Advair HFA and anxiety

Holy crikey. The docs put me on Advair Diskus for my shortness of breath , and although I've had minor anxiety my entire life, this sent it through the roof. When my girlfriend and I thought she might be pregnant, I flipped out and my mind raced for the week or so before we found out it was a false alarm. I've had that scare before, and wondered why I flipped out so much more this time around. Toward the beginning of April, I noticed my heart racing much more than ever, so I stopped taking it abruptly (nobody told me not to do that, and the doctors later on said it was fine to do so!). Later on that week, I had some trouble at work (big but not anything I haven't conquered before), and was in the doctor's office on the EKG because my heart rate was twice what it should've been! They put me on Xanax, which helped (but threw me up and down emotionally and physically), but for the past 4 months I've experienced all sorts of paranoia, psychoses, and phobia. Luckily it's almost gone, so for those of you experiencing it, don't worry, it gets better!

I have been on advair for about 6 years. and im 18 years old. I am now just experiencing signs and symptoms of major ANXIETY!.... RESTLESSNESS, and MOOD SWINGS and im wondering what its from.. it just now started kicking in? I am a severe asthmatic and this is the best thing for me.. but now im starting to wonder???

I was on Advair then my doctor switched me to Serevent and Qvar and now I am back on Advair. I have gained 150lbs since starting this medication in 2002 and just now realize that maybe my weight gain is due to this medication. I also started having short term memory problems as well as swollen legs and anxiety. I never had these problems before. My doctor then prescribed me Xanax for Anxiety but it made me too tired so he prescribed Zoloft which boosted my short term memory and then prozac which I have recently just stopped taking. I never knew that all these prescriptions could be the cause of my health decline. I am only 38 and use to be in top shape playing tennis but now I don't have the energy to do much at all.

After an allergic episode about a year ago, I was diagnosed with asthma. The doc put me on advair (2 puffs - twice a day) . After 4 months, I started having an anxiety issues. I couldn't turn my mind off, felt restless and was stressed out and full of worry about dying from the asthma. At this time I got a job 80 miles from where I was living and had to move. My family and friends attributed my mental state to my life change. Up until now, I had never had any issues with anxiety or depression. Over the course of about another 4 months things got worse and I went to see a asthma/allergy specialist. He put me on Allegra for my allergies and prednisone for the asthma. Needless to say, things got exponentially worse. i could not sleep, was restless and found that I would just get up and run around my backyard. The anxiety had gotten so bad with the lack of sleep that I almost couldn't take life. The doc never let me know about the side effects of the prednizone. A month later (now almost nine months from my original diagnosis) I went back to the doc to see what was wrong because of the depression and anxiety. He sent me to the pysc unit to arrange counseling. That never happened due to the business of the clinic I was at. 2 weeks later I stopped taking the Allegra and Advair. Within a day to day and a half I felt like a huge weight had lifted and it took a couple months to get back to what I would call fairly normal life. I share this just in case someone else is having similar effects or life events. It has taken almost 6 months to shake the mental patterns from the few months of exposure that I experienced. Know your body, listen to it and don't blindly accept what a doctor tells you without research. Doctors are a great asset, but science only goes so far and then God.

Hi all. I'm posting again after being off Advair for about a week. I've noticed a dramatic change in my emotional health. The anxiety that I've been suffering from for the last three months while on Advair has now entirely vanished. I feel like my old self again, and friends and family have also noted the difference. I won't ever take this medication again-- I'd rather deal with my asthma in a preventive way.

I am very skeptical of all of the claims I have read here. I am no advocate of GSK or any other drug company for that matter, but I think people are getting carried away with attributing their symptoms to Advair. The known side-effects are readily available, anything else is purely based on assumption. I agree that Advair may in fact have many more possible adverse effects than they let the public know, but let us be careful about making ourselves little scientific researchers and concluding a causal relationship based upon a single case study (and an informal one at that). Talk to your doctor about trying something with less risk, such as Singulair, Azmacort, Intall, Fluticasone Propionate, etc. Please though, be careful not to be so quick to claim generalizable findings based on your specific case. I myself am going to work with my physician to attempt a gluten-free diet and a less invasive medication therapy. Advair is not habit-forming or addictive, so withdrawals are doubtful at best. Read up on the pharmacology of Advair (salmeterol in particular), and you can come to your own conclusions. Best wishes to all of you fellow asthmatics!

