How long for advair to work?

[kellie1]

I've been recently diagnosed with asthma.  I am 49 years old and have never had a history of asthma or allergies, so this came right out of left field for me.

My question is - what is a reasonable length of time I can expect to wait before Advair begins to work and I start to feel better?  Is a month and a half reasonable?  My doctor put me on it over 6 weeks ago, and I don't feel any better now than I did at the beginning, and this is using the highest dose available.  Would this be indicative of something other than asthma if I'm not noticing any improvement?  I was under the assumption that once a controller was begun, especially one as good as Advair seems to be, it would start to work fairly quickly at relieving the symptoms, which in my case is chest tightness and difficulty breathing.  The little pamphlet that comes with it even says that you may feel better after your very first dose.  With me, I've been using the 500 twice a day, and I'm feeling exactly the same.  

I know everyone is different, and I know everyone responds at a different rate, but still, isn't this a little long to be using it with no improvement?  I should add that my doctor has had other tests done to rule out any other disorders, including stress test, CT scans, blood work, etc, which is why he's fairly certain it's asthma.  I just thought something would have started working by now to ease my discomfort.

Thank-you so much for your time.

[National Jewish]

Asthma is a fairly easy diagnosis to make.  To do this requires a lung function test, called spirometry.  This test must be done BOTH before and after inhaling a bronchodilator.  This simple test can determine if the symptoms you are experiencing are from asthma.

If, in fact, you do have asthma, you should have experienced some relief of your problem from AdvairŪ by now.  It is very unusual, but possible for this not to occur.  If, indeed, you have asthma and have not responded to the dose of AdvairŪ that you have described for the time you have described, then it is quite likely that you will need to take a course of oral steroids.  For this you should be under the care of a pulmonologist.

[starion]

Usually, folks with asthma would have noticed SOME improvement in symptoms after the length of time you've been on Advair (6 weeks) of regular 2x/day use, particularly at the highest dose.  Some folks do have steroid-resistant astham and/or respond better to some controller medications than others.  This may be the case for you, so your doctor might wish to try other medications.  Another long acting beta2 agonist like the Serevent portin of Advair is Foradil, which is available in the US & many other countries.  Your doctor may wish to consider this medication.  Your doctor may also wish to try a different inhaled steroid like perhaps Qvar (made by 3M Pharmaceuticals) or perhaps Pulmicort or another.

In addition, it may be useful to consider vocal chord dysfunction, which frequently mimics asthma and/or may be in addition to asthma.  You can find out more about it from www.NationalJewish.org/MedFacts/vocal.html

You may also wish to have a complete re-evaluation at a teaching hospital with a GOOD respiratory department, like National Jewish Medical Research Center in Denver, CO.

By the way, what are your symptoms?  Have you been evaluated for allergies, which can also worsen asthma?

Aloha,
Starion

[claudia778]

I have recently been takin advair 100/50, I havn't felt better in about a year, this stuff is amazing, my asthma doesn't make me wheeze, I have chest pain, shortness of breath, and cough up discharge from my lungs so severe that I wet my pants, that's on a good day.  Once I went to the hospital and they sent me home because "I wasn't wheezing, so it can't possibly be asthma" they gave me cough medicine.  What retards.  Sometimes I feel like I know more about asthma than the Drs' do.  Any way I have a question, the advair 100/50 can only be taken 2 x's a day.  It is the most wonderful stuff for about 6 hours, after that it wears off, I start to cough and feel like I'm going to have an attack.   Should I suggest a higher dose, I know they come in three doses, I have never heard anyone speak about the 250/50 or the 500/50.  If anyone is taking any of the two higher doses, I would like their imput on the effectiveness and/or side effects.  Thank you.

[claudia778]

I have recently been takin advair 100/50, I havn't felt better in about a year, this stuff is amazing, my asthma doesn't make me wheeze, I have chest pain, shortness of breath, and cough up discharge from my lungs so severe that I wet my pants, that's on a good day.  Once I went to the hospital and they sent me home because "I wasn't wheezing, so it can't possibly be asthma" they gave me cough medicine.  What retards.  Sometimes I feel like I know more about asthma than the Drs' do.  Any way I have a question, the advair 100/50 can only be taken 2 x's a day.  It is the most wonderful stuff for about 6 hours, after that it wears off, I start to cough and feel like I'm going to have an attack.   Should I suggest a higher dose, I know they come in three doses, I have never heard anyone speak about the 250/50 or the 500/50.  If anyone is taking any of the two higher doses, I would like their imput on the effectiveness and/or side effects.  Thank you.

[okiejo]

A related discussion, advair was started.