Don't Breathe the Advair
"Long-acting beta2-adrenergic agonists, such as salmeterol, one of the active ingredients in
ADVAIR DISKUS, may increase the risk of asthma-related death."
I didn't make that up, that's what's actually in the fine print on a piece of paper that comes in every box of Advair. Your doctor won't tell you about it because he or she has a million samples of these things (called the Advair Diskus due to it's shape) that they have to get rid of. You click a lever back, put it up to your mouth, and breath in a fine powder. This is supposed to make breathing easier for patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease also known as COPD.
I don't know if COPD is a new buzz term for asthma or if the 2 are different conditions with the same symptoms. Whatever the case, this drug (poison) is given for both and, as many of you know, I was pretty sick through the month of December with severe coughing. Sure getting near attractive women and catching soft core porn on HBO late night (couldn't sleep) helped a bit with opening the airways, but I could barely breathe right and it was awful. I called my doctor fearing that I was getting walking pneumonia. As an asthmatic, it's not hard to get once you catch a nasty chest cold, neither is bronchitis.
The doctor listened to me breathe in and out and noticed that there was trouble going on in my lungs. Straight away he put me on a nebulizer which was a clear indication, to me, that I was in worse shape than I thought. He also pumped me full of prednisone tablets which were the size of horse pills. This drug is damn effective in helping you breathe better but you can't stay on it for too long or you'll expand like a balloon. Your face swells, and you put on pounds like no ones business. About the only good news I had from the doctors visit was that he could see that I was working out extensively and that I had put on some weight since the last visit. He was quick to point out it was not fat. He assured me I would not be on this stuff long enough to get that way but I would get an adrenaline rush. Before sending me off with a prescription for more prednisone he also gave me a few samples of Advair to take along with the drug. I would use anything I could to get back to normal because as it was, I wouldn't have made it through a hot date without getting choked out.
Progress?
After the 3rd day on prednisone the euphoria struck. I could breathe! I was powering through my workouts in record time, I felt like I could climb walls. Then as the days went on I became a little cranky but it was no matter because my cycle on the stuff was almost done. Per doctors orders, I was to taper off the prednisone and begin taking Advair in the morning and night. At first it seemed to work well, until I took my last prednisone pill. Once totally on Advair the downhill slide started:
Chest pain.
Shortness of breath.
Heart palpitations.
Super dry mouth.
I could barely make it through my workouts, even if I took my rescue inhaler. In fact, I almost passed out once. Then I recalled that the feelings I was having also felt like a panic attack. If you have read this blog over the past summer, you know that a former lady friend (yes, a lover) had to rush me to the ER because of these symptoms. I felt like I was going to die. Even worse, once at the ER, she announced that we were engaged, which we were not. I almost hit the floor unconscious. But she did it to know what was going on. The fake "engagement" made her next of kin. Clever girl. The doctors that night concluded that I had a severe panic attack. I later learned that the disorder runs strong on my fathers side of the family. Since I was never close with them, this was news to me.
I decided to do a little experiment; stop taking the Advair cold turkey and see what happens. Suddenly I was breathing better, easier. But wait, you're not supposed to stop taking this drug (poison) cold turkey. You have to tapper off.
The Test
It had only been a day or 2 since I stopped the Advair and noticed the improvements. Was it in my head? I decided to take the Advair only once a day. This would be my weening off. I first tried it in the morning before work. Within an hour I felt my throat closing, like I was being strangled. I had to get up and head to the bathroom. Actually, I staggered and hid in a stall trying to catch my breath. I took my rescue inhaler but it didn't work well. Damned if I was going out of the office on a gurney. So gradually I caught my breath and was able to continue with work.
Fearing that another episode would happen at my job I took one puff of the poison powder when I got home from work the next day. I used the lowest dosage of Advair possible which has the numbers 100/50. I had another sample that was 250/50. Maybe it was too high? Wrong. I tensed up within moments of taking it and my heart felt like it would explode. I couldn't breathe! I was actually ready to dial 911 but as I paced like a madman around the apartment, things got a little better. What was happening to me could have been 2 things:
- A severe asthma attack which would choke me out and possibly kill me.
- A sever panic attack which could also choke me out to unconsciousness but NOT kill me. The airways open once you loose it.
