Advair HFA and weight gain

On Advair after bout with asthma. Stayed on it for about 4 months (500 then the 250/50) I felt worse! Throat tightened, thrush (which i had in mouth, throat and esophagus and up into my sinuses)- raspy vocal cords, dry mouth and weight gain. Dr. pulled me off- i will NEVER use again!

I was started on Advair HFA about 35 days ago. A little background about me is that I'm 35 years old, in good physical shape. I'm a competitive cyclists doing road races anywhere from 45-100 miles, I work out 2-4 hours everyday. I've had lifelong chronic asthma, but have fought the disease with my healthy lifestyle. I also play the saxophone.

Since I've been on Advair I've developed a constant sore throat. Been coughing up stuff constantly when I'm out training on my bike. Can't seem to sleep for more than a few hours at a time. The worst side affect has been the leg cramps which are killing my training for up coming races. I have constant leg cramps that force me to get out of bed over and over to work them out. My energy levels have dropped to the point that I can't do even half a workout without being totally wiped out. This is coming from a guy that averages 60miles a day on the bike, the other day I couldn't even do 15 miles and had to stop from the constant cramps and tiredness. This stuff is a nightmare. I've gone back to using nothing but my albuterol inhaler. I'll continue to do lung exercises 4 times a day and completely clean up my diet and basically get this stuff out of my system. Let this be a warning that you can't get something positive without something negative as well.

After reading all the comments that have been posted, I feel compelled to add my story. I have been on advair for approximately two years. One of the first comments I read a week or so ago was about the person that had horrible foot pain for over two years and felt it could have been from the Advair as well.

I have had severe foot pain for over 2 years. I had plantar faciitis in both feet and had surgery on both to fix that. Several months after surgery I still wasn't healed as much as I thought I should be and my doctor felt the same way. I then began a series of more cortizone shots, physical therapy, ultrasound therapy plus an on going slew of blood tests to rule out everything we could. I even went to a Neurologist and had an EMG done. Newest diagnosis is tarsal tunnel syndrome, so I was put on yet another drug (Cymbalta) I wouldn't recommend that one either. And still the pain exists. In fact the pain went from the heals to the tops of my feet. It feels more skeletal than nerve related. I have had stress fractures in both feet and ironically the same exact bone approximately 6 weeks apart. Is all of this coincidence, or linked to being on Advair?

I also have gone through most of the symptoms that others have posted; fatigue, insomnia, blurred vision, sore muscles, headaches, water retention, weight gain (40 pounds in 2 years), slow healing, bad scaring, easy bruising and many more I'm sure I've forgotten.

The day after being on this site and reading everyone's comments, I went and threw my Advair away. I don't have asthma, just bad allergies, and right now my breathing has been fine being off of the Advair. I still use my inhaler though as needed. The one comment that scared me the most was the side effect that several posted about rotting teeth and jaw problems. That's one side effect I haven't had and that's the main reason I stopped using the Advair. I have perfect teeth and don't want to ruin them.

I don't have any answers either, but just know that we as patients have to take control of our health. Don't feel bad if you disagree with your doctor or ask for a second opinion. We as a society have become quick to fix our ailments with drugs that have yet to be "proven" as safe over a long period of time.

Im in the process of weaning my self off of two other drugs that I was taking besides the Advair. I'm doing more on-line research regarding natural remedies for some of my ailments. I still have some side effects but that could be due to the detoxifying process. This is a process that takes a few weeks. Make sure you consult with your physician first before trying any of this.

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!

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 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 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.

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 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.

69 year old beautiful grandmother, Yes, I stopped taking ADVAIR... After taking advair for two years, I just put a stop to the weight gain, emotion mood swings, headaches, poor circulation in my legs and arms companied by pain. Now my Doctor has me going through test to re- evaluate my condition... I am keeping it real and listening to my body as I questioning my Doctor..
Lady D

My daughter 8 has been on Advair 3 years for asthma. Prior to, she was always a happy little girl, fit and healthy.

Some of the new things I noticed as the months progressed were severe mood swings, weight gain, and unexplained reoccurring rash on her feet,legs and thighs. They appeared like Mosquito bites and turned into blisters, not the pediatrician or even an Dermatologist could diagnose it, yet it would appear almost monthly. She has complained of "bubbles" in her eyesight, she developed this squinting, we had her eyes checked several times by eye doctors but told there was nothing wrong.
She has also experienced blackouts, after extensive tests a Neurologist concluded that she had Aura (sp?) migraines and referred to her squinting as a tick.
I feel like I have lost 3 years of my child's life that I cannot get back. She finally has been weaned off it. It has been only a few days with no Advair. I hope for no lasting adverse affects.
My 5 year old daughter has just been diagnosed with asthma and I noticed he is no longer prescribing Advair for children, I would refuse it, if he did.
Veronica, CT

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

Does anyone know if anyone has experienced an itchy head (scalp and forehead) with small pimples or something like that? Terribly itchy, and started after starting Advair, but have no way of knowing if related. Does anyone know?

