Budesonide / formoterol for Asthma, Maintenance User Reviews

• vic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 26, 2023

"Breyna says it's the same as Symbicort even though it eliminated glycopyrrolate which is in Symbicort. I have used Symbicort for years, then was using Budesonide & Formoterol. I find the atomizer for Breyna is harder to use, it's not a powerful puff, it's cheaply made and sometimes clogs, so I will continue to order the previous inhaler for as long as possible."

• NEG...
• July 26, 2019

"I’ve had asthma my entire life. It went away while I was a teenager, but crept back into my life in my 20s. Then it got even worse when I moved to a city. None of my medicines were working (albuterol, albuterol sulfate, breo...). I developed really bad anxiety and would have panic attacks because I couldn’t breathe. My chest felt tired and hurt from always struggling to breathe. Basically, my asthma led to other health issues. When I tried Symbicort, my asthma symptoms decreased by 80% after the first use. It’s now been a week of continued use, and I can breathe normally. I almost forgot what that felt like. Symbicort has improved my quality of life in so many ways."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 22, 2024

"I have used Symbicort with great results for years. My insurance requested the change to Breyna. I noticed a decrease in function on day one, and after three weeks, I had tightness in my chest and difficulty breathing all day. I switched back to Symbicort, and my symptoms receded. I know the active ingredients are the same, but their efficacy is not the same. There could be differences in manufacturing, quality control, storage and handling, or even with the choice of propellants or inert ingredients. I also agree with the previous review that the puffer device appears to be of cheaper quality, is difficult to use, and it is difficult to tell if you have actually received a full puff of medication. I hope this review helps clinicians and insurance carriers choose Symbicort over Breyna or possibly helps Breyna improve their product and delivery device - although, I won't hold my breath on that."

• Gob...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 9, 2020

"After reading all of your blogs, I thought that I should give you all of the symptoms that I had. First: intestinal bleeding, vaginal bleeding (with no uterus), sinus bleeding, skin bruising, skin peeling off causing extensive bleeding, torn Achilles, screaming leg cramps, loss of muscle tone, osteoporosis (loss of 3” in height). Bloating, diarrhea, constipation, eye issues, depression, anxiety, heart palpitations...I’m sure there are others that I have overlooked. Wouldn’t be my first choice or my last choice...stay away from this drug!"

• Lil...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 23, 2020

"I’ve had asthma since I was a little kid. I’ve been on Symbicort for at least 20 years. I’m 35 now. It has been a godsend. As long as you remember to take it every morning and night, it works. I hardly ever need my rescue inhaler. To be honest, as long as I remember to take it, I forget I even have asthma sometimes. But if I forget, the symptoms come back pretty quick. The only side effects I notice are I have to clear my throat a lot, and you need to remember to wash your mouth out every time or you’ll get thrush. But that only happens once or twice, and you’ll never forget again! Definitely worth a try, it’s a lifesaver for me."

• Bre...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 16, 2024

"I'm 41, been on albuterol rescue inhaler every day of my life uncontrolled & I am leaving this review because the only 2 reviews for Breyna are negative. This is the first time in my life I have gone 3 whole days without the need to use an albuterol rescue inhaler. It started working within 10 minutes & the first 2 days I only took 2 puffs in the morning ONLY! For me, so far I LOVE Breyna & do not have any side effects. I will be monitoring my asthma & will update soon. Works perfectly for me!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 14, 2019

"Loved how it worked the first week or two, but then developed bad chest pain, racing heart, jitteriness, muscle spasms, fatigue, dry mouth, pain urinating - being switched to another inhaler, without formoterol."

• Jes...
• February 24, 2021

"I am 27 and have mild to moderate asthma along with GERD and a couple SVT attacks a year. My asthma has been getting worse over the past couple of years. I tried Symbicort for maintenance. I didn't see a difference in the first few weeks. Suddenly I had such severe reflux I could not eat, and diet adjustments did not help. I had terrible palpitations, hundreds a day. For weeks I suffered and my gastro had no idea what was happening. I tried muscle relaxants in case of a GI spasm. After many failed attempts to figure out what's wrong, I stopped taking Symbicort daily and everything resolved quickly. Never, ever, ever again will I touch this horrible medication."

