If you are switching (or have recently switched) from an oral corticosteroid such as budesonide, betamethasone, dexamethasone, methylprednisolone, prednisolone, or prednisone to budesonide inhalation and suffer an injury, infection, or a severe asthma attack, take a full dose of the oral corticosteroid (even if you have been gradually decreasing the dose) and call your doctor for more directions.
Always carry an identification card that says you may need supplementary doses of an oral corticosteroid during periods of stress (injuries, infections, and severe asthma attacks). Ask your pharmacist or doctor how to get this card. List your name, medical problems, drugs and dosages, and doctor's name and telephone number on the card. Include the name of the oral corticosteroid and the full dose you took before decreasing it.
Budesonide is used to prevent wheezing, shortness of breath, and troubled breathing caused by severe asthma and other lung diseases. It belongs to a class of drugs called corticosteroids.
This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Budesonide comes as a powder to inhale by mouth. Budesonide is usually inhaled once or twice a day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Use budesonide exactly as directed. Do not use more or less of it or use it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
Budesonide controls symptoms of asthma and other lung diseases but does not cure them. Improvement in your asthma may occur as soon as 24 hours after taking the medication, but full effects may not be seen for 1 to 2 weeks after taking it regularly. Continue to use budesonide even if you feel well. Do not stop using budesonide without talking to your doctor. Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve during the first 2 weeks or if they get worse.
Do not use budesonide for rapid relief of asthma attacks. If you do not have another inhaler for prompt relief of breathing difficulties, ask your doctor to prescribe one. If your doctor has prescribed a bronchodilator (a drug to be inhaled for rapid relief of difficult breathing such as albuterol [Proventil, Ventolin]), use it several minutes before you use your budesonide. This helps the budesonide get into the deeper parts of your lungs. Call your doctor immediately if your asthma is not responding to usual treatment.
Before you use budesonide the first time, read the written directions that come with it. Ask your doctor, pharmacist, or respiratory therapist to show you the right way to use the inhaler. Practice using the inhaler in front of him or her, so you are sure you are doing it the right way.
To use the inhaler, follow these steps:
Keep the inhaler clean and dry at all times. Do not bite or chew the mouthpiece. Do not use Pulmicort Turbuhaler with a spacer.
Before using budesonide inhalation powder,
Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.
Budesonide may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:
If you have been switched from oral corticosteroids to budesonide and are slowly tapering off your dose of the oral medication and you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:
If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at Web Site] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].
Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed. Talk to your pharmacist about the proper disposal of your medication.
Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory.
If your sputum (the stuff that you cough up during an asthma attack) thickens or changes color from clear white to yellow, green, or gray, call your doctor; these may be signs of an infection.
Only a small amount of the budesonide powder is released into your lungs when you inhale. Therefore, you may not taste or sense the presence of any medication, but the medication will be working in your lungs.
When there are 20 doses left in the budesonide inhaler, a red mark will appear in the indicator window. This is the time to get your budesonide inhaler refilled. When the red mark reaches the bottom of the window, your inhaler is empty. Discard it. (You may still hear a sound if you shake it; this sound is not the medication. It is the drying agent inside the inhaler.)
Breathing or inhalation devices require regular cleaning. Follow the written directions for care and cleaning that comes with the inhaler.
Do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.
It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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