Pulmicort Inhaler (Budesonide)

Do’s

• Inhale Pulmicort exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider, typically once or twice daily.
• Hold the inhaler upright and follow your healthcare provider's instructions for inhaling deeply and forcefully.
• If prescribed 2 puffs, wait at least one minute between inhalations.
• Use Pulmicort after other inhalers if you're using multiple medications.
• Gargle, rinse your mouth with water and spit after each use to prevent mouth dryness, irritation, or yeast infections. Don't swallow the rinse.
• Use Pulmicort regularly at consistent times for optimal benefit.
• Track your doses and discard the inhaler when the labeled number of doses is used or the red indicator reaches the bottom of the window.

Don'ts

• Don't shake the Pulmicort inhaler or use it with a spacer.
• Don't use the inhaler if it's damaged, dropped, shaken, or if you accidentally inhaled after loading the dose (reload in this case).
• Don't exhale into the inhaler after taking a puff.
• Don't increase your dose or use Pulmicort more often than prescribed.
• Don't stop taking Pulmicort abruptly, especially if you're on other corticosteroids. Talk to your healthcare provider about tapering the dose.

Common side effects:

• Nasal congestion
• Nausea
• Runny nose
• Pharyngitis (soreness and swelling in the throat)
• Nasopharyngitis (soreness and swelling in the nose and nasal passages)
• Dryness or soreness of the throat
• General feeling of discomfort or illness
• Headache
• Hoarseness
• Loss of appetite
• Muscle aches and pains
• Cough
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Bruising easily
• Chills
• Colds
• Respiratory infections, such as the common cold
• Stuffy nose
• Ear infections
• Gastroenteritis (inflammation in the stomach and intestine caused by a virus)
• Nosebleeds
• Conjunctivitis (pink eye)

Serious side effects that may require immediate medical attention include:

• Increased wheezing right after taking Pulmicort
• Signs of infection (such as ear pain, sore throat, fever, chills)
• Signs of a serious asthma attack, such as increased need for medication, fast or irregular heartbeat, chest pain
• Signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as difficulty breathing, swelling of the face and throat
• Difficulty responding to physical stress after switching from a corticosteroid taken by mouth or using higher-than-usual doses for a long time
• Rare cases of skin cancer and lymphoma due to continuous long-term use

This is not an exhaustive list, and other side effects may occur. If you experience any unusual or severe side effects while taking a Pulmicort inhaler,  contact your healthcare provider for medical advice.

Tell your healthcare provider about any allergies you have, especially to budesonide.

Inform your healthcare provider of your medical history, particularly of:

• Eye diseases (cataracts, glaucoma)
• High blood pressure
• Liver disease
• Thyroid problems
• Diabetes
• Stomach/intestinal problems (diverticulitis, ulcer)
• Bone loss (osteoporosis)
• Past or present infections (tuberculosis, herpes, fungal)
• Bleeding problems
• Mental/mood conditions (psychosis, anxiety, depression)

Inform your healthcare provider if you have switched from oral steroids to a Pulmicort inhaler within the past year or have been using high doses of Pulmicort for a long time. Your body's response to stress may be affected.

Pulmicort may mask signs of infection and increase your risk of getting infections.

Avoid people with contagious illnesses (chickenpox, COVID-19, measles, flu).

Tell your healthcare provider about all medications you use before surgery or any medical procedures.

Pulmicort may slow down growth in children. Regular healthcare provider visits to monitor height are recommended.

Pulmicort should only be used during pregnancy if clearly necessary. Discuss the risks and benefits with your healthcare provider. Pulmicort passes into breast milk. Consult your healthcare provider before breastfeeding.