Advair HFA side effects

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

I am 34 years old and was prescribed Advair about two years ago. I have had minor asthma issues over the years but nothing major. So the doctor gave me an inhaler. Then one winter I get sick and started going through the inhaler in about a month, so he prescribed Advair.
To back up I had lower back surgery for a bulged disc. So I had a lot of pain and was taking vicodin. Six months after surgery my back started feeling better than it had for a long time. I was able to exercise and get by with one vicodin in the morning. This went on for about a year. The pain was stable for the most part, but would increase every now and then.
Now enters the Advair. When I first started taking it I felt a little weird but it made my breathing a lot better. After a little while I would forget to take it or just feel like I didn't need it. But I could not stop taking it because my breathing got to bad without it. Over time my pain was getting worse and worse. I ended up being put on time release morphine because we thought the back pain was increasing. Then after being on morphine it seemed like I was always sick. I have been to the hospital twice for breathing and lung infections. I thought my back pain was turning into sciatica!!!! All along it is this F@#$ ADVAIR!!!! I have had a super short temper,daily head ache's,depression, HORRIBLE PAIN in my legs and back. I am so glad I found this site. ADVAIR IS EVIL!!!!! I have stopped taking it for two days now. I really need help from anyone who has info about quitting it. PLEASE CONTACT ME. Thanks : )

I have been taking the advair diskus 100/50 for two years, and I also thought it was my miracle drug. I can breath great , and only take my inhaler a lot less. I also have hoarseness, due to the advair, but recently was told by my doctor I have a mild heart murmur. I'm not sure yet what I'm going to do, maybe talk with them on what else I could take instead of Advair. It's hard only because my breathing has been so good, but my heart is also very important. I have not had any leg problems, I have had some problems sleeping, not to bad.

I have been taking Advair/250 for just about 1 month now. I was prescribed 2x a day but have only been taking it once a day in the AM. It has controlled my seasonal asthma very well but .... leg cramps, head aches (which I never got before), short temper,some trouble sleeping. i think I will stop and rely on my albuterol. I am happy I found this site!!!

I have used Advair for just two days and every muscle in my body has developed weakness and pain, so I stopped and will seek another drug for my newly diagnosed bronchial COPD

I have been on Advair 2X a day for 2 weeks with a history of migraines. The last 3 days I have had 3 separate migraines with preceding scotomas- the third migraine headache on the third day- was the worst ever and didn't respond to migraine medicine. My husband figured out it was the Advair and I stopped the medication. For those with a history of migraines- don't take Advair as run the risk of severe migraine headaches.

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!

I have been on Advair since Feb. of this year, I have had a lot of these side effects but didn't really realize it was from this med. At first I was told to take it 2x a day, reading the directions it says it has to be 12 hours exactly apart. My work schedule didn't allow that so I just took it 1x....Working 2 jobs I just thought when I couldn't sleep and was always tired, it was from working a lot. When I told the Dr. about not being able to sleep more than 4 hours, I was told since I was taking the meds 1x a day that wasn't it. After a bad cold and bronchitis I was told I had to take the Advair 2x a day, now i'm more tired than ever, still can't sleep and have a headache that won't go away even with migraine medicine. I'm even jittery and forgetful--kinda ditsy now and itchy off and on all day...After reading this blog site I see its not in my mind and i'm going to stop taking this med. I think i'm going to the health food store and find something natural.

Advair made me tired, so tired, I felt like the simplest chore was exhausting. I was told by the pulmonologist that of course the fatigue was unrelated to the medication. Personally, I think the doctors push the meds that they get perks from the pharmacy companies. They may get good results from 75% of their patients but be darned the 25% that may be sensitive to the meds, Modern medicine?

I have used Advair 250 for a few years now and have noticed a few of the same symptoms as the other posters, but my main concern is whenever I go off the drug for too long my asthma gets drastically worse. I have become extremely dependent on this expensive drug that I can barely afford and I fear it is just weakening my health while only mildly suppressing my asthma. I feel stuck with this drug now. I feel like a slave to it. It's an awful feeling.

