PSA: If you have Asthma and don't use Advair...

[purbeast0]

I haven't really been treating my asthma as good as I should be over the past 2-3 years and have been on an Albuterol inhaler using it like 2-3 times a day. I typically use it when I wake up as my chest is tight but not really really tight, just mild discomfort, and then I would use it before I workout, and usually at night before I sleep as more of a preventive measure. there are other times in the day I may use it and on days I don't workout I don't use it much.

Well since the inhalers I use are CFC and won't be selling after Jan 1st 08 and i'm not sure which ones to be getting after, and because I know I should be treating my asthma better than I am, I went to see a doctor today. He told me I shouldn't be using my inhaler nearly as often as I am because it can have bad long term effects on my lungs.

So this mroning before I went i didn't use my albuterol inhaler at all so that he could see what state I was in when I wake up. I wasn't really tight but my breathing wasn't the most comfortable. I took some breathing test there and stuff, and to wrap it up, he said he wanted me to try advair. He gave me some samples of it as well as a prescription paper and showed me how to use it, then I used it myself.

now this doesn't kick in as fast as inhalers, and it took about 20 minutes for me to get the full effect. I took this right as I left and I could immediately feel some relief but nothing too drastic. Then on my car ride home, holy crap, my lungs just opened up BIG time.

Right now i'm sitting and my lungs feel more open than they had ever been in the recent times. I just cannot believe how good it made me feel! You take this 2 times a day, immediately when you wake up and in the evening, and he said hopefully it'll get me off the albuterol inhaler for good other than maybe when i'm around smoke or if i'm working out or running, but I won't need to take it nearly as often.

And I'm just shocked at how much effect it had on me the first time I took it, all I can say is if you are not on this medicine and have asthma ... GET ON IT!

 

[waggy]

seconded.

i was the same. i used the emergancy inhaler far to much (2-4 times a day).

i got on advair about 6 months ago and its great.

 

[Brainonska511]

I have asthma but don't use advair since it isn't that bad. The only time I use my inhaler (Maxair) is right before cardio-exercise or when I have a really bad chest cold.

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: waggy
seconded.

i was the same. i used the emergancy inhaler far to much (2-4 times a day).

i got on advair about 6 months ago and its great.

do you use the emergency one at all now? if so how often?

i am just shocked at how quickly this took effect and when he told me that he was hoping I would be off the albuterol by tomorrow, I have to admit, in my head I was thinking "yea right" heh. i guess thats why he's a doctor and im not

 

[George P Burdell]

Hmmm, I'd never heard of Advair before. Thanks for the info!

I had asthma as a kid but I grew out of it. Now, I use an inhaler maybe once a year. When I was little, inhalers weren't that good (or my asthma was really bad) so I'd often end up in a hospital to receive a syringe full of meds. Man, that sucked.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: waggy
seconded.

i was the same. i used the emergancy inhaler far to much (2-4 times a day).

i got on advair about 6 months ago and its great.

do you use the emergency one at all now? if so how often?

i am just shocked at how quickly this took effect and when he told me that he was hoping I would be off the albuterol by tomorrow, I have to admit, in my head I was thinking "yea right" heh. i guess thats why he's a doctor and im not

only time i have used it is when i forget to take the advair or have a cold. heh

yeah it worked fast. jus thate that its expensive heh i pay $30 for each disk

 

[Slick5150]

Yep. I was on Ventolin 3-5 times a day as well, and just recently got on Advair, and I'd say I use my Ventolin maybe 1-2 times per week now. Its really the first thing I've EVER used (and I've been on different asthma medicines since I was 5) that had made any real impact. I don't know if its right for everyone, but I'd certainly talk to your doctor about it if you haven't already.

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: waggy
seconded.

i was the same. i used the emergancy inhaler far to much (2-4 times a day).

i got on advair about 6 months ago and its great.

do you use the emergency one at all now? if so how often?

i am just shocked at how quickly this took effect and when he told me that he was hoping I would be off the albuterol by tomorrow, I have to admit, in my head I was thinking "yea right" heh. i guess thats why he's a doctor and im not

only time i have used it is when i forget to take the advair or have a cold. heh

yeah it worked fast. jus thate that its expensive heh i pay $30 for each disk

how much did you pay for your albuterol inhalers? mine were $10 after insurance.

also how many doses are in the discs? he gave me a sample one but it had 28 doses in it, but I wasnt sure if the full ones have 28 or had more in em.

Slick5150 I was the same. I had been on inhalers for a long time then got on singulair for a while which helped then just somehow got off of it. This really makes me feel sssooo open and I'm going to see if I can go the rest of the day w/out my inhaler. I'm pretty sure I can make it no problem and i'm even gonna go workout w/out using it first.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: waggy
seconded.

i was the same. i used the emergancy inhaler far to much (2-4 times a day).

i got on advair about 6 months ago and its great.

do you use the emergency one at all now? if so how often?

i am just shocked at how quickly this took effect and when he told me that he was hoping I would be off the albuterol by tomorrow, I have to admit, in my head I was thinking "yea right" heh. i guess thats why he's a doctor and im not

only time i have used it is when i forget to take the advair or have a cold. heh

yeah it worked fast. jus thate that its expensive heh i pay $30 for each disk

how much did you pay for your albuterol inhalers? mine were $10 after insurance.

also how many doses are in the discs? he gave me a sample one but it had 28 doses in it, but I wasnt sure if the full ones have 28 or had more in em.

