Budesonide / formoterol for Asthma, Maintenance User Reviews (Page 2)

• Suz...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 27, 2014

"I've been on Advair for several years, which worked great for the maintenance of my asthma-no side effects. Though, my health insurance changed, and they don't cover Advair anymore. The doctor put me on Symbicort. After the first two weeks, I've developed side effects of nervousness, light-headedness, and the most distressing-ringing in the ears. Now I'm going on a month on Symbicort, and still the ringing persists. Lung function is great. I've never needed my rescue inhaler on Symbicort or Advair either. Now in the process of trying to get my insurance company to pay for Advair, which I prefer in the first place."

• Ang...
• August 15, 2017

"Symbicort worked for about a year. Then one day as I got to work, I could not see very well from my left eye. I went to the eye doctor only to be told that my retina had fluid in it. After answering all the questions, the conclusion was that the steroids in the medication were affecting my vision. Moreover, my wrist joint and back started to hurt often. My family physician recommended other drugs, but I decided to stop all my medications and go on a whole food diet. I must say it has been six weeks, and I don't need the inhaler, my joint pains are gone, and my vision is getting back to normal. It was a blessing to have the drug, but I felt that I made a pact with the devil since it almost destroyed the rest of my body."

• Nay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 30, 2012

"I've always had mild asthma, but about 6 months ago, it got really bad and I was using my Ventolin like every 2 hours. Especially at night, I'd wake up almost every hour and need to have a puff of Ventolin. It was bad, I know, but I kept putting up with it. But the last time I went to the doctor, I mentioned how bad it had gotten, and she put me on another asthma medication called Symbicort. It's saved my life, makes it so much easier to manage. Now I never use Ventolin at all, and I only have two puffs of this Symbicort at night... it's amazing. It's made my life so much easier."

• see...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 11, 2016

"I've started taking it when I had an asthma exacerbation the last two months. Usually, when I have a flare-up, it will go away within 2 to 3 weeks. I was worried because it's almost a month already and I haven't been feeling well. Symptoms are fatigue, chest pain/tightness, shortness of breath, rapid heart palpitations, throat irritation, phlegm, reflux? I went to the doctor and he told me it was acid reflux. I still continue to use this drug together with PPI, but I don't see any improvement. I've done my research about the side effects. It may control my asthma, but the side effects are much worse. I'm getting off this drug immediately."

• Mos...
• May 27, 2014

"While this medicine seems to work well, it does have side effects. For me, it is very easy bruising. I also had two cases of broken blood vessels. The really scary part, however, is trying to stop. Do not go cold turkey. I am now trying to ease off and am having anxiety attacks for hours."

• for...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 31, 2016

"Omg... what a terrible drug! I just recently asked to be changed back to Advair. My regular doctor wouldn't, so I saw a colleague of his, and she asked why I was put on it in the first place. I told her that I did not know why he changed me from Advair to Symbicort when I wasn't having any problems with it. She changed me to Advair. It is Monday, and I just changed on Thursday, and already I feel better. Asthma is still bothering me, and I'm on prednisone, but my mental outlook has drastically changed for the better. I felt like I was in a depressing fog that I couldn't get out of. Can't believe I was on this garbage drug for a year and a half. Coughing all the time, nothing much coming out, just constant coughing. Thank God I'm off this terrible drug."

• Gol...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 17, 2014

"I went to the Dr. on Wednesday for severe asthma, and he put me on Symbicort along with a 10-day dose of Prednisone. I can tell you that Thursday I used my Ventolin inhaler only once, where I had been using the Ventolin 10-12 times a day. I woke up Friday morning not wheezing. This is the first time I can ever remember not wheezing and short of breath in the morning. After 2 puffs of Symbicort Friday morning, I am clear as a bell this afternoon. This stuff is amazing, and I feel ready to start running again."

• 50a...
• October 18, 2013

"I began taking Advair, but after 6 months, I began having hand tremors. I tried Symbicort, but the side effects were too strong for me to tolerate. My asthma symptoms were improved. I was very nervous and stressed when I tried it twice. I called for advice about the medication and was told that Symbicort, Advair, and Dulera are only slightly different in chemical composition. It was suggested by the pharmacist to call my doctor to discuss trying the other medications. Dulera works well for me now. I do have mild leg cramps. It may be good to contact your doctor and see which medication will give you the least side effects."

