muscle cramps?

Does anyone get muscle cramps like a charlie horse from the advair or other meds?

Dear Ceebee: Where are your muscle cramps occuring? Advair is a combination of a long-acting bronchodilator & corticosteroid. Are you having bronchospasms? Some people are sensitive to the bronchodilator portion of the med & this can cause bronchospasms. This med is a very mild form of corticosteroid, only enters the lungs, and usually has no symptoms of muscle cramping. However, it can cause thrush, so be certain to rinse your mouth after each use. Also, this is not a rescue med as the bronchodilator portion is slow acting and cannot help in an exacerbation as quickly as Albuterol or Xopenex. Hope you feel better soon.

The muscle cramps are in my toes, legs, fingers and wrist. Last for a long time and really hurt...actually pull toes and fingers sideways. Thanks for sharing with me:)

Hi,

Yes, I have experienced muscle cramps. stiffness, tension etc.  I have been on Advair for about a year and started experiencing these symptoms.  I went to doc and had metabolic test and blood test to see if low in potassium--nothing found.  I had a suspision that my adrenals were getting affected.  eventhough advair is inhaled, steroids are meant to suppress immune system and consequently suppress your adrenals.. that is one the main reasons people have to be weaned off slowly(especially prednisone).  anyway, I have a friend that had muscle cramps about a week after starting advair--he weaned off and was fine.  I, myself, see a naturopath and started taking adrenal extract and felt better within a week.  I really did not want to stop advair unless abosolutely necessary.  this has worked wonders for me-==my muscle symptoms are gone.  Now, i am not saying this was due to advair, but never had these problems b4 advair.  you may want to go to a chiropractor who does applied kinesiology---they can tell if your adrenals are taxed and tell you what to do next.

HI-I don't know what kind of area you are in, but if you  could find someone in the phonebook  called a naturopath or a chiropractor that does "applied kiniseology/muscle testing"--not all chiropractors do this-in fact most don't---you would have to call and ask if they "muscle test for things like low adrenals'  if you have a health food store nearby, sometimes there are bulletin boards or pamphlets of alternative doctors.  you can also buy adrenal extract at the pharmacy or health food store.  it doesn't really have side effects, so you could it for a week and see if it helps, if not, then stop taking it.  all it is is a minute extract from a cows adrenal gland, so if you're a vegetarian you may have a problem taking it. basically, it is like taking a vitamin.  but the best would be to find someone to do the muscle testing on you.

but, you may have to consult your doctor about getting off the advair. if you noticed the symptoms stopping when you went off of it.  mY friend who had to stop advair due to muscle pain/cramps does fine with asmanex-which is just a steroid w/o the long-acting bronchodilator

good luck-write if you have more questions

I have experienced painful leg and foot cramps while sleeping at night when I use Advair. My search for mitigation has led me to a need to use additional potassium. Simple potassium supplements in the health food store simply don't do it. They contain precious little potassium. There are foods that contain much more useful levels of potassium. One banana  a day will usually do it. But I prefer the low sodium 5.5 oz. cans of original V8 juice I get at Costco by the case. Not at all expensive. One 5.5 oz. can contains 700 mg. of potassium. Also, much lower in calories than a banana. I have used the Advair 100 and 250 and this works for me to prevent cramping. I have seen some generalized info that Advair can affect potassium levels, but nothing specific or why this is so. I chug one 5.5 oz. can of the low sodium V8 before bedtime or with evening meal. In a pinch you can use the regular V8. It doesn't have as much potassium but still has a good bit. I buy a couple of cases of the low sodium V8 when I find it at Costco. They don't always seem to keep it in stock but do fairly often. Always check to be sure you are getting the "low sodium" prominently marked on the can. It is usually stocked alongside the regular V8. Might also be available at other bulk food outlets. You may also be able to find some in larger cans at your local grocery.

When I was on oral steroids I had awful leg cramps. I found that increasing my potassium intake - a banana or a glass of orange juice at bedtime - prevented them. Steroids deplete the potassium in your body, and potassium is an important electrolyte in nerve conduction and muscle contraction.