I have been on Advair for 6 years. I really like it because I don't have to carry my rescue inhaler around with me. My advice is to be a compliant patient and follow your doctor's orders about using your inhalers.

mother was an advair patient for ages...it kept her off the nebulizer, and she rarely if ever carried a rescue inhaler..

now i have heard the ads on tv about the advair and osteoperosis being mentioned, but check with your dr...be sure if they reccomend, to boost your system with calcium and vit d...

I have been on flovent for over 10 years, and I think it is a wonder drug. I have had no side effects whatsoever, but I am diligent about rinsing after using. I started off relying on my albuterol many times a day, to now never even bothering to care if I have it with me. I only do one puff a day of the flovent, I started out with 4 puffs a day but have weaned myself down to just one. However, if I forget to do that puff I can tell-I get a tight chest. I exercise vigorously almost everyday and rarely get weezy anymore.

I've had asthma since 1968. Just about every year I would be in the emergency room at least twice. Since I've been on Advair and had a nebulizer for emergencies, I haven't been but once in several years. Advair is a great med, but you must rinse out your mouth, I did get "thrush" last year, so I know rinsing is very important!
Kathy G in MI

I've also been on Advair, for at least four years now. What a difference it made in my breathing. Within a couple of weeks after starting it, I could walk across the yard without needing to sit down two or three times! Have oodles of energy now.

Also was concerned about the osteoperosis side effect, but my doctor said my dosage wasn't enough to worry about about. Plus when I questioned if I shouldn't be on it too many years, she answered, "I have patients who have been on Advair for many years and have no problems". Well, I guess I have to believe her. I take it twice a day.

My doctor believes that if you use your "rescue" inhaler more than once a week you do not have "controlled" asthma. I take Advair 500/25 (I was at 250 but he upped it recently due to allergy season) 1 puff 2 times a day, Singular and Allegra (Fexofenadine, an antihistamine) every day. I haven't been in the emergency room for over 10 years. I admit I'm not good about rinsing, but I've never had thrush. The only side effect I have which I believe is caused by one or more of the meds is that my voice tends to get hoarse, especially on bad allergy days and when I talk a lot. I am at low risk for osteoporosis (I am muscular, don't smoke and there is no family history), so I don't worry about that.

Well, I had to go the allergist for a follow-up today and after being on Flovent for 12 days, my lung function tests have improved immensely. Everything is back where it should be, which is great.
But, I also had an allergy scratch test, and turns out I am very, very mildly allergic to a few things, not even enough to take meds, he said, BUT, I have a major, major dog allergy. :( A really bad one, according to the doc. We have two dogs who sleep in the bedroom with us and basically go wherever we go. One is 12, and the other is 6. The doc insists if we don't want to keep them outdoors, at least they need to be removed from the bedroom. He said after they pass on, no more dogs, ever.

I was diagnosed with asthma approximately 5 years ago. I realize I must have had it longer than that, but my symptoms were not what I associated with an asthmatic, so I never saw a doctor about it. I witnessed my mother's full blown attacks with her gasping for air. Mine isn't like that at all. When there is a weather change I go through periods when I just can't stop coughing (not a hacking cough, but a cough like there is fluid in my lungs). I have Albuterol for my rescue inhaler and a Q-Var inhaler, which is steroidal. I have been instructed to use the steroidal inhaler twice a day, every day. I just can't make myself do it. I'm a little afraid to use it every day, even though I have noticed no side effects. Medically, there are two camps on the subject. Some say that it won't do it's job unless you use it every day, others say that isn't true. I believe it helps if I only use it during periods when my asthma is making itself known. And I rarely have to use the rescue inhaler.

Petra, I also have a bad allergy to all cats and SOME dogs. My doctor also told me to get rid of the dogs, but I said no way. I have three poodles, who don't shed. While there is no true "hypoallergenic" dog, the non-shedding breeds are tolerated very well by many asthmatics. And they all sleep in the bedroom next to my side of the bed, and the little guy sleeps at the bottom of the bed.

Our 2 shed a lot, at least the lab does. The doc is aware that we are not going to give them up. My husband wants them to sleep in his office instead of the bedroom, but I don't think that will go over too well. I'll have to stay on the meds while we have dogs anyway, so things might as well stay the way they are.

I've used the Flovent inhaler in the past, and prefer it over steroid pills.

I had to gargle with water after using it, and keep an eye on my throat as I tend to get thrush (a kind of yeast fungus).

Can the doctor get you a nebulizer to use at home? Those breathing treatments are longer lasting than puffs from an inhaler, and you can get the ampules of medication with or without the steroids.

