Advair HFA and joint pain

Hi - I was on advair for a couple of weeks after a horrible bout of asthmatic bronchitis. I now have this constant pressure under my rib cage that will not go away. I was wondering if any one else has experienced this while on or after stopping advair. Thanks and happy holidays!

21 lb. weight gain, hoariness, night sweats, extremity cramping, hair loss, numbing, tingling and burning sensations in arms, hands, face and scalp, clearing of throat consistently, joint pain, muscle aches. Advair 250/50 for 9 minuths.

I've been on Advair for 4 or 5 years and can never find a doctor who will even entertain the notion of taking me off of it. Although I have many symptoms that have been documented by GSK they consider it "very unlikely" that Advair is causing my joint pain, bloating, headaches, mouth sores etc. Last year I had pneumonia (also a reported adverse reaction) and THIS year I was diagnose with osteoporosis (yet another risk). I think these doctors are afraid that if they agree to wean me off & I die they'll get sued. Sorry to be so blunt but the problem is that the last doctor who tried to wean me off (now retired) even contacted the manufacturer & was told there is "currently no protocol" recommended for the cessation of Advair. My asthma got so bad when I tapered off, even with oral steroids he eventually just put me back on, hoping to hear of a protocol later. I'm very frustrated to say the least. Doctors seem to think "well it seems to be working since your still alive". Of course I can't to a certainty attribute all my symptoms to Advair it seems very unlikely that NONE of them are. Can't say if the Advair is directly causing depression but the Advair SITUATION is depressing!

February 18, 2008 9:46pm
Hi, I too just ran across your website. I had a doctor's appointment today to find out why I have numbness in the right leg, achiness in the joints, lower back pain, problems walking where sometimes I have to walk with a cane, restless leg syndrome, and terrible leg cramps. I am a 56 yr old female. I quit using Advair about one year ago after using it every fall, winter and early spring for about six years. While using it I too had heart palpitations that woke me up in the middle of the night. They disappeared after I stopped using it. But the joint pain and walking problems still persist. Does anyone know if they will disappear in time? The doctor is sending me for tests for Arthritis and Neuropathy.
-- By leegc

On Advair for about 4 years, at first I was fine with only minor throat irritations. About a year later I started having the Leg cramps / Muscle tightness. I've been to many Doctors who couldn't explain my leg pain. I tried to stop using my Advair many times, but felt so horrible that I had to start using it again. Last week my allergy doctor put my on Prednisone for pleurisy and I decided on my own to GET OFF ADVAIR. I have felt like a new woman this week. My leg pain is almost gone, my eyesight seems to be improving, and my random joint pain is slowing down. I didn't realize until I found this site tonight, that SO MANY people have had the same experiences. Like you others, my DOCTOR assured me there weren't ANY side effects. I'll gladly use my inhaler a couple times a week to manage my asthma. DON'T listen to your DR, there are other ways!!!!! By the way, I'm a 38 year old female. I feel like I'm finally getting my life back.

I'm 58 with COPD and the Dr. put me on Advair for breathing. I have been having severe join pain the last two weeks and believe it may be from the rx. also, have reccurring pneumonia, thrush, and sleep disturbances. Sound familiar? let me know if you have the joint pain.

I'm a 38 year old female who was prescribed Advair after a severe bout of bronchitis one year ago. While at first I thought that it was helping my lungs my family members noticed that I was getting more headaches, mood swings and I went from a soprano singer to sounding like Harry Belafonte. I have stopped and now I have cramping pains in my chest and upper back. I call it my traveling pain as it is not always in the same spot. I would much rather have tried a homeopathic remedy than subject myself to Advair every again. I have learned through a nutritionist and chiropractor how to manage the pain in my lungs that this crap has left behind. Please research this carefully before you start sucking in that dust!!

45 yr old
advair for 10 years
cataracts, both eyes
episcleritis
corneal abrasions
increased phlegm and hoarseness
joint pain and swelling (constant)
difficulty sleeping
itchy skin
bruising

I am 46 years old and have been on Advair for 3 plus years. I have experienced severe joint pain in hands, toe cramping/pain, very bad lower back pain and overall back and body ache. Weight gain also. I feel that it has also made me very lethargic. I think it's time to get off this stuff, the side effects are worse than the benefits. I am also tired of complaining about how I feel!
Do I have to ween myself off of Advair or can I stop immediately?

