrs. A little later in the day I started feeling funny, kind of spacey, fuzzy headed. Is it possible that this feeling is from the Advair? I've read the side affects and a lot of feedback from Advair users, and nothing matches what I;m feeling. Is there anyone out there that has felt like this? Please help, I'm almost due for my next dose and don't know what to do.
PMB in CT.

I had been taking Advair 500/50 for several years, however, most of that time I only took it once a day (not the recommended 2X). My diagnosis is near fatal asthma/COPD. About a year and a half ago I began taking Spiriva in addition. I am stable, but with a low pulmonary function for the past year (peak flow remains around 200). I see an acupuncturist/herbalist and an currently trying Wei Labs products: Soup A and LC Balancer, that are supposed to reverse lung damage. I recently visited a new, conventional, pulmonary specialist who wanted me to retry Advair at its recommended dosage, which I did. I noticed a nagging headache (at my forehead), a tendency to be agitated very easily, and a diminished peak flow. His response was to continue and add another medication (Singulair, which I have tried years ago with no good result). I stopped the Advair (though I am continuing on the Spiriva, until I see more results from the herbs). Also, I am a thin person who exercises all the time, and I had noticed that my weight was about 10 lbs more than I would like it to be (this had been the case for a couple of years). I have yet to see if that will drop, I have only been off for a couple of days. Additionally, I have had the experience with conventional steroid sinus meds over the years; the meds would stop working after a month or two and I would end up with worse congestion. I ultimately had a surgery to clear polyps and extra tissue, and have been breathing well through my nose since 2004 without meds. I feel I need to get off the conventional meds for the asthma too, on them I appear to be in a slow decline.

I took Levaquin as a treatment for pneumonia. After 3 days on the drug, all my joints were stiff and I had difficulty breathing. I called my doctor and I was told to continue the medicine. After a week, the reaction continued to get worse, I could hardly move, my breathing got worse and I had to be put on oxygen. My hands were like clubs and I couldn't open anything. I sat in a chair all day. It took me a half hour to get out of the chair to go to the bathroom. My hands were so swollen that I could not flush the toilet with my hands. I had to use my elbow to flush it. I saw doctors thinking I had rheumatoid arthritis. I saw pulmonary specialist and my lung capacity was at 48%. They sent me for many blood tests, cat scans, and I even had an MRI to try to find the cause. Finally, my heart doctor found out that some people were having adverse reactions to Levaquin. She found out that it caused severe anemia, breathing problems, and joint pain. She dosed me iron and within a week I was finally beginning to see the swelling in my hands start to decrease. I was out of work for 3 months.

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.

My 32-yr. old daughter died on 12/7/07. She left a son who turned 3 yrs old last week -- 1/26/08 and a 7-month old daughter. NuvaRing, we believe, is what caused the clot that killed her. Get off this stuff - it's a killer. Please do not wait. See a pulmonary specialist asap. You are better off with 10 kids. This stuff is severely dangerous.
mrk

Ive only been on Advair for almost a month. I couldn't believe how quickly my asthma disappeared. I was using my inhaler daily and tried other things but nothing helped. I went to a pulmonary specialist and prescribed Advair for a month. I'm so glad i have to go back and see him this Saturday b/c I want to tell him I will no longer take this. I'm 26 years old and had developed asthma when I was 7 years old. It went away when I was 14 and just came back full force 3 years ago. I would have tried anything to be able to breathe normally again.
I've had the hoarseness in my voice and a bad cough where I'm spitting up mucus everyday since I've been on Advair. I figured if this was what I had to live with to have the chance to live a normal life asthma free that id take it, it wasn't so bad. But this past week I've had blinding headaches non-stop. Ive been nauseous, sweating, coughing, I've been sore like I just finished a long workout, chest pains, tightness in my chest and my legs have felt so weak. This morning I woke up with the worst cold too; which I know Advair weakens your immune system but this is crazy. I stopped taking Advair this morning & I'm going to tell my doctor I need to try something else.

My husband is 46 and has been on Advair for about 3 years for COPD /asthma. I do not believe in all this medication however his doctor told him to take it so he did. We trust our doctors. He use to be an avid runner , rode horses almost nightly, good physical shape and always full of energy. I have been noticing over the last couple years he has no energy, he has chronic muscle pain ( can not even lift much anymore), hoaseness all the time, eyesight is deteriorating, weight gain ( and he has been dieting), problems sleeping at night , feels light headed , and always exhausted. Recently he has been constantly complaining, which he never does, on how much his body truly hurts all the time. So I decided to find out the side effects of all the medications his pulmonary specialist has kindly prescribed for him and guess what his problems all relate to taking Advair. So as of tonight he has stopped taking this medication because I gave him a copy of what shows on this site and how everyone else has the same side affects. I thank all of you. I did convince him a couple months ago to start going to a massage therapist weekly , He used to go monthly,to help him with his muscle pain, however the pain was so much that he has to go weekly. He just started going for acupuncture which he really seems to see a difference in his breathing. She told him the first medication she was getting him off of was Advair. How interesting.

