Fluticasone / salmeterol for Asthma, Maintenance User Reviews (Page 2)

• Sca...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 10, 2020

"Please don't use this drug, Wixela Inhub. I started using Wixel 2 months ago. I'm always afraid of new medicine, so I started taking it at 2 puffs a day for my asthma. I developed a sore throat, headaches, a hoarse voice, then heart racing. I have a neurological illness as well, so I thought it was the problem. 3 weeks ago, I had a possible TIA (mini-stroke). I'm only 55. I lost sight totally in my left eye for hours, with increased weakness and a headache. Today, I thought to look into this inhaler for side effects. Then I checked the reviews here. I won't ever use this again. I need to live to care for my daughter. This medication shouldn't be on the market."

• Lau...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 13, 2014

"Sometimes my Diskus goes to '0' and I don't see it because I take it in the early morning and at bedtime. I DO notice the difference in my breathing. Anytime I start to feel a 'heaviness' I suspect that I have run out, and I check the number on the Diskus - this is always the reason. I keep my reading glasses by my bed from now on, so I have not made that error since I figured this out. Advair has been a lifesaver for me. I think I have been on it for close to 20 years, not sure. I am putting this here for others who don't have their asthma under control. I have had nothing but good experiences with this medicine."

• Ric...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 11, 2021

"The Veteran's Administration is forcing this Wixela on veterans so that they can save $170 per prescription. This medication is not as good as Advair or, for that matter, Symbicort, or any other drug that contains the same ingredients. I refuse to use this stuff, aside from the terrible taste, it doesn't help my condition. As someone 67 years old and has had asthma all my life, I know garbage medicine when I use it. This is garbage."

• Sic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 26, 2021

"This medication is bad. It should be taken off the market. I got so sick on this. I got a very bad headache, racing heartbeat, and thrush, it made me nervous. I just felt really bad. The medication does not come out right - you either get too much medication or none at all. It does not get into the lungs, it just stays in the back of the throat, and that is how I got the thrush. My doctor now has it so the prescription is dispensed as written, so the pharmacist will now fill it with the Advair, thank goodness. Like I said, Wixela Inhub should be taken off the market as it is dangerous. If I could, I would give it a 0 rating."

• Moo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 26, 2020

"Inhub dispenser is awkward. Don't feel like I get the same dosage as Advair. Makes me tired, post-nasal drip, and on-and-off cough. Makes me anxious that I'm not getting enough med and fear an attack. Don't want to get sick, especially with Covid-19 about. I'd rather have Advair HFA."

• Ale...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 16, 2021

"It definitely helped me breathe better, but puts me at risk for thrush. Once in a while, I get thrush in the throat, which is annoying, and I have to stop using Advair for a few days, and I struggle to breathe again about two days later. Clears up pretty quick. It’s a good idea to eat yogurt after rinsing your mouth, so now I eat yogurt all the time."

• Vet...
• October 8, 2021

"The VA recently replaced my Symbicort prescription with Wixela. The VA pharmacy told me that it was at the direction of my VA pulmonologist, although he had retired 3 months before the change. When I complained about the poor results with Wixela, my primary care provider sent me a prescription for Symbicort, which I attempted to fill, only to find out I had to pay for it myself at $300 per month. The side effects of Wixela are mouth sores and minimal relief. I now use my rescue inhaler whenever I do any moderate physical activity. The VA should spend a little more money on drugs that work and less on their commercials."

• Mus...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 17, 2018

"I have moderate persistent asthma and severe allergies. I was taking a different medication and had several all-night asthma attacks, daily episodes, and pleurisy for months. My doctor switched me to Advair 250/50 three days ago, and the difference is night and day. Today is the first day in three months that I haven’t had any symptoms. I feel like a new person. Advair is the best asthma medication I’ve tried, and today, I’m enjoying breathing deeply!"

• Dia...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 1, 2021

"I had what would be considered well-controlled asthma; taking Singulair, Breo, and my rescue inhaler. Once my insurance changed to Kaiser, I was informed that they do not prescribe Breo, and I was placed on Wixela. That was approximately three months ago, and my health has been in a steady decline as far as the asthma. I now feel that I have small elephants sitting on my chest all the time, I'm wheezing almost 24 hours a day, and am coughing up phlegm. I had none of these issues prior to being switched over to Wixela. I will be calling the doctor this morning; this is a totally unacceptable level of care. I would give this drug a '0' if I could."

