Generic Name: Breo Ellipta for Asthma (fluticasone-vilanterol)
"Pros: It reduces the need for bronchodilators... sort of. If you can get a full dose. Works better than most products, but the side effects are not worth it. Cons: Anxiety, high blood pressure, anxiety, afraid to leave the house alone anxiety, fast heart rate. I just do not feel well. Muscle and joint aches, restless legs. This drug needs to be reinvestigated by the FDA."
"I started taking Breo for my asthma about two weeks ago. At first, I thought this was a wonder drug. The ability to breathe and have increased stamina was a definite win. However, the side effects quickly and drastically started to add up. Tightness in my throat, raspy voice, and you know that 'stamina' I was referring to? It gradually turned into insomnia and massive anxiety (the kind where you are afraid to leave the house and are teary), heart palpitations. I stopped taking the medication and it took 2-3 days before I felt 'normal' again."
"I am a person who believes in natural medicines/homeopathic as much as possible. I was really struggling with asthma symptoms this past summer and felt horrible, so I went to an asthma specialist as a last resort after trying everything natural that I could. She put me on Breo, and I felt like I had found a miracle cure. However, about 6 weeks later and after tapering down from Breo to 100, I began experiencing extreme numbness in my limbs, tremors, bone pain, and muscle pain. I don't know if this is a coincidence or if there is something else going on, but I have notified my doctor and stopped taking Breo. I am very concerned about the side effects I am experiencing. When I spoke with my doctor about this, she said she has never heard of the limb issues or joint issues, but there are plenty of stories about it here."
"I moved to the Midwest after living in the Southeast for twenty years. I have had asthma for the better part of 10 years. In the Southeast, I never had to use a bronchodilator. After moving to the Midwest, my asthma worsened and I was put on Breo. Things were great in the first couple of months. However, about a month and a half ago, I developed insomnia and a cough that I couldn't get rid of. From there, I caught a lung infection and then pneumonia. When recovering from pneumonia, I developed low potassium, severe bone and joint pain, and headaches that won't go away. I haven't had a dose in over 24 hours now, and I am already starting to feel better. I would rather use my rescue inhaler every day than to have these issues."
"Breo did work for me, it was like a miracle drug, but unfortunately, I have had major adverse side effects from it. I have had flu-like symptoms, mood swings, and every time I breathe in, the right side of my ribs is in absolute agony. It's a horribly anxious-provoking situation. I can't drive because when I go over any bumps on the road, my side hurts terribly. I have also been getting a dry throat. I went to the doctors, had tests, and found out it has caused me to have pleurisy. I have now stopped taking it, the risk of side effects is not worth it, unfortunately. Beware of this drug, it is very dangerous for some."
"Breo Ellipta is awful. I never had any issues besides asthma prior. It gave me headaches, bone pain (specifically hip pain), and also bone crunching. I had read that it can demineralize bone, so not ideal for women going through perimenopause. Due to such intense side effects, I have decided this drug is not worth it."
"The first couple days this felt like a miracle drug, like I never had asthma at all. The next few days, it only worked for about half the day, and now I can't tell if it's doing anything at all. I've also begun having frequent dizziness, low-grade headaches, constant hunger, sharp pain in my teeth, pain in my back, shoulders, and neck so severe that I sometimes can't even sit down, shooting pains in my legs and ankles, weakness, fatigue, constant stomach cramping, strange sensations in my eyes and vision issues (my eyeballs feel swollen inside and I keep thinking I see smoke), a welt on my lower face, and tiny spots of blood under my skin that look like I've been pricked with a needle all over my body. I was trying to wait it out until my next appointment, but I just can't stand it anymore, I'm quitting it today."
"Started on Breo in May 2016 and loved the relief it provided. I'm currently off this med for 3 weeks (Dec 2016) in an effort to determine if Breo is responsible for my disabling joint and muscle pain which began 1 month into taking it. I used Breo from May to December during which time the pain intensified and migrated to points in all 4 extremities. I have consulted orthopedics and I am currently seeing a rheumatologist. I stopped Breo 21 days ago and have improved daily since. I'm convinced that Breo is the cause of my inflammation and pain and I will never take it again. It's unfortunate. It was truly effective but the side effects are absolutely unbearable."
