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My endocrinologist is concerned that I use a corticosteroid inhaler and that it may be contributing to my severe osteoporosis. My general doctor says I must take the corticosteroids to maintain and not cause further lung damage. I now use the inhaler only when things get really bad with asthma, and not every day. Any one else with this conflict of medical opinion?
I too have osteoporosis. I found out a year ago and I have used Advair for about 6 years. I plan on making an appt with my asthma dr. to see if I can go on something else. The Advair has helped me keep my breathing fairly good. I use my inhaler perhaps once a month, depending on what is in the air. I do not want to keep using something that is adding to my osteo problems. I hope this can be resolved.
Hi Stirtun. I can't imagine using an inhaler only once a month as causing a problem with the bones.
I just saw my allergist who says I must continue to use the Advair to prevent permanent lung damage from asthma. He also said that lung or any chronic inflammation in the body can cause osteoporosis. So I am using the Advair daily once again and the asthma is again under control. He spent a lot of time explaining that inhaled corticosteroids do not enter the blood stream as other forms of steroids do. But I am still very confused by the differences in medical opinion with the endocrinologist saying the cortesteriod inhalers are very bad for osteoporosis. I am due for a lung test soon. After the tests I will explore different treatments with the allergist.
I would love to hear if you found out more. I am now on twice daily dosege of inhaled corticosteroids. My mother (COPD) had osteoporosis and sister (Asthma) has it now too. They both took/are taking prednisone and inhaled corticosteroids twice daily. I will be seeing my doctor in a month but if I need to do something in the meantime, I want to be proactive about it.
basically it comes down to which is more dangerous. ..and if a doctor hasn't had training in asthma they may not realize that asthma isn't just not breathing easily..Un and undertreated asthma is the main cause of the 5000+ deaths every year from asthma, as well as the 6000+that have asthma listed as a contributing causes.
So yes inhaled steroids can contribute to osteoporosis. But inhaled steroids save lives and help keep scarring and airway remodeling from occuring (which leads to COPD and possibly lung cancer).
I have the same problem - asthma and osteoporosis. Have taken a lot of inhaled steroids in my life (and quite a lot of oral steroids too) which seems to be the cause of the osteoporosis. It is quite a dilemma. I try to keep the inhaled steroids to a minimum and use my ventolin instead. It's a tricky line to tread. Don't believe any doc who tells you inhaled steroids don't contribute to osteoporosis - there's plenty of stuff on the net to say different.
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