I've been off and on Advair for two years. I'll take myself off of it cause I don't like what it does but then the asthma goes nuts. So far I've been on this for three days - 2 doses per day of the 250/50. Massive joint pain like I have the flu, dizzy, ear-ache, nausea, sore-throat, hoarsness, headache, lethargy. I am also on Zyrtec every day 1 pill to control post-nasal sinus drip which kicks off an asthma attack. One more note. I moved to Massachusetts 6 years ago from Alabama. I had two sinus problems a year in Bama - bronchitis type stuff and that was it. I was diagnosed with Asthma 2 years after moving to Massachusetts.

Wow! Maybe I'm not just falling apart. I was put on advair 500/50 2 months ago after a 12 day stay in the hospital for status asthmaticus. I was on the ventilator for 3 of those days then bipap. I have gained 13 lbs, and have joint pain-worse in my fingers. My fingers also feel stiff. Thrush has been a constant problem that started before I even left the hospital. I also have mouth pain even when there are signs of thrush. Now I have 2 strange looking small white bumps on the roof of my mouth on the soft palate. It seems different than thrush. I found thisweb site trying to figure out if it is a side effect. I had no idea that all of these other symptoms I have been having were from the advair. I have so much anxiety and nervousness that i shake sometimes. I am also very moody and have no sex drive. I have headaches almost every day. I do not have the leg and foot cramps, but I do have muscle tightness and pain in my back. I just cannot believe this. My pulmonoligist kinda looked at me like I was crazy when I was telling him about all of these strange symptoms that I have been having. I was beginning to think maybe I was! I stay tired all of the time and have no energy. I am also on singulair, protonix for GERD, and i take flovent and xopenix nebulizer, and allbuterol inhaler. my asthma has been pretty much under control compared to what it was, but I still cough and wheeze. I'm scared to take myself off of it. I don't want to end up back in the hospital again.

4 days into taking Advair to help me breath with my accute bronchitus I had a grand maul seizure. 3 days later I was hit with a smaller focal scizure... No one (doctor wise) is willing to admit it was the sterioids.

My Family has no history of seizures on either side.

Placing the blame on this medication is the only thing I can figure. After reading some of the other replies I think I rether would have had the headaches/joint pain for a few weeks.

I have been on Advair for two weeks. The day that I started, I started having joint pain, and it has continued. I am only 40 but I feel much older as it hurts to bend and stoop. Has anyone else had this problem?? I have also had some chest pain that radiated to my back.
Thanks,
Jen

dry mouth, phlegm, joint pain
cough due to post nasal drip

I wake up at night feeling like a ball of cotton has been placed in my mouth and soaked up every bit of moisture in it! Joint pain is terrible and my throat goes between being sore and just plain numb! My heart races everytime I take it. I haven't been on it long enough to say the weight gain is from it or not but don't think I will be on it long enough to find out after reading this forum!

Interesting reading. I have not had the sore throat. I have not had weight gain, but neither have i been able to lose weight. I haven't had joint pain, but a defintie sensitivity to it.

I've been taking advair for a year. The thing i noticed was a sensitivity to existing allergies. So for instance, i've always been allergic to mold but the symptoms have been minor and they have reduced over time. Now i have a constant pulmanary response where i cough up yellow phlegm. I've decided to go back to the flovent inhaler and see if this solves my problems. i don't know if it will but the symptoms started when i started using the advair. I've also suffered from fatigue and my pituitary gland is being overworked. Right now, my theory is that my body is being stressed trying to handle the overreactions to allergens in my environment.
As for joint pain, for me it seems to be a digestive thing, but that doesn't mean the advair is not contributing to a digestive problem, that is then causing my joints to hurt.

I've been sick for many years. One thing i've learned is if your doctor isn't listening to you, then you need to find one who will. In our culture we place drs in a place of high authority and we are taught not to question that authority. It's your body, your health and your life. It is the drs responsibility to know the products they recommend and to listen to their patients. It's the patient's responsibility to question when things don't feel right and to help figure out the solutions. Some times they tell me what is wrong; some times i tell them what is wrong.

