Following are some warnings and precautions to be aware of with Flovent:
If you are switching from an oral steroid to Flovent (which is an inhaled steroid), your healthcare provider should decrease your dose of the oral steroid very slowly. Stopping an oral steroid too quickly can be very dangerous.
Flovent is not a fast-acting asthma medication and cannot replace fast-acting rescue inhalers. Do not use Flovent to treat an asthma attack. Everyone taking Flovent should also have a rescue asthma medication available at all times. Let your healthcare provider know if you need to use your rescue inhaler more frequently than usual, as this may be a sign of worsening asthma.
Flovent can cause an immediate worsening of asthma symptoms. If this happens, use your rescue inhaler (such as albuterol) as needed and contact your healthcare provider for further instruction.
Flovent is a steroid and may suppress the immune system. Although this is more likely to occur with oral steroids, it is still possible with inhaled steroids (such as Flovent). You may be at a higher risk of infections while taking Flovent. Certain infections (such as chickenpox or the measles) may be more dangerous if you are taking Flovent. Let your healthcare provider know right away if you are exposed to chickenpox or the measles (if you have not had these infections and have not been vaccinated against them).
Like all steroids, Flovent may slow the growth of children and teenagers. Usually, this slowing of growth is small, with children growing about one centimeter less per year. Contact your child's healthcare provider if you are concerned about slow growth in your child.
Inhaled steroids (including Flovent) can cause glaucoma or cataracts (conditions of the eyes).
Before starting Flovent, be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you currently have any type of infection. Also let your healthcare provider know if you have ever had tuberculosis or a herpes infection of the eye, as Flovent may weaken the immune system, allowing these infections to worsen.
Flovent is considered a pregnancy Category C medication. This means that Flovent may not be safe to use during pregnancy. Talk with your healthcare provider about the risks and benefits of using Flovent during pregnancy (see Flovent and Pregnancy for more information).
It is not known if inhaled fluticasone (the active ingredient of Flovent) passes through breast milk. Therefore, if you are breastfeeding or plan to start, be sure to talk with your healthcare provider about using Flovent (see Flovent and Breastfeeding for more information).
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