Flixotide

Flixotide125micrograms/doseEvohaler
Whenusedinasthma
Flixotide(fliksotied)isamedicinewhichisusedin
asthma.Flixotidecontainsfluticasonepropionate.It
issuppliedbyAllen&Hanburys.
Yourmedicine
Flixotidebelongstoaclassofmedicinescalled
steroids.Steroidsareusedtohelpreduce
inflammation.Flixotideworksintheairpassagesof
thelungs.Ithelpstoreduceinflammationandkeep
theairwaysopen.Thismakesiteasiertobreathe.
Flixotidehelpstopreventattacksofbreathlessness
orasthma.Itwillnotgiveyoufastreliefofyour
symptomsonceanattackhasstarted.Youmustuse
yourfastactingrelieverinhaler(inhaled
bronchodilator)torelieveanattackof
breathlessnessorasthma.Askyourprescriberor
nurseforadviceonwhattodoifyouhavean
asthmaattackorattackofbreathlessness.
YoumusttakeFlixotideeverydayforittowork.
Flixotidewillonlypreventattacksofbreathlessness
orasthmaifitistakenregularly.Youshould
continuetotakeFlixotideevenifyoufeelthatyour
conditionisundercontrol.Itisagoodideatotakeit
atthesametimeortimeseveryday.Youshould
maketakingitataregulartimepartofyourdaily
routine.
OtherinformationaboutFlixotide:

yourprescriberwilltrytofindthelowestdose
ofyourmedicinewhichcancontrolyour
condition

ifyouarechangingfromoralsteroidstoan
inhaledformofFlixotide,yourprescriberwill
takestepstomanagethetotaldoseof
steroidsthatyouarehaving.Thiswillleadto
agradualreductionofthetotalsteroiddose
youarehaving

incertainsituationsyourprescribermay
adviseyoutohaveahigherdoseofyour
medicinethannormal

ifyouhavebeengivenasteroidwarning
card,makesureyoucarryitwithyouatall
timeswhileyouaretakingcorticosteroids.
Thesecardsarenormallygiventoyouby
yourprescriberorbyyourpharmacist.Ifyou
arecurrentlytakingcorticosteroids,orhave
takentheminthelastyear,youmusttell
everyoneinvolvedinprescribingyou
medicinesandgivingyoumedicaltreatment.
Thisincludesyourdoctor,dentist,nurseand
pharmacist.Youmustensurethattheyall
knowaboutyourcorticosteroidtreatment

whenyoufirststarttakingFlixotideitmay
takebetweenfourtosevendaysforittowork

Providedbywww.medicines.org.uk/guides

Donotshareyourmedicinewithotherpeople.It
maynotbesuitableforthemandmayharmthem.
Thepharmacylabelonyourmedicinetellsyouhow
muchmedicineyoushouldhave.Italsotellsyou
howoftenyoushouldhaveyourmedicine.Thisis
thedosethatyouandyourprescriberhaveagreed
youshouldhave.Youshouldnotchangethedoseof
yourmedicineunlessyouaretoldtodosobyyour
prescriber.
Ifyoufeelthatthemedicineismakingyouunwellor
youdonotthinkitisworking,thentalktoyour
prescriber.

Takingextradosesofsomemedicinescanbe
harmful.Insomecasesevenoneextradosecan
causeyouproblems.Ifyoutakeextradosesofyour
medicine,youmustgetmedicaladviceimmediately.
Youmayneedatesttoassesstheeffectoftaking
extradoses.Thisisbecausetheeffectsoftaking
toomuchmedicineareverycomplexsoitisvery
importantthatyouseekmedicaladvice.

Contactyourprescriber,pharmacist,specialistclinic
orNHSDirecton08454647foradvice.

Flixotideisnotsuitableforeveryoneandsome
peopleshouldneveruseit.Otherpeopleshould
onlyuseitwithspecialcare.Itisimportantthatthe
personprescribingthismedicineknowsyourfull
medicalhistory.

Makesureyoutakeallofyourmedicinecontainers
withyouifyouareadvisedtogotohospital.

Whentotakeyourmedicine

Stoppingyourmedicine

Somemedicinesworkbestiftheyaretakenata
specifictimeofday.Gettingthemostfromyour
medicinecanalsobeaffectedbywhatyoueat,
whenyoueatandthetimesatwhichyoutakeother
medicines.Makesureyoufollowanyspecific
instructionsgiventoyoubyyourprescriberorthat
areinthePatientInformationLeafletthatcomes
withthismedicine.