Bill

So nice to see that I'm not just imagining the adverse reactions. I've been taking Advair 250/50 for about 3 weeks now after being diagnosed with asthma/chronic bronchitis. I went back to my doctor the following week because I was still having chest pain, back pain, felt as if I still wasn't getting enough oxygen and mentioned that I was having a lot of difficulty with being jittery. He evaluated my breathing with a peak flow meter and since that seemed to be OK, he wanted to do an EKG - which he did and seemed to see something that warranted a referral to a cardiologist. So far the cardiologist has not seen anything out of the ordinary.
I'm thinking more and more that there is nothing wrong with my heart and that this is all being caused by the Advair. Has anyone else been referred to a cardiologist and found out nothing was wrong?

All I can say is OH MY GOD. I'm a 23 year old female and have had asthma since I was 13. I started taking Advair two years ago. I didn't really notice any symptoms at that time except for a 10lb weight gain I attributed to 'getting older'. Last year I lost my insurance coverage and stopped taking the medicine (and imagine, I dropped the 10 lbs). Last month, I got a really bad sinus and ear infection and was having breathing difficulties once again. Since I am now insured I went to the doctor, and got an antibiotic. I took the antibiotic for 2 weeks. My sinus and ear infections are gone, but I have this HORRIBLE nagging dry cough (for more than 4 weeks), that NOTHING will cure. So I went back to my doctor a few days ago. He told me that due to my history of asthma, the previous infection I had, and allergies that bronchial inflammation can occur and I was put back on Advair. I took my first puff 2 days ago. I tried to ignore the jittery sensation, and light-headedness. I just took a puff an hour ago, and let me tell you I absolutely CANNOT ignore it. Currently my heart is racing, I am extremely light headed as I write this, and i cannot stop shaking my legs. I tried to relax in bed but the 'jitters' are just too much. If this does not subside, I think I might go to the emergency room. After googling "Advair side-effects" and finding this site, I now realize I am not alone, and this is not in my head. I WILL NEVER TAKE THIS MEDICATION AGAIN. I am convinced that what I am experiencing this very moment are the side effects of Advair. Don't let another doctor tell you there are NO side effects associated with it.
-Ashley Miami Beach, FL

I was on advair for almost two years, It worked wonderful for my breathing. I been battling chest pain, hip pain, skin rashes, short term memory loss/complex problem solving, severe calf pain when sleeping, and always feeling lazy. I been to three doctors about my problems and have ask if advair is causing my problems. They all said there is no way it is. I spend thousands of dollars trying to figure out what is wrong with me and the doctors and my wife think I making everything up, that it is in my head. Last month I thought I'll try to quit using advair. My chest pain has be occurring alot less, like once a week instead of 8 hours a day, my rash is gone, I still have light hip pain and haven't had any calf pain while sleeping yet. I just hope nothing is long term. My breathing is kind of bad now because I'm not taking anything but its better then ever the effects. Has anyone notice their cholesterol being higher on advair?

ive taken advair for 3 years,ive had a few side effects including: weight gain, pains in my leg, and tiredness. i dont know if these are from the advair or not. i never had these issues before taking it. i really dont know what to do. if im not on advair i have a hard time breathing and have chest pains. Does breathing better out weigh the side effects that it causes??? i have problems with inflamation and advair seems to work well with that aspect. Is there natural alternatives? HELP!!!

I started taking advair in September of 2006 after being diagnosed with allergy related asthma. I took it for 3 months. Then stopped for a few months over the winter and restarted in spring because of more serious symptoms of asthma. I have had severe stomach upset, acid reflex, rashes, and weight gain. I also feel dizzy a lot. I am very health consious and work out all of the time. I never gain weight so it seems obvious to me advair is the culprit. I am going to try getting allergy shots and see if I can stay off the advair. In home air filters do seem to help with the asthma

I am a 71 year old man with COPD (emphysema) My pulmonologist has prescribed Spiriva and Advair. I have taken Advair for over three years and Spiriva for about 18 months. Lately, I have experience a rapid heart beat (sometimes 138 bpm), problems with hoarseness, thick mucus in the throat, weight gain including an unpleasant, distended belly after eating, leg cramps at night, heartburn, dizziness and slow stream urination. I've been checked for prostate problems, the results of which were normal. My heart has always been healthy but lately with the rapid heartbeat, I've become very concerned. I am going to stop taking the Advair and see what the results are. The Spiriva seems to be doing a good job for me and I will continue with it since it is not a steroid.

