Budesonide / formoterol for Asthma, Maintenance User Reviews (Page 5)

• Banzo
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 22, 2020

Symbicort (budesonide / formoterol) "My asthma was terribly controlled. I was taking flixotide as a preventive but was using 1 ventolin inhaler up per month as I was getting wheezy and short of breath often. Since on Symbicort 400/12 I have probably reached for my ventolin twice over the past 2 months. I cannot believe the difference, I don’t have anxiety if I leave the house forgetting my ventolin. Working great for me."

• Jeanne
• November 2, 2008

Symbicort (budesonide / formoterol) "I had been using my fast acting inhaler up to 4 times daily, that is before I started using Symbicort. Shortly after using Symbicort for the first time, I noticed the pain in my chest was finally gone. No more painful inflammation in my lungs. I'm no longer producing that crappy mucus, and I have not had an asthma attack in the 6 months that I have been using Symbicort. The only real side effect I have experienced was the sensation of my own heartbeat when using it for the first time, and sometimes I get a head rush when I take it. Other than that, I'm happy to have my life back. I can finally go to bed knowing I can sleep through the night without the fear of waking to an attack. I love this stuff."

• Angie
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 22, 2023

Symbicort (budesonide / formoterol) "I have had mild asthma in damp cold weather most of my life. I was prescribed Symbicort after a bout of pneumonia caused my asthma to spiral out of control. I have used this for over four years now. It worked to clear the inflammation so I stopped wheezing. However, I began to experience a few silent attacks of asthma when stressed out. These caused lung pain on one side and tightening of bronchial tubes. I developed a moon face and water weight gain. I had thoughts of dying every day, fatigue, dry skin, yeast infection, thrush, of mouth, and cataracts at 54 ( removed at 59). I asked for a lower dose but the doctor would not do that. This past year I started having ankle swelling at joints and pain in my big toe. It increased so I could not walk at times. It was diagnosed as high uric acid which leads to several health conditions. These are all side effects of using this drug. Yes, it stopped the night dry coughing and wheezing but the side effects became too much to bear. I tapered off the inhaler three times until I am off this drug."

• Riley
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 29, 2018

Symbicort (budesonide / formoterol) "I find Symbicort quite effective for keeping away flare-ups when I use it consistently. I used to only take it once my symptoms were already bad and it did nothing to help me then, but now in my teens I’ve remembered to take it every day for the last year or two. 1 puff in the morning and 1 in the evening. When I notice yellow symptoms I increased to 2 morning/2 evening and then the flare-up lasts about a week instead of 3 or 4. Exercise and cold are my major triggers. I don’t really notice any side effects, but it seems like they’re pretty common. That plus the cost makes me interested in something different."

• Emano
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 12, 2020

Symbicort (budesonide / formoterol) "I have been on symbicort for about 6 months. It does help to keep my asthma under control (I still have to use my inhaler and nebulizer when using symbicort, but I suppose everyone's situation is different) but I have had many side effects. It makes my throat hurt terribly, it is difficult to speak and I cannot sing (I'm a musician) when I take it even half as much as I am prescribed to. It also has greatly affected my mood and mental state. I am prone to depression and this has made my bouts of depression amplified and last longer than I have ever experienced. I also read that osteoporosis is a side effect so I have stopped taking it. I am using my nebulizer a lot until I find another way to keep my breathing under control. It is also REALLY expensive. Over $300 without insurance."

• Alan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 16, 2022

Symbicort (budesonide / formoterol) "Symbicort by AstraZeneca did absolutely nothing to relieve my asthma. For $40! (Australian Dollars) I used twice a day for over 2 months as prescribed. I went back to my $7 Ventolin inhaler and was relieved instantly. Useless very expensive drug in my experience."

• Chris...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 4, 2018

Symbicort (budesonide / formoterol) "I was prescribed this to help control eosinophilic pneumonia while tapering off of Prednisone. It it can be hard to tell if you have even loaded a dose in the inhalation chamber. The powder is fairly chalky and definitely needs to be rinsed after inhaling. That said, I never noticed any side-effects from this medication but it did nothing to suppress the inflammation in my lungs. Twice, I had needed to return to Prednisone before stopping with the Symbicort all together."