Nowadays I take regular Mucinex tablets every day, the kind in the blue bottle. and drink plenty of water. This was recommended by an HMO doctor.

It thins out the mucus and my asthma doesn't bother me as much any more.

I've had asthma for most of my life. I have been on Advair twice daily for years, along with Proventil as a rescue inhaler. As long as I use the Advair, I don't use the Proventil very often.

I was like Donna in the thought that if I only used my Advair when needed, I would be ok. And sometimes I was but overall it didn't work out that way. After having a few severe episodes, I decided to follow the doctor's advice which was using it twice a day. (remodeling of the lungs and such)

I don't follow his advice on everything, though. He said to get rid of my dogs and cats. I told him that would never happen:)

The doc said the majority of his patients refuse to give up their pets, so he wasn't too pushy. :o)

Re. the occasional steroid use, he said with asthma, there is constant, underlying lung inflammation when exposed to allergens, even when you don't have symptoms. That is why it's important to take the anti-inflammatory meds on a daily basis so the inflammation doesn't cause problems down the road.

I was dumb and thought I would just take albuterol as needed. I was overusing it and my resting pulse barely went below 90. The doc said it's like constantly taking a stimulant, it puts a strain on your heart and also sets you up for severe asthma episodes, as well as airway remodeling because albuterol just opens the airways, it does not address inflammation. So, even though I am kinda scared of inhaled steroids, I am more scared of lung damage and am going to follow his advice. I am also using a spacer, that minimizes exposure even more and gets more into the lungs.

This thread is the firs time I've ever heard of airway remodeling. I had no idea what it was, but remodeling sounds like a good thing, doesn't it, LOL?

So, I had to google it. Interesting. It may change the way I think about my steroid inhaler (although I still think it sucks that many insurances will turn you down if you use a steroid inhaler). I'm going to have a talk with my doctor.

I love this place. I am always learning something new.

Thrush symptoms with asthma meds? Yes, I always rinse my mouth after my Advair but I have had a sore mouth and coated tongue on occasion. Never connected the two but I bet that was the cause - improper rinsing.

At my last checkup, my doctor looked into my mouth and said, "Yes, I see your going through allergy symptoms, your mouth is white". Interesting.

She once prescribed a second inhaler in addition to Advair but I didn't accept the med at the pharmacy deciding I didn't want it. Started with an "S", can't remember now. I was complaining that in certain months like April and October my breathing became somewhat more labored but now I think it's because those are high allergy months? I felt it wasn't bad enough to warrant another inhaler.

Donna, I never heard about it either until the doc gave me a talking-to. I think I'd rather stick with a kitchen and bathroom remodel. :o) Since I've been coasting along on albuterol for years, I am very lucky my lungs are still okay. Of course, the heavy use has only been for a year or two, I imagine if I had done that for over a decade, I would be in trouble. I am glad you are reading up on it.

Schoolhouse, my tongue was white yesterday too, but he said it did not look like thrush. It was probably the allergies then. The spacer is supposed to help avoid thrush because it gets the med straight into the lungs and deposits much less in the mouth, compared to using an inhaler without spacer. Maybe the second inhaler you turned down was Serevent. It's a long-acting bronchodilator. I don't know why they would prescribe that though because Advair already contains a long-acting, in addition to the steroid.

You should really consider keeping a rescue inhaler like albuterol with you at all times, in case you have a bad asthma attack while on advair. You don't have to use it, but it's safer to have it available if needed. I have one in my purse, one in the bedroom, and one in the office. Since I've been on the Flovent for a couple weeks I don't hardly have to use the Albuterol, but I feel better about having it with me, just in case.

Petra, sounds like your allergist is good. He's got you on the right track. As I stated earlier I exercise pretty vigorously (Jillian Michaels cds-killer cardio) and I could even run for miles (if I were crazy!)

Believe it or not, I have many patients for surgery on these same meds who smoke!! The meds are so good that asthmatics can now smoke, go figure. If you smoke with asthma you are not doing yourself any favors.

I've had asthma since 1978. I've had to have many, many 'rescues' involving Prednisone -- ICK! My bones were already ruined before Advair. (Two hip replacements.)

I've taken Advair 250/50 ever since it came along. Now I rarely need a course of steroids, and when I do it's because of my *sinus* problems! (Which probably led to the asthma in the first place.)

Never heard of lung remodeling. Have had three sinus surgeries though; only the most recent was helpful in stopping pain. Now pictures of my sinuses show almost no separate chambers -- just one big cave! Hard to clear mucus.

