Advair HFA and asthma symptoms

I am a 26 year old female and was prescribed Advair some years ago by my Asthma & Allergy doctor. I took it off and on for several years. Honestly I was scared to take it because of the side effects I thought it might have. About 16 months ago I went off birth control because my husband and I wanted to have a baby. I continued to take Advair 150/50 twice a day. I got pregnant in July and had a miscarriage Sep 1. Then while still taking Advair I got pregnant again shortly after that. After my first OB appointment it was established that the fetus/egg sack had no heartbeat. I had a D & C done in December to clear out the unsuccessful pregnancy. I decided after reading all these comments and thinking about my own side effects of taking Advair that my miscarriage were the cause of taking Advair. I believe Advair may have decreased my body's ability to clot blood properly and that is what has caused my babies not to thrive. I decided in January of 08 to stop taking Advair. I asked my doctor about the Advair and being put on another medicine in Jan and he seemed to think that there was nothing wrong with me taking Advair. I stopped taking it anyways. I decided since mostly all of my mild Asthma symptoms were caused by exercising that I would just use Proventil/Albuterol inhaler before exercise. It worked great and in Jan, Feb, March of 08 I trained for a 5k, and ran it in March under 26 minutes. I have been off Advair ever since Jan and have been fine. I used a peak flow meter to be sure my breathing was normal. I only use the Albuterol occasionally now. Furthermore I am now almost 20 weeks pregnant and doing fine. Besides the miscarriages I also blame Advair on other side effects I experienced when taking it including leg cramps, increase in heart rate, restlessness after taking in evening, night sweat, hoarseness, dry throat, headaches, and whenever I would get a cut or something it would take forever for me to stop bleeding.
now my blood clots quickly no problem. I was taking no other meds besides Advair when I experienced all this. DON'T TAKE ADVAIR...unless you feel the benefits of the drug outweigh all of the horrible side effects. Demand another med. with fewer side effects.

I am so glad I found this site as it has confirmed many of the suspicions I've had about advair for quite some time. I've had the hoarseness, dizziness, memory loss, major weight gain, and major cramps and leg pains. I was even diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis because of the non-stop joint pains etc... The doctors too insisted that non of my troubles were due to the advair and I find this completely maddening that they lead patitents to believe that something is safe when it is not! About 9 months ago, totally fed up with the state my health has fallen to, I began alternative medicine-- acupuncture and am starting homeopathy soon-- and the results have been very promising. I am not using rescue inhaler at all and am weaning myself off the advair. I am starting to feel best I have since I was diagnosed with adult on-set asthma. I would encourage anyone to explore these safe alternatives and would also like to know if anyone has found any "safe" replacement for advair which does help control asthma symptoms w/out the HORRIBLE side effects?

I've also been prescribed Advair, two puffs, twice per day. What dose are you on? I was on 250 two puffs, twice daily and was actually told that this was not even the highest dose that you can be on. I didn't like the idea of taking more than the original dose I was prescribed and so my specialist told me to add in Flovent, which I did help. Even after all of this, I still do not like the drug at all and am trying to do my best to say off of it.

On another note, has anyone experienced severe asthma symptoms (very bad wheezing, coughing, chest tightness) BUT had a perfect oxygen saturation level? I have been in and out of the emergency ward for the past week and a half and am getting very frustrated with not only the medical system not treating me because of excellent oxygen saturation levels, but with their treatment plans for emergency. I can remember a time when I would walk into the emergency room and be seen almost immediately and be given a mask treatment as soon as I got in there. I'm guessing that treatment plans have changed as I have experienced three hospitals prescribing anywhere from 4-12 doses of ventolin.

Anyway, if anyone else has had similar experiences I would love to hear your story and what you did to get through it.

Thanks!

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.

26/f on Advair for 1 year, 3 mos. Diagnosed with asthma when I was 17. Was overusing my Albuterol and my symptoms got worse so pulmonologist prescribed Advair 250/50. After the first week of taking 2 puffs a day, I didn't need Albuterol inhaler and was able to exercise for the first time in YEARS without needing emergency inhaler. Advair was my life saver. Also prescribed to me was Protonix- the doctor thought I had acid reflux which contributed to my asthma symptoms. I take that seasonally now, when I notice a hoarseness in speech. I do get headaches every so often, they have been occurring more frequently as with mood swings so I am researching medications. I have no idea if this is tied into my Advair use since I've been on it over a year now. I might try going off Advair to see if it is related. I've also had a weird muscle cramp in my left armpit area which I NEVER would have thought was related to Advair but several people here have reported it.

