Beclomethasone, Inhalation

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: corticosteroid; anti-inflammatory

Generic and brand names: beclomethasone, inhalation; QVAR

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is a steroid that is inhaled through your mouth to prevent asthma attacks. It does not stop attacks that have already started. Your healthcare provider will prescribe another medicine to be used during an attack.

If you take oral steroids for your asthma, this medicine may reduce your need for the pills.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before you use this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

• an allergic reaction to any medicine
• eye problems such as cataracts, glaucoma, or eye infections
• osteoporosis
• tuberculosis

Also, tell your provider if you are taking prednisone or other steroid medicines, or if you take other medicines for asthma, including nonprescription products. Tell your provider if you have any kind of infection.

Females of childbearing age: Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medicine. It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Do not breast-feed while using this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

How do I use it?

This medicine must be inhaled regularly to be effective. Check the label on the medicine for directions about your specific dose. Use the medicine exactly as your healthcare provider prescribes.

You may feel better in a day or two, or you may need to use the medicine for several weeks to receive its full benefit. Do not increase or decrease the dosage on your own. Continue to take any other medicines that your healthcare provider has prescribed for you. Do not stop using this medicine without your provider's approval. If you are not getting results, contact your healthcare provider.

Carefully read and follow the instructions that come in the medicine package. If you do not understand how to use this medicine, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist to explain.

Prime the inhaler before you use it for the first time or if you have not used it for several days.

Prime the inhaler by releasing 2 puffs into the air away from your face and eyes. Make sure the canister is firmly inserted into the mouthpiece of the inhaler. Use only the mouthpiece that comes with this medicine.

Wash your hands before using this medicine. If you are not using a spacer, it is recommended that you:

1. Remove the plastic cap from the mouthpiece. Shake the inhaler for at least 10 seconds before each use.
2. Hold the inhaler upright so the mouthpiece is at the bottom.
3. Put the mouthpiece into your mouth. Close your lips around the mouthpiece, keeping your tongue below it. Or, you could hold the inhaler 1 to 2 inches (2 to 3 finger widths) in front of your open mouth.
4. Breathe out as fully as you comfortably can.
5. Press the inhaler down once so it releases a spray of medicine into your mouth while you breathe in slowly. (One spray is called a puff.) Each time you press down, a metered (measured) dose is delivered.
6. Continue breathing in as slowly and deeply as possible.
7. Hold your breath for 5 to 10 seconds, or as long as is comfortable (this gives the medicine time to reach the airways).
8. Remove the inhaler from your mouth. Breathe out slowly.
9. If your healthcare provider has prescribed more than one puff (spray) for each dose, wait one minute between puffs and then repeat steps 1 through 9. Take the number of puffs prescribed by your healthcare provider.

Rinse your mouth with water and spit out the rinse right after you use this medicine. This may reduce the risk of thrush (a fungus infection) in your mouth. It may also help reduce aftertaste, dry mouth, and hoarseness.

An adult should supervise the use of this medicine by a child.

If you are using other inhaled medicines, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist which you should use first. Use inhaled medicines 10 minutes apart from each other.

What if I miss a dose?

Use this medicine on the schedule your healthcare provider prescribes for you. If you miss a dose, use it as soon as you remember unless it is almost time for the next scheduled dose. In that case, skip the missed dose and take the next one as directed. Do not take double doses. If you are not sure what to do if you miss a dose, or if you miss more than one dose, contact your healthcare provider.

What if I overdose?

An acute overdose of this medicine is not likely to cause life-threatening symptoms. If you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much of this medicine, call the poison control center at 800-222-1222.

What should I watch out for?

If you have switched from steroid tablets to this inhaler, your body may not produce enough natural steroids. You may need to take steroid tablets during periods of stress such as injury, surgery, infection, or severe asthma attacks. Talk with your healthcare provider about this. If you need emergency care, surgery, or dental work, tell the healthcare provider or dentist you are taking this medicine.

Do not use this medicine for sudden breathing problems or asthma attacks that have already started. Your healthcare provider will prescribe a short-acting inhaled medicine to use when you have an asthma attack.

If your symptoms do not improve in 2 to 4 weeks, or if they get worse, contact your healthcare provider.

If you use this medicine for a long time, your healthcare provider will want to see you regularly to see how this medicine is affecting you. Keep all appointments for checkups and eye exams.

When taken in high doses for 4 weeks or more, it is possible that this medicine may slightly limit growth in children.

You may get infections more easily when you are taking this medicine. Stay away from people with colds, flu, or other infections. If you are exposed to an infectious disease, contact your healthcare provider right away. Chickenpox or measles may be more serious than usual while you are using this medicine. Also, do not have any vaccines without getting your healthcare provider's approval first.

This medicine may cause an increase in wheezing or trouble breathing right after taking the medicine. You should always have a fast-acting inhaled bronchodilator medicine with you to treat sudden wheezing. Talk with your healthcare provider about this.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (Report these to your healthcare provider right away. If you cannot reach your healthcare provider right away, get emergency medical care or call 911 for help): Allergic reaction (hives; itching; rash; trouble breathing; tightness in your chest; swelling of your lips, tongue, and throat).

Serious (report these to your healthcare provider right away): Trouble breathing or catching your breath, rash, infections, rounding (fattening) of the face, white patches in or around your mouth, trouble swallowing, fever, muscle aches and pains, unexplained tiredness, vision changes.

Other: Sore throat, hoarseness, cough, stuffy nose, headache, nausea.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• ketoconazole (Nizoral)

Keep a list of all your medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

How should I store this medicine?

Keep this medicine at room temperature. Protect the container from heat, high humidity, and bright light.

This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Ask your pharmacist for the best way to dispose of outdated medicine or medicine you have not used. Do not throw medicine in the trash.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.