I started taking Advair two weeks ago and over the last two week the following symptoms started out subtle until the last few days where I knew there was a problem. I had a very rapid and irregular heart beat, my hands would tremble uncontrollably and I started to have joint pain in my right hip and knee. I did dome research on line and also called my doctor and they said there can be side effects and to stop taking the medication. It has almost 24 hours since took my last dose and I am really starting to feel better. I less trembling and my heart rate and rhythm are slowing becoming less noticeable. Thank God I equated the medication to the onset of these symptoms. It was quite frightening to say the least!

Advair caused me to have severe joint pain in my knees and hips. It was as though i had severe arthritis. There was also a severe pressure feeling behind my knee caps I had bad headaches, acne, sharp chest pain and was seriously irritable.I realized it was the advair after i had been off of it for several weeks due to losing our health insurance all my symptoms went away and returned three days after starting the advair 250/50 again.

My 10 year-old grandson has been on Advair 250 for two years. Within six-weeks of starting Advair, he developed warts that will not respond to any type of treatment. There are days he will develop three to four warts in a day. He is also complaining of abdominal pain, ear pain, joint pain in several joints. His appetite is greatly increased leading to weight gain. He has profuse sweats, body odor, nightmares, tachacardia and arrythmias. His lung function has NOT inproved while on Advair. We are weaning him from Advair.

I was prescribed advair for "allergies" my symptoms mostly coughing from the 2 cigarettes I have a night.
I am post menopause so I thought the weight gain and belly bloating was "normal". So how interesting to read the different side affects that everyone is experencing. I'll stop now and see if the bloating stops. I've also have been experencing joint pain also attributing that to age and the possibility of arthritis? ? ?
Thanks for this site. I hope to get rid of this bloating. I've only been taking the advair disk . . . well I just started my second disk last week.
Think I'll quit while the quiting is good.

Joint pain, in hands,elbowships and neck.

I am using albuterol and Advair for my asthma. I have started to notice joint pain. I went to the dr for the joint pain and tested positive for inflammation, she gave me prednisone which got rid of the pain within hours and helped my asthma. After I was done with the prednisone, the joint pain was still there.

I was also taking st. johns wort. Have since discontinued that so but still had joint pain after I stopped it so I am thinking that Advair is the cause of the joint pain. I have noticed that since I tapered off the Advair, my joint pain is gone now.

I was prescribed 250/50 Advair, twice a day. Within several days it was noticably helping my breathing. Right away the side effects I had were a dry, raspy throat and hoarseness, which I could live with. Then I got continual sores on my mouth and tongue dispite rinsing after the Advair. I was still thinking I could live with that since I was breathing so much better. I had a lot of indigestion and was constipated, which I was still thinking I could probably live with. BUT after about 2 months of taking the Advair I was noticing a lot of joint pain; most noticable in my fingers, thumbs, wrists and hip. That scared me so I started researching the harder to find effects of taking Advair. I finally decided the cure wasn't worth the unknown damage it was inflicting on my body, so I quit taking it. I just stopped - no bad side effects from stopping it abrubtly, and the joint pain decreased pretty fast. I've been off it for about a month now; can't breathe as well but my fingers and wrists and hips don't hurt anymore and the sores in my mouth have gone away as well as the heartburn and constipation. I think it's a pretty scary drug that's prescribed way too frequently and way too fast without enough research.

I am a 55 yr old female that has battled with asthma my whole life. In the more recent years, it seems to be more related to allergies, than the earlier years when I was more affected by temp changes and activity. I have used a form of albuterol in inhalers for years to control it. About 5 years ago my doctor put me on Serevent and Flovent. Last year he changed me to Advair saying it was the combo of the two of them. I have gained a lot of upper body weight in the last 5 years. I have never had a weight problem until now and can't seem to lose it. I have also developed high blood pressure and have to take meds for that and for "water weight", and joint pain and have to take meds for that. I stumbled onto this forum and it has been a real eye opener. I realize that some of this is due to my age and body changes but I now wonder how much has to do with the medications, particularly Advair. I wonder if I can drop the weight - and therefore lower my blood pressure and cholesterol and maybe lessen my joint pain if I stop the Advair? Has anyone experienced anything like this. My asthma was pretty controllable prior to Advair - Thanks for any info you may have.

