Fluticasone / salmeterol and Thrush: What Users Say

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

Fluticasone / salmeterol for Asthma, Maintenance "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."

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

Fluticasone / salmeterol for Asthma, Maintenance "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."

• The...
• November 15, 2017

Fluticasone / salmeterol for COPD, Maintenance "I used to take the Advair in Diskus form. I couldn't breathe in fast to get enough meds, so they switched me to the aerosol type Advair. This one works well for me. The thing is, some doctors do not tell you you MUST rinse your entire mouth and gargle after every use. It can cause thrush, which is awful, and voice loss, hoarseness, coughing, and mouth sores too, if you leave residue within the mouth or throat. This has a corticosteroid in it, so please rinse well! Avoid side effects. It will help you breathe because it's a beta antagonist blocker or something, which relaxes the lung muscle. Take care of your mouth! I have dentures, so I must rinse even MORE, but never had thrush in 9 years over it and can breathe easier now."

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

Fluticasone / salmeterol for Asthma, Maintenance "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."

• Liv...
• February 11, 2016

Fluticasone / salmeterol for Asthma, Maintenance "I have been on Advair for over 10 years. I have never breathed better. Before, I couldn't even walk without being out of breath. I do experience a lot of side effects, such as oral thrush and headaches; however, being able to breathe outweighs the side effects. I would recommend this medication to anyone with asthma."

• Nik...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 13, 2018

Fluticasone / salmeterol for Asthma, Maintenance "Got oral thrush bad, even with rinsing after using my inhaler. Also, by the 3rd day, could hardly breathe. Was terrible. Also, it may be generic, it is still the same copay and price of Advair. Not a good deal. Teva pulled a fast one on FDA. Not the same as Advair at all."

• adv...
• November 25, 2019

Fluticasone / salmeterol for Asthma, Maintenance "I don't know if it's my pharmacy or my health insurance, but ever since the AirDuo generic came out, I've been forced to switch from Advair, which I've used and maintained my asthma with for 18+ years, and now all they'll give me is the generic. The inhaler is completely flawed and does not dispense medicine properly, in which I mean half the time the dosage comes out of the 'vent' instead of the mouthpiece. I've had this happen not on one inhaler, but ALL of them. It's also a lot less dosage than what the Advair has in it. I take 100 mcg/50 mcg of Advair. The AirDuo/Teva generic only has 113 mcg/14 mcg. I've never been good at math, but I'm pretty sure 113 is not the same as 100 and 14 (FOURTEEN!) is not the same as 50 (FIFTY). Therefore, I am getting less of my normal dosage. Last month, I also had a terrible outbreak of oral thrush. The back of my throat was so swollen I couldn't even gargle salt water, let alone swallow pills. In all my years of taking Advair, I've never gotten oral thrush."

• Lex...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 22, 2019

For Asthma, Maintenance "I am a physician and asthma sufferer. My asthma was fully controlled on Advair 250/50. For my most recent refill, I was given the new generic, Wixela. 1) The dispenser is very user-unfriendly, and I can feel the powder landing on my tongue; 2) After one week, my asthma is out of control, and I am using my rescue inhaler several times a day; 3) I now have oral thrush and have to go in fluconazole. I am astounded that the FDA considers this inhaler a suitable substitute for Advair. Furthermore, although generic, it is not approved by my BCBS Medex plan. They filled it once with an $80 copay, and if I were to refill it — which obviously I will not do — my doctor would have to wade through the bureaucratic time sump of prior authorization."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 9, 2012

Fluticasone / salmeterol for Asthma, Maintenance "Has helped control my asthma, recently started 500/50 since I had another flare-up. I don't need a rescue inhaler near as often. Do get thrush occasionally and a little sore throat. But it does keep my asthma attacks down a lot."

• Lil...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 1, 2012

Fluticasone / salmeterol for Asthma, Maintenance "I give Advair 8 stars because it does what it's supposed to do. I have only had two asthma attacks since starting Advair almost a year ago. One was running without my inhaler. The second time was smoking. I took off two stars for side effects and use. I hate having to remember to take this twice a day. I usually forget. I also hate when I forget to wash my mouth out with water and get a little bit of thrush in my mouth."

• bub...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 12, 2023

Fluticasone / salmeterol for Asthma, Maintenance "Absolute garbage! I was switched from Symbicort to Wixela by the VA like many others reviewing. I have COPD and never had any exacerbations before. I have had three since starting Wixela. And an endless case of thrush. I am going to stop taking it. My lungs are much worse since starting this garbage. I don't think it's the drug itself. It's the delivery method. Just a coarse powder that sticks in your mouth and throat. I don't even think any is even reaching my lungs."

• pat...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 5, 2022

Fluticasone / salmeterol for Asthma, Maintenance "I have been using Wixela since VA switched from Symbicort approximately 6 months ago. It has worked better for me and with no thrush or other side effects. I have found it easy to use and far more effective than Symbicort."

• Jul...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 25, 2021

Fluticasone / salmeterol for Asthma, Maintenance "I used Advair back in 2001 and 2002, and then weaned off and relied on Albuterol up until this year again, until it was too frequent. So then Flovent (hated the side effects); so was approved finally for Advair 250/50 twice a day. RE: Thrush, I am always rinsing/swishing thoroughly after each use with water and gargling! 4-5 times, really not a big deal. Also, use a pH-balanced mouthwash called Smart Mouth Clinical DDS. I never had thrush issues! If/when I have had any vocal rasp, it is temporary and goes away within a short time. Hope this helps someone! I am so active, and while corticosteroids have their flaws, it has given me back my freedom :)"

• Cau...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 7, 2021

Fluticasone / salmeterol for Asthma, Maintenance "Creek Nation quit carrying Dulera, so they switched me to Wixela. I really don't like this medication. I've never had thrush until I started taking this medication. It doesn't matter how many times or how well I wash my mouth/throat out because I get thrush at least once every single month. At one point, I had thrush so bad that I couldn't even swallow water without immense pain. I'd rather be off this medication and take my risks than deal with thrush every month. Even trying to inhale the powder is difficult; I have to hold my nose and take a sharp breath in to feel as though I get medication into my lungs."