Ifyouarenothavinganyproblemstakingthis
medicinethendonotstophavingit,evenifyoufeel
better,unlessadvisedtodosobyyourprescriber.If,
however,youfindthatthismedicineiscausingyou
problemsthenyoushouldtalktoyourprescriber
aboutyourconcerns.

Howtotakeyourmedicine
Somemedicineshavespecificinstructionsabout
howtotakethem.Thisisbecausetheyworkbetter
whentakencorrectly.Theseinstructionscaninclude
gettingtherightdoseandspecialinstructionsfor
preparingthemedicine.
InthecaseofFlixotide:

detailedadviceonhowtohaveFlixotidecan
befoundinthePatientInformationLeaflet
thatcomeswiththismedicine

wheninhalingFlixotideitisbesttobesitting
orstandingup

ifyoufinditdifficulttouseyourinhaleroryou
aregettingsideeffectsinthemouthorthroat,
aspacerdevicemaybehelpful.Formore
informationonspacerdevicestalktoyour
prescriber,nurseorpharmacist

rinseyourmouthoutwithwaterafterinhaling
yourdose.Youshoulddothisaftereveryuse
asFlixotidemayincreasethechancesof
gettinghoarsenessandinfectionsofthe
throatandmouth.Rinsingwithwatermay
helpreduceyourchancesofgettingthese
problems
Ifyouarehavingproblemstakingthisformof
Flixotide,youshouldtalktoyourprescriberor
pharmacist.Theymaybeabletogiveyouadviceon
otherwaystotakeyourmedicineorother
preparationsthatareeasierforyoutotake.
Takingtoomuchofyourmedicine

Ifyourmedicalteamdecidesthatitisbestthatyou
donottakethismedicineanymore,theymay
advisethatyoudonotstopFlixotideabruptly.Thisis
because,insomeinstances,stoppingFlixotide
abruptlycancausewithdrawalsymptomsorcause
youroriginalconditiontoreturn.Intheseinstances,
reducingthedoseofFlixotidegraduallyovertime
mayreducethechancesofhavingtheseproblems.
Ifyouareinanydoubt,contactyourprescriber,
pharmacist,specialistclinicorNHSDirecton0845
4647.
Lookingafteryourmedicine
Theinstructionsonhowyoushouldkeepyour
medicineareonthepharmacylabel.Youshould
keepyourmedicineintheoriginalcontainer.This
willhelptokeepyourmedicineinthebestcondition
andalsoallowyoutochecktheinstructions.Donot
takethemedicineifthepackagingappearstohave
beentamperedwithorifthemedicineshowsany
signsofdamage.Makesurethatthemedicineisout
ofthesightandreachofchildren.
InthecaseofFlixotide:

donotstoreintemperaturesabove30C

ifthecanisteriscold,Flixotidemaynotwork
aswell

donotbreak,punctureorburnthecanister
evenwhenitseemsempty

youmustnotfreezethismedicine

youmustnotputthismedicineinafridge

protectyourmedicinefromfrost

protectyourmedicinefromdirectsunlight

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makesurethecoverisclosedtightlywhen
youarenotusingthemedicine
Youmustnottakethemedicineaftertheexpirydate
shownonthepackaging.Ifyouhaveanyunused
medicine,returnittoyourpharmacistwhowill
disposeofitsafely.
Whetherthismedicineissuitableforyou

Yourprescribermayonlyprescribethismedicine
withspecialcareormaynotprescribeitatallifyou:

areallergicorsensitivetoorhavehada
reactiontoanyoftheingredientsinthe
medicine

haveorhavehadtuberculosis

haveorhavehaddiabetes
Aspartoftheprocessofassessingsuitabilityto
takethismedicineaprescribermayalsoarrange
tests:

tocheckthatthismedicineishavingthe
desiredeffect

tocheckthatthismedicineisnothavingany
undesiredeffects
OvertimeitispossiblethatFlixotidecanbecome
unsuitableforsomepeople,ortheymaybecome
unsuitableforit.Ifatanytimeitappearsthat
Flixotidehasbecomeunsuitable,itisimportantthat
theprescriberiscontactedimmediately.
Sideeffects
Amedicineisonlymadeavailabletothepublicifthe
clinicaltrialshaveshownthatthebenefitsoftaking
themedicineoutweightherisks.
Onceamedicinehasbeenlicensed,informationon
themedicine'seffects,bothintendedand
unintended,iscontinuouslyrecordedandupdated.
Somesideeffectsmaybeseriouswhileothersmay
onlybeamildinconvenience.
Everyone'sreactiontoamedicineisdifferent.Itis
difficulttopredictwhichsideeffectsyouwillhave
fromtakingaparticularmedicine,orwhetheryou
willhaveanysideeffectsatall.Theimportantthing
istotellyourprescriberorpharmacistifyouare
havingproblemswithyourmedicine.
Verycommon:Morethan1in10peoplewhohave
Flixotide

infectionsofthemouthandthroat

Lastupdated22Jul13
Copyright2010Datapharm

Flixotide
Flixotide125micrograms/doseEvohaler
Whenusedinasthma
Common:Morethan1in100peoplewhohave
Flixotide

bruising

difficultyspeaking

hoarsevoice

pneumoniaorworseningofpneumonia
seekmedicaladviceifsymptomsdevelop
Uncommon:Morethan1in1000peoplewhohave
Flixotide

skinhypersensitivityreactions
Veryrare:Fewerthan1in10,000peoplewhohave
Flixotide

anaphylacticreactions

angioedema

behaviouralchangesincludinghyperactivity
orfeelingirritable

breathingdifficulties

bronchospasm

bronchospasmifyoudevelopanincreasein
wheezingimmediatelyafterusingyour
inhaleryoumusttreatthisimmediatelywitha
fastactinginhaledbronchodilatorandthen
seekimmediatemedicaladvice

feelinganxious

ifFlixotideisusedinlargeamountsorfora
longperiodoftimeothersideeffectsmay
occur.Thesearerelatedtotheeffectthat
steroidshaveonthebody.Thesemay
includeCushing'ssyndrome,adrenal
problems,growthsuppressioninchildrenand
adolescents,loweringofbonemineral
density,cataractsorglaucoma

increasedbloodsugarlevels

indigestion

jointpain

lungproblems

sleepingproblems
Thefrequencyofthesesideeffectsisunknown

aggressivebehaviour

depression

headaches

lossofappetite

loweredbloodsugar

nausea

reducedconsciouslevel

seizures

stomachpain

tiredness

uncoveringallergicconditionssuchasrhinitis
orskinproblemswhenchangingfromanoral
steroidtoFlixotide

vomiting

weightloss
Providedbywww.medicines.org.uk/guides

worseningofasthmawhichmaybefatal
seekmedicaladviceifsymptomsworsenorif
theshortactingbronchodilatorbecomesless
effective
Ifyoufeelunwellorifyouhaveconcernsabouta
sideeffect,youwillneedtoseekadvice.Ifyoufeel
veryill,getmedicalhelpstraightaway.Contactyour
prescriber,pharmacist,nurseorcallNHSDirecton
08454647.

Yourprescribercanadvisewhetheritisappropriate
foryoutotakecombinationsthatareknownto
interact.Theycanalsodiscusswithyouthe
possibleeffectthatthecomplementarypreparations
andvitaminsmayhaveonyourcondition.

Takingothermedicines

Drivingandoperatingmachinery

Ifyouaretakingmorethanonemedicinetheymay
interactwitheachother.Attimesyourprescriber
maydecidetousemedicinesthatinteract,inother
casesthismaynotbeappropriate.

Whentakinganymedicineyoushouldbeawarethat
itmightinterferewithyourabilitytodriveoroperate
machinerysafely.