"I just went off this drug last week after being on it for 2 years. About a month after I started this medication, I had the first panic attack of my life, for a completely unthreatening stimulus (I was sitting in traffic). Over the next two years, I continued to have panic attacks over very silly stimuli and constant anxiety/tension in my chest/neck area. After cutting out Flonase, caffeine, alcohol, birth control, and still having anxiety issues, it finally occurred to me that perhaps it was this medication. It has been one week since I went off the medication, with only my rescue inhaler for my asthma when I need it. I do feel the occasional slight shortness of breath, but I feel I can much better live with that than I could the side effects of Breo. I have not had any moment where my anxiety felt like it was going into panic territory, and my general anxiety level has drastically decreased. I feel like I'm alive again, and I don't need to worry about every little thing."
"I've been taking Breo for almost 6 months. It worked great, it worked so well that I would take it every other day instead of once per day. As of last week, I've been having blurred vision in my left eye, distorted colors, and large black spots. The eye is pretty much useless as of now. I went to an eye doctor and learned that I have central serous retinopathy, which is pretty much a fluid buildup behind the retina, apparently caused by steroids, which is one of the ingredients in Breo. Needless to say, I stopped taking Breo. I'm sure I'm a rare case, but I just wanted to share."
"Do the drug manufacturers even bother reading these? This drug, Breo Ellipta, does NOT last 24 hours. Fraudulent claims, it lasts 12 tops. A respiratory therapist told me that GSK knows it doesn't last that long. Good luck even getting it into your lungs. Worst possible delivery system. MAKE THIS DRUG IN A NEBULIZER FORM so we actually get the full benefit. Just shows how these drug companies are in it for the money. This is a great drug. Sad that most don't actually get to experience it to its entirety because of the crappy delivery system."
"This medication destroyed my life. It should not be on the market. It caused me to develop burning mouth syndrome after a couple of doses, which is a severe and unremitting neuropathic pain in your mouth that has no treatment. I still have it a year later and have no quality of life left. This condition could well be lifelong."
"I caught a cold, and it went from my head to my chest. Asthma flared up like crazy, and between prednisone, ProAir, nebulizer treatments, and Breo, I still couldn’t find relief. You are only supposed to use LABAs until your symptoms are controlled, then you should switch back to steroid/other preventer. I was hyperventilating and honestly scared for my life. I couldn’t control my breathing. I've been hospitalized once, but that was preventable (age 9). Prednisone helps. I think Breo is a dangerous drug and should only be used for a couple of months MAX. LABAs may reduce blood oxygen levels and cause adrenal suppression. Take vitamin D, calcium, and adrenal support. Breo worked wonderfully when my Advair (took from 9-23 years old) stopped working, but my gut is telling me this medication is dangerous long term. Also, I’ve noticed chest pains on this medication."
"How I wish I could use Breo regularly! Nothing I’ve tried is more effective for breathing; however, as I type this, I’m experiencing nausea, occasional flushing with cold sweats, increased heart rate, increased HBP and blood sugar, anxiety, depressed mood. I’ve entered the ER twice in the past trying this drug (never knew one could develop flu condition from a drug!). I had bronchitis two months ago (took antibiotic and prednisone) and have just not fully recovered. Wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing. I resumed Breo one puff every 5-6 days for relief. I knew better than to repeat a dose earlier. I keep Breo on hand for severe asthma flare-ups - I know - stupid. Amazing what those of us with asthma will risk to breathe! It will take around three days for the side effects to vanish. I’ll swear I’ll never use it again. I hope Breo doesn’t become the next Vioxx! Its side effects can be severe."
"I found Breo Ellipta good to start with. I hardly had to use a rescue puffer. However, months on, I am finding Breo ineffective. I am having to rely on rescue puffers to control my asthma and mucus production."