• Tut...
• June 25, 2015

"Symbicort helped breathe easier in the beginning. After a few weeks, it actually made it worse, and on top of it, gave me terrible debilitating back pain and a hoarse throat. Side effects are not worth it! I would not recommend."

• pyx...
• June 13, 2015

"My doctor gave me a sample of Symbicort last week. Before I began taking it, I got on this site to see what experiences others have had with it. I was very concerned because many of the side effects I read about made me think twice about taking it at all. I did notice that a few people were taking 2 puffs, twice a day. So I figured maybe that might be too much. So I am going to try 1 puff, once a day, at approximately the same time every day and see how it goes. Last night was the first time I used it - and it did work. Slept through the night without using my inhaler at all. Feel pretty good this morning, and still have not used my rescue inhaler. So far, so good. But we'll see in a couple of weeks."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• July 2, 2019

"I was diagnosed with asthma at four years old. Spent many years in and out of the hospital due to breathing-related issues. I was finally put on Symbicort at around nine or ten but was on it too long, and it eventually stunted my growth, which I guess my mother didn’t know was a side effect of prolonged use in children. I was taken off of it, and asthma got really bad again. Then, as I got older, I made the dumb decision to start smoking and felt like I was an inch away from death every morning. In my late teens, I got back on this medication and am now 28, smoke-free and asthma attack-free. It does have side effects that I’m sure I don’t notice because I’ve been on this drug so long, but the ones I do notice are: sore throat, hoarseness, dizziness immediately after use, heart palpitations. Not terrible. I’d say there are worse things, and it controls my asthma perfectly. Pro tip: always, always rinse your mouth after use."

• Lee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 31, 2015

"I was able to breathe finally. I had always been out of breath. All day. When I started taking Symbicort, I could breathe. And I would've been able to clean, and play with my kids, go for a walk, exercise. However, I stopped taking it. The side effects were horrible. I was angry, on edge. Worst constant headache ever! It wasn't fair to my family. Waiting to find an alternative."

• Eva...
• May 24, 2016

"Started taking Symbicort for increasingly worse asthma after a chest infection, and the doctor wanted to try a stronger preventer. The first few weeks were OK, but after that I started to develop increasing generalized anxiety. I have had mild anxiety on and off, and usually situationally related, but the anxiety I experienced from this was generalized and grew in intensity each day... Affecting my work and home life. My sleep has also been badly affected. A lot of difficulty getting to sleep- even sleeping tablets didn't help much. I also started to get tinnitus (ringing in ears), nasopharyngitis, red dry eyes that made me look stoned, bad breath, etc. The last straw for me was the voice changes, increasing irritability, and agitation."

• Jac...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 25, 2019

"I am over 50, and I've started experiencing breathing issues around 5 years ago. It was always during the cold weather or after running. I did my tests, and technically I don't have asthma, but I am on the border. Initially, the doctor prescribed a Ventolin inhaler, but it didn't help at all, and I even felt worse. Then (3 years ago), I was put on Symbicort 200, and I am taking it twice a day with two puffs, and it's very helpful. What a huge difference! Also, I have to say that I haven't experienced any of these side effects mentioned in this blog. My occasional headache is no more than before, I don't have stomach problems, heart problems, sleep problems, or any other health issues. Seriously."

• Gam...
• November 17, 2013

"I knew this medicine helped, in conjunction with the Spiriva I am on, but didn't realize until today how much. I noticed this morning, I didn't really feel it or anything going down but didn't pay attention and just went about my business (not sure how long it had been like that). Have had to use my rescue inhaler often today and had to use my nebulizer. I didn't put two and two together until I noticed the dosage counter was on 0 when I looked at it tonight and it all made sense. Only then did I realize how important it was. With it left out of the equation, my asthma was definitely not under control."

