Side effect of Advair

After starting on Advair suddenly it was if I got severe arthritis over night. Difficuly walking. Pretty severe pain. After searching the internet found out many others had same side effect. Co. does say possible muscle and bone pain. Said it took some 6 mo. for symptoms to leave. No, my doc doesn't have any answer(most don't). Have notified co.& FDA. Can you give me any info(what happened to my body,anything to do) or send me any resource.
Thnks, Doris Ashley

[National Jewish]

I have not heard of this type of response to Advair.  The only way to confirm that this adverse effect is indeed related to Advair would be to have this re-tested under observation with your doctor.

If you were previously taking oral steroid therapy and you were able to reduce the dose of oral steroid, you might feel joint pains.  However, this usually does not occur for a week or so after the oral steroid dose is decreased and not overnight.

I cannot provide a specific reason for the effect you noticed.  You are correct in making sure that the company is aware of this, as well as the FDA.  Many times rare events are not reported.  So it is difficult to get an idea of how frequently they occur.

[gpw006]

I took Flovent for months. It has the same steroid ingredient as Advair. I experienced severe muscular back pain and a heart arrhythmia. I also called the drug company, and they claim they have to report it to the FDA. Drugs for Asthma are still in the dark ages. They claim to have "new and improved" drugs every year, but really they are re-hashing the same things over and over again. The latest ones are Advair and Symbicort. These are just combinations of previous drugs. Corticosteroids are non-specific and essentially shut down your immune system at the site of application. They do nothing about the cause of asthma.  I used to get 6 chest colds and numerous sore throats a winter when I was on Flovent. I took all the precautions such as frequent gargling after application. There is more and more data coming in that shows systemic effects from long term use of the inhaled steroids, such as bone loss.
Asthma will be successfully treated when they find the true cause. Asthmatics have abnormal immune systems. The whole bad air theory does not jive. If that were true 100% of us would have asthma. Some countries with the worst air have the lowest asthma rates. When they find a way to repair or modify our immune systems,they will cure asthma and many other autoimmune diseases. I hope I live to see that day because it would be interesting to solve the riddle. Shutting down your immune system is not the answer. I read a study that claims you can improve if you get off the animal products, take supplements, keep your weight in check,exercise, and avoid triggers as much as possible. So far, so good for me. The drugs used today serve one purpose: they keep you alive. Beware though, every rose has its thorns.

[ccctalks]

So.....you no longer use Flovent or any kind of a controller?  Do you use anything at all, even a rescue inhaler?  I'd be curious to know about your asthma, such as how long you've had it, what age you are now, is yours considered mild/moderate/severe, etc.  I thought most people who use Flovent also use another controller with it, don't they?  Would that be Severent? (not sure of spelling as I'm not familiar with them).  I'm going to assume that when you stopped using the Flovent, you just stopped it, no tapering off or anything?  That's scary for some people as I've read that sometimes symptoms come back with a vengence when you just stop using a controller, and that it can take an uncomfortably long time to get them back under control.  I was diagnosed with asthma last year (I'm 50) and I'm currently on Advair 100.  I'm also currently weaning myself off of it as I don't want to be on it if I don't have to be, and I guess we won't know unless I stop it.  But I have to admit, I'm a little nervous.  What's interesting for mine is that I was 50 when they told me that's what I had, no past problems, no allergies, nothing.  Just one day had a problem breathing and that's what they determined it was.  Passed the breathing test, no wheezing, 9 times out of 10 my rescue inhaler did nothing for me (although using Albuterol at the allergist's office did work, and because it did, she said that pretty much proved to her that it was indeed asthma).  So because of my symptoms, I question if I even need to be on a controller at all, or if mine is mild enough that I could do without it.  I know my doctor would like to try to take me off of it and see how I do without it, but talking to someone else who's not on anything, like you, can be reassuring to someone like me.  I take very good care of myself, eat right, take vitamins, exercise, not overweight, so maybe I can do ok off of this stuff.  What I found interesting this winter is, I never get sick, never get colds, I can't even remember the last time I had a cold.  I used to pride myself on my strong immune system because I was so healthy.  Three weeks before Christmas, I got a cold.  Imagine my surprise.

