Budesonide Risks, Warnings, and Complications
| Budesonide can cause or worsen health problems in some people. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other treatment options if you are at increased risk of complications from budesonide use. HORMONAL CHANGES: High doses or long-term use of steroid medicines like budesonide can affect cortisol levels in the body. This can lead to side effects like acne, easy bruising, pink or purple stretch marks in the skin, excessive hair growth or thick hair growth, moon face, formation of a fatty hump between the shoulders, and swelling of the ankles. Children and people with liver disease are at a higher risk of these side effects. Take budesonide exactly as directed by your healthcare professional. Call your provider if you notice any of these side effects. ADRENAL AXIS SUPPRESSION: Taking steroid medicines like budesonide for a long time can suppress normal adrenal function in the body, where the body stops making natural steroid hormones. This is called adrenal suppression. Stopping steroid medicines can therefore lead to withdrawal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, fatigue, weakness, and weight loss. The risk of withdrawal is higher if you stop taking steroids suddenly after taking them for a long time or if you change from a stronger steroid to budesonide. Do not stop taking budesonide without talking to your doctor first. Your provider will tell you how to reduce the dose gradually to avoid withdrawal symptoms. Your doctor will also tell you how to safely switch to budesonide from another corticosteroid medicine, such as oral prednisolone or inhaled glucocorticoids like fluticasone propionate. INCREASED RISK OF INFECTIONS: Steroid medications like budesonide can weaken the immune system and increase the risk of getting infections. The risk is especially high if you have not been vaccinated against diseases like measles and chickenpox. Unvaccinated people who take steroids can experience serious disease if they get infected. Before starting budesonide, tell your doctor if you have a history of tuberculosis (TB) or any other bacterial, viral, or fungal infections. Call your doctor if you develop signs and symptoms of infection such as fever, chills, fatigue, sore throat, or cough. WORSENING HEALTH CONDITIONS: Taking corticosteroids like budesonide can lead to a worsening of certain health conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, stomach ulcers, osteoporosis, and glaucoma. Give your doctor a complete medical history before starting budesonide so that they can monitor you during treatment. WORSENING ALLERGIES AND ECZEMA: Switching from oral steroid medicines to another form, such as budesonide rectal foam (Uceris), may cause withdrawal symptoms or worsening of allergies and eczema. This is because the pill form controls allergies and eczema while the rectal foam does not have therapeutic benefits for these conditions. If you have allergies or eczema, talk to your doctor before switching over from oral steroid pills to budesonide rectal foam. FLAMMABLE CANISTER: The canister of Uceris contains flammable chemicals that can catch fire. Do not use Uceris (generic: budesonide) rectal foam near an open flame and do not smoke while using this medicine.
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Precautions Before Starting Budesonide
Tell your health care provider if you are allergic to budesonide or any other medications. Your pharmacy can give you a full list of active and inactive ingredients in budesonide formulations.
Give your doctor and pharmacist a complete list of your medications, including prescription drugs, non-prescription drugs, vitamins, and herbal supplements. This will help avoid dangerous interactions between your medications.
Give your doctor a complete medical history. Budesonide may not be right for people with certain medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, glaucoma, cataracts, osteoporosis, stomach ulcers, liver disease, or tuberculosis.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, could be pregnant, planning a pregnancy, or are breast feeding.
If you have never had chicken pox or measles and have not been vaccinated against these infections, discuss the risks versus benefits of taking budesonide with your healthcare provider.
Precautions During Use of Budesonide
Keep all your healthcare appointments during your treatment with budesonide. This medication will ease your symptoms but it will not treat your condition. Continue taking budesonide even if you feel well. Do not stop taking budesonide without your doctor’s approval.
Tell your doctor if you become pregnant while taking budesonide.
Stay away from people who are sick. Budesonide can increase your risk of infections. Call your doctor without delay if you develop signs and symptoms of infection.
Tell all your healthcare providers you are on budesonide, especially before any surgery, including dental procedures.
Do not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice while on budesonide.
Budesonide Drug Interactions
Certain other drugs can affect how budesonide works. Possible interactions between budesonide and other medicines can increase the risk of severe adverse effects.
Some medicines that may interact with budesonide include:
- Immunosuppressants like cyclosporine.
- Antibiotics like erythromycin.
- Antifungal medications like ketoconazole and itraconazole.
- HIV medications like indinavir, ritonavir, and saquinavir.
This is not a complete list of budesonide drug interactions. Give your doctor and pharmacist a list of all the medicines you take, including prescription drugs, OTC (non-prescription) drugs, dietary supplements, and herbal products. Also, tell your healthcare professionals if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs because some of these substances can cause serious health complications when used with prescription medications.
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