Advair HFA and severe anxiety

Hi All -

I hate to read how Advair has affected all of your lives negatively however, after reading the information on this site, I feel so much better about what I have been experiencing.

I have had asthma all of my life. I was taking Albuterol (as everyone does) to control it when I had an attack, Singulair and Serevent (only prior to exercising to help stop an attack from happening). I went to a new pulmonary doctor with a bought of severe bronchitis and he told me that I was "not controlling my asthma properly" and that I should have been on Advair a long time ago. I trusted him and started taking it twice a day.

I have been on it for 17 days and over the past five days I started having severe anxiety over my breathing functions. I was monitoring every breath I took and wasn't breathing unless I told myself to. This started causing severe panic attacks...I HAVE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE IN MY LIFE!!!!! I am not prone to anxiety or anything like that and I have had asthma ALL MY LIFE!!! This was an entirely new behavior. I thought I was going crazy...I couldn't stop thinking about breathing.....I analyzed what was new in my life and what I have been doing differently that could cause this change in my life and the only new thing was Advair. My husband had to give me a Xanax (something that I have never taken in my life) just so that I could function and go to work. So I went on line and I found at least 50 web sites like this one devoted to Advair and a link to panic attacks, anxiety, depression, etc...I STOPPED TAKING IT!!!!! I don't care what my doctor has to say...the benefits are not worth this drug taking over my life and changing me as a person. I am done. I will deal with my asthma as I have always done so and I don't care if he thinks that I am "not controlling it". I left a message for the doctor and I am still waiting to hear back. I haven't taken the Advair since yesterday morning and the panic attacks have started to get milder. I am still a little bit focused on the breathing but only if I am alone and not preoccupied. I have to believe that these side effects will go away in time and when the drug is out of my system. I learned a valuable lesson. I will only take a drug if I research it first.

Thank you all for your comments....you have helped me to preserve my sanity. We all can't be feeling the same thing and not attribute it to the culprit..ADVAIR!!!!

In June, 2007 I was given a sample of ADVAIR by my primary physician for treatment of acute bronchitis. After 6 days of taking 250/50, I suffered hoarseness, voice changing up/down due to mucus in the throat, pain in chest, severe anxiety attacks, bloating in both legs of up to 7 lbs. of fluid per leg, blurred vision, sleep apnea, tiredness, etc. After being off ADVAIR for 6 weeks and after umpteen tests by both my primary physician and my heart doctor, symptons lessened a little. In the meantime, for the months of July and August, I was tested by both doctors, had to have blood drawn with each change in medication, countless doctor office visits, countless lab work done, etc. This ordeal has been extremely time-consuming and very espensive.

Dated September 13, 2007.

Severe leg pain, constant rattling, wheezy chest, severe anxiety attacks, fuzzy thinking, hypomanic symptoms, bloating, fatigue, increased blurry vision, after 6 months at incrased 250 doseage, wild dreams disturbing sleep. Stopped taking Advair a month ago. Within two days, fuzzy thinking cleared up rapidly and back to normal within 7 days. Within 10 days, energy level returned. Sleeping very well. Wheezy chest mostly gone. Bloating gone. Anxiety attacks...one very mild one four weeks after I stopped the Advair, but was able to control it by regulating my breathing and distracting myself...went away quickly...but when I was on Advair, ended up in ER with panic attack. When I began the Advair, I was living in an apartment with a flooding problem that created mold and mildew, and I am allergic to mold and mildew. I was having difficulty sleeping at night from the coughing, and was given Advair, and the doseage was upped after one year. Initially it helped me, but with the increased doseage came all the symptoms above. I moved, stopped the Advair, and now I am fine (just still have the allergies, of course.)

My unabashed opinion - do whatever you can to get yourself OFF Advair - then, off of Corticosteroids, too. I'm a 39 year old, 5'2", 95lb. , athletic woman. First daignosed with Asthma when pregnant with first child, 6 years ago. Immediately put on Azmacort throughout remainder of pregnancy, and beyond. OK, diagnosed with Preecclampsia during labor (dangerously high blood pressure), then, severe post partum depression. Also, kept feeling like I was blacking out or fainting. Continued for months, until I requested an MRI - diagnosed with "WORST SINUS INFECTION THEY HAD EVER SEEN". Ok, finally a bit better - then, started having severe Anxiety / Panic Attacks - Many times to ER. Therapy and anidepressants prescribed. Knew that Paxil and Celexa felt REALLY bad - weaned myself off. THat resolved those. Next - multiple repeated sinus infections. And, since all colds go directly to my chest, which causes my Ashtama - that was bad. Put on ADVAIR about two years ago, after my second child. Since then, I've had:

Meningitis (unknown source)
Shingles
Repeated Infections
Headaches
Arthric joints
Urinary Tract Infections
Pain / Weakness in Arms
Heart Palpatations
Mood Variations - severe bad moods
and, much more

NOTE: prior to my first experience with steroids - I've NEVER taken any medication - not even Antibiotics (for 25 years)

Last week, I just had it. I had already instructed my Dr. to lower my dose of Advair to 100/50. I had been on 250/50. I was on that for over a month, but still felt awful. Most notable side effect was nervousness, and anger. Just instructed him to put me on Flovent 44. (One of the components of Advair). Two days later - nervousness has stopped significantly. Also, much lower resting heart rate. I'm going to an Osteopath next week. I want off of everything, soon!

hello
i am 37 and have had severe chronic asthma all my life. as a child,teen, and young adult i was in the emrgency room at least twice a year for cold related asthma problems. i started taking theophylline at the age of 16, used over the counter inhalers til my mid-twenties when was given albuterol, and have gone on prednisone treatments numerous times. about 2 years ago my condition started deterioating, none of my previous medications were working well. by this time last year i was so bad that i went through an albuterol inhaler every two weeks, and i was constantly sick with lung infections. thats when my pulmonary dr (same one for almost 20 yrs) put me on advair and singulair. i noticed a MAJOR, near miraculous change for the positive almost right away, i could breathe again! i haven't been this clear for years. a few months after i started treatment i gained 10 lbs in less than a month. i thought it was because i changed birth control pills but changing back didn;t seem to help. i have started having attacks of diarrhea at least once a week, gas, bloating, swelling (of feet, hands, middle). lately i've been feeling nauseous, my lifleong insomnia has gotten MUCH worse, i've had blurry vision and the feeling like my head is going to explode. not to mention dizzines, lightheadedness, pressure in my head, dry mouth, hoarseness, back & feet pain, severe anxiety, tremors, rapid heartbeat- what seem to be all the classic symptoms! i had no idea it was the medication. i was so ill the other day i almost had my boyfriend take me to the emrgency room. i had been hearing on the news about serevent being unsafe so i started looking up the side effects and realized that's what it was (i now also see singulair can have similar effects) i stopped taking the advair for 2 days but my severe asthma started returning almost imeediately so i had to use it this morning- and i feel like CRAP right now. i know i need to see my dr ASAP but i am worried about controlling my asthma- i can't deal with these side effects but i also can't return to the state i was in last year- i could NOT BREATHE and was using my albuterol so much it was causing it's own problems (jittery, rapid heartbeat). PLEASE email me (******)if anyone has had any luck with alternatives! (does flovent cause the same long term problems?)

I got a bronchitos in May and was perscribed advair for 14 days. I took it maybe 10. One day I had severe naseau and could not eat. The rest of the time I had severe anxiety, nervousness, headaches, and my breathing got worse.

Advair is a steriod. I will never take it again.

I have severe seasonal allergies which induce asthma, but I will stick to my Proventil inhaler.