qvar 010

As I mentioned a while back, at the recommendation of Dr Wenzel at the University of Pittsburgh, I decided to do a 3 month trial of Qvar brand ( beclomethasone) . I’m hoping that adding Qvar to my treatment regimen will have a positive effect on my breathing by reducing the number of flare-ups I experience, and ultimately allow me to reduce my prednisone intake.

There are tons of inhaled steroid preparations on the market, so why an older product like Qvar? Well, the manufacturer claims that it’s steroid formulation has a smaller particle size than the others. This means better deposition into the lungs where my airway inflammation is thought to be occurring. In other words, the drug gets down deeper where it needs to be.
Why the claim of smaller particle size doesn’t seem to hold true for the generic forms is still quite debatable, but perhaps it has something to do with the way the drug is manufactured. Regardless, I think it’s worth the time and the few extra dollars if it will help me breath even a little bit better.

I started the trial 7 days ago with a dose of 2 puffs ( 80mg strength) twice a day, along with my regular dose of Advair 550/50 , 1 puff twice a day and my 15 mg daily maintenance dose prednisone.
Anything to reduce my dependency on the evil candy would certainly be welcome. Inhaled steroids carry some side effects as well, but nothing like prednisone. I’ll try to do monthly updates on how it’s going.

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16 thoughts on “Qvar trial underway.

  1. kerri says:

    I hope you have good results with this one, Steve!

  2. Olive says:

    hey stephen,
    hope your keeping well. I used to take qvar because of the effects it is meant to ahve on the small airways. As you said the manufactiuer says it has smaller particles which get deeper into the lungs. I was a fan of it when I was first started on it but then as things got worse and my upper airways were more eefected it was decided to stop it as I am already taking seretide (advair i think) so the drs decided the qvar was probably not nessessary on top. But there is a plan in the pipeline to go back on it once i get of the steriod nebilusers.

    I hope it works for you.

    All the best

    Olive

  3. Natasha says:

    Interesting, my Dutch doctor, who I saw for the first time for asthma recently (having had a couple good years since I've been under the Dutch healthcare system, the last time I saw a doc for it was in the UK) looked at me like I came out of the middle ages when he saw that I was on beclomethasone šŸ™‚

    Will keep my fingers crossed that it works out for you.

  4. Elisheva says:

    Really? QVAR's old? It just got introduced in Israel this year. I even went to a convention on it and got free food and free stuff. Gotta love free food and free stuff šŸ˜›

    1. Yea, it's been around in the US for at least 15 years.

  5. Amy says:

    This makes me wonder why the manufacturers of other inhaled steroids aren't trying to make their particles smaller–although maybe they are? Or maybe it's impossible with the other formulations.

    I'm interested to see if Qvar will have any affect on your lung health–I sure hope it does, of course.

    1. Hi Amy, Thanks! I wonder about that too.

  6. Joey says:

    Hey Stephen,
    I hope that this does wonders for you! I currently take Mometasone as an inhaled steriod, four puffs twice a day, and that seems to do something for me. Good Luck and keep us updated on your progress!

  7. Rick Frea says:

    So you'll be taking both Qvar and Advair? I suppose it makes sense based on what you describe here. I haven't heard of this and am interested in reading about it. Hope your hardluck asthma gets better soon.

    1. Hi Rick, Yeah, Im taking both.

  8. Caranina says:

    O have been on Advair HFA our Discus for abo ut nine years and it works great for me!! I recently moved and got a new doctor, and he said “long term use of Advair is dangerous” and he put me on Proventil and Qvar. I tried this for about a week…the dose was just ONE puff of 80 mcg Qvar day and night. He also gave me Albuterol and Ipatroprium Bromide for my nebulizer, I do have one, but with Advair I almost NEVER had to use it! So anyway, after a few days away from my Advair my lungs felt LOCKED down, I could hardly breathe, and I just hated it! So since I still have some Advair, I’ve been using it, but don’t go back to this doc til October. I wish I hadn’t moved, because I need my Advair!! šŸ™ Qvar does NOTHING for me šŸ™

    1. Stephen says:

      Many Pulmonologists favor Qvar over other inhaler steroids, many because of the purported smaller particle size and also because it contains only a single medication.

      Ive never heard that Advair is dangerous when used as directed. Ive been on it for 15 years without any problems. Advair of course contains both a steroid and LABD. Long acting bronchodilators can be potentially dangerous if you take too much, so maybe that’s why your doc switched you. Bottom line, you should use what works for you.

  9. Linda Smith says:

    Please put me in this free study

    1. What free study are you referring to?

    2. If you’re referring to the Qvar, this was not a public study. Just a trial for myself.

  10. Bernie Mac says:

    I have a question Iā€™m doctor gave qvar before and had serious anxiety attack and nervous

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