Thedecisiontousemedicinesthatinteractdepends
onyourspecificcircumstances.Yourprescribermay
decidetousemedicinesthatinteract,ifitisbelieved
thatthebenefitsoftakingthemedicinestogether
outweightherisks.Insuchcases,itmaybe
necessarytoalteryourdoseormonitoryoumore
closely.
Tellyourprescriberthenamesofallthemedicines
thatyouaretakingsothattheycanconsiderall
possibleinteractions.Thisincludesallthemedicines
whichhavebeenprescribedbyyourGP,hospital
doctor,dentist,nurse,healthvisitor,midwifeor
pharmacist.Youmustalsotellyourprescriberabout
medicineswhichyouhaveboughtoverthecounter
withoutprescriptions.
ThefollowingmedicinesmayinteractwithFlixotide:

ritonavir

itraconazole

ketoconazole

erythromycin
Thefollowingtypesofmedicinemayinteractwith
Flixotide:

cytochromeP450enzymeinhibitors
IfyouaretakingFlixotideandoneoftheabove
medicinesortypesofmedicines,makesureyour
prescriberknowsaboutit.
Complementarypreparationsandvitamins
Medicinescaninteractwithcomplementary
preparationsandvitamins.Ingeneral,thereisnot
muchinformationavailableaboutinteractions
betweenmedicinesandcomplementary
preparationsorvitamins.
Ifyouareplanningtotakeorarealreadytakingany
complementarypreparationsandvitaminsyou
shouldaskyourprescriberwhetherthereareany
knowninteractionswithFlixotide.

Ifyouexperienceanyunusualeffectswhiletaking
thismedicineincombinationwithcomplementary
preparationsandvitamins,youshouldtellyour
prescriber.

InthecaseofFlixotide:

thismedicineisunlikelytoaffectdriving
abilityortheabilitytooperatemachinery
Youshouldseehowthismedicineaffectsyou
beforeyoujudgewhetheryouaresafetodriveor
operatemachinery.Ifyouareinanydoubtabout
whetheryoushoulddriveoroperatemachinery,talk
toyourprescriber.
Diet
Medicinescaninteractwithcertainfoods.Insome
cases,thismaybeharmfulandyourprescribermay
adviseyoutoavoidcertainfoods.
InthecaseofFlixotide:

therearenospecificfoodsthatyoumust
excludefromyourdietwhenhavingFlixotide
Alcohol
Alcoholcaninteractwithcertainmedicines.
InthecaseofFlixotide:

therearenoknowninteractionsbetween
alcoholandFlixotide
Familyplanningandpregnancy

IfthedecisionisthatyoushouldnothaveFlixotide,
thenyoushoulddiscusswhetherthereisan
alternativemedicinethatyoucouldtakeduring
pregnancy.
Breastfeeding
Certainmedicinescanpassintobreastmilkand
mayreachyourbabythroughbreastfeeding.
InthecaseofFlixotide:

youshouldonlyhavethismedicinewhile
breastfeedingifyourdoctorthinksyouneed
it
Beforeyouhaveyourbabyyoushoulddiscuss
breastfeedingwithyourdoctorormidwife.Theywill
helpyoudecidewhatisbestforyouandyourbaby
basedonthebenefitsandrisksassociatedwiththis
medicine.Youshouldonlybreastfeedyourbaby
whiletakingthismedicineontheadviceofyour
doctorormidwife.
Ingredientsofyourmedicine
Medicinescontainactiveingredients.Theymayalso
containother,additionalingredientsthathelpensure
thestability,safetyandeffectivenessofthe
medicine.Theyarealsoaddedtoimprovethe
medicine'sappearanceandtomakeiteasiertouse.
Somemaybeusedtoprolongthelifeofthe
medicine.
Flixotidecontains:

HFA134a

fluticasonepropionate
Ifyouarenotabletotakeanyoftheingredientsin
yourmedicine,talktoyourprescriberorpharmacist
toseeiftheycansuggestanalternativemedicine.If
youhavereactedbadlytoFlixotidebefore,donot
haveFlixotide.Talktoyourprescriber,pharmacistor
nurseassoonaspossible.

Mostmedicines,insomeway,canaffectthe
developmentofababyinthewomb.Theeffecton
thebabydiffersbetweenmedicinesandalso
dependsonthestageofpregnancythatyouhave
reachedwhenyoutakethemedicine.
InthecaseofFlixotide:

youshouldonlyhavethismedicineduring
pregnancyifyourdoctorthinksthatyouneed
it
Youneedtodiscussyourspecificcircumstances
withyourdoctortoweighuptheoverallrisksand
benefitsoftakingthismedicine.Youandyourdoctor
canmakeadecisionaboutwhetheryouaregoingto
takethismedicineduringpregnancy.

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Lastupdated22Jul13
Copyright2010Datapharm