Paula , Burlington, CT.

I am a 30 year old female. I was prescribed Advair in January when I had maxed out the dosage for Azmacort (which I had been on for close to six years) and was on my second dosage of prednisone. At that time, I could not walk across the room without getting winded. I spent most of my days wrapped up in a blanket in my rocking chair. My general practioner referred me to a pulmonary specialist as he wasn't sure what to do with me. The pulmonary specialist is the one who prescribed the Advair.
The dosage I was prescribed was 500/50. I immediately cited the "increase of asthma-related death" and was told the study was flawed. I can't recall the name of the study, but I did read through it and it wasn't a well-thought out study. So I gave it a chance. I did not read the side effects flyer because I wanted to give the medication a fair chance.
My breathing immediately got better, but I've put on 25 lbs since starting the medication (had to go out and buy new pants and tops). I've also experienced nosebleeds. Sometimes I can feel them start and sometimes I can't. It's a little nervewracking because I don't know if I'm going to have one in public. I've had a lot of weird dreams over the last six months that I didn't think to be a side effect of the drug... now I'm beginning to wonder.
Another thing I have experienced since starting the drug is random blinding headaches that leave me sensitive to light. I'll go to work and have to decrease my computer monitor brightness and turn down the lights.
As a result of the weight gain, I have been watching what I eat. I've increased fruit and vegetable intake, reduced the amount of high fructose corn syrup I ingest. In all, I'm probably treating my body better than I ever did. Unfortunately, the weight has not come off.
My pulmonary specialist has brushed off any of these concerns that I have raised.

WOW!! I can't tell you how glad I am to have found this site and learned about all the side effects from lisinopril. I've been on lisinopril since about January of this year...12.5 mg. Been back to see the doc 3X since i've been on it. I complained about chest pain and coughing. I've had EKG done on me 3X (including the one done recently when I checked my self in at the ER at 2:30am) also did the treadmill stress test. I've also been referred to and did see a pulmonary specialist where they checked my lung capacity/function due to the shortness of breath. I've been friggin joggin' 7 days a week for 3 months (used to do 3X/wk) to combat the fatigue, shortness of breath, tickly & scratchy throat causing me to cough to try to clear it, tingly arms and legs, chest pain (kinda like pressure or cramping, real discomfort)...and yes, i feel like my days are numbered. It's been such a life altering experience. I'm stopping lisinopril starting today. I hope the chest pain will get better. Will post again in a few days and let you all know how I feel. Thank you all again for taking the time to post your experiences. God bless!

After a month on Lisinopril, I started noticing shortness of breath. Then awoke one morning with pain in shoulder and numbness in arm - thought I was having a heart attack! ER diagnosis was asthma. Advair, methylprednisone (steroids) and albuterol helped at first, but after two weeks, breathing problems all came back. Started using a nebulizer which provided only short term relief and was then referred to a pulmonary specialist. He put my on Advair, Singulair (another side effect horror story), Nasonex, Intal inhaler, albuterol inhaler, the nebulizer as needed. Upon follow up two weeks later, it was all still going on! He rx'd another prednisone pack, but NOW he notices in chart that I was taking Lisinopril, which he said is KNOWN to cause breathing problems - and to stop taking it, immediately. Within one week, all of these horrendous asthma problems WERE GONE. It's been two weeks and I have since discontinued ALL asthma medications - everything - not to mention the Lisinopril. How could prescribing doctor and ER doctor mis-diagnose Linsinopril side effects for asthma! How could I? I would like to think that if they're going to prescribe this stuff, they would be familiar with possible side effects as such. I'm just lucky this stuff didn't kill me and that I didn't get rid of my cat!

Started as a mild asthmatic. Found a spot on my loere left lobe.Was put on advair 500/50 about 1 month ago. Had a bronchoscopy done. The spot was vegetable material (aspirated). I do have a history of GERD. I developed round the clock unproductive coughing. My pulmonary specialist offered Prednisone and an antibiotic. Then for some reason, he changed his mind. I continued with round the clock Shortness of breath and severe coughing, round the clock for a full week.I decided to see my primary care doctor, who wished I had gone to the pulmonary specialist. So, he called the specialist and then put me on Methylprednisolone 4MG, 21 pack.This calmed the asthma, but not everything. I had a sore throat, sore mouth, sore inner ears. I still coughed a lot, and raised sometimes thick white sputum, and sometimes yellow-green sputum. I got pretty sick, so I went to the ER where they did a chest X-Ray, and some blood work. The ER Doc said maybe I had a hiatial hernia and things would eventually settle down. Became very short of breath and could hardly move. I got in to see the Pulmonary Doc, who said that I looked much
worse, defended doing the bronchoscopy, and never mentioned changing the Advair to something else. He noted that I also have Thrush. I borught home four more prescriptions last night (which included an antibiotic for pneumonia, a few cough suppressants and Nystatin for Thrush. I am raising pleanty of sputum. Doing a little better. I absolutely needed the bronchoscopy. But I am now having difficulty talking myself into using the Advair, with the pneumonia and the Thrush.
Most of our doctors want to help people to be well. But, our pharmeceutical companies are having their reps win and din the docotors get their products sold to patients. This needs to stop!