I just wanted to comment to all of you asthma sufferers. I grew up with bronchitis and my brother with asthma. We were always getting sick while young, about every 6 weeks. My nephew inherited asthma from my brother, and he had it very bad, was always getting sick, needing oxygen, etc. While in his teens, someone told him to start playing an instrument like the trumpet or trombone which really exercises your lungs. He started taking lessons in school and it didn't take very long at all to notice a remarkable difference. His other siblings would even get sick and he wouldn't! The exercise, being natural, is a far better and healthy prevention, and makes your lungs stronger. I can't believe doctors don't spread this amazingly helpful advice around. I'm VERY sure they must have heard this before. Wouldn't news like that spread like wildfire through the medical community? But they would probably lose some business!!! So I wanted to help pass it around. I hope it helps some of you!

I think that since I have started the Advair, if anybody has had this symptom and I do not find it in the regular side effects, I have numbness from my waist all the way down to my feet. I have not felt my toes since about 3 weeks ago. I have already had the MRI of the spine and was told nothing to worry about, I have the best looking spine any radiologist had seen. My doctor took labs and they were all negative and normal and now she is going to send me to a neurologists because she is stumped. I believe I am going to stop taking the Advair, because it is the only NEW drug I have started since this began and see if that is the problem and if so. My problem is solved. If anybody else has had this problem let me know. Also numbness has began in my hands and fingers.

I've had all these same symptoms at one point during the two years I've been taking Advair. I've had exercise induced asthma since I was 18 but I can still work out at age 38 regularly with the help of Albuterol/Proventil. I stopped taking Advair after I completed my last disk in Sept, 08. It all makes sense now after the fact from reading here. Firstly, I cant tell you how severe the muscle cramps were. No words can describe upper body cramping in every muscle that I endured for weeks (it felt like knives all over)!!! The same happened with my legs...the muscles became so tight they contorted! My Dr. gave me an m.r.i. took x-rays and several blood tests...even gave me an h.i.v. test because he had no idea what would cause all these symptoms. He said it was "complicated". The test results found nothing. All lof my symptoms are gone now that I've stopped taking it (mouth sores, bleeding gums, strange skin lumps, hair loss, dry eyes, swollen tongue feeling, lump in throat feeling, severe cramping all over my body for 3 weeks). The Dr. noted that I had gained 10lbs since my last visit. I told him, "I've barely been able to MOVE with this cramping much less exercise with my regular weekly routine!" "It even hurts to breath deeply!" I still have a dry cough that hasn't gone away and normally I clear up after the seasonal rag weed season is over. We have had two hard frosts already...that usually clears my allergies.

Bleeding Gums, Severe Leg Cramping, Yeast Rashes, Sleeplessness, Blurred Vision:

I am a 49 year old woman who was recently prescribed Advair for asthma control. I also have severe allergies. My gums began bleeding almost immediately so I worried that I wasn't rinsing my mouth well enough. I stopped the Advair for a several days since in my mind, that was the culprit. Then my breathing/wheezing/persistent cough came back. So, I started back on my Advair and then started almost immediately having the worst leg cramps of my life. After figuring out that this new symptom correlated to my Advair use, I stopped it again cold turkey. I also am not sleeping over about an hour at a time despite my taking Ambien as well as anti-anxiety meds (I have Bipolar Disorder (Depression alternating with Manic Episodes) as well as Anxiety Disorder). Oh yes, and I developed weird yeast rashes underneath my breasts, on my inner thighs and behind my ears....despite if not being hot at all. I have never had this type of rash before or even been troubled with yeast infections. I also just noticed today that my vision is more blurred when trying to read the guide on my TV (42"). I have had no weight gain...in fact am losing weight..but have been watching what I eat. I don't feel more depressed...in fact, I feel the opposite...kinda euphoric at times..which feels good but can be a step towards mania for me. I decided to do a bit of research on Advair as a cause of the leg cramps...my persistent cough is back but I am afraid to take it now. I guess I need to talk to my allergist tomorrow.