I rolled the dice, I bet it was the Advair causing a panic attack. I concocted something strong that would calm me down. If not, it would be an asthma attack. Either way, it was worth a shot.
I slammed down the following:
3 Xanax pills with half a bottle of wine chugged fast and hard.
If that didn't calm me down, nothing would. I kept my finger on the send button of my mobile. 911 was already dialed.
15 minutes later....boom! Good as new.
The Aftermath
Feeling like new again, I went in search of not only the side effects listed by the folks (cock suckers) at Glaxo Smith Kline who make Advair, but everyday, real people who took the stuff. The results were all disastrous. Overwhelmingly, people were having symptoms similar to mine or getting sicker!!!
Among the side effects listed by the manufacturer:
- bronchospasm (wheezing, chest tightness, trouble breathing);
- fast or uneven heart beats, restless feeling, tremor;
- fever, chills, cough with yellow or green mucus;
- stabbing chest pain, feeling short of breath;
- white patches or sores inside your mouth or on your lips; or
- worsening asthma symptoms.
- headache, dizziness;
- nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
- dryness in your mouth, nose, or throat;
- stuffy nose, sinus pain, cough, sore throat; or
- hoarseness or deepened voice
Long-acting beta2-adrenergic agonists, such as salmeterol, one of the active ingredients in ADVAIR DISKUS, may increase the risk of asthma-related death.
Apparently the FDA thinks it's not bad enough to yank this drug off the market and that this warning will do fine until more people die. But how many people read the fine print? This story got some coverage in the media but not enough to sway the opinion of many. It's still widely prescribed. And since the pharmaceutical industry can pretty much buy off the FDA (in my humble opinion) they'll be plenty of this powder around to breathe in. But you're likely better off snorting cocaine or powdered bleach.
Coming up next...... Jewish matchmaking. Let me in or get me out of here?
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It always seems as though the side effects are worst than the symptoms themselves.
Shame you had to go through experiments with a combination of drugs to get yourself regular.
I only wish the euphoria you felt during the work out was the only side effect experienced.
I'm glad you have shared this as I hope people do searches for stories like yours and realize that everything doctors prescribe, even if it is approved by the FDA, isn't good for you.
And they say Cocaine is a hellava drug. Advair is something else.
Urban - Yeah the only way to get that kind of energy while working out would be to start shooting up the roids which...I certainly won't do. I like the size of my balls just the way they are, thank you. no need for shrinkage.
And mixing powerful tranquilizers with alcohol is never a good idea but....it seemed like a good idea at the time. And hey, it worked. But why must I resort to the behaviors of people I read about on TMZ to get relief. This is nuts.
I worry about friends with asthma. Have you always had it or did you get in later years?
My friend was prescribed Lamictal, felt unusual, so when he told his shrink he was suffering from a reaction, the shrink told him to halve the dosage. He ended up in a methadone induced coma. Apparently his skin reacted to the drug in such a manner that he ended up looking like a burn victim with most of his skin falling off.
saadia - What a horror story!!! I'm shocked, saddened, but not surprised. These drugs are not fully tested! They are rushed to market and then we pay the price for it. Your friend payed a terrible price. I hope a lawsuit was filed.
I have had asthma since I was a kid. I had it really bad and had to use a nebulizer all the time. Then when I hit my teens it rarely bothered me at all. I hit a rough patch in my life around my mid 20s and it was hard for me to take care of myself. I began to relapse with the asthma and it is now this mess. I hope to put it down again.
My friend joked about his shrink paying for his daughter's Ivy League education. I'm sure he has lawyers salivating on his case against all who are culpable in this horrible situation.
I'm going to email you a link so you can see the images of him in the coma. Now that he's recovered, he jokes about having skin as smooth as a baby's bottom. Calls it his 500K dermabrasion. LOL
Thank you for that link. I was stunned by what i saw and I'm glad he was able to keep his sense of humor about that. I also hope he's doing better now.
shit that's some scary story
We live in crazy times...I certainly hope that 'fine print' doesn't always mean 'ignored print'. But I know that often I'll just take whatever my doctor prescribes without too much thought to potential side effects.
Tracey
My Advair story.
