[PeopleAreStrange]

I've only had asthma for about a year, and I've been having problems with the corticosteroids prescribed to me. After Advair and Flovent didn't work for me, my doctor gave me Singulair, and though it worked, those were the worst 5 months of my life. Then they put me on Qvar. I had a psychotic episode a week into taking it. I gave up on corticosteroids and went back to using my rescue inhaler 6 times a day. I'm only supposed to use it 3 times a week, at most.
Corticosteroids can exacerbate pre-existing psychiatric conditions, but I don't believe I have any serious mental disorder. I need those corticosteroids. I cannot sleep/function without them. But they magnify my mild anxiety x1000. Has anyone had this problem before? I don't know what to do!

 

[UltraShy]

I'd have to say I have serious doubts that Advair or Flovent would cause any mental issues. Flovent is fluticasone propionate and and one of the drugs in Advair is also fluticasone propionate. (I had to look that up.) I'm very familiar with the drug in a different form -- as Flonase nasal spray that I've used daily for the last 5 years.

I'm not sure how much fluticasone would actually be absorbed into your blood stream if orally inhaled. The amount is supposed to be pretty low with nasal inhalation and I've never seen any warning on the drug labeling sheet that indicates that fluticasone could cause any mental issues -- and these things will list every unlikely event under the sun.

 

[anxietyisapain]

I suffer with terrible terrible anxiety every few weeks of each and every month. Your post has actually got me thinking. I always seem to forget to take my corticosteroids in the morning but do take it at night. However I've only had these really really bad anxiety attacks since I got put on the corticosteroids. Apart from that, it could be hormonal which I probably won't find out until I go to the docs on the 20th of July.

I know how you're feeling though - my anxiety is seriously horrendous at the moment (doesn't help that I'm concerned for my mums mental health since she had a head injury last April). But I can't sleep very well at the mo and I'm all jittery and weepy so can sympathise with you there.

I did though find this article. Perhaps you could print it out and take it to your docs and discuss it?

I know that cholesterol tablets can cause anxiety as my mother in law took Simvastin and was bouncing off the walls with it.

Good Luck, and I hope you find out what's causing it.

Jackie
xxx