• ang...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 25, 2021

"My daughter started Wixela 250/50 approximately 2 months ago due to insurance not paying for Advair. Her asthma on Advair was being well controlled. Since using Wixela, she has developed asthmatic lung and has coughing 'fits' so bad that she can't sleep, walk up stairs, and has barely left the house because she can't control the coughing. We've tried everything from caffeine drinks to honey to cough drops, but nothing worked. Her asthma doctor had to prescribe cough medicine and Tessalon Pearls to help with the cough. We are going back to Advair! This medicine is causing the same issues that we are trying to stop - difficulty breathing! It should be removed by the FDA."

• OR ...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 22, 2023

"Like many comments on this site, I was switched in early 2022 from Symbicort to Wixela. Symbicort, and before that, Advair Discus, had been doing a fine job of managing my asthma, but within a week of using Wixela, my asthma was no longer under control. My breathing was becoming labored, and I would wake up in the night gasping for air. For over a year now, I have had to use my albuterol rescue med daily, whereas before Wixela, I used albuterol about 3-4 times per month. Even more, I have now suffered from extreme, chronic dryness in my nasal passages, which have also become constricted, to the point of me having to consider a surgical procedure to address the difficulty in breathing through my nose. Wixela is supposedly (from the FDA) a generic equivalent to Advair, but something about it is so different for it to cause such negative side effects in so many people. It should be removed from the marketplace by the FDA."

• Ern...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• July 11, 2019

"I have been on Advair 500 for many years, and my asthma has been under control. Before taking this, I had attacks all day long. Now they have made a generic that I have been on for almost 3 months. My attacks are coming back. And insurance will no longer cover Advair. It’s very frustrating. I also have coronary artery spasms, which are due entirely to the severe asthma. So now, not only am I having to use the nebulizer more, but I’m also having to take nitro more for my heart."

• KAE...
• September 9, 2020

"I’ve been using Advair for years. It managed my asthma perfectly, and there was never a problem. I was given Wixela by my pharmacy the month it came out (they didn’t even tell me it had switched). Now I notice my throat hurts all the time, and I’ve got headaches. It still manages my asthma, but I’m not a lab rat, and I shouldn’t have these side effects. I’m going to see if I can go back to Advair."

• lac...
• November 18, 2009

"My daughter went on Advair when she was 10 to control exercise-induced and seasonal allergy-induced asthma. She developed severe stomach aches (daily) and became lactose intolerant after several months. After allergy season, she was taken off the Advair. She went to a gastroenterologist for almost a year to clear up the stomach aches. She did not use Advair during that time. When the stomach problem was cleared up, the lactose intolerance disappeared as well. The next allergy season, she was put on Advair and almost immediately developed stomach aches and lactose intolerance. She stopped using the Advair, and the stomach issues and lactose intolerance disappeared. The doctors find no correlation."

• J C...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 25, 2022

"I was recently sent Wixela as a substitute for Symbicort. It is awful. It's about as effective as licking a Tootsie Pop. I have never used my rescue inhaler until now. I contacted my primary care at the VA and was told the VA doesn't offer Symbicort anymore. A day later, I received an email from my provider telling me the VA is 'trying out' two different medications, and they would send me the other 'trial' COPD medication, and if that didn't do the job, they would renew my Symbicort. Yeah!"

• Bob...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 14, 2020

"Have been on Advair for the past 18 years without problems. Now insurance changed to Wixela, and my symptoms have gotten so bad that I now have to use a nebulizer. This Wixela is not a good prescription."

• Sno...
• January 29, 2013

"I suffered from severe asthma from childhood till I was 50. Several attacks required hospitalization, and I was on every medicine known to treat asthma over this time period, including extended periods of prednisolone, rescue inhalers, plus theophylline, Alupent, etc. I started taking Advair in 2002, and since that time have had no attacks whatsoever. For the first 3 years, I still carried my Albuterol inhaler but finally had the confidence to stop carrying them. A momentous day indeed and not without some trepidation. I have suffered no side effects at all, and this medicine has been a life changer and potentially a life saver for me. I hope it can do the same for you. I never believed I would be rid of asthma, but I am."