In short, the headaches, mood swings, etc. do NOT outweigh my ability to exercise and breathe normal. I will most likely try to lower my dose of Advair or ween myself off to see how I do, but if my asthma worsens, I'd rather stay on Advair

I was prescribed Advair a little over 3 months ago to treat my asthma. It was great for the first six days. No asthma symptoms whatsoever, even after jogging, and I felt great! I woke up the seventh day feeling as though my vocal cords were encased in an incredible amount of flem and my voice went from a baritone to a tenor; I'm a guy so this was disconcerting. During the second week I began experiencing nasal drippage, uncontrollable trembling, extreme physical weakness, memory loss, an unnerving lack of mental clarity and trouble maintaining my temper. The third week of using Advair I began struggling with overwelming thoughts of suicide. All of these things are completely out of character for me. I don't take any other medicine, prescribed or not, have always been healthy and am rarely sick so it was a no-brainer as to what was causing me to experience these things. I stopped taking Advair at that time (after the third week) and promptly developed a headache and other withdrawel type feelings in my throat and chest that took about a week to go away. I also promptly developed a cold that I could not get rid of for a month and a half as well as the flu which I hadn't had in years; I also had asthma related difficulties that were worse than before I started Advair but powered thru those episodes using Primatine Mist. In the month following discarding my Advair disk I noticed a gradual improvement in all the before mentioned Advair affected areas and thankfully the most immediate area of improvement was emotional (i.e., no longer suicidal). One of my vocal chords is still painful but at least I no longer sound prepubescent.

I started researching the side effects of Advair after the second week I was on it and found a reference to it possibly causing an overgrowth of Candidas Albicans. After researching that I'm convinced ultimately that is what I experienced.

I've had asthma since I was a teenager, and about 9 years ago I went to an allergy and asthma specialist and had the whole gamet of tests run to find out why my allergies and asthma were worsening. I was prescribed Advair, Albuterol, Prednisone, & Servient. At the time, these were the only medications I was taking and never experienced any severe side effects. My asthma was much better and by my one year check up, I had almost completely stopped using the Albuterol for sudden attacks. Due to my graduation from college, I was no longer covered under my parents insurance and due to the cost of the medications, discontinued my treatments. I felt fine, hadn't had any attacks or breathing episodes, so I felt I could do this without any problems.

Fast forward to this summer. My asthma symptoms had returned and my PCP put me back on the Albuterol. It helped the sudden attacks, but I was blowing through an inhaler in a month. Last week I found myself in my local urgent care center, barely able to breathe, gasping for breath. I'm 31 years old with an almost one year old. They gave my 3 breathing treatments and prescribed Prednisone (only 5 days worth), Albuterol, and the Advair. After a week on the Advair, I feel so strange. I haven't had to use my fast acting inhaler since last week, but I feel like my heart is going to jump right out of my chest. I have a constant headache, a weird ache in my right arm, can't sleep even though I am exhausted, and my mind is constantly racing. It's like I can't slow down. After reading all these crazy side effects and comparing them with my own, I'm stopping the Advair. I have an apt. with my asthma specialist in 2 weeks and I will be sure that he doesn't put me back on this med. It's awful...can't imagine taking any drug with a side effect of death.

My son was prescribed Advair for his asthma a week ago. He has been having leg cramps so bad, his legs buckle on him. Dr said it's not because of Advair, but after reading this site, I'm taking him off Advair immediately.

My husband is 24 and has been on Advair for about a month now since he started using it he has experienced horrible headaches,worse asthma symptoms then ever before,constant mucus buildup,severe stomach cramps,chest pains,cramps like a tightening sensation in his pinky,not able to sleep,tired all the time,bad mood swings,and worst of all he used to have 20/20 vision but within the last 2 weeks had to see an eye doctor for blurred vision now he has glasses.When he asked his doctor about side effects this drug may have he was told by the doctor none at all is that legal for your doctor to lie to you?THIS DRUG HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE PLEASE PLEASE FOR YOUR SAKE AND YOUR LOVED ONES SAKE DO NOT TAKE THIS CRAP!!! If anyone knows if his eye sight will get better please post your experience and let us know.THIS MEDICATION IS DEATH IN A DISK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I started using advair in early December 2006. The first month was great, no asthma symptoms, no side effects. However, after the second month (I am a very healthy female, exept for the asthma), I got pneumonia, chronic sinus infections, night sweats, dry mouth (especially at night), chest pain, swollen glands in neck,constant heartburn, anxiety, cystic acne, leg cramping. I weaned myself off the drug after doing more research on it. I was only on 100/50 once a day. I have been put on singulair for a few days now and feel great. I attribute all these symptoms to Advair use. It is not for everybody and those who use it should be well informed of these side effects. It made my life a living hell.