I am so glad I found this site. I have been on and off advair for two years now. I have a serious yeast infection under my breasts that nothing will clear up. Doctors say inhaled steroids are not systemic-nonsense! That's like saying cigarette smoke doesn't go into your blood stream from your lungs-of course it does. Anything in inhaled into your lungs is systemic. Doctors are idiots who get kickbacks from drug companies. Even the pharmacist I spoke to, who should know better, denied this is caused by Advair. I only take one puff a day, and have very similar side effects to those posted here. Joint pain, hoarseness, tiredness and weight gain that never seem to drop. I would like to stop taking it but am afraid that I won't be able to breathe. I studied anatomy and know that half of what doctors tell you is wrong. Do your own research and be an informed consumer. Look at what happened with Vioxx and Phen fen. The drug companies create medicines that are worse than the condition that's treating it. I am a very angry comsumer. Don't believe what the drug companies tell you either. They hide side effects. Get yourself a good PDR and also the internet is a great tool. Good luck to all of you.

Taken ADVAIR 250/50 diskus for 2 years now. I have always had 20/10 and 20/15 vision throughout my life. I started having blurred vision around 3 months upon intake of ADVAIR and thought since I just turned 43 that my eyes were just getting bad, I think differently now after reading the comments on this page. I also am experiencing severe joint pain, heart palpations, head aches out of know where, anger problems, emotional depression and yesterday I had what I believed to be an anxiety attack. This is something I DO NOT want to go through again. I believe that these symptoms are directly related to my Advair usage. I am very relieved that I am not imaganing my symptoms and now have something to pursue. THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS

How many of you have a strange feeling every time you swallow? And if so, do you think it could be because of a fungal growth that is not visible in the throat but growth in the stomach and behind the throat? This has caused thyroid problems, joint pain, muscle pain, hormone problems, body temperature problems, etc. Yet Doctors and allergists can not find a problem. IT IS A FUNGAL PROBLEM. THIS MEDICATION SHOULD NOT HAVE EVER BEEN APPROVED. It seem that even after taking an anti-fungal med., this still may not correct the problem. It destroyed my system so bad that malnutrition set in. No matter what I eat, it's not helping. I can't tolerate dairy, it gives me a rash. I don't have much acids in my stomach so food don't break down as well (time for food to ferment and destroy)
If anyone know someone who was either prescribed this drug or is thinking about taking this drug and you feel the same as I do, PLEASE DO NOT LET THEM TAKE IT. My father was just prescribed this so called miracle drug and I WILL DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO MAKE SURE HE DOES NOT TAKE IT.
If people don't believe you, give them this website and let them read it themselves.

Best of luck.

TOOTH PAIN AND HAVE HAD TO HAVE 6 ROOT CANALS IN 3 YEARS, THRUSH JOINT PAIN , WEIGHN GAIN 40LBS.

I HAVE BEEN ON AFVAIR 250/50 FOR 3 YEARS I HAVE
GAINED 50 LBS THRUSH, JOINT PAIN ICHING ALL OVER THE MAIN PROBLEM IS MY TEETH , THE ROOTS KEEP DYEING
I'VE HAD 5 ROOT CANALS AND ABOUT TO HAVE ONE MORE
THE DR. AND I ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY. COULD IT BE THE ADVAIR ? PLEASE HELP
THANKS BARBARA IN GEORGIA

I know that we all post messages here but there is no way for us to talk with each other if you don't leave you email address. Please post your message with your email address in it. We all are suffer with side effect lets talk to see if we can help each with information.

I am not sure how long it takes for side effect to go away. I have been off advair since July 3 and I still have slight joint pain and pain in my hips and lower back. My joints make popping noises sometimes in my hands. I still have sinus pressure between my ears. I don't take anything right now except advil to try to remove the pressure. I am also getting over the thrush and sore throat that I did have. I was on Advair for four weeks and this happened. My doctor told me that my symptoms are not related to Advair but I know that is not true. I have been in my body longer then my doctor has been practicing and I know when my body is operating differently. My email is ******

Started advair after an extreme allergic reaction to burning poison ivy. It helped me to breathe more easily; but I think the doctor kept me on it too long. During the first year I had experienced heart attack like palpitations at night which I just lived through, and I saw a throat specialist who told me that voice lessons would help my throat pain and loss of voice (i.e., the problems were caused by my using my voice too much without training). At the end of the year I asked my allergist if I should continue to take advair and he said absolutely yes. After 8 more months on it the side affects incresed to include: hip and joint pain, acid reflux (I think this may be caused or made worse by back pain because it does get better after I do exercises that take pressure off the back), infection in sinus are that increased to a golfball size, rounded face and body front, anger, and depressive, negative thoughts. A month ago I decided myself to get off advair after reading this site and can say that already I have been having pleasant thoughts of well-being again and I sleep well even with joint pain. How long does it take for the body to recover from advair?