Slick5150 I was the same. I had been on inhalers for a long time then got on singulair for a while which helped then just somehow got off of it. This really makes me feel sssooo open and I'm going to see if I can go the rest of the day w/out my inhaler. I'm pretty sure I can make it no problem and i'm even gonna go workout w/out using it first.

i was paying $15 for two. BUT i was also on flovent wich is $15. i would have to buy each once a month or so.

the disc have something like 65 dose's. BUT you can't compare the two. the advair is so much better.

 

[Mermaidman]

As a GSK shareholder, I also highly recommend Advair

 

[loup garou]

My gf has been on it (and singulair and zyrtec) for the past year or so, after going to the emergency room twice in as many months for nebulizer treatments.

It has really worked wonders, she used to use her albuterol inhaler several times daily, now she rarely uses it at all, and if she does, it's usually because she forgot to pick up her prescriptions and has run out.

 

[jme5343]

I've been on Advair for something like 3 years now. A Godsend. Like the OP, I was hitting the albuterol 2-3 times a day. I use it 2 times a month now, max.

I take the 250, and while it's recommended twice a day, I only take it before bed. I pay a $20 copay for a 60 dose disc.

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: Mermaidman
As a GSK shareholder, I also highly recommend Advair

Very little cost to it and also uses drugs that have been around before just slightly modified.

<-- Use to work for GSK in NC and at the plant that made Advair.

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: jmebonner
I've been on Advair for something like 3 years now. A Godsend. Like the OP, I was hitting the albuterol 2-3 times a day. I use it 2 times a month now, max.

I take the 250, and while it's recommended twice a day, I only take it before bed. I pay a $20 copay for a 60 dose disc.

Yea a lot of people can use just 1 dose a day. Advair is also 2 drugs mixed, not one, so its hard to compare unless you have been mixing your drugs before you used advair.

 

[Amused]

Advair really helps my girlfriend. She has moderate asthma (used a fast acting 4-5 times a day) and 2 doses of Advair 250 a day has completely stopped all asthma attacks.

 

[Cstefan]

It didn't help me at all sadly. Singulair and 1-3 puffs a day.

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: jmebonner
I've been on Advair for something like 3 years now. A Godsend. Like the OP, I was hitting the albuterol 2-3 times a day. I use it 2 times a month now, max.

I take the 250, and while it's recommended twice a day, I only take it before bed. I pay a $20 copay for a 60 dose disc.

Yea I am going on the 250/50 one too.

If I only use my inhaler 2 times a month i'll be shocked (but i believe it will be this way)

 

[purbeast0]

wow so yesterday before the gym i didn't use my inhaler nor did i even feel like I needed it, and I had always done it for the past few years including monday, and i worked out no problems.

afterwards i didn't even have the slightest feeling of a tight chest.

then last night before i went to sleep my girl and i banged and i didn't feel the need to use it at all before/after, and i also usually take my inhaler before i sleep in general for preventive reasons or i'll feel slightly tight.

this morning i felt fine, not even a slight feeling of a tight chest when i woke up.

this thing really feels like it's completely going to change the way I feel from now on

 

[nonameo]

Originally posted by: purbeast0
wow so yesterday before the gym i didn't use my inhaler nor did i even feel like I needed it, and I had always done it for the past few years including monday, and i worked out no problems.

afterwards i didn't even have the slightest feeling of a tight chest.

then last night before i went to sleep my girl and i banged and i didn't feel the need to use it at all before/after, and i also usually take my inhaler before i sleep in general for preventive reasons or i'll feel slightly tight.

this morning i felt fine, not even a slight feeling of a tight chest when i woke up.

this thing really feels like it's completely going to change the way I feel from now on

LOL

I don't want to know your name

I just want (puff puff) bang bang bang!

 

[torpid]

Advair is not a replacement for albuterol. You still need to have albuterol on hand in case of an attack.

That said, anyone who needs to take albuterol more than once a week should be on a steroid and/or bronchodialator (advair is both).

Also, don't just take advair as needed. Going off salmeterol suddenly can lead to serious complications.

 

[Auggie]

Purbeast - man, I'm excited for you. Glad the new meds are kicking the shit out of your asthma!

 

[Mill]

Interesting. My wife has to use her inhaler 3-4 times a day right now. I believe we will be going to the doctor this weekend to see if Advair will work for her.

 

[2Xtreme21]

Advair does nothing for me either. It made it worse it seemed as I could feel the mucus just coating my lungs. I talked to my doctor about it and he said it's not unheard of for it not to be effective on people and I guess I'm just one of the lucky ones.

 

[TheGizmo]

yea i was on it for a while.. being that i was a steroid I stopped using it. But then again my athsma isnt as bad.. I usually only need to use my albuterol 5 times in a week.

p.s. send me some snail mail psx games!

 

[imported_Lothar]

Originally posted by: Mermaidman
As a GSK shareholder, I also highly recommend Advair

As long as you don't recommend Avandia for Diabetes, we're good.