Advair and my vocal chords

I have been taking Advair for many years now, and I believe it is affecting my vocal chords. I am a singer, and I always have to clear my throat, and am always raspy. Does advair dry out vocal chords? Is there a better option that can help me breathe, but also still sing?

[bsmsl]

Advair Discus is a dry powder medication.  It has large particles of powder that land on the vocal cords and irritate them.  While inhaled steroids can cause this problem on there own, I have found the the dry powder medications are much worse for this.

As a fellow singer, I recommend that you try the HFA version of Advair or Symbicort.  Symbicort tends to be a little cheaper.  It works great for most people, but I didn't metabolize it well at all and nose dived on it.  

I don't know if you have heard this before, but clearing your throat is VERY hard on your vocal cords.  You need to break that habit.  Instead a cough or hard swallow is much better for you.  I learned that from a speach therapist.  

I hope that give you some treatment options.  I know how hard it is to not be able to sing like you want.  I had severe laryngitis from November into April and was on strict voice rest by my ENT and voice instructor.  I now have my full range back.  :D  

If you do feel like your vocal cords are irritated, you might try breathing some steam, of course if steam triggers your asthma you wouldn't want to do that.

Good luck.

[Tammy2009]

A couple other tips, although bsmsl covered it well.

1) Make sure you are gargling and rinsing (without swallowing) very well after you take the medication

2) if you switch to a HFA inhaler, make sure you use a spacer with it and also use tip 1 as well.

3) try a different steroid and see if it affects you differently, maybe even don't use a combo inhaler and see if you can decrease the steroid level.

[bsmsl]

Good points Tammy.

I usually only think about the gargling if someone is complaining about sores in there mouths, but it could apply here as well.

I ALWAYS take my HHA meds with a spacer.  I would have to use a lot more with out it.  

3) It is always good for asthmatics to use steroids alone instead of in combination with LABAs.  However, some of us can't get by without the LABA's.  :(  (I tried and it was bad in a hurry far less than 12 hours.)  Good idea, but work carefully with your dr if you choose to try this.