Asthma Support Group
Asthma is a disease of the human respiratory system where the airways narrow, often in response to a "trigger" such as exposure to an allergen, cold air, exercise, or emotional stress. This airway narrowing causes symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing, which respond to bronchodilators.
Do you know what has been driving me absolutely crazy lately? It's so meanial, but it gets on my nerves! How come, on all these lovely asthma commercial, when the people are talking about how great the medication is that they are trying to sell, that they don't sound like frogs like the rest of us! I'm told that I have to use my Advair, but I get such bad laryngitis effect that it makes it difficult to do my job! So then I go off for awhile, and start up a little later. I know that's not how your supposed to use your maintenance inhaler, but there has GOT to be a better way! Promoting these drugs on T.V. without the effects of how you'll sound with constant use just frustrates me! I know it's stupid, I just needed to vent.
they do produce side effects but as is aid in another post often the side effect are not nearly as bad as the actual effects of the medication.
if ou are getting alot of mouth symtoms from using you inhaler this suggest that you inhaler technique is not wuite right as you may be getting some of the medication left in your mouth and throat rathe than in your lungs. it may be worth asking you dr to review you inhaler tecnique or changing the device. in the meantime make sure you wash your mouth out after you use your inahker so that nay residual medication left will be washed away rather than causing adverse problems.
hope this helps
olive
Just to let you know, a study has shown that Advair does indeed "increase the chance of asthma-related death." No, just because a drug is found to higher death/adverse reaction rate does NOT mean it will be taken off the market, (particularly here in America where most of the drugs are made).
It is important to note that the deaths were higher among minority users (African American), mostly older males, and those with other co-morbidity (other disease)factors and taking other medications besides this one. It is also thought these users might not have been using Advair correctly (i.e. using it more than 2x/day).
I don't use any inhaled steroid anymore. I use TWO puffs of Serevent twice daily. There has not been a study for 2 puffs twice daily. AND it has made a huge difference in my life.
I use Serevent, intal, atrovent and albuteral.
I have a drying disorder so I also use Omega 3's and Liquid nystantin to prevent increased thrush.
As an aside, I find that asthma is frustrating as a chronic condition. To make matters worse, it isn't at all spectacular; you can be drowning in a room full of air, and someone can say that you're out of shape because stairs make you out of breath.
I like how you think! I feel the same way. Ya know how many times I've heard, "but your so young! I don't know why you can't.........". I can't seem to do a lot of the "active" things that other people are able to do either. They don't seem to understand.
I'm just glad that other people are having voice froggyness too. I thought it was me being stupid and using the inhaler wrong.
I hate it when people say "you're so young" to me. I'm 32 and I look 17. They usually say it to me in the middle of an attack when I'm sitting on the floor, sucking my inhaler and trying to find my Medical ID card so they'll shut up and quit trying to make me drink water.
I had the doc. check my throat for thrush. I was clear; just froggy is all. Still not quite understanding the hoarsness thing myself. I've been back using my Advair like I should (again) and I'm starting to get the hoarsness back (again). I rinse, gargle, and rinse again. I use listerine also. Better than it was before, but still froggy sounding. I think it's only a little better now because I've been using a spacer. Don't know if that's quite legal or not, but.........
I was thinking about what you said about going off of your Advair for awhile when you get raspy.... Asthma is progressive and irreversible. I just got diagnosed with severe asthma a few months ago and I would advise strongly against doing anything that would allow your asthma to progress.... Raspy throat is one thing. An inability to breathe is another. Just a thought...
I am using Advair. I have severe allergies w/asthma. I have been lately diagnosed with Vocal Chord Dysfunction (it can be mis-diagnosed as asthma).
I couldn't tell the difference between my asthma (I cough) and the VCD. My doctor had me come in during an attack and they can tell by the spirometery (spelling) results whether it is asthma or VCD. The complication comes in when you have both, which I do.
I am now educating myself. I have quit one of my jobs, which required that I talk for several hours at a time. I see a Speech Therapist and have to follow "oral hygiene" regmine. It's working!!
I have had two attacks that in the past I would have thought was asthma, but because of the education I have recently gotten, I understood that it was VCD.
It's important to talk to your Dr. about this, because people have been put on ventilators when they were actually having a VCD attack. It's important for me because it means that I will have a lot less steroids (and just maybe be able to get this weight off!!!!)
Also, for the Advair, sore throat issue. My doctor's have told me to not inhale the drug so "hard" and to drink some water afterwards (the respiratory therapist, when I was in the hospital on IV Solumedrol,...uncontrolled asthma...had me drink water after each dosage). One of the side effects (if I remember right) is Thrush (yeast infections).
Hope this finds everyone well.
Take Care
Ann S.