What happens if i stop taking symbicort

The FDA recommends that Symbicort be used cautiously with these drugs, including:. Taking Symbicort with other drugs that contain steroids, such as fluticasone, may also increase the risk of corticosteroid side effects. All medicines may cause side effects, but medications like Symbicort involve weighing possible side effects against the benefits of taking the drug. Fortunately, there are ways to avoid or minimize side effects:. The benefits of taking Symbicort are maximized by taking the drug as prescribed: usually, two inhalations twice daily, once in the morning and once at night.

Be careful not to overdo it. Taking too much Symbicort raises the risk of side effects from both medications—and those side effects can be serious. Seek medical advice if you notice side effects typical of overuse or overdose. A healthcare professional may help you develop a strategy to take the medicine correctly. Unlike many other medications, a missed dose of Symbicort should not be taken when remembered. Symbicort works in the body for around 12 hours at a time. If a dose is missed, then wait and take the next dose on schedule.

Taking a Symbicort dose too soon may increase the risk of side effects. The actuation counter on the Symbicort inhaler will help you keep track of all the doses you take. It primarily serves as a reminder for a new prescription. The inhaler contains enough doses for 30 days, that is, puffs, and counts down to zero with each puff.

To avoid missing a dose or accidentally taking extra doses, a medication diary, wall calendar, or smartphone app can help accurately track daily doses. Schedule doses for major events in the day, such as right before breakfast or right after dinner. Or set an alarm on a clock, phone, tablet, or smartwatch to go off when a dose needs to be taken.

Unfortunately, Symbicort may not be the right medication for everyone. To avoid possible side effects, share with the prescribing doctor a complete history of medical conditions past and present, especially:. The doctor should also know about pregnancy or breastfeeding, including plans to become pregnant or nurse an infant.

Neither may necessarily rule out Symbicort, but the doctor will review the risks with a patient before prescribing or continuing the medication. This list should include any over-the-counter drugs, dietary supplements, and herbal remedies that are taken either regularly or occasionally. Keep this list handy and ready to share with any doctor, pharmacist, or healthcare provider.

Make sure that the prescribing doctor is familiar with all the medications and supplements being taken before Symbicort is prescribed. Symbicort is not a rescue inhaler. Instead, Symbicort is a maintenance inhaler used for the long-term control of asthma and COPD symptoms. Also, asthma symptoms such as wheezing can worsen right after taking Symbicort.

Keep a rescue inhaler handy in case of unexpected wheezing right after inhaling Symbicort. The use of Symbicort may increase the risk of glaucoma and cataracts.

Even if your vision is great, schedule regular eye exams to catch problems with eye fluid pressure before they become too serious.

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Throat irritation Thrush in the mouth and throat Lower respiratory tract infections, mostly infections and inflammation of mucous membranes of bronchial tube airways bronchitis. Inflammation of the inner linings mucous membranes in the sinuses sinusitis Upper respiratory tract infection. Important things to tell your doctor. About COPD. Symbicort turbohaler contains two active ingredients, a corticosteroid called budesonide and a bronchodilator called formoterol fumarate.

Corticosteroids are hormones that are produced naturally by the adrenal glands. They have many important functions, including control of inflammatory responses. Budesonide is a man-made derivative of the natural hormones and is used to decrease inflammation in the lungs. Corticosteroids are often simply called steroids, but note they are not the same as anabolic steroids, which are abused by some athletes and body builders. When you breathe in budesonide it's absorbed into the cells of the lungs and airways.

It stops these cells from releasing chemicals that normally cause immune and allergic responses resulting in inflammation. By stopping these chemicals being released, budesonide reduces the inflammation in the lungs that tightens the airways and makes it difficult for air to get in and out.

Budesonide helps prevent asthma attacks and shortness of breath. Inhaling these medicines allows them to act directly in the lungs where they are needed. Formoterol is a type of medicine called a long-acting beta 2 agonist or bronchodilator. It works by stimulating receptors in the lungs called beta 2 receptors, which causes the muscles in the airways to relax and allows the airways to open, making it easier to breathe. Formoterol starts to work in one to three minutes and its effects last for about 12 hours.

It also reduces the potential for side effects in other parts of the body, as the amount absorbed into the blood through the lungs is lower than if the medicines are taken by mouth. You should use your Symbicort inhaler regularly every day.

Always follow the instructions given by your doctor regarding how often to use Symbicort and how many puffs to take each time. This depends on how severe your asthma or COPD is, your age and if you're using Symbicort just as maintenance therapy, or as maintenance and reliever therapy smart. Don't suddenly stop using Symbicort, even if you don't currently have any symptoms, unless your doctor tells you otherwise.

This is because stopping maintenance treatment is likely to make your breathing problems come back. Make sure you read the information leaflet provided with your turbohaler, as this will give detailed instructions on how to use and look after your inhaler.

With Symbicort turbohaler, when you need to take a dose you simply breathe in through the mouthpiece of the turbohaler and a dose of the medicine will follow the inhaled air into the lungs. You may not taste or feel the medication. You can get more advice from your doctor, asthma nurse or pharmacist on using the turbohaler. This minimises the risk of developing a fungal infection in the mouth called oral thrush, which can sometimes be associated with inhaled corticosteroids.

Consult your doctor if you develop white patches in your mouth or throat, as these are symptoms of thrush. If you've been prescribed Symbicort turbohaler as maintenance and reliever therapy for asthma, make sure you carry it with you at all times in case you need to use it to relieve an asthma attack. If you've been prescribed a separate reliever inhaler eg salbutamol , make sure you carry that with you at all times to relieve shortness of breath if needed.

If you need to use your reliever medicine more often either your separate reliever inhaler, or your Symbicort turbohaler , or if it gets less effective at relieving shortness of breath or wheezing, you should see your doctor as soon as possible because you may be having a flare-up of your asthma or COPD, or it may be getting worse.

Don't exceed the dose of Symbicort that your doctor has prescribed. Inhalers may cause an unexpected increase in wheezing and difficulty breathing paradoxical bronchospasm straight after using them.