My son was diagnosed with asthma at 5. We knew he had it, and had developed it after pneumonia at 3, but the doc was hoping he'd outgrow it. Of course, he didn't, and dead stopped breathing one night when he was five. His pulseox stayed at around 80 for 3 days. He was on 100% O2 for a week before he could hit a pulseox over 90. Poor kid. Anyway, the prednasone (sp) and the Flovent ensued. For 2 1/2 years he took the Flovent, on sort of a high dose, and it worked fine.
And then I left my husband. And then i had 3 kids and no insurance. And then he needed refills. The doctor grabbed the Flovent reps and asked him for samples. The Flovent rep didn't have any, but the Advair dude did.
We started him on the lowest Advair dose, and the thing was....he stayed at the lowest dose, because the inhalation method is different and, apparently, better for kids. But when we started him on that, Single Mr Lady could in no way swing $200 for the inhaler, so we decided (the kid and I) to cut his dose to once a day, making the inhaler last 2 months.
And he was fine.
And then, one partcularly nasty month, I couldn't swing the refill, so I just didn't refill it, and I didn't tell him. The kid placebo'd it for about 3 weeks before he realized what was up, and at that point we decided we'd just take a break from it entirely.
So far, so good. He's at, I think, 6 months meds free.
He doesn't have sports induced asthma, he has illness triggered asthma. So, flu shots and lots of handwashing are his prescriptions.
I said all that to say this....I see some many of his old symptoms in your story. I wish I had know that before I put my kid on it for a year. I am totally happy with my decision now, so thanks for putting this up!
Honestly, I didn't have the time, so I didn't read the entire post, but it's kind of ironic that one of Advair's ingredients actually worsens the condition it was intended to prevent. Sad indeed. No wonder Micheal Moore made Sicko.
In response to Saadia's comment. I take Lamictal. When I started taking it, my Dr. warned me of the side effects and told me that if I thought that I was having any at all to not take any more and to call her immedietly. I haven't had any problems taking it. I'm shocked that his Dr. told him to keep taking it.
I know that you already know, my son has asthma too but he's never used advair. He is mostly asymptomatic since he's gotten older...he hasn't had pneumonia since he was in grade school....he used to get it several times a year. I believe the last time I had to take him to the ER was when he was in grade school too. I was very disappointed in him last year when I found out that he had had a respiratory infection that had been going on for awhile with wheezing and he hadn't gone to the Dr. I bitched him out pretty good! Well, I didn't actually bitch him out but I made a withering comment or two. I'm glad that you take care of yours. He was on Prednisone so many times when he was a kid. It was like a nightmare sometimes. I remember one year he would no sooner get off his antibiotics then he was back on them again and then they came out with a new drug...inderal I think and that helped dramatically. Not all new drugs are bad or they are not bad for everyone but it sounds like the docs need to be more conscientous about warning about side effects. I have learned over the years that you have to be very pro-active with Doctors....and even that doesn't always help.
I had one "adverse reaction" to a drug blithely prescribed by my doctor (at the time) and after that ... I never trusted drugs again!! I was very lucky. I may write up about it just to tie in with your post!
I had childhood asthma, am glad it was only childhood asthma! I am sorry you had to go through this - I mean, there were the panic attacks and the coughing and now this.
This totally burns me! I have panic attacks just listening to stories like this-it drives me mad.
IMO-people that push these drugs are just as bad as, if not worse than street dealers.
There are only a handful of drugs that I would personally classify as 'miracle drugs', all the others suck, IMO.
I'm glad you read the fine print and you were proactive regarding your own health.
nursemyra - You're damn right it was scary! I live alone so that would have been it if it were a full on asthma attack. After that cocktail of wine and xanax I was able to sit down and write part IV of why men are men. Then I slept.
Tracey - People trust their doctors. And why not? There are some great ones out there. That's why we stick with the one we feel comfortable with. there was a time when you didn't have to worry about the fine print. I never did. But as the guidelines become more and more lax and as doctors here in the US seem to hand drugs out like candy instead of really looking into the matter, more of this stuff will happen. We have kids here that are put on a steady diet of drugs because if they get a little creative they get slapped with the attention deficit disorder nonsense and are turned to zombies. It's become a way of life to just throw any pill at the problem without having all of the facts on the patient.