I am 58 year old female. I developed asthma last summer and the Dr put me on Advair. Recently, I have developed acne and my voice is very hoarse. I have a lot of trouble speaking and being understood. I had no idea Adviar caused this reaction in people. Co-incidentally, I went on the Nutrisystem Diet in July and have not experienced any weight gain.

I am concerned about the hoarsness and am considering not taking the Advair. I also have a strength problem and shortness of breath several times a day. I don't know if it's related to the Advair or just the asthma symptoms.

I have taken advair on different occasions for bronchial/asthma symptoms.
I usually take the 100/50...and had little problems...this time I was put on
250/50 and have had problems with my voice..almost a sandy feeling. It almost seems like I have a strange kind of spasm going on. After reading other postings, I feel sure this is the cause, as these sensations weren't there prior to taking the 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.

My husband started using Advair 8 months ago for mild asthma symptoms. He was taking the largest dose for the first month, and has been tapered down to the smallest dose twice a day now. It has really helped him breathe easier, but he has gained 40 lbs since he started, and is continuing to gain about 4-5 lbs each month. He has been trying to watch what he eats, but he just keeps gaining weight. I've talked to his doctors about it, they say that there is not enough steroid in Advair to be causing this, but I find this hard to believe. He has never had a problem with his weight before.

I have allergy related asthma. I was on Advair for about one year, a year ago. I started out with 1 puff 2x daily and weaned myself to one puff and then off. I've had no asthma symptoms until the last month or so. My doctor put me back on Advair last week. Since then I've had trouble with what seems like pressure in my eyes. Three days ago my eyes were very bloodshot with one area really red and since then they've been painful and I'm having trouble focusing on anything close up. Has anyone had EYE side effects with this medication??

im only 17 and ive been on advair for about 3 years now... at first it was wonderful.. stoped 99% of my asthma symptoms and is still continuing to do so, unfortunately in the last 3 years ive gone from 100 lbs to 140.. i know that since in a teenager this doesnt seem abnormal but it still worries me... im VERY athletic but still continue to gain weight? after reading all the other advair users say that weight gain was a major side affect for them, i have decieded to get off of it.. gradually of course.. hopefully i will start to see a difference.. is this a good idea?

I was put on Advair for extreme allergic reaction. I was coughing every night ( and it goot worse and I would cough days) and my lungs would fill up. I was tested for allergies and I came up allergic to EVERYTHING.

Recently I found out that I had roundworms ( intestinal parasites). The life cycle of the roundworm : egg is ingested- hatches in stomach - micro worm goes to heart then travels to lungs. The worm is then coughed up and swallowed- where it goes to the intestine and grows.

Could this be my unexplained "allergic to everythng?". I am still on Advair- but I am experiencing extreme muscle and joint pain. I feel like I am held together by rotton rubber bands.

I just did the search today on ADvair and I came up withthis thread- and I wonder how many other people have have parasites causing their asthma symptoms?

My next feat is egttig off Advair which I am addicted to....

Check out Dr Hulda Clark for parasite flushes. I will do this as soon as I stop nursing my baby....

I began taking Advair about 2 weeks ago. Approximately
1 week after starting Advair, I began to have leg and thigh cramps that awakened me during the night. (worse than I had ever had before in my life and I'm 40 something.) It got progressively worse and spread to my arms and legs. I finally had to stop taking it after an "episode" 6 days ago. My legs, thighs, arms and hands began to cramp and spasm all at once! My husband assisted me into a tub of hot water to help calm my muscles down.

Per Dr.'s instructions, I have not taken it since. The side effects have slowly began to deminish. I continued to have cramps during the night for about 4 days, my muscles were very sore and achy as though I had been working out really hard. Now they are still a little sore and they feel very tired and fatigued. However I am getting better day by day. I have been instructed to go back to using my previous preventive inhaler.

I also gained 6 pounds, but that could have been from the prednisone that I am taking.

I would like to say that the Advair did help to improve my asthma symptoms. I'm dissapointed that I had to discontinue using it.

