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Symbicort Side Effects
Sinus infection, runny nose, headache, and throat pain are some of the most common side effects with Symbicort. These are generally minor and don't require medical attention, but certain problems are more serious and should be reported to your healthcare provider right away. Seek immediate medical attention if you develop serious side effects, such as worsening breathing problems, increased heart rate, or signs of an allergic reaction.
As with any medicine, side effects are possible with Symbicort® (budesonide and formoterol); however, not everyone who takes the medication will have problems. In fact, most people tolerate it quite well. If side effects do occur, in most cases, they are minor and either require no treatment or can be easily treated by you or your healthcare provider.
(This article covers many, but not all, of the possible side effects with Symbicort. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list of Symbicort side effects with you.)
Symbicort has been studied thoroughly in clinical trials, in which a group of people taking the drug have side effects documented and compared to another group not taking the medicine. This way, it is possible to see what side effects occur, how often they appear, and how they compare to the group not taking the medicine.
In these studies, the most common side effects of Symbicort included:
- Headaches -- up to 11.3 percent of people
- Sore throat and irritated or runny nose -- up to 10.5 percent
- Upper respiratory tract infection, such as the common cold -- up to 10.5 percent
- Throat pain -- up to 8.9 percent
- Upset stomach -- up to 6.5 percent
- Thrush (a yeast infection of the mouth) -- up to 6 percent
- Sinus infection -- up to 5.8 percent
- Bronchitis -- up to 5.4 percent.
Other common side effects, occurring in 1 to 5 percent of people, included:
- Flu symptoms
- Back pain
- Nasal congestion
- Nausea or vomiting
- Thrush
- Diarrhea
- Voice change
- Muscle spasms
- Urinary tract infection (bladder infection or UTI)
- Dizziness
- Headaches, including migraines and tension headaches.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD