Generic Name: Symbicort for COPD (budesonide-formoterol)
Symbicort for COPD Reviews
"Absolutely the best COPD medicine I have ever taken. Why did I destroy my own lungs with cigarettes? Youth and stupidity, I guess. Went from a dying couch potato to a 5k runner with Symbicort. Two puffs in the morning and two before bed keep me in great shape. It really is an amazing drug for COPD sufferers."
"Symbicort works well as a maintenance medication for my COPD. I use in combination with Spiriva. The only downside is that it causes anxiety and 'jitters' for me. I am already an anxious person so this can be a problem."
"I'm pretty sure that I would have died without it. I had already had full respiratory failure with extended hospital stay and hooked up to oxygen when I went home. Then once I got off of the oxygen, I had emergency level exacerbations sometimes 3 or 4 times a week which increases your mortality rate. When I started using the Symbicort, it went away."
"After the VA diagnosed my concern as COPD, they gave me Combivent four times a day, and I had to use a rescue Albuterol in between. It was very discouraging. The doctor then sent me Symbicort 80/4.5. The first day was a miracle. I can shovel snow, walk my dog half a mile, and have not touched the rescue inhaler once. Not sure of any side effects yet, as it has been only a week, but the BEST week in a long time. I would recommend this to anyone who can use it."
"Had tried Advair and one other inhaler and didn't do anything. Was using albuterol when needed (2-3 times a day). Doctor put me on Symbicort and had immediate relief. Only take 2 puffs in the morning and set for the day. No side effects yet (6 weeks now). Hopefully it will continue to work on my COPD. Also, I'm a smoker (of course trying to quit) and even with smoking, Symbicort has worked great."
"After the first use of 160/4.5 Symbicort, my lungs opened and phlegm coughed up. Had more energy. This product is the first time in 5 years that I felt it working. VA even carries the product. I also have more energy."
"I was given Symbicort on June 15, 2020. On June 17, 2020, I lost my voice completely. I can only whisper softly. It's now September 24, 2020, and I still have no voice. All due to a doctor who prescribed it for a misdiagnosis of COPD. Now what do I do??? They tell me it's been so long with no voice I might not ever get it back. Is it lawyer time, or what????"
"Have been taking this medicine for 3 years. At first, I thought it wasn't doing anything for me. I took myself off of the medication. After a few weeks, I noticed that my breathing got worse. Symbicort has made a huge difference in me being able to breathe and not. Concerns are my high dosage compared to other people I know who are on it."
"I've had asthma my entire adult life. It has always been bad. Winters were worse, summers not quite as bad as winters. My asthma/COPD has gotten worse the last two years. Summer is as bad as winter. I've been using Flovent with a rescue inhaler. Even with Flovent, I was using the rescue inhaler all the time. I couldn't sleep a night through without waking up needing the inhaler. I tried Advair, no better. So this last visit to my doctor, he put me on Symbicort. I've gone a month without needing the rescue inhaler. I haven't used it once! It's so freeing not having to worry if I'm running out of inhalers. I couldn't do my job, enjoy the outdoors, be active without worrying I couldn't breathe. This has been a miracle medication for me."
"Symbicort is good, but the company is doing bad with patients by giving them an 80% discount pass, which is costlier than the actual open market price. For example, I am buying Symbicort at $241 on CVS. The company is giving Symbicort a value after an 80% discount of $309.53. Why are they deceiving innocent patients? If $309.53 is the 80% discounted price, it means the actual price is $1,547.65, while I have bought it 4 times at $241 at CVS. It looks like they are getting hidden benefits from some organization by showing that they have given millions of dollars in discounts to COPD patients. If you do not publish it as it is, I will go to other methods. They are answerable."
"I have used it one night and one day. Four inhales total. At first night. It causes laryngospasm. I almost choked. This horror is still with me two months passed. Even on day I had spasms. Mostly start with a cough. I am afraid if there is no cure for this. All my life changed. None of physician knows this disease. They prescribe asthma drugs. I searched on the internet 13 cases reported so far. I am the 14th case. Stay away."
"I have probable COPD, not diagnosed yet. I have had mucus, wheezing, coughing, and chest tightness for a year and a half. Prescribed Flovent, antibiotics, Nasonex, Pulmicort for sinusitis. Finally, the docs decided to look at the lungs and prescribed Symbicort a few weeks ago. I have had a significant improvement - a lot less coughing and less chest tightness with the Symbicort."
"Symbicort is the best inhaler. You receive immediate relief breathing and it relieves your breathing for extended period. The only problem is, the inhaler is very expensive. My doctor was giving me a free sample but they do not have anymore. I'm trying Pro Air but it is not as effective."
"I tried this a couple of times, and it always made breathing worse. My lungs felt inflamed. I went from general shortness of breath to not being able to complete a sentence without running out of breath."