In response to Tessa and the lady with the little girl, I too experienced a sore throat over the last month and I can say the acne is starting to fade away (I am happee41 from previuos entry). The sore throat was most noticable during the first week of taking Advair, additionally; it seemed that I got worse with my allergies. My dosage was Advair 250. As stated in my earlier entry, I think I was misdiagnosed. However, I have added natural foods to my diet, i.e. soy, sunflower seeds, vitamin E and fish oil supplements. I'm also not feeling fatigued and I can finsih my workouts now. I am trying the alternative route in the hopes that asthma symptoms do not reappear. It's only been 8 days and so far so good.

I've been on Advair for less than one month (22 days exactly), but have experienced several side effects noted here, i.e. acne, fluttering hearbeat. I also noticed a slight wieght gain of 4-5 pounds in 2 short weeks. Needless to say, I have taken my last does as of today. I also think I was misdiagnosed with asthma. I suffer from mild allergies and hindsight tells me I had contracted viral bronchtis, which can mimic asthma symptoms. I have since changed my diet to more natural and minimally processed foods and I feel great (outside of the Advair side effects). I rarely get sick, but this last bout of illness has made me realize that you have to be wary of misdiagnosis and doctors pushing new medications of which knowledge of long-term effects is nil. I've changed my primary doctor as well (I wasn't surprised to find a low rating score by current and past patients, which means I should have shopped around first like any good consumer).

Wondering why I can't get into any of my jeans, I decided to Google "Advair and Weight Gain". WOW !! Not only do I now attribute my 20 lb. weight gain to Advair (100/500), I also know why I have leg cramps, insomnia, mood swings, and no improvement of my asthma symptoms.
Trashing my Advair !!

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.

* 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.

I am 19 years old and started Advair only 2 weeks ago, and already I'm feeling the symptoms other posters have mentioned. My back pain is unbearable, I can't even get comfortable long enough to fall asleep. I'm having extreme irratibility and mood swings. I have such muscle weakness that I can barely open a jar of peanut butter. On top of all of this, Advair is just barely doing anything to aid with my asthma symptoms. The side effects of this medication are not worth any of the help it provides.

Wow! I've spent so much time and money at Dr's, specialists for tests to end up with absolutely no idea what is going on with me.
On my own, I decided to look into the medication I was taking ... and ta da!!! Here it is in big bold print! Thank you everyone ... and for this site!
I'd like to go back and just say a few words to all those Dr's that just laughed me out of their office and back in to my own world of frustration.
AND IF ANYONE KNOWS WHEN YOU STOP TAKING ADVAIR (WHICH I DID) ... DO THE SYMPTOMS GO AWAY, DO YOU GAIN YOUR NICE FIGURE BACK AND HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE???

Advair 500 DID relieve my asthma symptoms, excellent!
But with that....
Huge bloated stomach almost painful sometimes
Aching joints/stiffness
Severe Fatigue
Heartburn and reflux (on meds for that now!)
Significant weight gain, especially across the abdomen
Pain/ache across my upper chest area
Puffy face
Slow healing for something as simple as a scratch.

I've had asthma virtually all of my life. I'm 34 yrs. old now. I've had allergy shots (they did nothing). I used to take Theo-Dur (Theophylline). I've tried Serervent (didn't work). But Advair has really improved my asthma symptoms. Before Advair I was using Albuterol 10x per day. I'd wake up during the night and take a shot of Albuterol. It was not a good situation.

I've been on Advair for about 3 years now. I was prescribed the 250 dosage, but I take it only once a day in the morning. The asthma is the best it's ever been.

I've noticed a lot of the side effects that many of you have. Some of the stuff is easy enough to live with. I can deal with the occasional soar on my tongue / throat. I can tolerate a scratchy voice every now and then. But there are other issues that I now attribute to Advair that I can't continue to live with.

My back ache is awful. I cannot get comfortable at all. It even hurts when I'm laying in bed trying to fall asleep. I've gained weight too -- about 40 lbs. I'm 6'1" and 215 lbs. I was 180 in my beer drinking days. I'm not all that active, and maybe metabolism does slow with age ... but I'm not eating any more than before starting Advair. If it was just the weight, I'd blame myself and work out more.

The most significant change I've noticed was swelling of the lower legs. My shins would feel like they were full of fluid and they were tender to the touch. The medical term in Edema, and I saw a doctor about the Edema because it can be a sign of heart problems, etc. All tests came back as normal.

Now -- with the back pain and the edema and the weight gain -- all the doctors said the same thing. "Lose some weight". It makes sense, right? Less weight = less stress on your back & less stress on your legs. But I am thinking that the Advair is responsible. What can I do?