[gpw006]

Everyones asthma is different. I have mild to moderate asthma which gives me most of the symptoms in the winter. I have always had allergies, and I will be trying shots again to improve my condition. I will also get tested for food allergies. I suggest you see a naturopath who specializes in asthma and allergies. I notice that if I eat fatty and trans-fatty foods and anything with MSG, I get an attack within a half hour. The conventional doctors are not going to recommend anything but conventional medicines, which do nothing about the root of the problem. They have no clue what to do except push the drugs that are pushed on them by the drug reps. A conventional doctor will not even recommend supplements to this day! There is so much litigation going on (especially in the USA) that they are afraid to say anything, even if they take supplements themselves.
I do take a long acting broncho-dilator just before bedtime. It works for me. I typically have mild if any symtoms (symptoms) during the day. You must continue your conventional therapy and follow the advise of your naturopath to wean yourself off the drugs.
I am sure you had asthma years before you noticed symptoms. The inflammation starts off slowly and smolders for years until you get worse attacks.

[ccctalks]

Nope, no history of asthma, allergies, nothing.  I also don't have any problems breathing in the winter, and it's very cold here right now, only in the 20's.  I had the allergy tests after they told me it was asthma and it came out negative, showed I wasn't allergic to anything.  Which of course stumped my doctor.  Also had the breathing tests done at my pulmonologist's office, that also came out normal with a slight reduction on inhalation, which he said was not consistent with asthma as asthmatics have a problem with exhalation, not inhalation.  Because my tests were really inconclusive, he said he was going to treat it as mild asthma and threw out the Flovent my other doctor gave me and put me on Advair instead.  He did say that many times the only way to tell if a person is actually suffering from asthma when they're not sure is to send them home with inhalers and see if they help.  Well, I did eventually get better, but I was on Advair for over 6 weeks before I started feeling better.  I was under the impression it should act sooner than that.  He just says I'm not a 'textbook case', meaning I don't have the kind of symptoms most asthmatics have, including no wheezing.  I suppose we'll just have to see what happens in the future.
I wish you both well and hope we're all feeling better in the near future.......

[ccctalks]

I wanted to ask you - did you discontinue the Advair?  What happened with your asthma symptoms, or did you start using something else instead?

[dorieann]

I discontinued the Advair after 3 weeks but the symptoms continue and some said they linger for 6 months. I think Advair is the "Golden Drug" that has been presented so all docs started everyone on it. Basically it has been good for most others but I also question why most docs give every patient the highest dose (500/50) when there are 2 lower dosages. Glaxo,who makes it,suggests starting patients on the lowest dose. He was wondering about potassium depletion . I don't think so because I beleive it mainly is involved with muscles and this was joints.
I also was about 65 when my asthma was diagnosed, I am not allergic to anything. I have mild asthma.The time I get asthma is when I catch a respiratory infection. But I am taking something to effect my immune symptom that will make me more susceptible to catching things. Doesn't this seem counterproductive? Probably my symptoms are similar to an over dose as I over react to many meds. Well, I am going to see how Pulmicort once a day only works.

[MsMira]

My 82 year old mother has been taking Advair for a little over a month now and about 2 weeks ago developed a stiff left shoulder. Although that went away, the pain has settled in her left hand.  Numbness, tingling, burning sensation.  It is as if nails are being driven under her fingernails. The slightest touch send needles through the hand, yet if you tightly grasp the hand/fingers, it feels better.  The pain in unbearable.  She has an enlarged heart, COPD and has breathing problems. She gave up Serevent, Flovent to try Advair.   She also took Predisone for a month to clear up a mysterious rash that appeared from nowhere.  The Predisone also helped her breathing problems but she realizes that it's best to stay off that drug.

Her lung doctor sent her to a neurologist and today she had an MRI.  Hopefully it will tell the problem.  In the meantime, she's taking Vicodin, Mobic7 and Tegretol to help with the pain.  They really haven't helped but do let her sleep.  

Could Advair cause this?  I hate seeing her in so much pain.  Your comments are appreciated.

[MsMira]

My 82 year old mother has been taking Advair for a little over a month now and about 2 weeks ago developed a stiff left shoulder. Although that went away, the pain has settled in her left hand.  Numbness, tingling, burning sensation.  It is as if nails are being driven under her fingernails. The slightest touch send needles through the hand, yet if you tightly grasp the hand/fingers, it feels better.  The pain in unbearable.  She has an enlarged heart, COPD and has breathing problems. She gave up Serevent, Flovent to try Advair.   She also took Predisone for a month to clear up a mysterious rash that appeared from nowhere.  The Predisone also helped her breathing problems but she realizes that it's best to stay off that drug.

Her lung doctor sent her to a neurologist and today she had an MRI.  Hopefully it will tell the problem.  In the meantime, she's taking Vicodin, Mobic7 and Tegretol to help with the pain.  They really haven't helped but do let her sleep.  

Could Advair cause this?  I hate seeing her in so much pain.  Your comments are appreciated.

[AlloraNoel]

A related discussion, Long-term adverse Advair issues? was started.