I am a physician and a patient. I have been on singulair and advair for several years now and had weight gain, anxiety, depression, and mild improvement in asthma that I could tell. I had pneumonia 4 times last year and thought it was the environment. I left the Midwest and moved to the east coast where I stopped my meds for several months and all the above symptoms resolved. I recently restarted them several weeks ago do to increase in symptoms and anxiety/panic attacks came back with a vengeance I stopped them and switched to other meds and wow the side effects are improving again. I am not going to take them or prescribe them again.

I have just been started on Advair as of today and now I am concerned.

I have been ill for a month with a upper respiratory bug and my doctor is trying to help ease the breathlessness I have been experiencing with it.
But, after reading all these posts of the side effects, I wonder if there are alternatives I should ask my doctor about?

I don't need the weight gain, dealing with that thanks to Cymbalta (which I am off of now) and the other symptoms don't sound fun either.

The only thing I am having from today is a dry mouth and sore throat.
I say, that's enough!

I have been on Advair for a little over two years. At first I thought it was very helpful, I had a very rough summer last year and it was the only thing helping me. But lately I've noticed an increase in frequency of my migraines, muscle cramps, constant edema in my legs and always being tired. My sleep is broken due to leg cramps, back spasms, or very strange dreams. I had also gained a lot of weight, but thought it was just natural slowing of my metabolism due to age (I am 46). I am cutting back to one dose a day and plan to stop altogether soon. I also stopped my Zocor because that seemed to make my leg swelling worse and the lasix the doctor prescribed just made me pee a lot and my legs were just as swelled up as before.

My uncle has COPD and takes Spiriva and Advair. He has had pneumonia since June 08 off and on through Sept. I've been concerned about this and have been reading up on Advair for people with COPD causing pneumonia. My question is what other choices does he have for medication if he stops taking the Advair? Does anyone know that has been through this? He is on oxygen all the time and his dose of Spiriva is 100/50. After reading the posts, I'm convinced his pneumonia is a result of the Advair.

I started taking Advair 500/50 on September 8, 2008. I am sitting at my desk, unable to quiet my racing mind and I am jittery, agitated and angry. For the past 2 weeks, I have sobbed constantly, I've gained 10 pounds almost overnight, I have daily headaches and I constantly have thoughts of harming myself. I called my doctor to see if my dosage could be lowered or if I could stop taking it, but I haven't heard back yet. I wake up in pain almost every day, and I feel like an old woman. The first 3 days I took the medicine, I thought it was the magic answer for my asthma since my peak flow readings went drastically up, but I think it was just cooler weather. It's not worth it at all. I'd rather take nebulizer treatments all day.

I am a 47 year old female that has had asthma all of my life. I was wanting to stop taking Advair and looked up this website, boy am I glad I did. I have all of these side effects. I have been taking Advair 500/50 twice daily for 7 yrs. I have all of the side affects and more. I have experienced hair lose, depression ( I also take Wellburtin XL) since I have started the Advair, I have pain in my legs that make me feel older than I am. I have gain 40 lbs in the past 7 yrs. I now wear reading glasses because my vision is blurry. People always say my face looks rounder. I hate the drug. My doctor said the none of the side effects are caused for the Advair. As of yesterday I stopped taking the Advair. I have cut down my does slowly for the past 2 months. Can someone who has stopped the Adavir tell me what to expect now that I have stopped. Advair is a crazy drug and I refuse to keep taking it.

My daughter is no longer on advair, but when she was I thought she was a hypochondriac. She had asthma since age 3 and by the time she was in 4th grade she was put on advair. She gained weight in her face and stomach. She would have trouble concentrating on her school work, stayed moody. She would lash out for little or no reason. She always had some ache or pain. Almost every day either her head hurt or her stomach hurt. It was would last under an hour each time

She started having muscle pains. had to be in a walking cast twice for soft tissue damage to her ankle. She would have no idea how it got hurt. If she crawled on her knees playing she would get fluid on her knees. She would have knee pain off and on for a weeks at a time. All the time we were at one doctor or another. Every one of them said her asthma medicine would not cause this. The last straw was when in 6th grade her shoulders would pop out of place if she tried to do push ups in gym. She had to have physical therapy three times a week for three months. Even though the doctors told me not to she has been off of advair for 4 years now. All of the side effects went away with the except for the problems with her shoulders. She has to do exercises a few time a week to keep the muscle's strong to hold them in place.