Serevent and Singulair did zip for me. Guess Advair and I are stuck together until the patent runs out and there's a generic. I may not live that long. GlaxoSmithKline is fighting tooth and nail. You have to love a product that brings in $500 for a 90-day supply (retail).

sleeper, you work in the medical field? I would never smoke, even if I didn't have asthma. Hub and I have two friends with emphysema, they both smoked for years. One of them is very ill, will likely not make it for much longer. He is refusing oxygen though he can't hardly walk from the bedroom to the living room. Going out is impossible for him. The other is doing okay so far, on Flovent and other inhalers. I hope she will stay stable for a long time.

Chisue, I've only had to take predisone once, 2 weeks ago when I went in and my lung function was really bad. It was a short course, 5 days, and that was plenty for me. It has some nasty side effects. I did get a steroid shot for bronchitis a few years ago, but no side effects from that, at least none that I could tell.

How was your sinus surgery recovery? Hubby might need sinus surgery in the future, and we've heard some horror stories about painful, lengthy recoveries.

petra -- My most successful surgery (and last, I hope) was done by Dr. James Stanciewiecz (sp?) at Loyola Hospital in Maywood, IL. Recovery was fast and uneventful. People fly in from all over the country to see him.

I hear there's now something new -- a balloon procedure -- for sinus trouble. I'd look into that!

My first sinus surgery was a nightmare. It was in a teaching hospital. The surgeon was fine, but neither the student intern nor the anesthesiologist were skilled. This was to be a 'conscious' operation. First the anesthesiologist didn't give me enough medication and I was wincing and crying out as the operation began. Then she gave me TOO MUCH medication to where I could only move my eyes -- real panic time! After all that I was in pain for days afterwards, and the surgery didn't help!

The second surgeon was a chicken. Sinus surgery is delicate because it can harm the optic nerves. This guy went in, did a little safe tinkering around the edges, and sent me a bill. No improvement.

It was worth waiting a year to get an appointment with Stanciewiecz.

...ask the MD for a prescription for Ambien or another sleep aid. They have no problem prescribing this to combat the insomnia many people have while taking steroids, but they never think to offer it. You have to ASK!

If your asthma is under control, you should seldom need to take Prednisone for it.

Haha, sounds like you know exactly what the pred side effects are. I was up til 1 am and then awake again at 5. I felt like I had had double espresso shots for days. Mood changes, depression (probably from too little sleep), indigestion, yucky stuff. I hope I'll never have to take it again.

Hadn't heard about balloon surgery for sinus, thanks for mentioning it. We'll definitely look into it. Your first surgery sounds horrible, you must be a very tough lady to have more surgeries after that experience.

Yes, you can have a nebulizer at home. Love mine, don't need to use it often, but when doc prescribed it for me she said it will keep you out of the hospital. And it has! Not every time, but it does make a difference.
My doc prescribed mine and I think the cost on it was $400 (don't quote me on that), insurance paid for it. My sister was wanting one and she said there were some on Ebay for $25. You still need to have the medication and the tubing for it.
Kathy G in MI

Here is a link that might be useful: nebulizer

Petra, yes I do anesthesia. I am a nurse anesthestist at a small community hospital. That's why my name is "sleeper".

Chi, I read about your anesthesia experience with horror! First of all, I cannot imagine any kind of sinus surgery, unless it is an office procedure, that wouldn't entail a general anesthetic. You experienced malpractice.

In my profession there is constant harassment from medical doctors (aka anesthesiologists) about how nurse anesthetists aren't safe--if that were true how could my little hospital do 800 cases a year without killing patients? Trust me, you'd hear about it if we did!!

Sorry for the rant, you just caught me in a pissy mood. Didn't mean to hijack your thread, Petra:)

petaloid, just noticed your post about mucinex, that's interesting!! Thanks for the tip, I think I'll pick some up next shopping trip.

Kathy, thanks for the nebulizer link. I haven't had asthma bad enough to have to go to the hospital, but I will mention a nebulizer to the doc when I go back in August.

sleeperblues -- Yes, I agree that it was malpractice. Not dumb enough to try to prove that though! This was out-patient, but in the hospital -- back in 1981. That MD put 'windows' in; no help. (Lots of fun hearing the bones in my face break -- big ha-ha.) The intern was all thumbs; maybe he had a future in orthopedics? Big bones?

petra -- I have a nebulizer, and it has been helpful. Didn't help me when I got pneumonia in 2008 though.