• Wix...
• January 31, 2022

"To my fellow veterans: the VA switched me from Symbicort to Wixela. Now I can’t breathe. I have to use two other inhalers. Went to the emergency room, they put me on steroids to breathe better. I thought I had COVID, the nurse even said the Wixela is rubbish. I kept trying to get my doctor to change me back to Symbicort. It takes an act of God to put in a request to the pharmacy. Then I got a letter with a box of a higher strength of the rubbish, so I tried the higher dose for about two weeks, and it’s even worse. Before, I was only using Symbicort and rarely a rescue inhaler. So I went to patient advocate, and thank God after five days, I got Symbicort in the mail. So just tell your doctor to put in a request for Symbicort, and then when you get denied or if he doesn’t put the request in, go to patient advocate at your VA, and I guarantee you’ll get back on Symbicort. Hope this helps."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 1, 2022

"Female and a vet. Express Scripts (ES) substituted Wixela for Advair without notice. Gave it a go, and it gave me asthma! Had been using Advair for decades without issues and rarely had to use my ProAir inhaler. Wixela side effects: tightened chest, labored breathing, coughing, therefore, could not walk short distances, sore throat, headache, plus hives! Notified my doctor and quit taking Wixela. Side effects subsided, hives disappeared, yet I had to use my rescue inhaler several times a day. Doctor submitted a prior authorization (PA) and new script for Advair, as prescribed, no substitute or generic to ES. PA was denied without any rationale. Was told by ES that only the doctor could appeal. Submitted a letter to my State Senators through the American Medical Association - Improving Seniors' Access to a Timely Care Act (S.3018), explaining this all. Also submitted a grievance to Medwatch - FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program. Others should do the same."

• Bab...
• May 28, 2013

"I have been fighting my doctors about Advair for about 4 years. About 1 year ago, I got sick and I was using my Advair, and I chose to stay on it every day. I was doing well, then I stopped because I wanted to see if there was any difference, and oh my God, I realized I need Advair every day. Moral of the story: I take Advair every day now and I'm doing so much better."

• Anonymous
• May 4, 2010

"If Advair is causing side effects in your mouth and throat, try rinsing and gargling with salt water immediately after using Advair. This simple process has made Advair tolerable. And like my doctor says, 'You must breathe.'"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 1, 2012

"I was on Advair for about five years and was able to breathe easily almost immediately after starting it. Before Advair, I used albuterol 6-10 times daily. I used to take the 500/50 Advair only once per day. Using it twice a day didn't make a difference in breathing, so that saved some money. I never had a thrush problem; actually, I never rinsed out my mouth at all. The reason I'm not using it any longer is the HUGE cost. My insurance is no longer covering it, and I cannot afford over $300 for just one Diskus. Am now taking Singulair and am back using the albuterol rescue inhaler 6-7 times a day."

• JFr...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 29, 2019

"I had been taking Advair since it came out and only had problems when I forgot a dose. I switched to Wixela as soon as it came out, it was a $100 per month savings. I am extremely happy with it. I only have problems when I forget a dose. If they add a reminder alarm, I’d probably never have to use my rescue inhaler. I’m 56 and have had asthma since I was 3."

• Thu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 30, 2015

"Was prescribed Advair two weeks ago and haven't used Albuterol inhaler since. I notice easier breathing immediately and had absolutely no side effects. I don't even taste it but always rinse anyway. Before using Advair, I was using the inhaler about 10 times a day and still was out of breath when I tied my boots. After two days on Advair, I was able to attend a Packers game and walked about a mile to the stadium and another 60 flights of stairs to get to our seats. I would have been dead the week before. I'm hoping I can continue using this medication without getting any side effects. I have my life back and want to keep it that way."

• 24h...
• February 6, 2021

"Forced by insurance to switch from side-effect-free Advair 500/50 to Wixela. At first, I could not figure out why I was nauseous every morning and evening, and it only kept getting worse. After five or six days, the nausea was extreme, and that evening I was vomiting and flu-like twenty minutes after my evening dose. Finally put it together and realized Wixela was not only causing it, but was probably the reason my cough and phlegm level had been worse that week. Of course, my doctor insisted it is 'the same,' and the insurance has denied my request to go back to Advair. This product is NOT the same. Reading the horror stories on here has convinced me that this medication is dangerous. I will be rationing my precious Advair. Cannot afford $400 a month for it. Hopefully, my doc will switch me to something else, but Advair works so well, I am livid."