My 5 year old daughter's pediatrician prescribed her advair to help with inflammation due to her seasonal allergies. (She had never taken an asthma medication or been diagnosed with asthma) I was very hesitant to give it to her, but she was really miserable. I gave it to her. 30 min later she was acting like she was bi-polar, manic and jumping up and down one min and crying for no reason the next. This went on for about 30 min before she crashed. She was very suddenly lethargic, couldn't hold her head up. Her face was pale, it started getting puffy and splotchy and her skin around her eyes got very red and she complained that her eye hurt so bad, she actually held an ice-pack to it. (A 5 year old) She also was acting very rough, aggressive, banging her toys into things and grabbing things from her friend, which is very unlike her. It was like she was full of intense energy and had to get it out. It was very scary.

I recently went into an asthma attack that admitted me into the hospital on Sept 3rd. I was given albuterol treatments which I also use at home and have for 3 + years via nebulizer when needed. They also prescribed ADVAIR on Sept 4th or 5th and released me from the hospital. Once home my breathing started to decline despite using my nebulizer on time. By Monday night my breathing was shallow and my Cramps had severe pain onset. I began walking stiffly. I went to bed that night and my breathing continued to decline. In the morning I could hardly walk because of the pain in my calves. I could however sit and they "seemed " fine but turned in a bit. I took my children to school and at 8am dropped them off to the teacher at the curb check in. (Meaning I did not have to get out) I pulled aside to get out and see a friend and as I stepped out of the car my calves seized again. At the advice of my friend I decided to right away drive around the corner to the Medical Center where I go. I had an appt later that morning for follow up from Hospital, but decided I better not wait.
BY 8:10 I was in a red zone with my asthma Chest in FULL SEIZE (225 peak flow from over 375 an hour earlier using the peak flow meter I had in my car)
I got out of the car to go into the medical center and IMMEDIATELY Dropped DOWN a Foot and my Feet FLIPPED over my Knees Bowed out and I was walking like a Monkey. I scrambled to get into the medical center where I yelled for assistance and was given breathing treatment with no relief and sent to the Hospital via Ambulance. Breathing 3 breathing treatments in 3 hours no relief of Seizing in Chest. Xrays Clear. .I stayed there until Sept 16th where I have now been released, I am still walking monkey like , I have numbness in my face, a severe headache and I have not slept since Sept 14th at 5 am . I am not tossing and turning, I am wide awake.Today is Thursday Sept 18th. It took at least 3 days of before I was taken off ADVAIR. I had been on ADVAIR for at least 7-8 days 150/50 twice a day. I noticed a difference in my Chest muscle within 12 hours. My legs started to soften and not be so stiff within 1 or 2 days, however my feet drag sideways as I take a step. I have to swing my legs forward for each step. I directly link this to the ADVAIR.

I have been on Advair Diskus and Singular for about 2 months now for Athsma. As time went on I wondered what was wrong with me.

Singular gave me a horrible stomach ache after 2-3 days which I stopped.
Symbicort made me very itchy and gave me hives.

W/Advair my personality changed as I fell deeper and deeper into a pit of despair. It all began w/serious mood swings, fatigue, leg cramps, anxiety and depression. I wondered why I was so out of sort and I noticed my emotions were not what I considered normal for my self. I became anti-social and have been unable to sleep for more than 3-4 hours at a time as well as now I also have itchy skin and hives.

I thought, what am I doing now that I have not been on or doing before and began to Google my symptoms. I ran into this site to find my aggravations w/anexity, depression and lack of focus is now not my imagination and that I am not the only one and now understand the reasons why I have been feeling so down.

