Budesonide / formoterol and Sore Throat: What Users Say

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

Budesonide / formoterol for Asthma, Maintenance "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."

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

Budesonide / formoterol for Asthma, Maintenance "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."

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

Budesonide / formoterol for Asthma, Maintenance "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."

• Tut...
• June 25, 2015

Budesonide / formoterol for Asthma, Maintenance "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."

• san...
• October 21, 2016

Budesonide / formoterol for COPD "I have taken Symbicort for over 1 year. It works very well, but I asked my lung doctor if we could try another inhaler. The side effect that caused me to stop taking it was hoarseness and a scratchy throat. My doctor gave me another inhaler to try. Still with the throat thing. I hope he comes up with something else, but my expectations aren't high. All of this type of inhaler must do the same thing as far as side effects."

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

Budesonide / formoterol for Asthma, Maintenance "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."

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

Budesonide / formoterol for Asthma, Maintenance "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."

• edy...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 23, 2021

Budesonide / formoterol for Asthma, Maintenance "This stuff is terrible. I was naive to think that my doctor cared enough that they wouldn't prescribe a medication or not even question said medication when I've clearly had a ton of side effects for the last 10 years. Even my pharmacist argued with me when I told him that depression was a side effect. Like, what? Of course, it may not have been Symbicort, but I can't believe it took all this time for me to realize that my health concerns were due to that. I guess I thought doctors would warn you about side effects, but clearly not. So this is my list: went to the ER three times, and twice I needed an emergency endoscopy to remove food caught in my throat. The specialist diagnosed me with GERD. I had absolutely no throat issues before starting this medication. I had to go to emergency because, on another occasion, my face blew up twice its size, I'm having liver issues."

• BAR...
• November 6, 2020

Budesonide / formoterol for Asthma, Maintenance "Symbicort prescribed, and I have taken as prescribed. I developed a severe sore throat, worsened breathing problems, wheezing, and a terrible cough. Upon reporting issues to the doctor, the medicine was immediately stopped. I am a retired teacher on a limited fixed income. I have received no response concerning reimbursement for any of the high cost of this medicine. If prescribed, be aware of the high cost and possible side effects."

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

Budesonide / formoterol for Asthma, Maintenance "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."

• Ant...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 24, 2022

Budesonide / formoterol for Asthma, Maintenance "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. An 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 hoarse voice here and there also. But I can fully breathe again!!!!"

• Ret...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 19, 2021

Budesonide / formoterol for Asthma, Maintenance "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."

• Mol...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 27, 2021

Budesonide / formoterol for Asthma, Maintenance "I'm 52 and my asthma started a year ago, and it hit me hard and fast. I've been struggling until I was given Symbicort. Since starting Symbicort, I've been able to sleep right through the night, thank goodness. Relatively no side effects for me, other than a little throat irritation."

• Rab...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 10, 2021

For Asthma, Maintenance "Started out with a scratchy throat upon first inhalation. Tonsil swelled up. The 2x2 dose had my blood pressure the highest ever on the low 80/45. Thought I was going to have an anxiety attack and hot flashes. Reduced dosage and my throat still not better. Leads to full-blown cold/flu-like symptoms. This is an awful medicine. Haven’t been sick in forever and it’s NOT COVID (was tested, I’m barely exposed to anyone as I am currently unemployed). Do not recommend even though it helped asthma, it made me so sick."