Mr.Lady - Glad to be of service and I felt the air get sucked out of me when I read that you found your son not breathing. I can't imagine how frightening that must have been for you.
My asthma gets touched off by allergies or a panic attack. But on this stuff, exercise was killing me.
One dose a day for some may be fine. We all react in different ways. But what can we gather from the the placebo experiment you pulled? Mind over matter if you ask me. Especially since he's still fine. I've also learned that taking Advair for too long can cause long term damage to your bones!! Your kid is still growing! Keep him away from this stuff.
BBE - I was so sick as a kid with pneumonia and everything else due to asthma. I was underweight, undersized and could barely run down the block. So I know this story all too well.
But honestly, what the hell is Advair doing on the market if it cause death from the condition it's supposed to treat!?!?!
MsQ. - My asthmacleared up and came back when I was homeless and not eating well. I was in bad shape. It took a toll on my. I was not on drugs (legal or illegal) but bouncing around from place to place and not know what would happen to me took it's toll.
This story was a result of my attempt to cure the coughing. It's gone but my what a bitch to get rid of it. Would I have been better NOT going to the doctors? LOL!
Leah - Every drug that has been given as a prescription over the last 8 or so years has been a disaster. All have made me worse. There are some exceptions like allegra and flonase which work when I ignore the recommended dosage and take them only as needed. I am on Singulair now but really I think that's a joke. It is wonderfu at making me drowsy however. and the drugs given to me for panic attacks suck because they destroy your ability to have sex and leave you like a zombie for the whole day. So I am not taking those, thank you.
I say always read the fine print. Look at what i found!! People are giving this to their kids!! Hello!?!?!
Leon - I would have been better off taking nothing!
So sorry to hear about the trouble you have had. My Morgan also has asthma, although it has gotten better. I have had many a scare with her. She still suffers from allergies and walks around with dark eyes most of the time. It's sad looking 'cause she looks as if she hasn't gotten any sleep in days. Perfect strangers are always commenting "aahhh!! somebody needs a nap" She doesn't need a nap. :(
i have suffered from anxiety since i was a child, to the point where i had to remove myself from sprinting events at track and field because i would have attacks while waiting for my event.
i conquered my anxiety as an athlete through visualisation and meditation and my fascination with the power of the mind finds me at work in helping others now.
it is the mind that drives the problem and allows the answer, in many instances.
though, if you break your arm or get hit by a car, get to the hospital as quickly as you can.
in the last two years my oldest son, who`s now eleven, has shown what his mother demands is ashtma and even went and had him diagnosed with it by an "expert" who did nothing but listen to his mother and then put him on a puffer, which he told me made him dizzy and sick.
he doesn`t have a medical condition, he has a sensitivity to certain types of stress, which can be coped with by establishing a calm existance.....(the one we all strive for)....and avoiding the stress.
she is a nurse, and should know better, but here we are.
i have noticed his tendancy to become more anxious around certain types of people and behaviours. my suggestion is to avoid those types of people.
the drug industry wants us all medicated and comprimised in one way or another so that we are in need of more "help"....unless we can read counter-indication labels and decide for our selves that we don`t want to amplify our condition.
all one has to do is google "death by doctor" or the like to realise that these people are a fucking liability in many instances and that they should be questioned as a matter of course.
even in 2008 we have this idea that these people are infallable, but there is this nagging thought in the back of our minds.....
and ricardo.....sorry to hear about your struggle with those meds.
what a fucking nightmare.
the people you trust to make you well are precisely the ones who threaten your life. talk about a fox in the henhouse.
I took that crap for a week and never used it again...it made me RAGE with ANGER...I kid you not. I thought I was going to end up in jail for murder.
Id rather suffer than EVER take it again.
ahhh...snorting powdered bleach. An excellent pasttime.
Marsh - People have been saying that about me lately too. Why is it that these symptoms always hit hardest when we try to sleep? I bet your Morgan can be fine all day until it's time for bed and WHAM! The coughing and wheezing starts.
