My daughter just started taking Advair... - Asthma Message Board

Mommieof4 · 08-30-2003, 09:43 AM

two weeks ago 100/50 and it seems to be working fine for her, she was on pulmicort before. I have read the side effects of advair, but my friend just called me and said she read in today's paper that some people have died from advair. I find that very frightening! Does any one else know about this, please reply to my post if you get any info on this. Thank you

and scared

plm · 08-30-2003, 07:39 PM

I'm on advair, and not worried. Is your daughter African-American? There seems to be somewhat higher risk to AAs. However, if you read these links, you will see that part of the problem was taking salmeterol alone and not in combination with a corticosteroid. They said that there might have been a higher incidence of problems with AA because they were less likely to be taking BOTH drugs. Maybe because of cost?

You said your daughter was on Pulmicort previously. It is just a corticosteroid. Was she also on a bronchodilator (like Foradil)? I was on BOTH of those and my doc just switched me to advair. I really like the ease of taking one puff rather than three.

Here are some links you might find helpful:
[url="http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS/2003/ANS01248.html"]http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS/2003/ANS01248.html[/url]
[url="http://my.webmd.com/content/article/72/81768.htm"]http://my.webmd.com/content/article/72/81768.htm[/url]
[url="http://www.researchprotection.org/infomail/0303/17.html"]http://www.researchprotection.org/infomail/0303/17.html[/url]

Mommieof4 · 09-08-2003, 01:34 PM

Hi plm, no she was only on pulmicort and now just the advair along with singulair, rhinocort nasal spray and alavert. Since reading the side effects of it causing thrush, I make sure that she rinses her mouth and brushes her teeth well afterwards, I pray that it is enough to prevent it. Thanks for replying to my question. :butterfly:

wrin · 09-11-2003, 07:40 PM

The people in question were often poorly controlled asthmatics who didn't "die of Advair" per se as much as the drug seemed to have an alarming tendency to have been one of the last drugs they took before failing to go to the hospital.