I was put on Advair 500/50 about 2 monhs ago. I was in the mild asthma category. I use Albuterol as a rescue inhailer, and I have used Singulair for some time. A spoot showed on my lung. I then had a brochoscopy done, which showed that I had aspirated some vegetable matter. (I also have GERD). I developed a severe cough and could hardly walk, at first unable to raise much sputum, and had pleanty of audible heezing. Finally, I got put on MethylPrednisolne 4mg tablets (6 days). That took care of the asthmatic end. However, I still coughed pleanty, and could hardly move or take care of myself. I started coughing up huge amounts of pus looking sputum and also yellow-green sputum.My throat hurt, my ears hurt, and I was exhausted. I went to the ER, where they did a Chest X-Ray and a blood test. The next day, I went to my pulmonary specialist. I have pneumonia, and thrush, still couging up pleanty of stuff. I am on Nystatin for Thrush and Augmentin for infection, some other stuff for cough. I think that most of our doctors sincerely want to help us. However, this wining and dining of our doctors from the pharmeceutical companies has to stop!!! It is causing A LOT OF PROBLEMS FOR BOTH DOCTORS AND PATIENTS. I am still on the Advair. I would like to get off it.

I finally know what is wrong with me and I think I can help some other people also...so I felt compelled to post!

I have been on Advair for almost 5 years and have experienced weight gain (35 lbs), heart rate increase, anxiety and just over all restlessness. Now, my asmtha is under control, but I have had voice problems and continuous phlem in the back of my throat.

I have gone to a wonderful speech pathologist that told me that a lot of this was due to Advair. He asked me to cut down and once my pulmonary specialist heard that he was angry. The pathologist told me to drink a lot of water, but in small sips. Don't drink hot liquids, coffee, caffine and to constantly chew gum or have candy to keep your saliva glands working. Don't whisper! It's worse for your voice. Also, if you use albuterol use a dispenser chamber that will slow down the dosage...there you go...about 1000K of advice from a pro!

I am looking into other avenues to treat my asmtha after reading your posts. I am 27 and the symptoms are just not worth the pain they cause. Hopefully Advair will fix these symptoms, but it is pretty powerful stuff!

I've been taking the Advair 500/50 for a couple weeks now, and the side-effects i'm experiencing are hoarsness when speaking, insomnia, and chestpain. I do rinse my mouth and brush my teeth afterwards but still sometimes have the hoarsness voice. This medication is not suppose to cause weight gain even though it's a steriod because it only goes to the lungs not the bloodstream, i asked my pulmonary specialist. Not sure what's going on w/ people's expanding mid-sections on this website????

I posted a few days ago regarding my never-ending period. Still going, by the way....
I had no idea what was causing my prolonged period, so I called my primary physician. Her nurse called me back and told me that the doctor believes it is due to the kenalog injection. The injection was given to me by my Pulmonary Specialist, who I see for severe asthma. As I was not warned of the possibility of this particular side effect, I phoned the pulmonary specialist and told the nurse that it would be a good idea in the future to inform women of this possible side effect. She spoke with the dr. then called back and told me that the dr. had never heard of such a thing and that I should schedule an appointment with a gynocologist , believing it to be something else. Apparently they researched the problem further and since then both nurses (both doctors are located in the same clinic) spoke with one of the clinic directors. The clinic director called me this morning to THANK me for pointing this out, and told me that the doctors are now in the process of putting together a pamphlet listing ALL known side effects which will be given to every patient prior to a kenalog injection. WHEW! No one should have to be blindsided by the potential horrible side effects of this drug.

After I had a bout with bronchitis, then pheumonia and finally congestion that would not go away advair was prescribed. I started out taking 250mg then 500mg was prescribed. I am having problems with the roof of my mouth being sore and I have horseness. I feel like it is damaging my vocal chords but I am not sure. I will go to a pulmonary specialist this week to determine what I have for sure. My primary doctor seems to think that I do have asthma.

My 6 year old son has been on singulair for one year. He also has been monitored by pulmonary specialist for past year and he takes Flovent daily and Albuterol as needed. Last week he had a weird reaction that looked sort of like a seizure - shaking that wouldn't stop. We saw his pulmonary doctor the next day. I thought it was the albuterol, but she took him off the singular after she left the room to look up something about it. We can't say it was the singulair for sure - but she seemed to be targeting that.