My poor DH sure got a lemon. I've had so many surgeries and other nonsense wrong with me. We hadn't been married a year when I needed extensive dental work. Ten surgeries for various things -- even a staghorn calculus! (Huge, branching kidney stone that has to be removed surgically through the back.) I didn't even know I had that; showed up in a scan for something else. It's an awful feeling when the tech calls everybody over to look at what she's just discovered! LOL

Good luck getting your asthma under cnotrol!

sleeper, that must be an interesting job, and very stressful. Would love to hear more about it.

Chisue, I am sure your husband is very happy to have you, defects and all. :o)

Petra I can join you in asthmatic misery. Cough variant type for me. I caught a cold a couple of weeks ago and it totally did me in like never before. Non stop coughing for hours, couldn't even talk, 2 lovely escorted rides one night after another in one of those lovely ambulances, firemen at my house two nights in a row until the ambulance arrived. Woke up all the neighbours once at midnight and the next night at three in the morning. A week later I am still coughing but a whole lot better than I was. I am on Ventolin and Flovent right now. Finished my 5 day course of Prednisone. In two days I had lots and lots of inhalations, and even IV Magnesium. I still have to research that one.....they said about it helping to open up my lungs but I have never heard of that before and am curious. Ventolin sure did make me shakey.....mind you the fact that I haven't had a good long sleep in days didn't help. I actually was so tired from coughing and not sleeping that I wasn't even thinking straight. I can't even remember all that they gave me.

I hope you are feeling better soon.

Heather, I am sorry you're a member of the asthma club. It's no fun. Re. Magensium, it's a muscle relaxant. It probably helps relax the muscles around the lungs and helps you breathe better. I try to remember to take it because I have silent migraines and when I take daily magnesium, I don't get them. I also read there is a link between worsening asthma and low vitamin D levels, I am going to ask the doc to include a vitamin D level test next time I go for blood work.

If you haven't had an allergy test yet, you might consider requesting one. It really helps to know what your major triggers are. I knew I was allergic to dogs, but had no idea how severely, and also thought I was allergic to all kinds of pollens and trees. I was so surprised to find out that dogs are my only trigger.

"...you can have a nebulizer at home..."

Doctors will disagree about that. I have had 3 allergists/asthma doctors over the last 15 years and none would let me have a nebulizer at home. Their feeling was that if you needed a nebulizer you needed to be seem by the doctor because your asthma is not controlled.

Petra I have had allergy testing. I am allergic to dust, mold, a lot of evergreen trees, weeds such as dandelions. I wasn't allergic to dogs or cats.

Your hint about the Vitamin D is interesting. I suspect mine might be low so I am going to start taking it and see if it helps as my asthma has been getting worse this year in general.

If you do decide to supplement, make sure it's a good quality, easy to absorb type of Vitamin D. Some of them are not well absorbed at all. Below is a recent WebMD article about the low Vit D - asthma link, very interesting read.

Here is a link that might be useful: Vitamin D may ease asthma

I also have asthma, and HIGHLY recommend Mucinex. In fact, my doctor recommended it and the last time I was sick the first words out of his mouth were "are you taking your Mucinex?".

Sue -- I've 'saved myself' several nights by using the nebulizer. It opened my air passages enough to cough up the mucus. Then I was OK the next day -- no ER, no MD visit.

I have 'the triad' (some MD's name) type of asthma. I have of aspirin-sensitivity, sinusitis and am supposedly non-allergic.

I don't 'test out' for ANY allergies (under the skin injections read by an allergist), but obviously I have some. This spring I started having sinus trouble when the cottonwoods released their seeds. Now we've had so much rain that the mold count will probably go up, and I'll have to watch out again!

One curious allergist did a blood test; that showed I have antibodies to corn mold (aspergus?).

Two different MD's have recently told DH and me to take D-3: 1000 mg in summer; 2000 mg in winter, when you get less D from the sun.

ANYONE reading here: If you have to take steroids, ask for a sleep aid to combat the insomnia!

I agree with chisue about the nebulizer. After ending up in the ER once for asthma (where all they did was give me a nebulizer treatment)....they prescribed me one to keep at home too.

It's only used on very rare occasions (like when I'm really sick)...and have probably saved several emergency room trips because of it. I think alot of people with asthma have them at home for emergencies.

I've never had a nebulizer treatment, but I finally got a spacer when I went to the allergist a couple days ago, and I love it. So much easier to use than the inhaler by itself, and it feels like the med goes straight into the lungs instead of ending up in my mouth.