Dr.A - Thank you your input is always greatly appreciated here. I desperately would like alternative methods to beating my anxiety. Prescription drugs for this stuff is just awful. I wanted to dabble in acting again but I can't perform with these attacks hitting me so hard. The asthma was much more controllable BEFORE I started having the panic. Now the 2 feed off one another. My friend who is a paramedic tells me he commonly gets calls from people who suffer from both illnesses simultaneously and they fear they are dying of a heart attack. He said the majority of the time it's more the anxiety than the asthma causing havoc and the patients he brings to the hospital end up being just fine. So I think your theory on it being more of anxiety with your son than asthma is on the mark. Sure he could have both but if he's getting the symptoms in the ways you are describing then it's not really asthma to me. But I'm no doctor I'm just going from experience. Asthma seems to be set off by physical things in me like dust or pushing myself too quickly in an endurance type of exercise. It's always a physical trigger. Your son seems to have psychological ones. Not the asthma I know and hate.
Meleah- I'd hate to see you on the NJ Turnpike on that stuff. I read on the message boards of people become highly agitated as well so you are not alone. Some marriages were even being compromised if you can believe it!
ALF - If I'm ever out your way we can all inhale a few doses of Comet bathroom cleaner and pontificate about life. LOL!
Doctors will be Doctors and way too often the focus is on money. That is why the Docs buy insurance, to protect the money when they get caught making money from the uninformed.
Troy- Welcome and that is an excellent point. In fact another drug company, Merck, just settled a lawsuit out of court where they were caught red handed bribing doctors under the guise of "consulting" and "informational" meetings.
Sometimes I am very thankful that my wife and I both have the privelege of using the Veterans Administration for health care. That way I am assured that the Docs are not the ones being bribed, and I can have access to all of the information I need to make good healthcare decisions for myself.
Try - That is a good way to get away from the influence of these drug companies. Let's hope they don't find a way to finagle their way into that system. The last thing we need is them playing games with our veterans. Especially the ones coming back now from Iraq that may be going through psychological issues. Those drugs are a whole other can of worms that can do more harm than good if just handed out casually.
Helloooo,The FDA and the Pharmaceutical companies are partners in crime.The drug companies have to make a profit for their stock holders.They are in business to make money.They can't make money if we are well,hence the drugs manufactured have side effects to cause a problem that only another drug will solve.Pretty soon a lot of people are taking huge amounts daily of prescription drugs and not getting any better.And don't forget the kickback doctors get prescribing drugs.
I told my doctor about my concern over taking Advair.He said the cure was worth the risk.Fine! he's not the one taking the risk.Oh by the way my asthma was caused as a side effect by using an eye gel once a day for glaucoma.
I am so sorry to hear that an eye gel for a very serious condition gave you yet another condition that can also be serious. I hope that your future health is not compromised further by the grabage that these drug companies sell us.
Also I agree with you 100%. The drug companies are not about helping you but turning a profit. In fact, they seem to make up conditions to go out and sell a new drugs that are more than likely not needed. More products, more profits. The whole thing just makes me sick to my stomach. And there's no drug under the sun which will cure that.
Ricardo- I am currently on ADVAIR(or should I say my last dose was this morning). I have been hating the stuff but was scared into continuing it. I also suffer from panic attacks and have for years. Reading what was happening to you was like reading my own story! When on ADVAIR I have had ALL the symptoms you did (even to the point of almost calling 911). Suffering from asthma AND panic attacks just sucks. I too wonder at times "which is this?" But being on ADVAIR has intensified everything. I even have been struggling with low blood sugar, which now I wonder if it's from ADVAIR. I was just online looking for some more info. on ADVAIR when I ran across your website. Thank you for informing people about your story, you are certainly not the only one who has these issues. Good luck with your Asthma treatments, and please don't mix Xanax and wine again ;0)
Thank you very much for taking the time to share your story with me here as I'm glad I'm not the only one who has gone through this. I would say to stop taking it or rather taper yourself off. Right now I've fallen back on singulair which is pretty weak but better than nothing and a very low dose of celexa. Too much of the latter cures the panic but makes me a zombie. So far so good. But managing asthma and panic disorder sucks BIG time. Good luck in your treatment as well and no I will NOT mix xanax with wine again as that will make me into one of those celebrity junkies you see in the gossip columns. :-)
Thank you Ricardo for posting this about Advair!