I'm not medical scholar, but I am pretty observant. I've experience the ballooning effects of Prednisone as a kid. I've see Jerry Lewis recently on TV all puffed up from the steroids he's taking. I've seen athletes transform themelves from lanky and athletic to puffy and muscleboud -- as a result of steroid use. And while it's a different type of steroid -- how much of the "bulking up" can be attributed to the medication?

Another symptom I have is slow recovery from workouts. When I lift weight (for toning - not for bulk), it takes me 3-4 days for my muscles to recovery. It used to take only 1 day.

I don't know what to do. I feel like I need the Advair to breathe properly, but it's making me very uncomfortable in so many other areas. I'd love to stop taking it and see if the side effects go away, but quiting a steroidal medication like Advair isn't supposed to be done "cold turkey".

Suggestions?

I am new to asthma drugs, diagnosed with asthma in November at 44 years old. I hope that this helps someone else. I was put on Advair a few weeks ago. Along with Zithromax antibiotic to clear up the URI. Also was given Albuterol was severe breathing problems. The Albuterol helped of course (no sleeping though) and the antiobioitc as well as Advair seemed to get the problem under control in about a week. A few days after the anitibiotic was done, symptoms returned, but not as bad. Dr. put me on prednisone (the sterioid), and Advair. That was a hard week, but as before the symptoms improved. however, a few days after the prednisone course symptoms returned. The Dr. then decided to continue with the Advair, another longer course of prednisone and added Singulair to the mix. Within 3 days of taking the Singulair with the Advair, I could not sleep, had severe heart palpitations, wheezing, and the heartburn was so bad I felt like I had a huge stone in my chest and throat and several moderate asthmas incidents where I had to use the Albuterol. I had a headache, dizziness, and could not sleep. The Singulair MADE MY BREATHING PROBLEMS WORSE. And if you read the side effects of Singulair they actually can make worse the very asthma symptoms they are supposed to improve. It was a real eye opener. READ YOUR PATIENT INSERT FROM THE PACKAGE. I felt like I was going to die and each day felt worse. I discontinued the Singular after 4 days and within 24 hours felt much better and in 48 hourss had none of these syjmptoms. My doctor was just incredulous that this MIRACLE drug THAT MOST PEOPLE NEVER, EVER HAVE problems with could bother me. Drs try but you know your body better than anyone else, dont' be shy and stand your ground, they are wrong sometimes!!So listen to your head and heart, and body and read the labels. I had to figure this out for myself. On to the next part of the story, I am on Advair now for about 8 weeks, and notice in the past week, I am light headed, dizzy sometimes, am not sleeping a sound sleep, waking every hour or so, am NERVOUS AND JUMPY, my legs and arms are so weak, I can barely walk, so so tired, I feel like I am just slipping away. It is hard to type this because my fingers are so shakey and weak. Thank goodness I found this web site. I am discontinuing the Advair, I know in my gut that after reading this and listening to that little voice in my head that I am sensitve to a lot of drugs anjd Advair is on of them. It might be 1-3% of the people tested that have these awful side effects, but it doewsn't seem such a small group if you are one of them. And if you look at the studies, they only test around 400 people!!! So my journey continues. I am not totally convinced I even have asthma..............Please email if you would like.

I had my first trip to the ER for an asthma attack. I was started on Advair only three days ago. Being extremely healthy, except for the asthma, and not taking any medications except for the Albuterol, I was a little concerned about the side effects of the steroid in Advair, especially since I am having difficulty sleeping after only a couple of days of it. Glad I found this site. I will stop using Advair. Too bad, in a way, since it did stop my asthma symptoms and I actually felt normal for a coule of days, but I don't want to experience irreversible systemic damage. I'll guess just put up with using lots of Albuterol during the winter. Thanks to all of you for the posts,

After starting Advair last Nov. I suddenly had so much pain in legs and arms. Difficult to walk or lift anything. This pain continued until spring when I demanded a diagnosis. It was diagnosed as polymyalgia rheumatica. They do not know what causes it. I already had fibromyalgia. After prednisone for one day ALL pain and stiffness disappeared and I need to take prednisone for one year. I noticed others with fibromyalgia had much increased pain after Advair

Weight Gain especially in abdomen, neck and shoulders

Thin skin with reddy purple bruises

Difficulty sleeping

Muscular weakness

Excellent control of Asthma symptoms

headaches
red rash around the mouth
significant weight gain
excellent control of asthma symptoms

Nasal/sinus congestion & sneezing
Rash/Itchiness around neck
Weight gain in abdomen area
Occasional hoarseness

But willing to put up with the above because of TREMENDOUS improvement in asthma symptoms!