I am now on the path to detoxing from this stuff and am going to stop taking this medication and just use Proventil as needed for my Athsma.

Thanks to all of you who posted here and best of luck to everyone in recovery from the terrible side effects of these medications.

Wow, I got on the internet this morning looking got side effects of advair b/c I mail ordered my script so i've been without for a few days. i have been experiencing severe neck pain, thought I slept on my neck wrong, but it's still here after 3 days. I have been on Advair 100/50 for 6 years, and have now worn glasses for 3 years, on nerve blocker medication for neck and shoulder pain, horrible heart palpitations, but I've never thought these things related to the Advair until recently. I've been asthmatic all my life and thought Advair was a lifesaver, but always had some concerns. I knew any medication could not be safe for life, and after 6 years. I'm really starting to pay a price.

My daughter was on Advair, Singulair, and Zyrtec to control her severe asthma and allergies. We were so thankful that these medications kept her from having to be hospitalized 2-3 times a year for uncontrollable asthma attacks. About six months after she began taking these medications she began to have headaches, she had difficulty sleeping, she was irritable, she had stomach pains, leg cramps,and eventually depression and social withdrawal. She went from an outgoing and happy teenager to a bitter and angry person. In 2003 she committed suicide. Six months after her death reports started to surface about the link between singulair and depression and suicide. Perhaps for my daughter it was a combination of the three drugs. Whatever you do be cautious and do your research before taking any allergy or asthma medication. Go to the Singulair website and you will be astounded by what you read. Please try to get the word out about these medications.

I was diagnosed with adult allergic asthma one year ago at 38 years old. I started having problems breathing ONLY AT NIGHT on occasion and palpitations. Had a physical and ekg, totally normal. Went to allergist and they said I have alot of allergies and diagnosed me with the asthma. Funny thing, weeks before I niked 20 miles, hiked 12 miles, canoed 3 miles, played golf in a 3 day span and no problems. Since they told me this and started me on advair I haven't been able to jog more than 2 miles or bike more than 8 to 10.

Its very strange indeed, I have gotten more paranoid feelings when just get a little out of breath, and sometimes cant keep still in a car or sitting down.

I cut back on sugar, sodium and started exercising a little every day, only 15 minutes. But came down with a cold recently and back to square one. I am trying to take the advair only ONCE a day instead of twice and almost feel withdrawal symptoms like shakiness, paranoia, irritability. Does anyone have any idea about this? I am really confused! Thanks... J

i have been on advair for a year and a half and in this time i went from having perfect teeth to having my teeth rotting out.one of my doctors told me that she dosent think that advair did it but then another doctor told me yes it did and the dentist say he thinks it might be caused by the advair.has anyone one out there had this happen to them.please if so let me know.you can email me at ******i could really use the help.

I lead music for a children's choir and noticed my voice getting weaker over the past year, to the point I could no longer sing. Then my speaking voice got raspy as well, almost like laryngitis. Went to the doctor, and he told me to get off Advair immediately, replacing it with a liquid inhaler. That started to improve my voice for about a week, then my voice almost left entirely. I had to get off all asthma meds at that point, but what to do when one grows accustomed to breathing?

I am a hiker. The doc knew that. He suggested I focus on more hills to increase my lung capacity. I did my homework I made the following drink when I'd get up in the morning: 1 glass full of ice and some water, about an inch from the top. 1 heaping teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa (caffeine helps asthma and i like chocolate) 1 handful of chopped dates and here is the important ingredient - 1 full dropper of mullein oil, found at health food stores. Mullein opens my airwaves in about 2 minutes. I drink this weird shake and have no problems with my breathing and am off all other asthma meds. Asthma varies in people, as does severity, body type, health history, etc.

I hope this may help someone who would like to stop the asthma drugs and still be able to breathe.

