Symbicort Turbohaler

Symbicort is a red combination preventer inhaler which contains two medications in powder form. It’s helpful for patients with asthma to help them manage their day-to-day symptoms.

Each time you use Symbicort correctly, you receive a dose of the active ingredients, budesonide (a steroid medication) and formoterol fumarate dihydrate (which helps to open the airways).

Symbicort inhalers come in different strengths, so the amount of each medication varies depending on the one that you have been prescribed.

Symbicort is normally given to you if your asthma symptoms aren’t being kept under control with a steroid-only inhaler. It should be used daily as directed by your doctor to help to keep your symptoms under control. If you do have symptoms you can also use your normal reliever inhaler (e.g. Salbutamol/Ventolin). However if you find that you need to use your reliever inhaler more than 3 times in a week you should speak to your doctor about your treatment.

Symbicort Turbohaler is for people who have asthma, and who are still having frequent symptoms despite using a steroid inhaler.

If you’re not happy with your current asthma treatments and you want to know if you should try Symbicort, or if you’re worried you have the symptoms of asthma and you want to start treatment, you should make an appointment to talk to your GP.

Symbicort isn’t right for everyone. Some people may not be able to use Symbicort because of existing health conditions, like:

• Diabetes
• Lung infection
• High blood pressure
• A history of heart problems
• Thyroid or adrenal glands problems
• Low levels of potassium in your blood
• Severe liver problems

Or because it could react with some medications, like:

• Beta-blockers
• Medications such as digoxin
• Diuretics
• Oral steroid medications
• Xanthine medications
• Other bronchodilators
• Tricyclic antidepressants
• Phenothiazine medications
• HIV-protease inhibitors
• Certain antibiotics
• Medications for Parkinson’s disease
• Medications for thyroid problems

Your doctor will advise you if any of your health conditions or medications mean that you can’t use Symbicort.

How to start using your new Symbicort inhaler:

• Hold your Symbicort Turbohaler upright with the red grip at the bottom and unscrew the cover
• To load the medicine turn the red grip as far as you can in one direction, and then as far back as you can in the opposite direction until you hear a click.
• Turn it again both ways and it is now ready to use

Taking a dose of Symbicort:

• To take the treatment hold it slightly away from your mouth
• Breathe out gently between your teeth.
• Put the Symbicort Turbohaler mouthpiece between your teeth making sure not to chew or bite on the mouthpiece
• Next, breathe in hard and deep through your mouth
• Remove the inhaler from your mouth, close your mouth and hold for 10 seconds
• Then breathe out gently
• Repeat according to how many inhalations you need
• The amount is quite small that is inhaled so you might not taste anything but if you have followed the above steps the treatment will have reached your lungs

After your daily or morning treatment, rinse your mouth with water, spitting it out afterwards. If the mouthpiece becomes damaged you will not be able to use it anymore and should get a replacement. It is best to avoid twisting the mouthpiece as this can damage it.

There are different types of inhalers available to help people manage their asthma symptoms and you may need more than one inhaler to manage your specific asthma symptoms.

Other common inhalers include Salbutomol, Ventolin and Clenil Modulite. Our simple online asthma questionnaire will help you reorder other inhalers you might need to manage your asthma.

There is lots of clinical evidence supporting the safety of Symbicort and it’s an effective medicine when used as instructed. But, as with all medications, you may experience some side effects.

A full list of side effects can be found in the patient information leaflet that comes with the inhaler.

Some people can’t take Symbicort because of allergies to one of the ingredients, lactose monohydrate, which contains milk proteins. The amount of lactose in Symbicort is very small so doesn’t always cause problems when people take it, but if you’re very sensitive to dairy you may not be able to take Symbicort.