I am a 44 yr. old female. I have been taking Advair for about a month. I have to say that it is wonderful that I can finally breathe but the leg cramps and constant heartburn that I have never experienced before is unreal. The weight gain is becoming an embarrassment as everyone I come in contact with comments or asks if I am pregnant. After experiencing breast secreations, I checked and that was a negitive. My 8 year old loves it that most of the time I am too hoarse to give orders. That is when I can finally pull myself out of a much needed doze or nap. The sweet me has disappeared and the wicked witch has taken over as I am always moody, depressed and tired. I too have experienced flu like symptoms, ringing in my ears and insomnia. Advair along with the Singuliar has made life on the breathing end very good, but on the health end the pits.

I am a 45 year old woman. I have been on advair (it is called serevent in Australia) for about 2 1/2 years. I have noticed the following symptoms:
insomnia, headaches, weight gain, severe mood swings, chesty cough, sore chest, aches and pains all over and many more. Every time I would try to go off of it my asthma would seem to get worse so out of fear I would resume using it. I have now been off of it for 3 days and already I can feel the chesty cough starting to dry up. The irony is that I never had severe asthma, I was given advair because I got a very nasty flu and my asthma got worse. In hindsight I think it would have proably cleared up on its own. I would urge anyone to be very careful with this drug it is very, very dangerous!!!!

Numbness, chronic weakness, chronic pain after 2 months of advair. I'm 47, never have gained weight. In one month gained 10 lbs! I feel horrible and sick all the time. Weird rashes-I never get rashes. I went to the doctor one month ago, she told me almost no chance that these were symptoms of this drug. I have been exhausted, and confused. My right thumb is always completely numb. I have terrible breast pain as well. Finally, I went to an accupuncturist that told me flat out that this drug causes permanent numbness in people and she firmly told me to get off it now, before it is too late. I hope it is not too late for me.

I have what's known as cough equivalent asthma--on set as an adult. this is my first attack in about 3 years. I'm very unhappy with the Advair--the heart beating so quickly, the nausea and to top it all off IT'S NOT WORKING and neither is the albuterol. Today is my last day for the Advair. It's not even controlling my cough for minutes let alone hours or days. I'm losing my voice and will lose my part-time job because I don't have a voice. I can't hold a conversation without coughing it's making me dizzy and I'm tired because I can't sleep.

I have been on Advair for YEARS.. and yes, it has been good to me as far as controlling my asthma.. but have had seriouse hoarsness isssues and hip and leg pain, as well as weight gain. I am starting a new medication today and hope to find some improvement upcoming.

I am an RN. I have complained to my allergist and Practisioner for years that I have terrible hip pain, muscle and joint pain with the Advair. It works great to control the wheezing, but everytime I start back on it, within 2 weeks I am limping and crying with pain in my legs and hips. Everytime I manage to get off for two weeks the pain subsides. I have had xrays of my hips and there is no deterioration. I too have gained considerable weight. We have tried Spriva and it also had adverse reactions. It increased mucus instead of decreasing it. If anyone has a suggestion, I would like to hear what it is.

I am a 47 yr. old female. I have been taking Advair 250 for several months and have been sick for about 2 of the them. I get a flu-like feeling once a week. I cannot move. I also have trouble sleeping, sore throat, headaches, ear pain, weight gain, all of which I was not experiencing prior to this medicine. It took me a while to figure out what was bothering me. I am going to the doctor this week to change this medication.

Several months ago, my doctor switched me off of Pulmicort and onto Advair 250/50, in addition to the Singulair and Zyrtec that I take. Yep, an asthmatic with allergies...ain't life great?

At first, Advair did control my symptoms better, as I was able to excercise without feeling chest tightness. However, other side effects, such as an extremely dry throat, and hoarsness to the point of pain while talking--let alone singing--has occured. I've also noticed increased tightness in my throat, and weight gain. Now, I had a fairly sedentary lifestyle before, but always maintained the same steady weight.

