Advair Diskus - How long does it take to start working!?

Short answer: 2-3 weeks for me.

History: 64 yr old white male, metastatic colon cancer in my lungs and pre-existing Sarcoidosis that makes diagnosis difficult. About 22 months after diagnosis of progression to the lungs, 3 month CT scans show relative stable tumour sizes, however there had been an unexplained sudden shortness of breath and upper tightness in deep breaths. SpO2 sats are 85% resting. Oddly, the shortness appears to improve with exercise. Currently on a 3 week cycle of FOLFURI+Avastin for the cancer. 2L supplemental oxygen PRN prescribed for the low sats.

Diagnosis: Likely an airway issue, the flight response to exercise when the body releases natural catecholamine supports this. Advair 250 BID prescribed, and after 2 weeks some improvement with deep breathing was noticed, further improvement after 3 weeks. SpO2 improved to 90. No side side effects have been noticed.

Prognosis: Good, following up with pulmonary function tests and continuing with Advair for 6 months.

Hello. I have used the Advair disc. After a couple months, the pulmonologist and I decided it was not helping my interstitial lung disease. It is effective for inflammation of the lung. Depending upon what you are being treated for does make a difference. COPD is often treated with this.

I currently am trying out Veramyst. It is a variant of fluticasone. It actually is helping with my sinus by reducing drainage.

Sounds like it is time to give the doctor a call. Struggling with breathing is not much fun.

I would say it's likely the combination of the two. What your friend should have told you is that it may take up to several weeks to feel the singulair is working. "May" and "has to" are two different things. Did you know that advair now comes in an inhaler form? That seems to work better for some people than the diskus form - including me. Perhaps you'd also have better luck with it. At any rate. It sounds like the combination of the two was just what you needed. However, neither is designed to help in case of a sudden asthma attack. Your Dr should make sure you have a "rescue" inhaler in case you need one.
Best of luck to you!
Lisa

I got relief within the first week that I started using it. If it is not helping you yet, then either you are not using it properly, or it is just not the right medication for you. Check with the doctor who prescribed it for you as soon as can and let him and her know that it is not working for you.

Hello Debbielynnetodd. I used Advair for several years. Felt relief after the second week. I now use a combination of Combivent along with Spiriva. Regards pledge

If it was going to help you it should have by now. Are you inhaling it correctly?