Budesonide / formoterol and Chest Pain: What Users Say

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

For Asthma, Maintenance "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."

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

For Asthma, Maintenance "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."

• A u...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 25, 2019

For COPD "I have probable COPD, not diagnosed yet. I have had mucus, wheezing, coughing, and chest tightness for a year and a half. Prescribed Flovent, antibiotics, Nasonex, Pulmicort for sinusitis. Finally, the docs decided to look at the lungs and prescribed Symbicort a few weeks ago. I have had a significant improvement - a lot less coughing and less chest tightness with the Symbicort."

• S81...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 7, 2021

For Asthma, Maintenance "I tried to go on this twice, several months apart. Both times made my asthma much worse within 2 days of starting. The second time was so bad I had to go to the ER. I experienced wheezing, coughing, and chest tightness. It was scary to feel like I couldn't suck in air, and my breathing was so shallow. This is very dangerous, and this drug needs more research."

• Wes...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 6, 2021

For Asthma, Maintenance "When I first got Symbicort 200/6 for adult onset asthma, it was amazing for the first year after several other inhalers that didn't help. Now I have been sick for 3 weeks, all tests from the hospital came back fine for everything, so I've come to the conclusion it's my medication, especially as the sickness is worse a while after using my inhaler. I feel like I can't breathe, I am coughing more, I have red cheeks, black under eyes, shaking, tachycardia, thick phlegm, adrenaline surges, bad rhinitis, joint and muscle aches, very hard to sleep, weakness, bruising, tiredness to the point I'm nearly falling asleep multiple times a day. I can't walk upstairs without nearly passing out. Chest pain. I feel the most ill I've ever felt, I've no appetite. To make things worse, my doctor won't take it seriously."

• The...
• July 23, 2009

For Asthma, Maintenance "After having asthma for 23 years, using my inhaler four to eight times daily, and no preventative inhalers ever working, I was given Symbicort. At first, I thought it was just another expensive inhaler that wouldn't work, but I was shocked. After one day, I was using my inhaler twice a day, and after the first week, I went over 24 hours without using a rescue inhaler (the first time in 23 years!). While I still carry it around, I used it 0-2 times daily (a big improvement!). Inhalers that lasted two weeks now last six weeks or longer. I have noticed that I get a chest pain (like soreness) when I first started, or restart after forgetting it for a week or two. It eventually goes away."

• Ang...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 22, 2023

For Asthma, Maintenance "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 the 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."

• Fif...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 26, 2018

For Asthma, Maintenance "Dr. prescribed me this after Advair stopped being covered by my insurance. I’ve been using it for about 2-3 years now. For me, the Symbicort is more effective than any other control medicine I’ve used. I hardly ever have to use my rescue inhaler, and I used to use my Ventolin all the time. Now my Ventolin actually expires before I can use it. Symbicort is amazing!! Only con is if you stop using it for a few days, you really start to feel it - chest tightness, shortness of breath, etc. So it’s really important to keep up with your refills on this medication."

• Han...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 25, 2022

For Asthma, Maintenance "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!"