Advair discontinued, Wixela on backorder?
My almost 40 year pharmacy dropped my insurance plan at the first of the year. Shifted my meds to a different one to find out Advair stopped production. It's been working well for me since 2017.
Found my insurance will cover Wixela a generic equivalent only to find out that the pharmacies in my plan are all on backorder for it. Sounds like other pharmacies are in the same boat too. My pulmonologist prescribed Breo temporarily but it doesn't work as well. She is sending me a scrip to go to a Canadian pharmacy for Wixela.
Am I the only one having this trouble?
DAC
Hi
- and thank you for bringing up this topic! You are definitely not alone when it comes to this issue! Since a generic was developed for Advair, many in our community (as well as the patients for whom I provide care), have lamented this as an issue. Some folks did not do as well on Wixela (the generic), as they did with Advair, while still others made the transition smoothly. I know of others who, like you, were prescribed alternate medications. Some had more success than others. When it comes to pharmaceuticals, clearly the efficacy can vary from patient to patient.
I just did a quick search on the Internet and came across this interesting material from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA): https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/drug-shortages. I thought you might find it helpful to read.
For me, I received a notice in November from my own health insurance plan advising me that Advair would no longer be covered for me commencing with 2024. I was extremely disappointed as this medication has been my mainstay of control for all these years. I plan to discuss the alternatives with my physician next month and together, we will come up with a suitable medication for me to use going forward.
Wishing you well,
Leon L ( author/moderator asthma.net )Hi tkristo, and thanks for joining in the conversation here. We appreciate you sharing that you are using the generic version of Advair. I have found myself in the same situation. In November, 2023, my insurance company advised me they would no longer being covering my Advair prescription. Although I was disappointed, as I have been on Advair (successfully), for many years, I also knew that the generic form would be effective for me. You see, I had used it last summer and saw no changes in my asthma control. Can we presume that it works effectively for you as well?
Wishing you well,
Leon L (author/moderator asthma.net)
This is great news! Thanks for letting me know. -Melissa, asthma.net team
How aggravating,
- Supply chain issues and backorders can be frustrating, especially when it affects the accessibility of essential medications. As in your case, reaching out to your healthcare provider and insurance company provided the needed guidance on alternative medications and solutions to ensure you have access to the necessary treatment of your asthma. In your case, having contacted them, an alternative medication was readily available and covered by your insurance so there was no lapse in treatment. As you stated, although not as good while using Breo, did you find it did help a little to manage your breathing or did it fail to provide any assistance at all?
We hope that you can get it through a Canada pharmacy or that it is made readily available soon.
Wishing you greater health in 2024, Rebecca (community moderator)Hi
and and - I have been following this conversation all along and have something else to contribute at this point. Recently (November 2023), my insurance folks advised they would no longer be 'covering' my Advair. I have been using Advair for many, many years and have been successful using it and keeping my asthma well controlled. I was disappointed, to say the least.
After conferring with my internist, we decided to change over to the generic brand, Wixela. I just filled the (3-month) prescription in early February. There was no talk of unavailability or shortages of this medication. My prescription was filled without delay and I have the 3- month supply lined up and ready to go (once I use up my existing stock of Advair).
I thought this would be important to share with our fellow community members and asthma.net team.
All the best,
Leon L (author/moderator)Truly grateful you found some support. I've never needed help from a pharmacy outside the US so it is all new to me. Usually when I need info regarding my health my first step is to talk with my physician. But, as you state, I also believe physicians are not knowledgeable of which (if any) online Canadian pharmacies would be best. It's great the financial forum came through for you. Here's an article from the FDA on the topic which may help others in this situation https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/how-buy-medicines-safely-online-pharmacy Thanks for following up here in the community. Regards, Rebecca (team member)
I was put on the Breo and am having shortness of breath during the day that I wasn't experiencing with the Advair. Disappointing and will be discussing with my pulmonologist.
I admire your proactive stance in advocating for your health. It's reassuring to know that you'll be addressing your concerns with your pulmonologist. They can offer guidance and consider adjusting your treatment plan to improve control of your asthma symptoms. Your health and well-being are top priorities, so speaking up and discussing concerns with your healthcare provider is essential. Here's to brighter days ahead for you. Rebecca (community moderator) 
Hi there, I'm checking back back in to see how you are making out. Have you followed up with your pulmonologist about your Breo not working well for you? I hope that you have figured out a plan. All the best, Lauren (team member)
I just filled a script for Advair inhaler, no one said anything about discontinuing it?
I don't really want to change again, as long as insurance will cover. Has been working so far, switched from Symbicort back in Dec 2023 Hi again, Mark - I hear you and, I understand it too. When I received the letter indicating that insurance would not be covering Advair for me in 2024, it really unnerved me. I have been on Advair successfully for so many years now. However, I was somewhat less unnerved knowing that I had tried Wixela last year and it worked fine. So, moving forward, that is the medication I will be on.
If you are able to stay on Advair with insurance coverage, that's a good, good thing!
All the best,
Leon L (author/moderator asthma.net)