Hi all,

i am glad to see this site. may god bless us with good health. i am talking a deep breath for every 10 -15 mins. i went physician he referred a pulmonary specialist. after testing every thing he told that i am WHEEZING little bit and he suggested me to take ADVAIR after having this medicine like a WEEK my joint (hand) paining some times it is hurting my whole hand i think better to stop it and to approach a homeopathic doctor this worst we are talking this drug for cure but it is giving some other problems oh my god it is "BETTER TO STOP" ....THANKS ALLOT FOR U ALL ....

I am absolutely relieved to find this website and all these side-effects you won't readily find on www.advair.com. A couple months ago I went to see a pulmonary specialist after having recurrent bronchitis for the last 4 years. He prescribed a nasal spray (I don't have the name in front of me..) to take for one month, and gave me a 28-dose Advair Diskus 250/50 with the instruction that I should start taking it IF I feel symptoms of bronchitis coming on and then take 2 puffs/day. On 01/15/04 I started taking Advair (today is 01/28/04) and either yesterday or the day before I felt I had to blow my nose and when I did, the tissue was covered with blood. Since then I've had 3 or 4 more nosebleeds. (Before Advair I think I've had maybe 5 nosebleeds in my whole life.) I called Advair's "if you experience problems.."-number (888.825.5249) and they told me that either 3 or 4% of people in clinical trials experienced nosebleeds / epistaxis. Right now I'm awaiting my doctor's recommendation as to whether the benefits outweigh the side-effects. I've also felt tightness in my legs and my skin has felt very dry the last few days. So depending on what my doctor tells me this afternoon, I think I'm done with Diskus.

I have always like Levaquin until last night. I had bronchitis 10 days before my last attack of bronchitis and Pleurisy. Both times my Pulmonary Specialist has given me Levaquin. I accidentially forgot to take the 10th dose. ( skipped a day) and took it yesterday 6-6-03. I became so weak. I had trouble getting my breath, was very weak ==walking a few steps felt as if the oxygen was cut off to my legs and arms. I turned very pale and experienced tingling in my fingers and toes.
My husband took me to a walk=in clinic - they sent us to the ER. The doctor there wanted to give me Anxiety pills. I refused. I explained I was not suffering from stress. I had a normal day. He ran all the test. Results - no clot, no pneumonia. He checked my blood for possible heart attack. All enzymes were normal. Potassium in normal range - but low side of normal. He told me to go home and drink some gatorade. The doctor said - there might be a side effect of Levaquin - "I haven't looked it up" He wrote me up as anxiety and unknown cause." I fully believe what I had last night was an Levaquin reaction. Today 6-7-03 I still feel tingling in my fingers and toes - I am still pale - but I am not as weak.

I was sent to a pulmonary specialist by my family doctor in late December 2002, and the 'specialist' arbitrarily took me off the Flovent(twice daily) and Albuterol(as needed, and I rarely needed it) a course which I told him had been working well for me for about two years. He said that the new combination of Advair and Combievent would work wonders for me. I had been having two episodes per year of near-pneumonia because of air pollution in the spring and autumn where we live; however, with the use of Flovent twice a day and Albuterol(as needed) and three or four Albuterol nebulizer treatments each spring and autumn at the doctor's office, I was maintaining, staying out of the hospital, and able to work 40 hours a week as a cashier. When I was sent to the pulmonary specialist, it was to be evaluated as to where I stood and what could be done about my allergic-based asthma. (There were just two office visits total.) What I got was an Advair and Combievent nightmare. I kept getting worse and worse. It was hard to breathe, like an elephant sitting on my chest. For the first time, I had shortness of breath all the time. I had to start using oxygen at night and had to use the Albuterol 3 or 4 times a day. I would call the doctor's office and they kept saying that Advair was the best of medicines and no one else had adverse reactions to it and to give it a chance to work. Finally I walked into the office and told them this was not working. Stone wall. So I went home and put myself back on Flovent and Albuterol. I ended up developing pnemonia and spent 5 days in the hospital in February, 2003. I am on medical leave from work and I'm miserable. I don't know if I'll ever get back to feeling as good as I did when I walked into that specialist's office in December, 2002. Want to insert here that the pulmonary specialist sent me next door for a cardiac test with ultra sound which should have taken less than half an hour. That technician said he couldn't get a good image, so he would have to do another type of testing. Two and one-half hours and $2,000.00 later, the pulmonary specialist sent me to the hospital for breathing tests. His office two office visits and those breathing tests were another $1,900.00. What did I get? Worse health and a complete mistrust of the entire medical profession. I hope I get better, but I have my doubts. This whole experience has knocked me for a loop. c. austin