My Mom was on this TOXIN (COPD) for the last year of her shortened and anxiety-filled life! Shortly after beginning this so-called medication, she was hospitalized with pneumonia. She mysteriously kept getting bouts of pneumonia about every 6-8 weeks.
Even the Pulmonary specialists couldn't figure it out. Results from broncoscopy/biopsy showed negative results for whatever they were looking for. Within 3 months, she was using a nebulizer every day, and oxygen at night. Her panic disorder got worse as well.
We didn't find out until recently that pneumonia was a side effect of Advair and am just now finding out why she was so agitated. SHEESH!
Although she died from complications of back surgery, I'm sure this stuff didn't help matters any!
Do you, or anyone else, know if pneumonia was listed as a side effect back in 2002-2003?
Wish I'd been able to figure this out for my Mom like you did for yourself. I miss her so much...she was my best friend!
Thanks again,
Nancy B
Nancy B, first off my sincere condolences for the loss of your mother. And I agree, the drug likely didn’t help any even if it was due to complications from back surgery. Her overall health was compromised from this so called medication and that has to be a factor. I’m no doctor but that’s just common sense. You know it and I know it. But good luck trying to convince the drug companies of the FDA of it.
One of the side effects seems to be actually making the of a person’s lungs worse. I’ve read many a horror story that people would keep getting bronchitis or pneumonia like your mother. Why would a drug designed to help you breath and treat these problems be so good at bringing them on. And for that matter, why on earth would they continue to hand it out like candy at the doctor’s office?
I don’t know if the effects you mention were properly listed during that time span, but if they weren’t it wouldn’t shock me. I’d seriously look into it. I feel there is a lot more they are hiding about this poison powder than telling. And this should not NEVER be given to anyone with any form of panic or anxiety disorder. No matter how slight. This does not seem to be mentioned in the literature I’ve looked over.
It’s a shame to me that more people stand the risk of loosing their lives to this trash before any action will be taken. And if not death, a serious decline in a patient’s health which is pretty serious also. Make no mistake, if I didn’t put 2 and 2 together I’d still be on Advair and bed ridden because I wouldn’t be able to breathe or do anything. Thanks but no thanks!
I was so grateful to find your post. I have been in a living hell since Dec 27, 2007, the day my Dr gave me an Advair sample.
Like you, after finishing 5 days of prendisone (why I was taking it is not important here), on day 2 of no steroids I was rushed to the ER becuase I felt my throat closing/swelling. My breathing became labored, and panic set in. I was sure my throat was going to close up and I would die. Nope. Once I got to the ER and met w/ the Dr I started to feel a little better - knew I would not die on New Year's Day. They gave me oral steroids to take home w/ me.
I went to an ENT the next day to have him access why my throat was swelling/constricting. Bottom line, after 2 months of weekly visits w/ him, and continuing symptoms, he literally gave up on me. At that time I also started losing my voice daily, and had problems catching a deep breathe - all without regular asthma symptoms (wheezing and such). Note: I have had controlled asthma since birth.
My asthma doc insisited it was all allergy related, tested me, and now I do allergy shots for mold, dust, cat, dog. Symptoms are still persistent.
Then one day while waiting for a Dr appt (I have at least 2/week since Jan 2), I read the insert from Advair. Right there in black and white - May cause hoarseness. I have been complaining to this Dr. for over a month re: my voice, and no one can figure out what is wrong. HE prescribed the damn stuff to me! I show him the literature. Apparently he forgot to tell me to rinse my mouth w/ water and spit after each use. Aargh! Once I started that routine my voice issues lessened. DAILY throat constrictions and breathing issues continued.
2 weeks ago I started to have heart palpitations followed by my heart skipping a beat. After an almost daily occurance, I realized that this cannot be normal. I finally Googled more than just the side effects of this poison, but read the blogs. I was shocked, yet pleased, to see that other people were experiencing the same issues.
Yesterday I met w/ my asthma Dr and insisted he take me off the drug immediately. I'm a sissy, so I needed a new drug in it's place. Flovent is my new friend.
Today is Day 2 of NO Advair. I don't know if I am having wirthdrawl symptoms or what, but I feel like crap-ola. My throat continues to feel swollen, and my breathing issues which disappeared about a month ago are now back in full force. I can only hope that with each day that I no longer take Advair, my symptoms will improve.
