Advair Diskus and wean

I started taking Advair 250/50 when I couldn't get any air in the upper part of my lungs. I was diagnosed with asthma as a child, but hadn't experienced it since I was 11. I am 21 now, and I have panic attacks, pain in legs (pain in my thighs, and it feels like a rubber band wrapped around my knees) and arms, splitting headaches, hyper-sensitivity, mood swings, back pain, heart racing for no reason(especially at night, it wakes me up), insomnia, pain in my chest (mostly on the left side near my arm pit that feels like muscle tightness), I sometimes get sharp pain in my chest if I take a deep breath, I've gained 40 lbs. in the past 8 months, and I am a nervous, emotional wreck. A year and a half ago, I was a completely different person. I've been to the doctor, and they can't find anything wrong with me. Although I am overweight now, my cholesterol and blood pressure are perfect, there is nothing wrong with my lungs (barring asthma). I am in great health, and yet I feel awful. All the time. I have no idea what to do, because my doctor's have told me that the only known side effects of Advair is potential damage to the teeth. I am outraged, but I am afraid to stop taking it because my lungs actually hurt when I don't. I'm also on an Intal Inhaler, but I haven't heard any side effects of this. Here's the kicker, the doctor that prescribed me the Advair wasn't even a respiratory specialist, and refused to reccomend me to one! I'm so glad I found this site because everything everyone has listed seems to be what has gone wrong for me since I started taking it. If anyone has any information on how they're doing now that they've stopped taking it, or the "withdrawal" effects of Advair, please post them. I'm hoping to wean myself off. Good luck to all of you, and thank you. Now I can stop being so worried that I have blod clots, lung cancer, or an aneurism. ;)

Thanks so much,
Jade
NY,NY

I've been on Advair for years. I'm a healthy 32 y.o female, active, with severe asthma. Trying to get myself off of it and have been successful at taking the medication once every 3 days or so. I am working out more and need it less often - the more I build up lung capacity. Within the last year, I've noticed that I've been losing eyebrow hair. So much of it, in fact, that I went to the Derm. for a diagnosis. They think it's "alopecia" - and I say ... it's ADVAIR. Anyone else experiencing hair loss or eyebrow loss, who happens to be on an inhaled steroid? In my case, it's only ONE eyebrow - very annoying! Hair on head is fine. Can't help but link it to the drugs, since Alopecia seems just way too far removed.

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.