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What is the most important information I should know about beclomethasone?

Do not use beclomethasone inhalation to treat an asthma attack that has already begun. It will not work fast enough to reverse your symptoms. Use another, faster-acting inhalation medication to treat an asthma attack.

Contact your doctor if your asthma symptoms do not improve after using beclomethasone inhalation for 2 weeks.

Seek medical attention if you think any of your asthma medications are not working as well as usual. An increased need for medication could be an early sign of a serious asthma attack. Your dosage needs may also change if you have surgery, are ill, are under stress, or have recently had an asthma attack.

If you were switched from an oral (taken by mouth) steroid to beclomethasone inhalation, you may need to go back to taking the oral medicine if you are under stress or have an asthma attack or other medical emergency. Carry an identification card or wear a medical alert ID to let others know that you may need an oral steroid in an emergency.

Warning

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

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What is beclomethasone?

Beclomethasone is a steroid. It prevents the release of substances in the body that cause inflammation.

Beclomethasone inhalation is used to prevent asthma attacks. It will not treat an asthma attack that has already begun.

Beclomethasone may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.


Precautions

Before using this medication, tell your doctor if you have been sick or had an infection of any kind (especially tuberculosis). You may not be able to use beclomethasone inhalation until you are well.

FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

It is not known whether beclomethasone passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use beclomethasone inhalation without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Beclomethasone can affect growth in children. Talk with your doctor if you think your child is not growing at a normal rate while using this medication.

Do not give this medicine to a child younger than 5 years old.

Long-term use of steroids may lead to bone loss (osteoporosis), especially if you smoke, if you do not exercise, if you do not get enough vitamin D or calcium in your diet, or if you have a family history of osteoporosis. Talk with your doctor about your risk of osteoporosis.

Beclomethasone inhalation can lower the blood cells that help your body fight infections. This can make it easier for you to get sick from being around others who are ill. Avoid being near people who are sick or have infections. Contact your doctor if you have been exposed to someone with measles or chicken pox.

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Instructions

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.

An overdose of beclomethasone inhalation is not expected to produce life-threatening symptoms.

Use the medication as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and wait until your next regularly scheduled dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

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Side-effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

  • weakness, tired feeling, nausea, loss of appetite, weight loss;
  • wheezing or breathing problems after using this medication;
  • skin rash, bruising, severe tingling, numbness, pain, muscle weakness;
  • changes in the shape or location of body fat (especially in your arms, legs, face, neck, breasts, and waist);
  • worsening asthma symptoms.

Less serious side effects may include:

  • headache;
  • dryness in your mouth, nose, or throat;
  • white patches or sores inside your mouth or on your lips;
  • stuffy nose, sinus pain, sore throat, cough; or
  • hoarseness or deepened voice.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

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Interactions

If you are also using a bronchodilator (a drug that opens the airways to improve breathing), use it first before using the beclomethasone inhaler. This will allow more beclomethasone to reach your lungs. Bronchodilators include albuterol (Proventil, Ventolin), pirbuterol (Maxair), bitolterol (Tornalate), and others.

There may be other drugs that can interact with beclomethasone inhalation. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

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Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Copyright 1996-2004 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version 2.05. Revision date 8/23/04

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