I am very grateful for this blog because your collective experiences helped me figure out why I've been having depression and anxiety. I started on Advair 100/50 about 2 years ago and experienced wonderful relief from asthma symptoms. The drug seemed like a godsend.

However, just recently my boss noticed that my personality had changed, and she asked me if everything was OK. I said I've had a lot of trouble with depression and anxiety lately. I was just attributing it to aging (I'm 54).

Now after reading the many entries here about depression and anxiety, I realize that my symptoms are probably caused by the Advair. I've actually had the symptoms for quite some, but they were subtle at first, so I didn't link them to the Advair.

I'm going back to my doctor to see if I can get off of this stuff. I'm currently down to one puff per day, but I experience serious asthma symptoms when I try to quit completely. I'll probably need to go back to using a nebulizer at least during the withdrawal period.

OMG, I was prescribed 100/50 Advair today at the Dr. I have a cough with some "wheezing" that is because of severe allergies. The Dr. and nurses were adamant that this was going to help me. I read all the literature before I went to try it, but was suspicious because there was no side effects section on the package insert. I entered "Advair side effects" in a search engine and this is the first site that came up.

BOY AM I GLAD that I never tried this stuff. I am going to throw it out right now. I won't ever try it, so glad I never did. I want to sleep tonight, and I already have trouble with anxiety, thanks anyway....all of you people can't be wrong!!!

I began taking Advair 250/50 in Nov. '06, approximately 1 month later started having pretty severe spinning & dizziness. Initially I was diagnosed with mild asthma and Ive always had allergies. The Advair cleared up the wheezing almost immediately and it never occurred to me that maybe the Advair was causing my dizziness. However after using in on and off for the last year and a half, I have experienced anxiety, a few panic attacks (for the 1st time in my 42 years), and this overall feeling of cloudiness. I recently started the Advair again and almost immediately I am now feeling very dizzy again, headaches with this stabbing pain behind my right eye, an overall feeling of instability. To add: last year when this all started I saw a neurologist, and a whole series of tests to check the cause of the dizziness Including a brain MRI, eeg and bear tests, these all came back normal. I am truly beginning to believe that the Advair may be the cause of all of this. Just a note, I also have felt the pain in my arm and neck. Has anyone else experienced these feelings in your head? I have stopped the Advair, to see the difference. I'll stick with Albuterol for now. I am a stay a home mom who has always been really healthy, eats right and exercises regularly. Any feedback would help!

I have used Advair for about a year. My asthma seemed to be seasonal like an allergy. During the time I used it I had a few "panic attacks". The doctor was ready to put me on Zoloft, an anxiety med. I never made the connection to the Advair usage. This stuff is dangerous. Increased heartrate, nervousness, tremors, all of the above. Get help elsewhere

I have been on Advair 250/50 since it was allowed in the USA. I also take Spiriva. I told my pulmonary doctor last October that I would like a lower dosage. Now I am on 100/50. The side effects have not dimished and I am getting scared. My skin has aged and the forearms are like goosepumps. Just diagnosed with cataract in one eye and I was told I have severe osteoporosis. I have COPD, the reason for taking Advair. I now have HIVES. I do not suggest anyone try Advair. It is a killer. Tomorrow I have an appointment with my regular doctor for the hives and I am going to inquire about getting off Advair. I don't know if I need any other medication? I use oxygen at night when I go to bed (concentrator). When I was working I didn't need the oxygen during the day but I know I have a lot of anxiety which leads to depression. I have small canisters of oxygen in case I need it. When I get upset, I can use it but notice I recover on my own.

I have been on Advair for two months now I have been experiencing anxiety, dizziness and over all irritability, weigh gain and leg cramps.

I'm not sure if the side effects are worse than the problems I was having.

