Fluticasone / salmeterol and Chest Pain: What Users Say

• Chu...
• October 17, 2020

Wixela Inhub (fluticasone / salmeterol) for Asthma, Maintenance "Absolute garbage! I was switched over from Advair a week ago. My asthma has been completely under control for years with Advair. After one week of using this, my chest gets tight a couple of hours after using it, and I have mucus building up in my lungs that causes me to cough and hack all day. I’m actually better off just not taking any medicine at all. How did this drug get approved?"

• Kaj...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 24, 2019

Wixela Inhub (fluticasone / salmeterol) for Asthma, Maintenance "My asthma was well under control until I was forced by my insurance company to use Wixela three months ago. Now, I have a chronic cough again, it's affecting my vocal cords, and I feel like an elephant is sitting on my chest several times a day. I'm using my rescue inhaler all day long (I was using it MAYBE twice a month), cough medicine 24/7, sleeping practically sitting up, and buying/using cough drops like they're going out of style. But to go back to my original inhaler, I'll have to fork over $300 more per month (four months ago it was $40/month). The problem is 1) big pharma 2) insurance companies putting profits before health and 3) the device used to dispense the Wixela may be flawed. There is no way I am receiving the dosage I am prescribed."

• Coc...
• September 15, 2020

Wixela Inhub (fluticasone / salmeterol) for Asthma, Maintenance "I am a 50-year-old female with no health issues other than occasional mild asthma from air quality and high pollen count issues. I’ve used Advair as a maintenance inhaler for years with no problems. I developed cough variant asthma right in the height of COVID. The pharmacy switched me to Wixela without even telling me, I didn’t know until I opened the bag. I used it for 2 months and developed the worst raw and sore throat of my life, heavy chest pressure, and rapid heartbeat (I could feel my heart pounding). I stopped using Wixela 4 weeks ago, and the sore throat and chest pressure have gone away, but my heartbeat is still rapid, I can feel it when I’m in bed falling asleep! Now my doctor has ordered a stress test, etc., to figure out what’s going on with my heart. Stay away from Wixela! This is a very dangerous drug!"

• ATa...
• October 10, 2020

Wixela Inhub (fluticasone / salmeterol) for Asthma, Maintenance "Mild asthma patient, with everything under control using Advair Diskus 250/50. As with others, my insurance stopped paying for the brand name and had to switch to Wixela. My symptoms went from non-existent (with Advair) to bad to worse. Stopped taking Wixela and things got better, and I only had regular (!) asthma. Paid out of pocket for the Advair and everything was wonderful again. One year later - chest pain is better, but not like it used to be. I now need a higher dosage of Advair than ever before, I will need to pay $4,000 a year for it, but it keeps me healthy. The FDA should do something."

• Kya...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 8, 2020

Wixela Inhub (fluticasone / salmeterol) for Asthma, Maintenance "Very disappointed with Wixela, this new generic asthma medication. I was on Wixela Inhub for three months and finally had to go back to my doctor to get Advair. I had constant coughing followed by phlegm and chest congestion. I was using my emergency inhaler several times a week and several times on prednisone. I started using over-the-counter cough medication just to stop the coughing so I could sleep. During the day, I used throat lozenges to keep the cough from starting. I talked to the pharmacist about the differences between Wixela and Advair and was told that it had the same ingredients, except the fillers might be different. Some generics just don’t work, and pharmacies need to listen to the patients. The price difference is insane!"

• Wen...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 23, 2021

Wixela Inhub (fluticasone / salmeterol) for Asthma, Maintenance "I ended up going to the ER after taking my first dose due to an adverse reaction. I had trouble swallowing, felt short of breath, tightness in my chest, face flushed, fast heart rate, and numbness and tingling in my fingers."

• Ell...
• March 3, 2010

Advair Diskus (fluticasone / salmeterol) for Asthma, Maintenance "I have been using Advair for about 5 years. When I first noticed my wheezing and coughing, I thought I had a cold, but the doctor said it is bronchial asthma. He started with Prednisone and Advair. I soon felt better. I stopped the Prednisone, and I am on Advair 250/50 since. Recently, I was advised to see a chiropractor. He promised to help take me off all medications and I would be okay. What a mistake? In order for him to do this, I had to stop my Advair, because he said he can't fight with it, I must first stop taking it. The end result was that I spent about $400.00 for twice-a-week visits. I saw no results, on the contrary, my wheezing came back full force, with the tightness of my chest. I had to start all over again with the medications."

