Advair Diskus and nosebleeds

My 8 year old son began using Advair this year after a bout of wheezing sent us to Urgent care. When he was finally officially diagnosed with Asthma this fall, our GP gave us Advair again. My son did great as far as asthma and breathing - didn't need his rescue inhaler once. Unfortunately he gained 8 pounds in 3 weeks and his face and stomach began to look extremely puffy. He also had 3 nosebleeds in quick succession, one when he slept which was a much larger nosebleed than he'd ever had before. I immediately discontinued his use of Advair when I went online and looked at the side effects. Unfortunately I had to talk to the nurses at my clinic several times to explain to them that I was CERTAIN an 8 lb weight gain was not normal and that I was no longer giving this medication to my son, no matter what our GP said. It seems that the clinical trials didn't show weight gain as a significant symptom, but later reporting by doctors has shown it. Doctors don't seem to have this information!

I am a 30 year old female. I was prescribed Advair in January when I had maxed out the dosage for Azmacort (which I had been on for close to six years) and was on my second dosage of prednisone. At that time, I could not walk across the room without getting winded. I spent most of my days wrapped up in a blanket in my rocking chair. My general practioner referred me to a pulmonary specialist as he wasn't sure what to do with me. The pulmonary specialist is the one who prescribed the Advair.
The dosage I was prescribed was 500/50. I immediately cited the "increase of asthma-related death" and was told the study was flawed. I can't recall the name of the study, but I did read through it and it wasn't a well-thought out study. So I gave it a chance. I did not read the side effects flyer because I wanted to give the medication a fair chance.
My breathing immediately got better, but I've put on 25 lbs since starting the medication (had to go out and buy new pants and tops). I've also experienced nosebleeds. Sometimes I can feel them start and sometimes I can't. It's a little nervewracking because I don't know if I'm going to have one in public. I've had a lot of weird dreams over the last six months that I didn't think to be a side effect of the drug... now I'm beginning to wonder.
Another thing I have experienced since starting the drug is random blinding headaches that leave me sensitive to light. I'll go to work and have to decrease my computer monitor brightness and turn down the lights.
As a result of the weight gain, I have been watching what I eat. I've increased fruit and vegetable intake, reduced the amount of high fructose corn syrup I ingest. In all, I'm probably treating my body better than I ever did. Unfortunately, the weight has not come off.
My pulmonary specialist has brushed off any of these concerns that I have raised.

My then 8 yr old daughter was prescribed ADVAIR when her doc diagnosed her with mild asthma. 2 puffs twice a day.She had developed a wheeze during a 5 day rainy spell in our area. I notice the change in her early on. A gifted student, she began to display symptoms of ADHD. Lack of concentration, unable to focus. She became emotional frequently. Gained wieght in a short period of time. Nosebleeds, some so severe she choked on the clots. My daughter chronicled her levels daily, gradually losing lung capacity..she began at 300 on her flow meter and within 6-8wks she was below 200. She began to complain of leg aches, loss breath during ordinary gym activiites, climbing stairs, walking at the mall.

I began to search online for forums such as this. I found that ADVAIR was intially to be used in chronic asthma..not like my daughter's mild case. Also, that ADVAIR was known to increase asthma symptoms in some cases,so severely that it was actually almost pulled of the shelves but "saved" when the FDA , instead, allowed for a black box to be printed on the label, stating a warning.
I also read that ADVAIR should not be prescribed to children under 12.

Many advair users made claims of exact symptoms my daughter was experiencing. Many said that when they went to their doctors with these claims, they were "blown off" or told " you can't prove it". Why would so many doctors take this stance?
After 80 pages of comments from users who were athletes, vegetarians, parents, nurses, etc stating their negative effects and prolonged symptoms even after getting off ADVAIR, I called my mother.

My mother is 63 and a more severe asthmatic. She had in the last 12 months been to the ER, 5 times. No oxygen, unable to breath, heart palputations, symptoms of heart attack, chronic bronchitis...twice having to stay for 2-3 days. When I told her I was going to wean my daughter off ADVAIR (NEVER QUIT ADVAIR COLD TURKEY. WEAN IT OFF) She told me that she had been on ADVAIR, for the past 16 months....

It has now been almost 2 yrs since my daughter and mother have been off ADVAIR. My daughter regained her lung capacity and actually improved it within 4 weeks of getting off. It took her about a year to lose the wt.Her concentration/focus returned to normal in about 6 months, but I had to meet with teachers to help her adjust. No wheezing, no joint pain, no severe nosebleeds. My daughter has only used her emergency inhaler 2 times last year, once during a field day in high humidity heat and once during flu season.
My mother has not been to the hospital since getting off ADVAIR. She did notify her doc about getting herself off and he just looked at her with eyebrows raised and said "what have you been reading?"...He did put her on SINGULAR bec she has to be on medication....I do not know of any side effects she has form that.

In my research, I did come across a few ADVAIR users who truly benefited from it. Also some who preferred the pros to the cons they experienced so they were content. I say, if you are lucky enough to have ADVAIR do what it's supposed to , good for you. BUT, if you are seeing an increase in severity of your symptoms please notify your doc, or get a new doctor if they won't listen. Asthma deaths related to ADVAIR have ocurred. The term "RARE" occurence of increase severity of symptoms or death is a misnomer. There are too many users citing this. Please be careful. Listen to your body and GOOD LUCK TO ALL.