"I took Breo for 5 months, and it worked. I did not have to take my fast-acting inhaler while on it and felt like I could breathe better than ever, which made me so happy, for I have had asthma for most of my life. However, the side effects were terrible. I didn't notice until they got worse. I would randomly get terrible headaches, joint pain, a runny nose, a sore/raspy throat. I also had crazy mood changes and didn't feel like myself. So many more side effects. I'm off it now, and my lungs feel like garbage now, and I'm having more severe back pain. Honestly, if medicine can cause this... how is it good?"
"For me, the medication doesn't last me the whole day, so having it once a day is not great. The biggest negative side effect for me, to the point I'm now seeking a different asthma med, is that no matter how much I rinse my mouth or gargle or saltwater rinse and gargle, I'm left with a buildup of white, thick, and pasty residue on the back of my throat where it feels like I constantly have hair sitting in the back of my mouth like a big fur ball... It's not thrush, as I have been back to my GP... horrible."
"Breo is an awesome product. Terrible way to inhale it. Most of it ends up in your mouth. I don't know how people with COPD or older people are expected to use this. It requires a great deal of lung power to just inhale it. Does not last for 24 hours. Someone said it lasts for about 14 hours, and they are correct."
"Shocked after reading the comments. I have mild asthma. Been taking this for 18 days, and although my breathing is much better, my life is miserable. I have no energy, I'm bloating, my vision is blurred, and I'm constantly hungry. I'm stopping taking it today!!"
"I have been taking Breo 100/25 for 4 years now for exercise-induced bronchospasm related to asthma inherited from my mother. The once-daily dosing is perfect for my active lifestyle. I have not had any side effects! At 60 years old, I can be as active as I want to."
"Works great if you can actually get it into your lungs, but the delivery system is garbage, most of it was in my throat. Yes, I followed the instructions to the letter. Caused some headaches and fast heart rate for a short time. It should come in puffer and nebulizer form."
"COPD, asthma. Use of Breo 1x, I ended up in ER. Breo opened airways well, but hours after 1st use is when my 3 hr long ordeal began. With no warning, I began shaking, having SOB, chest pain, sweating, headache, my blood pressure jumped to 200/120. I literally felt like I was dying. It was like I drank 5 pots of caffeine that all kicked in at once. My heart was pounding, racing, and it was hard to breathe. Took nitro before going to ER, which lowered the high blood pressure some, but didn't stop the rest. ER tests negative for it being a heart attack, major respiratory problem, a stroke, a nervous breakdown, impeding death-(lol, which I swear is what it literally felt like at the time), or anything other than a very bad reaction to Breo. Back home, had muscle spasms in my legs. I feel horrible still today, totally drained of energy, hurt all over from the traumatic experience my body went through last night, but I'm still much better than I was last night. I won't take Breo again, EVER."
"Breo stopped my asthma. But... I was never able to clear my throat (yes, I rinsed and gargled). For two weeks, I had a horrible pain in my neck that made my head feel too heavy for my neck. I don't know if it was coincidence or not, but the only thing that fixed the pain in my neck was going off Breo."
"I was changed to Breo almost 3 months ago, after being on Advair 100/50 for 14 years. My Dr. changed it because he felt that Breo would be less steroid in my body. Well, 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it.' My breathing got worse, and it is a struggle to take a deep breath. I had to use my rescue inhaler 2-3 times a day this past month, when with Advair, I'd only use it 1-2 times a year. I constantly felt like someone was choking me, or that my lungs wouldn't inflate fully, and I'd have heart palpitations when I'd lay down, which would wake me from sleep. A recent CT scan showed bibasilar atelectasis, whereas another done prior to Breo this year didn't show that finding. I started back on my Advair today. I hope it still works for me now."
"My pulmonologist said I should try Breo rather than using a rescue and steroid inhaler. The first day I felt great, but after 8 hrs, I went into shock and got a ride to the ER. I thought I would try it again to make sure it was the drug, and sure enough, it happened again. After stopping Breo after two times, it caused severe problems that continued for a week but seem to be resolving."