• Emm...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 25, 2019

"In January of this year, I caught an upper respiratory infection, which caused chest tightness. I visited my allergist, who put me on Symbicort 180 - 2 puffs morning and night. I used it for only 5 days and only once a day for the last 3 days. I developed laryngospasm (thought I was suffocating), dysphonia, pharyngitis, and dysphasia. I stopped using it two weeks ago. I just saw an ENT who diagnosed (I believe misdiagnosed) me with laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) and presbylarynx. She prescribed ZANTAC and Prilosec for LPR and is sending me to a speech therapist for my vocal issues. I had NONE of these symptoms prior to using Symbicort two weeks ago. I will see the speech therapist but refuse to take either a Proton Pump inhibitor or an H2 blocker as I do not have LPR, I have throat damage from using Symbicort. Symbicort is a dangerous, harmful drug that should be taken off the market. There is nothing more evil than big pharma."

• bal...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 22, 2019

"Awful! Switched from Advair because of insurance, and I have been sick for 3 months. After labs and tests, etc., I keep getting told it's probably something lingering viral. Headaches, numbness, severe fatigue, pain, etc. Finally, after reading all the reviews and side effects, I realized this was causing my problems. I decided to come off it and pay full price for Advair. Starting to feel better and hope this horrible drug leaves my system soon and didn't cause permanent damage."

• Cod...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 10, 2019

"Prescribed when I had a respiratory infection... great! BUT I couldn’t get off it... prior to this I might have used my ProAir inhaler twice a week, mainly when I was exposed to mold or very furry dogs. Since being on Symbicort I have lost 2 1/2 inches in height... bloating, vaginal bleeding, depression, anxiety, rash, peripheral neuropathy, Achilles’ tendon tear, muscle weakness, bruising, easy bleeding, tears of the skin (thinning of the skin). I was 69 when I was put on the drug, so all of these symptoms were due to “aging”... don’t think so, as I didn’t have any of these problems prior to Symbicort. The most insidious part is that it attacks your muscles, weakens them and you need your “core” muscles to breathe... polio attacked muscles... they developed the iron lung to allow people to breathe. After being off this drug for one week, I can feel my diaphragm again. Still working on total “back to normal”"

• 713...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 17, 2019

"I have been using Symbicort for a couple of years. I have lost my sense of smell, my nose runs, and I talk like I have had a stroke. I stopped using it 4 days ago. I don't feel any worse, but I know it takes a couple of weeks to get out of your system, so I will see what happens."

• Wol...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 2, 2020

"Been on Symbicort approx 3 weeks. Prior med was Asthmaex plus rescue inhaler. I'm stunned. I have not used my rescue inhaler since starting Symbicort. I don't feel like the same person. I am active again. I feel like myself for the first time in over a year. Not experiencing negative side effects. Thankful."

• Tom...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 17, 2013

"I have had asthma for all 28 years of my life. I used to use my Albuterol inhaler no less than four times a day for over six years. My life was miserable. After many failed maintenance meds, my doctor gave me Symbicort. It's like being in a totally different life. I use my emergency inhaler so infrequently that I forget where it is all the time as I used to sleep with it in my hand... All night. Thank you, Symbicort, and a big old shout out to my doc. Thank you for giving me my life back."

• See...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 9, 2019

"I’ve had asthma for most of my life and tried many different medications. This one has been one of the worst. I tried both the Turbohaler and the Rapihaler over a period of 3-4 months and found both gave me headaches, muscle aches, nausea, a loud heartbeat, broken sleep, increased anxiety, and some depression. I’ve had success with Pulmicort, so I imagine that it’s the formoterol that is the issue. There is also a contradiction for Symbicort and some antidepressants, so be careful. I won’t be using this again in the future."

• Tis...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 19, 2019

"In my first few days on this medication (Symbicort), I had trouble breathing, especially at night, my throat seemed to tighten, so I used my Ventolin inhaler more often. I woke up and could hardly open my hands or bend my knees, my joints were very stiff. I felt as though I was dying on this medication. I stopped immediately!!"