These side effects are extremely troublsome for me, because I am a professional singer! Since taking it, I have lost the upper part of my register, and have pain while singing anything more than a few bars. My doctor has decided to lower my dose and send me to an EMT, however, my pharmacist thinks I should switch back to Pulmicort. My sypmtoms were not as well controlled, but at least I could function.

i have been on advair 250/50 for a year. i have gained 50 lbs and if i miss a dose its apparent as i wheeze and suffer. i want off this medication the dr insists the advair isnt causing my weight gain but after alot of research i know diff, and i didnt change my eating habits. anyone suggest another medication i can ask dr to substitute? i take singular and have proventil but need something more. advair isnt it i dont think.

After living with asthma and relying on a rescue inhaler for 28 years, I was prescribed advair 500/50 and it has changed my life. I have not used my rescue inhaler since. It is like a miracle cure. I know its not a cure but it really works great. Do you know what it feels like to leave the house without panicking because I couldn't find my rescue inhaler?

I have a 9 year old son that has been on Advair for at least 3 years. I'm concerned that his extreme mood swings (aggressive and angry) and weight gain are from Advair. I believe his growth is also suffering. HELP!! Anyone out there with same or similar story???

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

my son has been on advair for several years. He was on the 100 and kept clearing his throat, or what we describe as clucking and puffing. It is extremely annoying. I thought it was because he wasn't on enough Advair so I had the doctor increase it to 250. He was ok for a while but now is clucking in full force again. He also has struggled with weight gain. Thank you for this website. I am going to see what the doctor says!!!

I have been using Advair recently for coughing from sinus drainage. I only have a very mild case of asthma. Two sinus surgeries have helped. Yesterday after using it in the AM my lips and mouth area tingled. I became very warm and then cold to the point where it was dripping off my forehead. I had a hard time breathing and had a panic feeling. Then my feet and legs began to ITCH. It moved to my arms, back and down the body. Later my whole body ached which lasted 24 hours. I immediately called the doctor and went on Benedryl. He also phoned in medication for the itch. After reading some of the posts, I now know where my weight gain is coming from. Never will use it again.

have had asthma for as long as i can remember. i am now 35. i started taking ad-vair about 3 yrs ago. i have since gained alot weight and have tried dieting,exercising to no avail. i also have phlegm all the time, at first i thought that advair was the best thing since sliced bread but now not so sure. i have the " moon face" always sleepy, always coughing, gained weight, moody, tender skin, if i do skip a dose i get sore on my behind just like with prednisone. it has the same side effects as prednisone i don't care that the dr.'s say it has a low dose of steroids i can't tell it and neither can my body. also have noticed my spine curving, numbness in my hands, fingers and arm for no reason. it is like when you bump it in just the right place it has the numb feeling but i didn't bump into anything. if i had i would have had a bruise, because i can barely touch something and bruise. i have tried getting off of it but then i wheeze and can't hardly get out of bed because i can't breathe so i need decide if the side effects are worth having, or if i can get over the withdrawl effects. if anyone has any suggestions please let me know.

I have been taking advair for 7 years I am 28 years old. The only symptom I noticed was weight gain until I got the results of my blood work. I am now classified as pre-diabetes, with no history of this in my family. I believe it is because of the use of Advair. I am going to my doctor tomorrow to get off it.

I just heard that Advair causes weight gain. Is this true?

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 been on Advair for almost 2 months and have gained 7 pounds. My Albuterol wasn't controlling my asthma so therefore, I was prescribed Advair. Since it is a type of steroid I was wondering if this was the reason for the weight gain. It seemed as if the weight gain started almost immediately after given the prescription. I have noticed alot of hypertension. My asthma is still not under control so I am going to go off Advair and see what happens. Of course, I will keep my doctor informed and seek alternate medications. I

I finally know what is wrong with me and I think I can help some other people also...so I felt compelled to post!

I have been on Advair for almost 5 years and have experienced weight gain (35 lbs), heart rate increase, anxiety and just over all restlessness. Now, my asmtha is under control, but I have had voice problems and continuous phlem in the back of my throat.

I have gone to a wonderful speech pathologist that told me that a lot of this was due to Advair. He asked me to cut down and once my pulmonary specialist heard that he was angry. The pathologist told me to drink a lot of water, but in small sips. Don't drink hot liquids, coffee, caffine and to constantly chew gum or have candy to keep your saliva glands working. Don't whisper! It's worse for your voice. Also, if you use albuterol use a dispenser chamber that will slow down the dosage...there you go...about 1000K of advice from a pro!

I am looking into other avenues to treat my asmtha after reading your posts. I am 27 and the symptoms are just not worth the pain they cause. Hopefully Advair will fix these symptoms, but it is pretty powerful stuff!