I have adult onset asthma that has gotten progressively worse since I moved from a small Midwestern town to a larger city in the Sonoran desert. On account of this progression in asthmatic symptoms and flair-ups, I switched from Flovent 220mcg to Advair 500/50 about a year ago. For a long time, Advair really seemed to be helping my asthma. Outside of gaining 10-15 pounds in this year (which I asked my pulmonologist about and was assured that inhaled steroids cannot be responsible for), I have fortunately not had many of the aforementioned side effects. However, in the past month after experiencing a bad flair up while studying abroad, I have developed severe heartburn, nausea, acid reflux, a sore throat, and mouth sores. I take the medicine as prescribed and am always sure to properly rinse out my mouth, having been warned about this. After reading everyone else's entries on this site, I am now curious if Advair is doing more harm that good.

I'm officially blown away. My 10 yr old son has been on Advair for a couple of months and strange things have started happening, so I thought I would surf the internet. HOLY $#!^!!!! I am now convinced that Advair is the cause for his headaches, fatigue, sleeplessness, and now the strange sores on his mouth and nose that NO 10 year old should have to be dealing with!!!!! How can the medical community continue to advocate the use of a medication that causes such significant side effects???? Oh wait, don't answer that...I really don't want to know the real answer do I?? Right now I'm just angry....

Oh yeah! Where are you weight gainers gaining most of your weight. I never had a stomach and I have gained 3 inches over the last 8 months around my waist. NOT worth it.

I hope this helps someone.

I was never allergic to anything in my life until I went around this cat at the age of 33. I sneezed and got a really scratchy throat. I thought it would go away, but it turned into a cold. I thought the cold would go away, but it turned into bronchitis and then pneumonia. I was jogging everyday at the time and realized something was wrong when I couldn't finish my run.

I was hospitalized for two days and upon discharge I was stocked up with a cocktail of drugs: Singular, Advair, Albuterol inhaler, and Claritin. Needless to say, I took them all, because I was scared of dying. Thank God I'm not a good medicine taker, because I missed many doses and only took them as needed. I think this is why after 3 years I have only started to see the effects of these meds in the last 8 months.

Okay... I have major joint stiffness(all over) especially neck and fingers, heart palpitations, nervousness, short patience, horrible memory, lack of motivation. Oh my God! The weight gain...Please!

Before this, I was completely healthy. After reading this I will reduce myself to my inhaler and Claritin. I notice they are cool. Otherwise, if I keep my stress level down my breathing does really well. It would probably help if I got rid of the cat. Shhhh...Don't tell anyone. LOL.

I have since put my self on a juice fast using a high powered juicer to cleanse my system of all the trash the doctors gave me.

God bless you all and I speak life and breath into each of our lives.

BreatheWrite.

I am a 25 year old female and I have only been on advair for less than a month. I have already gained ten pounds!!! I also have the very hoarse voice (sometimes i can hardly talk) the leg cramps and that constant feeling of something in my throat that I just can't clear, not to mention the occasional blurred vision. I was prescribed the advair because I have moderate asthma...I really think its making it worse. So sorry that all these people had to go through what they did but I am very thankful that they shared their stories. I was unsure of whether or not I should stop taking this...now I have made up my mind that I am.

August 5, 2008

Thank you for this website. These testimonies has confirmed by suspicions of Advair's side effects.

I am 52 years old and was diagnosed with adult onset asthma 10 months ago. My physician prescribed Advair (500) and Albuterol inhaler. I was instructed to take the Advair 2 times/day and Albuterol 3 times/day. During the last few months, I have noticed a slight weight gain, fatigue, hoarseness, dry mouth and occasional insomnia. The hoarseness has resulted in 2.5 weeks of losing my voice. Also, I have noticed that my recovery from a prior illness, such as cold, was very slow.

As a result, I discontinued the Advair and use the albuterol as needed. My voice began to returned to normal in two days and I am feeling much better.

Now I am wondering if I am experiencing drug withdrawal symptoms due to discontinuing Advair five day ago. The following symptoms are: dizziness, and needle-like tingling in hands, feet and side.

Again, thank you gals for sharing you'll experience with Advair.