• Ner...
• April 30, 2016

Advair Diskus (fluticasone / salmeterol) for Asthma, Maintenance "I had told my Dr. how, when I walk up my stairs in my house, how I'm out of breath and how my chest had been feeling tight over the last few months. I just use my nebulizer or my Ventolin pump, and it helps me feel better. But then she suggested Advair Diskus, and within the 2nd day, I felt the tightness in my chest like I was having an asthma attack, and then my throat started to feel swollen, so I stopped the medicine. Since using this medication, my throat is sore, swollen glands, hurts when I swallow. I'm very nervous and will not use it anymore."

• dsg...
• March 16, 2011

Advair Diskus (fluticasone / salmeterol) for Asthma, Maintenance "I am giving it a 9 only because I have only been on it a few days. It works. I used to get so tired just doing my grocery shopping and have to sit 2 or 3 times during, and feel like I can go for miles now. I do notice in the reviews the different ways people are using it. I was told after inhaling to rinse my mouth thoroughly, as the medicine can cause thrush. Anyway, I have a little chest tightness and get a bit of a headache at first, but that goes away after about 30 minutes."

• glz...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 28, 2022

Wixela Inhub (fluticasone / salmeterol) for Asthma, Maintenance "So far, horrible with Wixela. It does absolutely nothing for my asthma. VA changed my prescription from Symbicort to this, and now I can barely do any physical activity. Stuff is rubbish, gives me a hoarse throat, chest tightness, and rapid heartbeat! Please stop prescribing this!"

• S W...
• July 23, 2009

Advair Diskus (fluticasone / salmeterol) for Asthma, Maintenance "Advair helped me breathe better for the first 2-3 days. Then my chest would start tightening within an hour of when I was to take it. It seemed that my dependence was growing. Between that and the panic attacks, I've discontinued Advair and gone back to Ventolin HFA."

• Ven...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 17, 2021

Advair Diskus (fluticasone / salmeterol) for COPD, Maintenance "I started taking this medicine for a COVID cough. After one week of taking it, I started having body aches. Another week passed, and I was having chest pressure. It did help with the cough, but then I started having heartburn and was coughing more than when I had COVID. I started to develop gastrointestinal issues. After eating, I would belch, and regurgitation would happen. Heartburn and chest pain were also common. A cough would happen after eating. I went to see a pulmonologist, and she told me that I can just stop taking it and that no withdrawal symptoms would happen. That was a lie. After stopping it, cold turkey, I started feeling like absolute rubbish. I started to have diarrhea, abdominal pain, insomnia, anxiety, depression, feeling dizzy and faint-like. She never told me about adrenal insufficiency that could happen after stopping a corticosteroid. It’s been almost 3 months since I stopped the medication, and I feel like the symptoms are only getting worse."

• Ven...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 17, 2021

Advair Diskus (fluticasone / salmeterol) for COPD, Maintenance "I started taking this medicine for a COVID cough. After one week of taking it, I started having body aches. Another week passed, and I was having chest pressure. It did help with the cough, but then I started having heartburn and was coughing more than when I had COVID. I started to develop gastrointestinal issues. After eating, I would belch, and regurgitation would happen. Heartburn and chest pain were also common. A cough would happen after eating. I went to see a pulmonologist, and she told me that I can just stop taking it and that no withdrawal symptoms would happen. That was a lie. After stopping it, cold turkey, I started feeling like absolute rubbish. I started to have diarrhea, abdominal pain, insomnia, anxiety, depression, feeling dizzy and faint-like. She never told me about adrenal insufficiency that could happen after stopping a corticosteroid. It’s been almost 3 months since I stopped the medication, and I feel like the symptoms are only getting worse."

• Nan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 12, 2022

Wixela Inhub (fluticasone / salmeterol) for Asthma, Maintenance "I was on Advair, they switched me to Wixela 500 mg. I had many side effects and could not breathe. I could not stop coughing—bad headaches and nightmares. I ended up in the hospital six times, and finally, they told me to stop taking it and switch back. I ended up in bed for months with chest pain and weakness in the legs. I could not eat or swallow anything. My vision went many times. I had a rainbow lightning vision. This should not be given to anyone. It should be off the market right away. It is not right to switch a person's medication at the risk of someone's life."

• Joh...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 6, 2021

Wixela Inhub (fluticasone / salmeterol) for Asthma, Maintenance "VA is my health provider, and I have lung fibrosis, COPD, and emphysema. I was on Symbicort for many years. Then I placed a refill on the prescription, and it was Wixela. Had no idea VA discontinued Symbicort. Well, I used it one time and had the worst experience with it. My throat and tongue became very dry for 2 days. My chest became very tight and painful. A few days later, I began coughing nonstop, my ribs got sore. Now all I use is my rescue inhaler."