Generic Name: ciclesonide
Brand Name: Alvesco inhalation
Drug Reviews Drug and Medication User Reviews
Immediate side effects. Difficulty breathing that led to 6 asthma attacks in 72 hours. I've never experienced asthma like that. My nose was blocked, my eyes were red and itchy. I had blurred vision. I had burning in the back of my throat and felt like I was going to vomit. Absolute poison. Ive just gone off it and feel 1000 times better but still a little bit sick.
The dose meter starts at 60 and dials down to the red zone at 20. I have dozens of these inhalers and they ALL empty at the 20 mark/red zone. There are not any doses below 20. I mark each box with the date I open a new one. This month I opened my last box on March 3, 2022. I had to open another one on March 20, 2022. Therefore, it lasted 17 days. My pharmacy will only dispense 6 inhalers for 3 months. I am constantly running out. My Rx is for 1-2 puffs, 2x/day.
Ineffective
I had to find a new med because my old inhaled corticosteroid was discontinued (Aerospan), unfortunately because it worked very well. Alvesco worked well for my but unfortunately I got itchy and hives from it so I had to discontinue it.
I've been using Alvesco for 5 years and it controls my asthma better than any inhaled glucocorticoid I've used in over 30 years. I started at the 160mcg. dose 2x daily and 3 years ago stepped down to the 80mcg dose 2x daily. I'm a professional voice user (singer/teacher) and Fluticasone and asmanex inhalers caused dysphonia and asmanex led to aphonia. Alvesco has caused no vocal problems and this is amazing after all the problems I've experienced with other inhalers. My pulmonologist can hardly believe how well my disease is controlled with such a low dose of Alvesco.
I used Qvar 80 for years with no problems. It was so effective, I could skip a couple days of use. My HMO discontinued distribution of Qvar and substituted it with Alvesco 160. It doesn't work as well for me, and I find my asthma is getting worse since starting it 3 weeks ago.
After a few days of starting this inhaler, I had chest pains and it almost felt like my heart was cramping. After about 2-3 weeks it did go away, but when I stopped and started again, the same thing would happen.
Alvesco raised my peak flow from 350 to 430. It has worked really well for me and I recommend it!
My disease is so bad that it's hard for me to evaluate effectiveness of drugs (without going off of them) but my doctors have kept me on Alvesco for at least 10 yrs so I know they think it's effective. I wanted folks to know about my good experience with the Customer Service people representing the drug. I had a canister that seemed to be clogged from the outset and worsened over 2 weeks. I contacted the company and with no fuss was told they would replace it. Within 3 days there was a replacement ready at my pharmacy. The defective unit is being returned by my pharmacist and I am confident that it will be checked. Just the kind of responsiveness you want in a pharmaceutical company.
I had to switch from my previous inhaler because it was discontinued. I tried most of the newer ones without success, made me sick. so my allergist started me on a trial of alvesco which has been much better overall. I also have COPD so I still don't have complete freedom from symptoms, but, along with my rescue inhaler, I have fewer problems. my main complaint is the cost, especially since I now have a medicare plan.
I have noticed when I get down to 10 puffs left on the counter, I seem to be getting less medicine and more propellant. I have to buy a new inhaler, since my symptoms are not well controlled after I've used it down to 10 puffs.
First the Alvesco worked like a charm, an had none of the side-effects steroids usually had, exempt it made my throat dry and made me depressed. But within 14 days you know if a steroid is working or not. 14 days later i started to feel very ill, sick to my bones. I could barely eat, and got the feeling of throwing up when eating, i started to loose weight, my back started to hurt, and i started to get bruises for nothing, abnormally easily. I felt like a wreck! In the end i couldn't drink a glass of water without getting severe nausea. And i also woke up everyday with a bad dry cough, and the medicine did not work at all anymore, not even when i increased the dose. No need to say i switched back to Seretide (Advair), the next day, all my problems were gone!
I tried this medication for the first time and immediately after taking two puffs I developed a moderate asthma attack, headache, dizziness, disorientation, heart palpitations, a blood nose and after half an hour of puffing on Ventolin my heart was racing and I felt very shaky. I became extremely weak then lay down and slept for three hours. Obviously an allergic reaction.
This is the only relief I have found.
ADVAIR nearly killed me literally. So now I am on Alvesco. The tremors, nervousness, tingling in the face, gastro bloating and pain, and instant headache scare me. My entire body feels tingly whether I wake up or go to bed only after one two days of use. I don't know what to do.
I switched from asmanex to alvesco and could not be happier. When I was on the asmanex, I was using the albuterol practically on a daily basis. Since the switch I use it only now and then. Much less airway reactivity. I have been on quite a few steroid inhalers over the years and I love alvesco! My results have been amazing.
I was gaining weight, couldn't see my ankles where my feet and legs were so swollen. Sore throat all the time, even though I rinsed with water after as instructed. When taking the night time one it did cause acid reflux. I had heart palpitations and just felt generally unwell on it. Have stopped for 3 weeks, the swelling in my legs has completely gone, I can see my ankles again and the weight is dropping off, 7LB already in 3 weeks and nothing different to my diet! I just wish there was an inhaler on the market that doesn't have side effects.
I have been on Alvesco for a month noe and have terrible indigestion/acid rflux and white spots on the back of my throat. I just read that this a side effect and called my physician to see about changing to a different inhaler. Has anyone else had these side effects with Alvesco?
Satisfied in how it works but, unsure if side effects for a 10 year old is too harmful, knee joint pain, headaches, stomach aches & waking at 3am everymoring & hard to fall back asleep.