"I have insurance with AARP & United Health . After paying $195 a year for medical, I pay $47 for Symbicort. I have no monthly premium. Otherwise, I would be paying over $350 for it. Try different insurances. I found mine very affordable. I have not had to pay any office visits or blood tests."
"The medicine worked right off the bat. After 30 minutes or so, I could breathe much better, and as a smoker, it helped my wheezing go away, and I was not as tired, with more energy. NOW the BAD part. I have had a heart attack and have 3 stents. For 3 years, my bp has been perfect at 110/65 with a pulse of 58 to 65, even drinking caffeine and smoking. Since starting this, BP has increased a little, but pulse, no matter what, stays above 110 24/7, SO, I can't take it for that reason only."
"I have taken Symbicort for over 1 year. It works very well, but I asked my lung doctor if we could try another inhaler. The side effect that caused me to stop taking it was hoarseness and a scratchy throat. My doctor gave me another inhaler to try. Still with the throat thing. I hope he comes up with something else, but my expectations aren't high. All of this type of inhaler must do the same thing as far as side effects."
"The first couple of weeks, it seemed to help, but then I developed a bad case of thrush, even though I rinsed and gargled after each use. I did not swallow it. I have had the 5 pills to suck on every day for 14 days and now the Nystatin to swish, gargle, and swallow. I am much better now, but I took myself off the Symbicort. I am also on a lot of other medicines, but the one I absolutely need is phenytoin, due to a brain aneurysm. My mother had esophageal candida and was on Diflucan all the time, and I have had my share of yeast infections also."
"Helps breathing some. My copay is $271 Received e-mail from symbicort that said if I printed it and took it to my pharmacy it would cost average $35 and maybe free . Pharmacist said if used symbicort card it would be $418. I think its just a scam to get my information"
"History of asthma as a toddler. Used Primatine Mist along with tobacco use from a teenager to approximately 40 years until it was removed from the shelves. The doctor prescribed albuterol as a replacement and I stopped smoking. Ten years later, the albuterol use was up to 3 times daily, using 2 puffs at a time. Tried Advair for a few months with little success, still using albuterol 2 or 3 times daily. Researched new inhalers and happened upon Symbicort. Requested a trial from my doctor and have been using it as prescribed for 5 years now. Initially, the new inhaler eliminated the need for albuterol. Last year I came down with Para Influenza III, which for me was a horrific lower respiratory condition, lasting over 2 months. Thought Covid had finally found me but never tested positive. Still having to take albuterol about 3 times in a 24-hour period, along with Symbicort. Current symptoms would seem to mimic a Covid long hauler. Finally regaining stamina and using less albuterol."
"Been using it for a month, no bells or whistles. Does what its supposed to I guess, I take two other inhalers as well. I see people on here saying they pay $250 for this??? Where's this at? I'm on the East coast of Canada with no insurance so pay out of pocket. 120 doses $110... I switched from Zenhale to the Symbicort..... good luck,stay safe."
"It helps some but in the large picture, not much. I can walk to the back of my house 40 feet without having to stop to catch my breath, but still breathing heavily. Prior, I had to stop every 15 feet or so to catch my breath. Improvement? Yes. Better? No."
"worked really good but the side effects were unmanageable. Rinsed, gargled as instructed but developed thrush and swallowing was very painful. Discontinued use but took over 6 months to get over side effects. Now on Advair and am so scared of this happening again that I take right before a meal so that food will clean the esophagus of the medication. Hope new drugs being tested will result in a drug as good as Symbicort but without the side effects! Are there any patches or injections available as I have severe Gerd and pills and inhalers cause me extreme pain."
"It helped the COPD but the side effects are dreadful. I was on it for 8 years, started when I was 40. Gradually I gained 50 lbs, had muscle cramps, skin conditions, peripheral neuropathy, bloating and GI issues. I thought I was just “getting old” but it was all the symbicort. Now I use my DuoNeb 2-3 times a day. My breathing is still a struggle but it’s better then the side effects."
"Used this ONE time and was in the hospital an hr later. Went into A-Fib. Been on Breo, Adavair, Arnuity. Was told I (yes I, not the doctor) should look for a NON stimulant med. Do they make one? Searching still."
More about Symbicort (budesonide / formoterol)
- Check interactions
- Compare alternatives
- Pricing & coupons
- Reviews (221)
- Drug images
- Side effects
- Dosage information
- Patient tips
- During pregnancy
- Generic availability
- Support group
- FDA approval history
- Drug class: bronchodilator combinations
- En español
Patient resources
- Symbicort drug information
- Symbicort Aerosphere (Advanced Reading)
Professional resources
- Symbicort prescribing information
Other brands
Breyna
Related treatment guides
- COPD, Maintenance
- Asthma, Maintenance
- COPD