• The...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 4, 2020

Symbicort (budesonide / formoterol) "I'm one of these people who, if there are side effects, I get them in spades. This is true for Symbicort as well. Sure, I can breathe. But the side effects are absolutely not worth it. Unbearably itchy skin. Headaches like migraines. Constipation, then diarrhea. Belching and bloating. Problems urinating. Weight gain. And the clincher? Vaginal bleeding, when I went through menopause 6 years ago. Not a good choice for me. Calling my doctor's office first thing tomorrow."

• breezee
• October 16, 2008

Symbicort (budesonide / formoterol) "I started using Symbicort and after the very first dose I noticed I didn't have any breathing problems. Before Symbicort, I was using my albuterol inhaler 4 times per day. After Symbicort, I have not used it, although I carry it for emergencies. "

• Strip...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 23, 2022

Symbicort (budesonide / formoterol) "I have been using this for a couple of weeks and decided today that I cannot take it any more - it has caused headaches, bloating, and, worst of all, severe depression. I am a long-term depressive anyway and I take anti-depressants, but this med has sent me back into a state where I cry uncontrollably for no clear reason and cannot concentrate on my work. I was taking two puffs of 400mg per day. This morning I did not take it and during the day I had to use my Ventolin four times. This is not great but I'm just not prepared to poison myself with Symbicort any more. E mailed the manufacturer - nothing back. E mailed the doctor - still waiting for an answer. Very upset by this whole thing. Going back to Innovair. It's not that effective for me but I can't be doing with this."

• Learn...
• December 23, 2017

Symbicort (budesonide / formoterol) "Symbicort. This medicine helped me breath better and I can do things daily normally but I can't smell anything. Finally I decided to quit using this symbycort by eating healthy vegetables (add more vegetables in your meal) you will be okay."

• Darcy...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 12, 2022

Symbicort (budesonide / formoterol) "I have had asthma since I was a kid and went into adulthood never finding a drug that worked for me. Then in my 30’s I was prescribed Symbicort. Unless I’m sick it works great. Usually just one puff at night. I rarely need my blue puffer. One negative.. if I go without it for a couple days (not noticing the cartridge is empty) I get very tired and moody. I hate that I depend on it but it’s been a godsend."

• Kim
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 12, 2022

Symbicort (budesonide / formoterol) "Thank you all for your reviews! I’m 62 and have had asthma most of my life, as I age, it’s getting worse. It’s been about three or four weeks of me being on Symbicort 160 and I have been miserable ever since! I had no idea until seeing your post that Symbicort is the culprit of all of my angst! I have excruciating muscle spasms, constant running nose, annoying/constant clearing of my throat, horrible dry mouth/bad breath - I could go on and on! Over the last week I have eliminated several other non-important medication’s from my daily routine trying to single out which is causing me all these problems, I am now down to two Symbicort being one of them and since this is the newest of the two I will not be taking this medication ever again effective immediately! Again thank you all for your honesty and for helping me make this decision. I may go back to Advair and see if that will help with my asthma maintenance."

• Disgr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 15, 2020

Symbicort (budesonide / formoterol) "I was prescribed this inhaler for maintenance of my asthma. However, the mechanism didn't work - it was faulty. Also, the cover was nearly impossible to get off. Considering the price of it, I was so disgusted that I took it back. I would strongly recommend other alternatives."

• Hans
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 25, 2022

Symbicort (budesonide / formoterol) "I am 72 years of age and my asthma has gotten much worse in the last few years. Without the Symbicort 160/4.5 I would be in and out of the hospital constantly I believe! Two puffs twice a day controls it quite well. It keeps my breathing fairly decent and lessens the chest pain and coughing. When inhaling it I hold it in as long as I can. It has greatly improved my quality of life!"

• Thank...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 27, 2022

Symbicort (budesonide / formoterol) "After developing breathing problems about five or six years ago (wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness), I was diagnosed as having asthma last year and was prescribed Symbicort. Since my first dosage of it, I have not had to use a rescue inhaler and I feel completely "normal" again. Before going on Symbicort, I never went anywhere without having my rescue inhaler nearby. Even during the night I would have to take it. My doctor told me to take two puffs twice a day of Symbicort, but because I'm afraid of getting some of the many symptoms that many have mentioned and that are listed on the packaging, I often take just one dose twice a day unless I start to feel any congestion etc. and then I go back to using it twice a day for a week or so. I wasn't sure if I should be reducing the dosage, but so far I am thrilled with Symbicort. It has totally transformed my life. As yet, I thankfully have not experienced any negative reactions from it."