• Gue...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 24, 2015

"Please don't be afraid to try this medication. I suffer from overthinking, and when I read these reviews, I was afraid of the side effects. I moved into an apartment that I did not know was blowing dust out of the air vents and was sick over a long period of time, developing bouts of wheezing. My lung function was at 70%, and I finally went to the doctor, who prescribed Symbicort. I put off taking this longer than I should have. I used the 160/4.5 at 2 puffs a day for about a week. I upped it to 4 puffs a day for another week. I closed it out with 2 puffs a day for a few more days. The wheezing and chest tightness are gone. I sleep better. I can get a full breath. I feel like me again. This has saved my life, and I had ZERO side effects."

• and...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• December 25, 2014

"I'm a 59-year-old male with asthma who has been on this medicine for 12 years. I've tried them all, and this seems to work the best for me. A few concerns I have since starting this are cramps in my calves and hands. You need to take vitamin supplements, i.e., calcium and magnesium. I've developed tinnitus or ringing in the ear, which is now constant. I'm not sure if this is related. I also have sinusitis so bad that I will be having a turbinate reduction soon. You may develop thrush or a hoarse throat if you don't gargle or rinse after use. I take 2 puffs in the morning, and that usually does the trick."

• Anonymous
• December 12, 2011

"I have used many different types of inhalers for asthma control. Symbicort seems to work well, but may cause significant personality modification (nervous, angry at small things, anxiety over small things) and muscle/bone aching that is significant, especially if any work is done, even small things."

• ASa...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 29, 2015

"Developed asthma 3 years ago when I was 50. Tried all kinds of controller medications. Switched to Symbicort after about a year and things have been great ever since. Yes, I have had some minor side effects, occasional agitation and some muscle cramps, but I run 5k 3 times a week without any difficulties (well, I am 53, so some difficulties). I am very happy with this medication. I hope that all asthmatics find their ideal medication. Difficulties with breathing can be so scary. Work with your doctor, educate yourself on all the different meds available, and find the right one for you. You can be happy and live the life you were meant to."

• Lou...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 13, 2018

"Although this improved my adult son's breathing, the side effects were hideous and dangerous. They include weight loss, back pain, blurred vision, sadness, and depression. I never would have believed that an asthma drug could cause such a severe reaction. Doctors should be warning patients about these side effects, and it should also be printed on the box. The depression issue was chronic and happened in a short time. So BEWARE!!!"

• Jim...
• June 7, 2014

"My son has been taking Symbicort 200/6 for 4 years, and it has worked well. He started feeling fatigued about a year ago and has been diagnosed in the last week with adrenal suppression/shutdown, which is a noted possible reaction. If any users feel fatigued or have difficulty fighting infections, I would suggest getting cortisol tested promptly."

• Sab...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 4, 2016

"This stuff practically saved my childhood. I've had severe asthma all my life. I took my Ventolin pump at least 10 times a day. I struggled to walk even the smallest distances without my chest feeling tight. I had many visits to the hospital-3 occasions going as far as Intensive Care. I was prescribed Symbicort 160, and my life has changed completely. I experience no side effects whatsoever. I've been on it for about 6 years. I'm currently 19 years old."

• Tri...
• May 17, 2015

"Symbicort has completely changed my life. I'm 23 and have been living with severe asthma my entire life. I was using my rescue inhaler 5+ times a day and unable to even climb the steps to my apartment without chest pain and wheezing. I'd tried other medications such as Advair and Singulair, but saw no change in symptoms. Finally, after being completely fed up with being so young, yet unable to go for a walk in the park or stand within 10 feet of an animal, I talked to my doctor and was prescribed Symbicort. After two weeks, taking 4 puffs a day, it's almost like I don't have asthma anymore. Now, I take one puff every few weeks for maintenance. I can sleep through an entire night, my thinking is much more clear, and I couldn't be happier."

• Lin...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 13, 2013

"It's comforting to read that others have muscle cramps when using Symbicort. I particularly am now getting cramps in my calf when stretching in bed, and it's good to know this is probably the reason. I also bleed so easily on my arms now with any minor knock. Minor side effects I think, though, to be able to breathe again and no use of Ventolin since starting on Symbicort 200."