Should I be patient and wait a few days for Advair to work and use my rescue inhaler in the meantime?
Hi there, I have been on Symbicort for several months and it is not controlling my asthma. My doctor just switched me over to Advair and the first day is today. I'm coughing a lot and feel short of breath, so I'm guessing it is not working. Should I be patient and wait a few days for it to work and use my rescue inhaler in the meantime?
Hi
, and thanks for posting your question - it's a good one! While we cannot provide medical advice over the internet (for your own safety), your concern certainly warrants a reply.
In the most general of terms, a medication like Advair may take a week or so for the patient to feel its effects. This may vary from patient to patient and can also depend on proper administration and remaining compliant with one's dosing schedule.
You may want to discuss this further with your prescribing doctor. As Advair comes in different strengths, this may need to be re-evaluated once you've been on the medication long enough to measure the effects on you. You'll also want to inquire about the doctor's suggestions for the use of your rescue inhaler.
What do you think?
Please do check back and let us know how this all turns out for you.
Good luck!
Leon (site moderator asthma.net)it definitely can take time to take effect. I believe my doctor said up to two weeks.
Hi again,
- you make a good point. We tell patients something similar - the effects can vary from patient to patient, but it can take up to two weeks time to feel them.
Thank you for joining in this conversation.
All the best,
Leon (site moderator asthma.net)
And all the reading material that comes with Advair and Flovent and Symbicort it says that it is not a rescue inhaler. That if one has an asthma event, one should use a rescue inhaler in the meantime.
Hi
- you make a good point. That is the proper way to assess the use of these type medications. They, in fact, are not considered to be rescue inhalers at all.
For many people with asthma, the doctor has generally provided this type of instruction. It's always a good idea to reach out for one's doctor if an exacerbation should occur and the prescribed rescue inhaler is not effective.
What do you think?
Leon (site moderator asthma.net)
I agree completely except I think that everybody who suffers from asthma should have a rescue inhaler in the house.