I'm 18 years old and I've been taking Advair (500) for about 4 years. I've had very persistant asthma my whole life and my Advair seems to save me from having to use my albuterol around 6 times a day. About 9 months ago i lost my voice for over 2 months. After that went away I had a break for about one month then around 6 months ago I developed what seems like a smokers cough yet I don't smoke. I just got a chest x-ray done and they said it was normal. They put me on steroids and antibiotics but it doesn't seem to be helping.

Could it be the Advair? I don't know that I can go without it even if it is. I want to get rid of this congestion in my lungs. I'm sick of coughing up mucus daily. Does anyone have any advice?

I have been using Advair (250) for many years with no problems. We are remodeling out kitchen which has stirred up a lot of fine dust in the house. That coupled with the smoke caused by the recent forest fires in California I had a severe asthma attack. My doctor increased my Advair to 500. Within a week my voice left me. I have laryngitis of sorts and an accompanying cough that I can not shake. It has been nearly three weeks since it started and two weeks since I quite taking any Advair at all. How long does it take to recover from these symptoms after coming off Advair? I need my voice to function at work.
Secondarily, after reading about cramping being a part of people's symptoms, I have had cramps in my legs feet and toes for several years-mainly at night. Hopefully being off Advair will resolve that as well.

I couldn't handle Advair for more that 3 weeks!

Had no problem with lower dose, other than voice changes, but prescription was not strong enough.

Higher dose: Couldn't sleep more than 3 hours per night; Indescribable Depression; Weight gain.

Stopped the Advair cold-turkey. Within 2 full days I was feeling almost human again, but still not my normal self.

In 4 full days feeling like myself and needing to use Albuterol inhaler again.
Advair was fantastic for my asthma, but mental health is equally important.

I have been on advair for about 4 years didn't know till reading all of this that it could be the cause! My doctor urged me to not stop taking it! I have stopped about a week ago now my symptoms are worse than ever! But I hope will subside! I have recently developed the foggy head, changes in my lugs , chest pain, anxiety panic attacks heavy breathing worse asthma attacks I am 31 and also have osteoporosis now do not know if it is because of this and they think I my have copd I also have infections now that last forever can't concentrate etc. and I have 3 kids and a full time job had 2 take off 2 months! Do not know if I will ever be normal again I hope so! Too much pain and cramps as well just cant understand why I have developed these things later and why they are wores now that I have stopped?

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!

My mother in law has been told that she not only got yeast in her lungs (aspergillus) from Advair but yeast was also found her gut, and her pylori valve stopped working and she almost had to go on a permanent feeding tube and everything made her sick. When they cut her open to insert the tube they found the yeast. I have something going on that includes terrible headache, nausea, vomiting and loose bowel. I can't say at this point for certain it is the advair but I have been taking it for over 15 years daily. These symptoms occur 2-3 times a month and wipe me out for a full day.

Hello Every one i am a 28 yr old female / i have had asthma all my life and took many meds that really mess me up one was alupen / i went into cardio arrest at the age of 4/ in 2004 i was alone with my kids when i got an asthma attack / i had them before but never like this i called my husband to take me to the ER / i got into the car i told my kids to put their seat belts on and thats the last i remember. I blacked out waking up in icu on life support. doc ask what i was taking i told him i had a albuteral therapy advair and my singular pill / i told him the advair was making me sick / over weight and he said no its not the advair / but like i said ive taking about every asthma med out there and nothing made me so sick to the point of death like advair. i did call the 1-800 to find out about the law suit.

I have had asthma for about 12 years. It has progressed fast but don't believe it is emphysema yet. Stupidly I still smoke...or try to. I have used mostly salbutamol regularily and every now and again my doctor will try other types. I too have gained weight, lots of it, have leg pains and restless leg syndrome, blurred vision and fatigue. Many days I barely make to and from work. And all of these in just since taking Advair. I trust the doctors too much. Reading all of these are scary. It seems many doctors don't really have our best interest at heart. It begins and ends with money doesn't it? Another problem I have is because I am so sensitive to different thing, how can I know what is causing what??? I went for allergy tests last month and I could have told them more than what their tests showed and then some. I have since tried not to smoke and seriously looking into alternative treatments...stop the smoking for sure withpatches if I have to.