I started advair after an extreme allergic reaction to burning poison ivy. It helped to control my breathing; but I think the doctor kept me on it too long. During the first year I had experienced heart attack like palpitations a few times which I just lived through. I saw a throat specialist, who told me I needed voice lessons to regain the voice I was losing. I asked my Dr if I should still be on it and he said absolutely yes. I guess my state of vulnerability after almost dying kept me from questioning the negative affects the drup was having on me. The depression I was experiencing probably also contributed. I stayed on it for another 8 months and the side affects increased to include: hip and joint pain, acid reflux (I think this may be caused by back pain because it gets better when I do exercises that take the pressure off the back), rounded face and front part of baody, anger, and depressive thoughts. I myself decided to get off advair a month ago after seeing this site and I so happy I did. I have been actually having feelings of well-being again and I sleep well evn with the joint pain. How long does it take for the body to recover from the affects of advair?

How was this poison ever approved for long term? My body has all the side effects of a steroid after using it two years. Thank goodness for this site....I'm off advair and now am starting to feel like myself, albeit with joint pain.

I have been on advair since it came out I belive it was 2000 and have had severe joint pain the drs keep telling me it is nothing to do with my medicine I am so glad I found thie website. I am going to get off the advair asap. To be honest I am so glad I found thei site it is so helpful to see that you are not alone.

used for 4 weeks
- thrush
- joint pain that i never knew was attributed to this until reading this board
- back spasms from playing basketball after playing for years with no problem
- weight gain ~7lbs
- muscle cramps in calves, hamstrings that were not exercise related
- jaw tightening up
- stomach aches

Read many of the postings and I am experiencing almost the same thing...weight gain of about 15 lbs, the little bumps like acne on my face(not sure what that is) and occasional muscle/joint pain. The Advair really helps me breath much better than I used to but the side effects are awful. If anyone knows of an alternative medication that works with a lesser degree of side effects, please let me know.

Thank you

Joint pain and stiffness started after starting Advair. Never had arthritis-but symptoms were similar to severe arthritis. Difficulty walking because of hip pain. Even hands and fingers painful.

I thought the joint pain was in my imagination but after reading the other reports I am relieved to hear I'm not the only one. I have been on 50/500 for approx 18/24 months and think the time has come to move on to some other treatment. My Dr. also tells me there are no such side effects but I will send him the other reported effects so he can see what others are experiencing.

I'm 38 and have been on Singulair and Flovent for years then my Dr recommended Advair. I was on Advair for about 2 weeks and noticed I had a lot of itching on my back and neck... everywhere really... and when I would scratch I would develop big welts. I would develop welts just by brushing up against my skin. I also started to have joint pain in my knuckles and fingers. I thought it way be due to allergy season but I had never experienced this before.

I called my Dr and he said to stop and see him in a few days.... we'll see.

Too bad, because I don't ever remember having such clear lungs and breathing.

Thrush, heart palpitations, my doctor sent me to a cardiologist. Had all kinds of test run to find no cause. I asked if it could be the advair and she said NO! I have been trying to lose weight and every pound that I lose is gained right back. Headaches almost everyday and I don't usually get headaches. I had an ear infection for the first time since childhood. took a month to clear up. I noticed to minor cuts take over a week to heal. Joint pain that doesn't respond to my normal care.
All this time, I thought that it was me. I am so glad I found this site. We print out and take to my doctor.

I'm 29... My doctor prescribed Advair 250/50 after I had a difficult case of bronchitis that left me short of breath for some time after. I used the Diskus properly and rinsed well after each use, but still had problems with mouth ulcers and laryngitis. I also experienced:

Tightness in my chest

Severe heartburn & acid reflux (which I've never had before)

Dry, flaky skin as well as periods of severe acne

Muscle & joint pain

Jaw pain & tooth sensitivity

Menstrual disruption (My first period on Advair was very short and light. Then it stopped altogether. I've been off Advair for over a month and am still in this menopause state.)