I have only been on Advair for 2.5 weeks and am getting off today. I am having heart racing, anxiety, and the feeling of shortness of breath (even though the peak flow monitor shows my breathing is fine). In addition I feel like I am coming out of my skin with a miserable feeling in my head. I know this is the Advair because this is a side effect I have with decongestants too. My mother and sister have been taking this for years and now I am wondering about their weight gain and my mother's cataracts. I also have some of the other symptoms that others have mentioned but not sure they are related. I have the frequent urination at night also, I think some of us are more prone to have that side effect with certain drugs. The people that mentioned the rash or itchness, it is not just a side effect but a reaction and the insert says to call your doctor with that symptom. Remember it is a steriod and you cannot just stop this medication without informing your doctor and maybe weaning off of it.

I'm 19 and I began taking Advair in March 2005 after a doctor put me on too much prednisone without weaning me off of it. I took Advair 100/50 for about 5 months and they upped my dosage once or twice during that time. I also take singulair, and my asthma was back under control, but I wasn't sleeping, had terrible anxiety, and my weight went from around 145 lbs to a little over 160. I went back to my doctor to see if I could get off of the medicine, but they said it would go back to normal. After my 6th month, I began vomitting after every dose. I was then switched to Asmanex, which I still take now, and am experiencing the same problems all over again. I wouldn't recommend this type of medicine to my worst enemy.

I have been on Advair since 2004. Like most of you, it has done wonders for my asthma. I had symptom free days and had fewer and fewer attacks. The bonus for me is that I dropped a lot of weight and felt even better. Advair was a wonder drug for me.
However, as of late, I have been experiencing anxiety, dizziness and over all irritability. Thinking I was developing some kind of health condition, I went to the Doctor. I had the tests and the results concluded that I was a healthy 38 year old male.
It was only after I Googled Advair side effects that I stumbled upon this thread. I hope my contribution helped. I am getting off Advair.

I HAVE BEEN TAKING ADVAIR 100/50 FOR 6 MONTHS NOW.
AND UNTIL READING THIS WEBSITE I THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH ME. I FEEL NERVOUS AND HAVE BAD ANXIETY,FREQUENT HEADACHES,HEART PALPITATIONS,RACING HEART,EXCITMENT. AND I CAN'T DRINK OR EAT ANYTHING WITH CAFFIENE OR ALOT OF SUGAR BECAUSE THE SIDE EFFECTS GET WORSE. I'M THINKING ABOUT STOPPING MY ADVAIR.

I have been taking Advair for roughly five years and must say that has really improved my asthma symptoms. I have experienced increased anxiety but thats it. I definitely feel Advair has improved my life but after reading these testimonials, I have become a bit concerned about future problems that may occur.

WOW! I can't believe what I'm hearing. I have been on Advair for almost a year. 500/50 dose. I have severe asthma and it was my only hope of getting off oral steroids. YEAH it worked! I even lost 60lbs do to being off steroids. But about 5 months ago I woke up with horrible pain in my muscles. They haven't let up. It has been hard to go about my daily life. I can't walk sometimes and it feels like I have arthritis. I have been to several docs and no one ever mentioned Advair as a possible reason. I now have to wonder after being diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. That is how bad my pain is. I also have repeated sinus pain. I had sinus surgery but the pain is still awful. I have ear pain, throat pain, mouth/tongue pain. My anxiety has been so bad over all of this. I will talk with my asthma doctor about this.

I have been experiencing hoarseness. loss of voice as well as severe low back ache, hip ache anxiety and severe cramps in my calves at night. I have been going to back therapy the past month not making the connection to Advair and thinking it was more of my on going back problems. I stopped taking Advair 5 five days ago and many of the side effects either have gone away or have been subsiding noticeably. I thought this was a coincidence until today I began to read this forum and am really convinced at this point that the Advair has been playing a large role in my physical woes. On the downside, my asthma has become worse but I intend to ask my Dr. for a script for Asmanex when he returns to town....

This is pathetic. Yes advair has helped with my life-long asthma but since I started on Advair two years ago I have suffered high Blood Pressure, 20lb weight gain, muscle join pain in my legs, fatigue from hell, and terrible anxiety. I'm getting off this nighmare drug.