• Anthony
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 24, 2022

Symbicort (budesonide / formoterol) "Best inhaler I’ve used. My asthma was gone after a year on QVar 7 years ago and came back hard, 18 months ago with covid. Used my albuterol inhaler 2-4 times a day and was like breathing through a straw on hikes. I’ve been on symbicort a week. Have not used my albuterol inhaler once in that time. 11 mile hike was a breeze. Plenty of clear phlegm that I have to spit out, but I’m finally getting my lungs cleared out. I was jittery the first 24 hours and that subsided. Slightly horse voice here and there also. But I can fully breathe again!!!!"

• Jessy
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 26, 2021

Symbicort (budesonide / formoterol) "So I was put on symbicort and taken off seretide due to having pneumonia, pleurisy and chest infections in the space of two months. This drug is by far the worst experience I’ve had! It made my asthma 10X worse, my hands and feet swelled, it made me feel really tired and aches all over my body, my skin began to peel off and even my toenails started to randomly fall off! had all the tests needed to confirm it wasn’t anything else. My doctor has now took me off this drug and put me back on seretide. I feel so much better and can actually breathe! I personally didn’t have a great experience but we all react differently."

• Mary
• February 24, 2022

Symbicort (budesonide / formoterol) "I’ve been on symbicort for a little over a year for asthma. It has helped me tremendously, but have had side effects . Muscle spasms and some sinus issues. I’ve also noticed that it doesn’t work as well when it gets down to the last 15-20 inhalations. Asthma symptoms return at the end of the life of the symbicort inhaler. Changing my diet and drinking a ton of water has helped with muscle spasms."

• NiNi
• August 26, 2021

Symbicort (budesonide / formoterol) "I took this medication ONE time before I went to sleep. I woke up having an asthma attack! It felt like my chest was caving in, and I was drawing mucus from my lungs. Thank goodness I had a rescue inhaler. I won’t be taking Symbicort anymore."

• Babs
• November 18, 2021

Symbicort (budesonide / formoterol) "I was prescribed symbicort 160 for mild asthma 2 years ago. The first time I took it (2 doses), my heart started beating so fast and I started shaking, a LOT. It was awful. The doctor told me to reduce to dose to one puff, but it still made me jittery and shaky. I tried to live with it for a while because it made my asthma a lot better, and the coughing stopped completely, but eventually got sick of it and stopped. I tried to take it again recently because my asthma is acting up again, but the feeling is just awful. I also have a dry mouth, and I feel anxious and irritable."

• indy
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 9, 2022

Symbicort (budesonide / formoterol) "I've had asthma my whole life. And have tried lots of different Medications for it. Symbicort by far has been the best I've tried. Before I tried Symbicort I was on the max dose of advair. And I had to use my rescue inhaler at least once a day. After 4 days of being on Symbicort, it controlled my asthma to the point where I only had to use my rescue inhaler MAYBE once a month."

• Retiree
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 19, 2021

Symbicort (budesonide / formoterol) "I suffer from asthma and have had a chronic cough since coming down with Bronchitis over a year ago. I'm in my second week of using the Symbicort 200 Turbohaler, and WOW! What a difference. I hardly ever cough now, and certainly not to the intensity that I did before. I have no side effects except a very minor sore throat for a few minutes after taking it. This medicine is a Godsend."

• Steve
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 24, 2021

Symbicort (budesonide / formoterol) "This med works great! I was previously taking Arnuity Ellipta (inhaled steroid only) and Singulair. Now I just take one maintenance med, Symbicort. I barely ever use my rescue inhaler as long as I remember to take Symbicort as prescribed."

• CLAWZ
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 21, 2021

Symbicort (budesonide / formoterol) "I was given Symbicort as a sample by my doctor. The first time I used it, it made me cough some. The second time I literally coughed and hacked for 4 1/2 hours straight while at work! Needless to say, I threw it away. Thank goodness I didn't pay anything for it. I'm sure most people wouldn't be affected this way, but it was not a good experience for me."