Fluticasone / salmeterol and Shortness Of Breath: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Mic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 15, 2020

Fluticasone / salmeterol for Asthma, Maintenance "I was switched to AirDuo Respiclick in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. Being asthmatic during this already had me on high alert, now I'm prescribed a medication that isn't working. I can't walk from one end of my house to the other without shortness of breath. I'm wheezing all day. I've had to take the nebulizer 4 times a day just to feel somewhat okay. I had to switch to this AirDuo generic version due to new insurance. I used to take Wixela. Wixela worked well. I'm praying my next insurance will allow it because I truly feel like I won't make it on AirDuo. If I could rate this medicine zero, I would."

• Mic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 15, 2020

Fluticasone / salmeterol for Asthma, Maintenance "I was switched to AirDuo Respiclick in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. Being asthmatic during this already had me on high alert, now I'm prescribed a medication that isn't working. I can't walk from one end of my house to the other without shortness of breath. I'm wheezing all day. I've had to take the nebulizer 4 times a day just to feel somewhat okay. I had to switch to this AirDuo generic version due to new insurance. I used to take Wixela. Wixela worked well. I'm praying my next insurance will allow it because I truly feel like I won't make it on AirDuo. If I could rate this medicine zero, I would."

• Dis...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 14, 2022

Fluticasone / salmeterol for Asthma, Maintenance "Started on Advair as a kid, switched to Breo as an adult because Advair costs increased as I switched insurance providers. Five years after that, I had to switch back to Advair because Breo was no longer covered under my new employer-based insurance, but Advair was. Both Breo and Advair were great for my asthma maintenance. Fast-forward a couple of years to last December when I, once again, switched insurance carriers due to a career change-Advair is no longer covered, so I was put on Wixela. I have been using it for about three months now, and it is a joke. I may as well not be using anything at all. Shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, wheezing, and having to use my rescue inhaler just so I can walk a mile. I questioned whether I was using it correctly, so I re-read the instructions and made sure to follow everything precisely-no change. Maybe the inhaler construction is limiting the delivery of the medication, but it is not worth it. Wixela was a mistake."

• Dis...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 14, 2022

Fluticasone / salmeterol for Asthma, Maintenance "Started on Advair as a kid, switched to Breo as an adult because Advair costs increased as I switched insurance providers. Five years after that, I had to switch back to Advair because Breo was no longer covered under my new employer-based insurance, but Advair was. Both Breo and Advair were great for my asthma maintenance. Fast-forward a couple of years to last December when I, once again, switched insurance carriers due to a career change-Advair is no longer covered, so I was put on Wixela. I have been using it for about three months now, and it is a joke. I may as well not be using anything at all. Shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, wheezing, and having to use my rescue inhaler just so I can walk a mile. I questioned whether I was using it correctly, so I re-read the instructions and made sure to follow everything precisely-no change. Maybe the inhaler construction is limiting the delivery of the medication, but it is not worth it. Wixela was a mistake."

• mof...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 2, 2021

Fluticasone / salmeterol for Asthma, Maintenance "Awful! Doesn't belong on the market. I am new to this condition of COPD maintenance, and I am short of breath. Symbicort wasn't quite enough. This was the replacement to give me an extra boost. I was back on the emergency inhaler 4-6 times a day within 36 hours. This instrument is a 30-supply, not! I started this on Oct 5 with 60 puffs; a dose of 2 puffs daily. October 19th, the counter reflected 17! 2 times 14 equals 28; 28 from 60 equals 32. What happened to the remaining 15 doses? Am I getting the correct dose, or is the counter defective? Also, the medication comes out in the form of small pellets that cause you to choke when they hit the back of your throat! Not for me!"

• Tig...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 26, 2022

Fluticasone / salmeterol for Asthma, Maintenance "I was switched by the VA from Symbicort to this Wixela. Within hours of taking it, I could feel a negative change in my breathing. It went from easy, smooth breaths to some feeling of labored breathing. Followed with becoming easily winded, couldn't work in my yard without multiple breaks. My heart rate would also increase, contributing to the need for a break. Sore throat and tongue sensitivity, also, I brush my teeth and rinse after each use. Why would you change something that works? I'm so frustrated with this."

• Joe...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 11, 2022

Fluticasone / salmeterol "Been using Symbicort for several years, VA in Columbia, MO. Replaced it with Wixela 250/50, noticed I would get short of breath a lot quicker, and didn't seem to help, been using my rescue inhaler more. Maybe if VA gets enough complaints, they will go back to Symbicort."

• Anonymous
• April 21, 2022

Fluticasone / salmeterol for Asthma, Maintenance "My husband has adult asthma. He’s been on Symbicort for a few years, Breo worked best for him, but the VA does not pay for Breo because it’s very expensive. Symbicort worked fine. Now the VA has switched to Wixela, and my husband can’t do any activities without getting so short of breath. He has mucus draining all the time and that dry, hacking cough all day, and his sleep apnea is worse. His doctor contacted the VA to switch him back to Symbicort, but the VA would not because they said it was stronger than Symbicort. Wixela is worse than taking nothing at all. We are now getting his better inhaler through Kroger pharmacy and paying out of pocket, and he is doing better even after just a few days."

• Whe...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 31, 2022

For Asthma, Maintenance "I have been on Advair for years, they switched me once to this, and I remember having issues. Last week, I picked up my meds, and they automatically switched me to this. I'm now struggling to breathe again. There is something wrong with the med, and they need to recognize it!"

• Cat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 20, 2022

Fluticasone / salmeterol for Asthma, Maintenance "I have always been on Advair with no problems. All of a sudden, my pharmacy has been dispensing Wixela in replacement of Advair. Wixela does not work for me. I have been hospitalized 2 times since beginning Wixela. I can't breathe easily, and what little bit it does do for me, it only lasts about 6 hours, whereas the Advair lasts me 12 full hours! I am very disappointed that my pharmacy will not change it back to Advair, even with a no substitution on the script. So here I struggle breathing while the pharmacy makes money off garbage like Wixela!"

• Unh...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 15, 2019

Fluticasone / salmeterol for Asthma, Maintenance "Worst rx ever! It is not the equivalent of Advair. Within a month of my insurance switching out to this garbage from Advair, my wheeze returned, and I came down with bronchitis. Junk!"

• Deb...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 18, 2019

Fluticasone / salmeterol for Asthma, Maintenance "My asthma condition got worse after being changed to Advair. Cough and breathing got worse."

• Mel...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 22, 2021

Fluticasone / salmeterol for Asthma, Maintenance "Used it for years successfully, then one day I started wheezing and getting worse every time I used it. Apparently, I had become allergic to the fluticasone in it. Not fun."

• mad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 24, 2022

Fluticasone / salmeterol for Asthma, Maintenance "Medicaid switched from Advair to Wixela. It made my asthma worse! I have to use my emergency inhaler, Albuterol, instead and a nebulizer. Wixela is going in the garbage!"

• Anonymous
• February 10, 2022

Fluticasone / salmeterol for Asthma, Maintenance "I've used this inhaler 3 times, and all 3 times it gave me an asthma attack worse than before using it. I'm sad."