I just recently came off Advair after 5 years of side effects, boy was I brainwashed! And a/o I am now taking Asmanex (corticosteroid) I began having withdrawal but I believe to the Serevent.
Until I read some posts here, I began to question what was going on with me. I thought at first it was withdrawal from Advair particulary the Serevent. But I just couldn't believe something we inhale could do that. But this inhaled drug did cause me and many others systemic effects.
The first couple of weeks off the Advair my anxiety was worse than when I was off the drug. Who thought that was possible.
And the most alarming withdrawal symptom was the tingling in my hands and feet.

I am 20 years old and have been on Advair 250/50 for 5 days. Already I am experiencing extreme fatigue, a sort of spacy, hypnotic feeling, anxiety, depression, mood swings, dry mouth, thick phlegm, constant throat clearing and it is ruining my life. I'm in a tap dance company and have not been able to perform even simple rountines. It has also placed a strain on my relationship with my boyfriend due to the mood swings, depression and increased irritability. I am harder to be around and he doesn't understand why. I am so glad I checked this site. I thought I was going crazy.

I started taking advair 500/50 about 6mths ago after coming down with really bad cold which later turned into pneumonia. I was on albuterol inhaler 5-6times a day for 3 mths. The advair made a big difference. I'm now on the 250/50 which is great. But I've had increasing problems with anxiety as well as muscle spasms in my hands. My doctor immediately recommended anxiety meds instead even entertaining the idea that it might be the drugs I was on. I refused to take anxiety meds and instead on her recommendation started exercising regularly and have started seeing a phychologist. I also tried Singulair briefly but developed rash on my face and had sudden cold symptoms which went away once I stopped taking it. I'm not crazy, my side effects are real and I'm convinced that the muscle spasms are due to my medication, most likely the advair. Currently I'm on rhinocort, albuterol for emergencies, and advair 250/50. I also had allergy testing done and am very allergic to everything they test for except animal dander i.e. grass and tree pollen, ragweed, mold, both kinds of dust mites. I keep taking my meds, exercising, cleaning regularly, have encased my bedding to control dust mites. I'm also taking allergy shots every week now. The thrush can be avoided if you rinse after every dose of advair. Rinsing is very important - I've had no problems with thrush at all and am now in my 7th month of taking Advair.

I started Singular a month ago and added Advair 250 to it 2 weeks ago, and stopped using the Singular. I noticed slight weight gain with the Singular and rapid weight gain with the Advair, overall 10 lbs in a month. I've maintained the same weight for many years, and am a fitness instructor, nothing else had changed in my lifestyle. I've also noticed muscle heaviness, and muscle soreness, chest heaviness when climbing stairs, extreme nervousness, anxiety, and sore, sore throat. After 13 days I quit the Advair entirely. I will pursue more conservative methods of controlling my asthma. I'm not convinced these steroid concoctions are the way to go.

My side effects include weight gain (about 10 lbs.), chronic hoarseness, anxiety, and loose bowels. I've been on Advair for about 9 months now.

I have been on Advair. At first on 250/50 dose my asthma got so bad i struggled with every breath. I am on 100/50 now. I have had a pain around my voice box and my voice goes in and out. I am constantly clearing my throat and it feel like something is stuck in it. I get cold and extremely trembly at times sometimes my body starts twitching with the trembling. There are times when i feel i can't swallow. My dr. tells me all that i am going through is anxiety. I keep asking if it might be the advair. She says no. I am stopping the advair today. I can't take the side effects anymore. I don't have any other med to take but albuterol. I have also noticed an increase in axiety and an uneasy feeling. I can't sleep good. I get dizzy alot.

In response to the person who's 6 year old daughter who was recently put on advair: my son is also 6 years old and was put on advair 3 weeks ago treat mild asthma. He suffers frequent coughing episodes when he is beginning a cold. His coughing has caused him to miss school frequently. Although the advair has kept him cough-free, he is suffering from nervousness, anxiety in school, exhibiting some obsesive behaviors, is moody and preoccupied. I am very concerned because he seems like a total different child. YES I agree with you. This seems more like a child with ADHD than asthma. I am taking him off of this medication NOW. I think even he is confused as to why he is struggling!!

