Is it safe to overuse Advair when pregnant???

Every day at MyAsthmaCentral.com we get lots of asthma related questions. Below are some questions I thought my readers at the RT Cave would enjoy.

Question: I am pregnant and have used Advair about 5 times, should I be worried?

My humble answer: According to the FDA Advair is a medicine that you should NEVER use more often than twice a day. However, there are ongoing studies to see if using it more often is safe.  We'll have to wait and see what the results are.  In the meantime, it's best to not use Adviar more than recommended.

A medicine in Advair called Serevent is long acting bronchodilator and it can cause some severe side effects if used too often. It has been linked to death, and one of the theories is when it causes death this is due to overuse of the inhaler. If you are having trouble with your asthma you should use your Albuterol inhaler as a quick relief medicine and NEVER take your Advair more often than recommended.

If you have any of the following rare but serious side effects of this Advair seek medical help:

• chest pain
• fast/slow/irregular heartbeat
• severe dizziness
• fainting
• seizures

For more information, check out this link and this post.

If you are having trouble with your asthma I highly recommend you call your asthma doctor or go to the emergency room. There are great medicines that can help you to feel better quick.

Likewise, in the future you may want to discuss with your physician how to control your asthma to prevent an asthma attack, and what to do if you have one. You should also work with your doctor on creating an asthma action plan.

For information about the effects of asthma medications on your unborn baby check out "A Concern for Expectant Mothers: Are Asthma Meds Safe For My Baby?"

Question: I can't get my peak flow meter above 150 and I also have a cold. What should I do?

My humble answer: What you need is an asthma action plan. You can read about what this is and how to implement one here.

In the meantime, I highly recommend you call your asthma doctor and get in to see him immediately. If you don't have a doctor, if his office is closed, you should consider having someone drive you to the emergency room. There are great medicines that can get you felling better if you seek help.

If you have any further questions email me, or Visit MyAsthmaCentral.com's" Q&A section.