I am 32 years old. I have had asthma since age 8.
I was prescribed Advair by my obgyn 1 1/2 yrs ago when pregnant. It helped my asthma tremendously. I had been using my albuterol inhaler up to 5 times a day prior to starting the Advair. However, my side effects have been consistent weight gain since having the baby - I weigh almost as much as when I was 9 months pregnant. And it's all in my mid section like many other people. I have always had a slim waist. My hair is also thinning on the top.
I have tried unsuccessfully to quit the Advair. I currently take the 100/50 and have cut back to once a day.
Is there any other long term asthma medication out there without the steroids?

I've been takig Advair 250x2 for about a year now and until I found this website I thought I was losing my mind. Side effects include thrush (and I rinse with half peroxide and half water, brush teeth, and then rinse with Listerine after i use the advair), leg cramps, dizziness, "lung pain", weight gain, post nasal drip, sleeplessness.....I have an apointment with my Doctor tomorrow, I think I'll suggest that he take me off advair and put me on something else!

I am so glad I found this site. I thought I was going crazy!

I have been an Advair user for about four years now and have gained 45lbs. The weight gain is solidly in my mid section and is bearing down on my lungs, stomach and intestines. I am only 5'3" and I am pretty miserable.

So the dizziness, heartburn, heart palpitations, hoarse throat, coughing, etc that everyone else is experiencing - me too. Thought it was the weight gain. I have dieted, exercised every day - sometimes twice a day, adjusted my eating routine, anything and everything to get my weight down but to no avail.

Each winter I am slighly worse than the last - and after four years, I can't walk more than 2 blocks without use of an inhaler. I thought it was me - the weight gain - and my work schedule. The ability to walk less and less was really starting to scare me. I can't do stairs without stopping halfway to catch a breath. I wasn't like this 4 years ago! I PRACTICALLY RAN UP AND DOWN TWO - THREE FLIGHTS OF STAIRS each day of work! and could walk a hiking trail for hours without worrying about my breathing.

Swimming is the only exercise that seems to help, takes the heavy feeling away from the mid-section so I can breathe again.

It seems alot of people are experiencing problems. Shouldn't the makers of Advair be told and the doctors informed?

I've been on Advair for a few years. It did help my asthma quite a bit but now I've noticed it doesn't seem to help me like it used to.
What has been a problem the last six months is weight gain. I have put on 25 pounds and the only thing I can attribute it to is Advair. It is mostly in my mid-section and it came about quite rapidly. Dieting has not helped me lose it all all!

i'm male 30, had asthma since i was 2, tried about every inhaler and pill you can think of. anyway march 2006, started taking advair, it helped alot,i was able to play sports again and even outlast alot of people, the only thing was it made weak in the strength department and my balance was off.

i also expreienced what alot of people here are saying, about weight gain, moon face, acid reflux, not wanting meat, acne, hoarsness, sinus infection, belly getting bigger.

i got off it about 2 months ago in june due to a back injury, i believe the advair caused me to get the back injury.

the back is better now, but since being off advair i can't walk up stairs without taking a break. but my skin is alot better and i lost 10-15 pounds just being off of advair.

right now i'm trying to find an alternative, so far vitamins are helping a little bit.

My sister had been using advair for many years the past 6 to 12 months she had been experiencing unexplained problems. weight gain-mainly in midsection( Dr did ultrasound to check for tumor), increasing dry mouth to the point of mouth and throat sticking together Dr. did tests to rule out serious conditions but came up with no answers, She has been complaining of being tired more easily and getting short of breath unable at times to climb stairs, in the last month she was mentioning problem sleeping, acid reflux getting worse, on September 5th she had a sudden attack and died within minutes. The Dr said the cause was bronchiospasms. I heard something on TV and started doing some checking and advair has been known to be involved in sudden deaths due to bronciospasms. The symptoms she experienced in the months prior sound like they also might of been side affects or adverse reactions and the Dr. never suspected her medication when no other cause could be found. I want to warn people that if they are even possibly having adverse reactions to advair check it out closely befor continuing. My sister was only 58.

First, I must say that ADVAIR always did exactly what it it supposed to for my astma. Within two doses of the medicine it has always soothed my lungs and helped me breathe.

But I have always gained weight every time I am on it for more than a month, so I wait until my asthma is pretty bad (usually in winter time or while allergies are bad). I use it intermittently for a month at a time and that helps keep my weight normal. If you suffer from a lot of candida, like I do, you should also be careful and stay away from eating a lot of sugar.

My doctor thinks I am crazy because I don't want to be on ADVAIR all year long, but it seems to help the way I do it, and I think that is the most important thing.