Asthma: Breo vs. Advair ??

[Texas Star]

If you have asthma severe enough to use Advair, have you also tried Breo?

I see a lot of ads for Breo, which is used once a day. Advair is inhaled twice a day .

I'd like to go to Breo if it does the same thing and allows using it just once a day.

I'll discuss it with my doctor, of course, but want some advance info from patients with actual experience of both products. I doubt that she has many patients who've tried Breo, which is new to me.

Is Breo as easy to use as Advair? Just rotate the diskus open and operate the lever?

Thanks.

 

[BONDOBOB]

I was told that Breo was for end stage asthma, once you are on you can't get off, just what I heard

 

[Cyrano]

I have COPD. The Dr started me on Advair, one puff twice a day. Sometimes my voice would crack, especailly when I spoke loudly. I complained about this and he swiched me to Singulaire, one puff twice a day. I stayd on this for several years. It made my clear my throat all the time but I could put up with that. Then he changed it to two puffs twice a day; I came down with a rash from my head to my knees, and I got off it and had nothing for about four months before I could see him again. Didn't do any worse without it, as far as I could see. He changed me to Dulera. one puff twice a day. Singulaire and Dulera are typical inhalers, you put the end of the case in your mouth, and push down on the can of medicine. Nowhere near as complicated, and expensive a system as Advair. Last fall, I complained that Dulerai wasn't doing much good so they switched me to Breo Ellipita. The Breo Ellipita inhaler has a pivoted top cover. You swing it to one side and it exposes the part you put in your mouth. It also advances a dose. If you close the cover without taking the dose, you lose it. It didn't do much good either, and was VERY expensive. Dulera had 120 doses and my co-pay was about $40. Breo Ellipita has 30 doses and was $145. $145 every two weeks was a lot, so they switched me back to Dulera. I think all have about the same medicines and effectiveness.

 

[bountyhunter]

I'm on Asmanex twisthaler (four puffs a day) and Atrovent as needed. I am afraid to try the single hit medications because they are too strong and you can't adjust how much you are getting. Some of them are "combinations" with multiple meds in them. That increases chance of side effects and adverse reaction.

BTW: they can use the multiple med thing to be able to re patent existing drugs because using them in combination is "different".

 

[Texas Star]

I'm on Asmanex twisthaler (four puffs a day) and Atrovent as needed. I am afraid to try the single hit medications because they are too strong and you can't adjust how much you are getting. Some of them are "combinations" with multiple meds in them. That increases chance of side effects and adverse reaction.

BTW: they can use the multiple med thing to be able to re patent existing drugs because using them in combination is "different".

Thanks. That 's one of my concerns.

 

[bountyhunter]

FYI: Advair is a combination drug starring two well known meds:

1) Fluticasone propionate (Flovent) which is a widely used anti inflammatory. I was on it for a while. It's one of many similar types available.

2) Salmeterol which is a broncho dialator.

Point is, there is nothing keeping your doc from prescribing an AI and separate broncho drug so you can control the usage of each. It's like pouring an antihistamine in with a cough suppressant and making people take both since sometimes you get both symptoms at the same time.

As I said, IMHO this practice is typically to allow drug companies to patent old drugs and extend price protection against generics.

 

[bountyhunter]

Breo is a combination of:

1) Fluticasone furoate which is an anti inflammatory.

2) Vilanterol which is a broncho dialator.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Ruthie is asthmatic. She uses an Albuterol nebulizer as needed. Sometimes twice a day...often times none. She has used Advair and could not tell a real difference. Albuterol works well for her, doesn't cause weight gain and used only during attacks.

Breo and Advair have been known to promote thrush.

Bottom line is that they all work. Hope you find the one for you.

 

[bountyhunter]

Ruthie is asthmatic. She uses an Albuterol nebulizer as needed. Sometimes twice a day...often times none. She has used Advair and could not tell a real difference..

That was my point. Albuterol is a powerful broncodilator but Advair contains a similar drug (salmeterol) which means they "overlay" and run up the risk of adverse reaction by doubling up if both are taken. Keeping the meds separate allows you to control what you are getting.

I'm not giving medical advice just warning people about things most don't know. Doctors generally prescribe whatever is newest. And the "double" drugs like Advair usually carry the label they are only advised when the standard anti inflammatories don't work. But many doctors (including mine) seem awfully quick on the trigger to prescribe the new ones. I think doctors are prejudiced to the "once a day" thing because they think patients can't take their meds.

 

[bountyhunter]

Breo and Advair have been known to promote thrush.

All steroidal anti inflammatory drugs have that potential for that side effect. I have had it for years and I have been on several different ones, none of them Advair or Breo.