• Joa...
• August 29, 2020

"Have had chronic asthma since I was 12 years old and am now 43. Have tried many different meds throughout life, and nothing but my rescue inhaler really worked. Was prescribed Advair, and it worked great but caused bad heart palpitations, unfortunately. Went back to using rescue inhaler only until my doc prescribed me Symbicort almost two years ago for poorly controlled asthma, and it works great! The side effects that I notice are heart palpitations but not as severe as with Advair, aching joints, eye problems like blurriness, and recently had a bad eye infection but not sure of the cause? I feel very torn about stopping, though, because I hardly ever reach for my rescue puffer now and feel like I’m more active! Been having bad hip pain, and I'm wondering if it’s not causing that too? If I try to go off, I can’t breathe well, so I’m trying to look at the bright side of being able to breathe."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 3, 2019

"I was diagnosed with asthma at 19 years old after I got a lung infection. After some months of using Symbicort twice a day, I noticed that it really helped my breathing. It does have some side effects, though. Mine were definitely headaches, which I used to rarely have, dizziness, and tiredness."

• Hat...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 29, 2022

"My doctor started to refuse my Ventolin, only wanted me to take Symbicort. Have had headaches, and the worst thrush in my throat, which doesn't go away. Tightness also. It's the worst drug I've ever used for my asthma, and my asthma has never been worse while on it."

• And...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 4, 2016

"To start with, I am in the UK, and for me, it is an effective asthma controller. It works, but let's talk side effects: The first thing that occurred was the hallucinations; it was like being on LSD. My libido disappeared. I started to get angry very quickly and am now intolerant of the most stupid things. Short-term memory loss has become a severe problem. My eyesight has worsened very quickly, and I get eye infections easily. On top of all that, my throat has become so bad (potential Candida); I can no longer sing in public - it would have helped had I been told to rinse after every use. Having seen the official list of side effects, for all its good, this has got to go."

• Veg...
• May 18, 2016

"I've been on Symbicort for 5 months - I was originally diagnosed with COPD. I was on Advair for 4 years and had bad side effects. I was angry and depressed. Advair made my chest feel heavy. I switched to Spiriva, it did not help, took Ventolin 6 times a day. I went on Foradil but would wake up wheezing every night and felt the worst I have ever felt. Finally, I had asthma testing and prescribed Symbicort, 2 inhalations twice a day. I've never felt better. It has literally changed my life! I am having ringing in the ears, but I'll take that over not being able to breathe any day!"

• Anonymous
• August 2, 2015

"Symbicort worked wonders for me, but when I talked, my voice would trail off. And I had to clear my throat to get my voice back. Sometimes my voice sounded scratchy as well. Doctor recommended I washed my mouth after each use. But it still didn't work. I am in sales, so talking is important and had to change to something else."

• Dar...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 13, 2015

"I was diagnosed with allergy-related asthma when I was four years old. I've been on several maintenance medicines, but never thought they did much. I was hospitalized when I was 15 with asthmatic bronchitis, and my doctor decided to put me on Symbicort, which was finally allowed in the US at the time. Since then, my asthma has turned around 180 degrees, and I haven't had any major issues. I've taken two puffs twice a day for the past 7 years, and it's truly a lifesaver. It even opens my airway within 5 minutes of taking it."

• Lat...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 16, 2019

"I was not responding well to other asthma meds, so my doctor put me on Symbicort one year ago. In that year, I have lost 2' in height, have a stomach ulcer, and hurt all over, but the good news is I am breathing again. One would wonder, though, if it's worth the side effects. In my humble opinion, yes, it is. Nothing worse than not being able to breathe and wondering if the prednisone you just took will help. Symbicort has its flaws, but then all COPD and asthma meds have their side effects."

• Won...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 25, 2018

"Been using Symbicort for 2 months, having previously been on Respigen. Immediately, the drug improved my asthma, however, within 2 weeks of using the drug, I started to develop frequent bouts of bad anxiety, stomach nausea, and diarrhea, which resulted in gastritis! My body feels a lot weaker, and I’ve developed aches and pains in my joints. I am now off the drug and have instead been using my Respigen inhaler again, which is working, but I have been using it quite often due to withdrawal symptoms (flu-like) coming off the Symbicort inhaler. Having experienced it for myself, I believe this drug is dangerous and should be taken with care and caution!"

• MBP...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 13, 2012

"Generally, I have done quite well on this medicine when used in combination therapy. Lately, however, I have developed a raspy voice and increased asthma symptoms. This may be unrelated to Symbicort, and I will be seeing a physician shortly to address."