Aunt Lainey - Thank you very much for stopping by and sharing your story with me. I'm sorry you had to go through that run around and I'm really hoping that you bounce back quickly post Advair. Know that you and I are certainly not alone and there are so many stories like ours that this company should give a second look at this poor excuse for a medication. I'm glad you found reassurance in reading them. the heart issue is scary an mine really felt like it was going to blow up. Not a good feeling. Have you been checked for anxiety and panic disorder? Asthma medication alone won't help. with that one and you may want to look into that as it too can cause breathing issues. Good luck and let me know how it goes.
Richardo - thank you for the reply. I don't think I need to be checked for panic attacks, since I was in perfect health prior to taking Advair. I assume that Advair is the root of all of this evil.
After getting off of Advair, how long until you felt 'normal' again?
I an off of Advair for 4 days and counting. I am on 110 mcg 1/day of Flovent to ween myself off of the steroids. I am supposed to take it twice/day, but I just want off of this stuff NOW. The faster I safely tapper off the stuff, the better! Unfortunately I cannot go cold turkey. Thanks.
Aunt Lainey - My symptoms let up rather quickly after discontinuing the Advair. I'd say a day or 2 before I was able to breathe much easier and then about a week before I was really back to normal. The sooner you get off the stuff the better in my opinion. It's shocking how quick Advair makes things WORSE after taking it. It wastes no time in ruining everything. I'm not shocked that all the problems started right after you took it. How are you now?
Dearest Ricardo,
Thank you for asking. Today is day 8 of no Advair, and only Flovent. The first few days of this week were tough, with the only issue being sometimes I feel I am unable to take a deep breath, but with no wheezing. Perhaps lingering anxiety symptoms from Advair. Today is the best day this week. I hope tomorrow is even better. I thank God for the blogs like yours to shed the much needed light on my 3 month living hell. Thank you again!
Aunt Lainey - You are too kind. I really appreciate that and I'm glad my bad experience with this drug was able to help you figure out some of the bad things you were experiencing on it also. I hope every day gets better and better for you and I give a toast to your good health.
i am a relatively healthy 41 year old. i run most days about 45 minutes a day. i used to play alot of basketball, before i had this brilliant idea of opening a restaurant. 8 years of very hard work with minimal profit. i've had asthma most my life. at times it has gotten very bad, which i attest to be pollen count related. certain years are record years, with this year being a big year as well. i went through a bout of bronchitis. i had a chest x-ray that turned up normal, and dr.s gave me a course of prednisone, and lo and behold, advair. i've taken advair in low doses, before. i have always thought, in the past, that advair made my breathing worse. i've gone through many stages, trying this drug, then getting off of it. i always seem to manage my asthma better when i'm off. i'm not sure why i get convinced to keep trying it, but i do. when my asthma symptoms get really bad, i get a little desperate. i lay all my trust in my doctors better judgement. well this time, after the bronchitis, is he worst yet. chest pain. sternum pain. bruised rib feelings. peak flow loss. tougher bouts of breathing. chest tightness. all the time. day and night. no relief. impending doom feelings. i still manage to run most days. some days better than others. i called my dr. and asked if the advair could possibly make my symptoms worse. "no way" he says. "stay on it, but here's some prednisone for 7 more days". against his wishes, i stopped the advair once again. i think this is my final answer on advair. i do know there is a new, powder-free, version of the drug. i'm not sure if this would be better or not, but am interested. i did feel better when i used the combination of flovent, and serevent, in inhaler form, about ten years ago, which is essentially advair, without the powder. i only had slight jitters with this combination. i would recommend that to anyone wanting to get off the advair.
Hollandsheild - Thanks for sharing your story. I really wanted the Advair to work as well. Both drugs in the Advair Disk have been very good at treating asthma for many years but something goes wrong when they come together in a powder form. No I have tried another powder inhaler called Asmenex and that seems to be working much better for me but I'm still wondering what side effect will surface over time. I know what you mean about the heavy breathing and feeling doom sneaking up behind you. I had that too. Any relief is better than nothing so I can understand you giving Advair another shot. Maybe the new form will work better but I'm staying away. I wish you the best in your treatment of asthma and hope your restaurant flourishes.
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