Had been using Azmacort for over 5 years with great results. Was switched to Advair, because I was informed that Azmacort was being phased out because of the CFC/Ozone laws being put into effect. (Azmacort uses a CFC propellent). My doctor prescribe Advair and gave me a starter sample. After just one week of being on Advair my Asthma symptoms went from great to horrible. Within that short period of time I experienced tightness in my chest, constant clearing of my throat, stomach bloating, increased anxiety, tremors and night sweats.

I still had a current prescription for Azmacort and returned to using that. Within a week my chest tightness has gone away, my constant throat clearing has disappeared, I have been able to sleep through the night without waking up in a pool of sweat and no longer have the anxiety, but still experience the bloated stomach feeling.

After doing some research, on my own, I have found that Azmacort will still be on the market for at least another 10 years and they are working on a CFC free propellent.

I will be sticking with Azmacort and will NEVER try Advair again.

I was diagnosed with Mild Asthma 2 or 3 years ago (I'm having trouble remembering things right now). My main problems are when I have to 'pant' - then I have problems with my asthma. So summers can be rough for me.

I was placed on Advair 100/50. I had no problems, I noticed that I didn't need my inhaler and life was good.

I stopped using it while pregnant, I noticed that my asthma went away. Which can be typical while pregnant. But it started back up after the delivery.

One of the PAs gave me a prescription to start in July, it was for 250/50, I didn't notice the dosage increase until I filled it out. I've been taking it for 5 or 6 days now. Yesterday, I noticed that my voice is very hoarse, like laryngitis with no other sinus/allergy symptoms. And today I feel like I'm about to have an asthma attack. I've already used my inhaler once and I'm still feeling short of breath and light headed. Plus I noticed major anxiety this morning...

I have an appointment with my doctor this afternoon. I'm so glad that I found this website - these symptoms are ridiculous...

I have been using Advair 100/50 for about 2 months. I was diagnosed with adult asthma over a year ago. Was on Flovent/Albuterol combo. I have been reading all the comments of Advair side effects. Personally, I don't think it's working for me - I seem much worse! I have some of the side effects already mentioned such as: increased anxiety (I'm already taking Clonazepam - over a year); trouble sleeping; can't concentrate; headaches (more than usual); moodiness; bad eczema on my hands; difficulty breathing at times' hardly any appetite and other minor things. I told my doctor (saw him last month) about what I have been reading and he said "don't believe all that you read on the internet". I like to be informed, although the doctors don't tell you everything and I do believe most of what I've been reading here.

Wow... stumbling on this site is a breath of relief so far. I've only been on Advair a little less than a month but my anxiety and mood swings seem to have shot through the roof and I've been waking up from less and less sleep every day with no explanation for my sudden bout with insomnia. I'm a 29 year old smoker that quit and started taking 100/50 Advair for an allergy asthma compounded with chronic bronchitis but I think this morning's dose will have been my last. Too bad I relapsed on the cigs before I found this site :/

I've been taking Advair for about 18 months - 2 years, and during that time I've been struggling with weight gain and couldn't figure out why (I eat healthy-vegetarian & I work out 4-5 days a week). At first, I was able to control it by eating less & working out more, but I've gained 10 pounds in the last 6 months or so, and I'm finding it impossible to lose the weight!!!

I was thinking that it could be due to taking Lexapro for anxiety, but now, after reading this website, I'm wondering if my anxiety could be caused by the Advair! I never had anxiety until a year ago.

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.

I was prescribed advair last week for a breathing problem that my dr could not diagnose. At first i was thrilled to be feeling better but now notice a horrible shaking in my hands and legs as well as nervousness and a general feeling of anxiety.

I also have experienced sleeplessness and leg pain and am going to immediately stop taking this drug.

I've been taking Advair for a couple of months for allergy-induced asthma. Have been working out like a fiend and watching my diet yet have gained 30+ lbs. Also find that my voice has changed (it cracks sometimes now when I speak), and my anxiety--a problem from before I went on Advair--has worsened. My bones ache at night, and I am (was) a healthy, fit 30 year old who has never had such aches in her life. But I can breathe so darn well!! All of these posts are amazing evidence that Advair is, at best, good for for the short-term and (potentially) dangerous in the long-run. Are there other, safer, options out there? What have the rest of you done when you've gone off Advair?