I was prescribed advair for mild asthma. I only took it for a few months before hearing somewhere that it could actually make asthma worsen, I never checked to make sure it was a fact but I actually felt it did make my asthma worse. Needless to say, I got off of it right away and switched to singulair for it, I find that much better.

I have used Advair for about 4 years now. My dental hygiene has always been impeccable, but recently I have had to have three root canals in a very short period of time and my dentist has gotten very concerned about how rapidly my teeth have developed so many problems. He immediately asked if I was using an asthma inhaler and I told him about Advair. He said that drugs like this cause dry mouth at night and this reduces the immune response in the salivary glands. These root canals have come at great expense and I am experiencing a lot of dental sensitivity too. The day he told me about this I threw my diskus away! I have been using some homeopathic stuff ever since and I haven't had a problem. My dentist told me to send my recent bills - some $6,000 - to my asthma doctor and ask her to pay for them!! Can't wait for that appointment. :-))

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 have been on Advair 250/50 for 5 years for asthma. I'm a 48 year old female. I have experienced severe hoarsness and my voice is rough sounding. Some days I am so hoarse that others have a hard time understanding me. I have had 5 kidney stones in the last 5 years, never had one before taking Advair. I had the last one a month ago and it was so large I had to have surgery. I experience nausea about once a day. I seem to always have a headache. I feel tired all of the time. Over the last year I have developed high blood pressure. I have gained 20 pounds. I have rashes on my upper arms that comes and goes. I experience mood swings. The Advair does control my asthma, but these side effects are too much anymore, especially the hoarseness. I am going to ask my doctor for other solutions.

Hello asthmatics,
I've taken Advair for about 10 years and have had a problem with bone and muscle pain since I've been on it. I started taking it because it was the only med. that enabled me to breathe, as I have severe asthma. Back in the day before Advair, I used nebulizers all the time. After reading the side effects of Advair (decreased bone density), I realize I need to stop taking it. I take a calcium substitute every day and this helps to eliminate the pain, but I feel like I have the body of a 90 year old and I'm only 24! Screw Advair, I don't need to mess around with bone density issues! I wish my doctor had told me that, or I had thought to look it up years ago. Only recently have I eliminated all other Rx drugs (except the occasional nasal spray) as well as most everything over the counter. I hope I'll still be able to breathe without it! If not I'll just have to find something else to take. Any thoughts on Intal? It seems like it might have less side-effects. Take care and good luck to all.
-Ange-

There was an expert on the Mike and Juliet show the other day that said that Advair was not meant to be taken for a long period of time. It is suppose to be a short term medication but the doctors and pharmaceutical companies will not tell you that. For some people this medication really works , and for others the side effects outwieght the benefits I personally don't think the the doctors know anything about half of the medication that the prescribe. They just look in a book and pick a drug that fits your condition. They never tell you the long term side effects from the drugs, and that really makes me upset. I have taken several drugs that the doctor prescribed for me and they don't tell me that it is harmful until I come back in with a serious problem. I think we should stick to the good old home remedies, because people who didn't take these drugs 50 years ago had a longer life expectancy than we do now and the seen to be doing fine.

I have been on Advair for about 5 years. I started with the 100/50 dosage and i guess it wasn't working for me so I was switched to the 250/50. I am 5'6' and I use to weigh about 150lbs. Now after 5years I weight almost 200lbs. I have been experiencing major leg pain that just started a year ago, and I have no idea where it came from. I thought my weight gain was due to birth control, but I stopped taking that a while ago. now after reading all of these comments I think that the Advair was the cause of all of it. I just got married last May and I weight about 165, I have not been exercising like I should, but I don't eat a lot of bad foods. I have gained over 30lbs since then. I went to the doctor about a week ago before i read all of these comments and ordered a 3 month supply of Advair. I think Im just going to stop taking it all together. I would rather take my albuterol more often than have people asking me every six months am I pregnant because my face looks fatter.