Budesonide Inhalation Powder

Pulmicort Logo

Brand name(s): Pulmicort

How should this medicine be used?

Budesonide comes as a powder to inhale by mouth. Budesonide is usually inhaled once or twice a day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Use budesonide exactly as directed. Do not use more or less of it or use it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

Budesonide controls symptoms of asthma and other lung diseases but does not cure them. Improvement in your asthma may occur as soon as 24 hours after taking the medication, but full effects may not be seen for 1 to 2 weeks after taking it regularly. Continue to use budesonide even if you feel well. Do not stop using budesonide without talking to your doctor. Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve during the first 2 weeks or if they get worse.

Do not use budesonide for rapid relief of asthma attacks. If you do not have another inhaler for prompt relief of breathing difficulties, ask your doctor to prescribe one. If your doctor has prescribed a bronchodilator (a drug to be inhaled for rapid relief of difficult breathing such as albuterol [Proventil, Ventolin]), use it several minutes before you use your budesonide. This helps the budesonide get into the deeper parts of your lungs. Call your doctor immediately if your asthma is not responding to usual treatment.

Before you use budesonide the first time, read the written directions that come with it. Ask your doctor, pharmacist, or respiratory therapist to show you the right way to use the inhaler. Practice using the inhaler in front of him or her, so you are sure you are doing it the right way.

To use the inhaler, follow these steps:

• Turn the protective cover and lift it off.
• The first time you use a new budesonide inhaler you must prime it. To do this, hold the inhaler upright (with mouthpiece up), then twist the brown grip fully to the right as far as it will go, then back again fully to the left. You will hear a click. Repeat. The unit is now primed and ready to load the first dose. You do not have to prime the inhaler again after this, even if you do not use it for a long time.
• Holding the inhaler upright, load the first dose by turning the grip fully to the right and fully to the left until it clicks.
• Turn your head away from the inhaler and breathe out. Do not blow or exhale into the inhaler. Do not shake the inhaler after loading it.
• Hold the inhaler in the upright (mouthpiece up) or horizontal position. Place the mouthpiece between your lips well into your mouth, past your front teeth. Tilt your head slightly back. Close your lips tightly around the mouthpiece and inhale deeply and forcefully. Be sure that the mist goes into your throat and is not blocked by your teeth or tongue. Adults giving the treatment to young children may hold the child's nose closed to be sure that the medication goes into the child's throat.
• Remove the inhaler from your mouth and hold your breath for about 10 seconds. Do not exhale through the inhaler.
• If you take 2 puffs (inhalations), wait 2 minutes before taking the second puff.
• For the next puff and all other puffs, you do not have to prime the inhaler. However, it must be loaded in the upright position right before its use. Turn the grip fully to the right and then fully to the left until it clicks.
• Replace the protective cap on the inhaler. After each treatment, rinse your mouth with water, but do not swallow the water.

Keep the inhaler clean and dry at all times. Do not bite or chew the mouthpiece. Do not use Pulmicort Turbuhaler with a spacer.

Last Revised: 01/01/2002

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