Budesonide side effects can include dry mouth, nausea, and throat irritation. This glucocorticoid steroid medication, marketed under names like Enterocort® and Pulmicort®, is used in the management of asthma, rhinitis, and inflammatory diseases of the bowel, particularly Crohn's disease. It is available in a number of formats, and the mixture of side effects can depend on how the drug is taken, as it comes in tablets, suppositories, nasal inhalers, and oral inhalers.
This drug reduces inflammation in the body, acting like other steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. With inhalants, patients are more likely to experience throat irritation, nasal drip, and headaches. Pills can be more likely to cause nausea and diarrhea, along with stomach cramping. The suppository is usually tolerated well, with the medication being delivered directly to the source of the inflammation in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases.
Other common budesonide side effects can include stuffy nose, dry mouth, and dizziness. More seriously, this drug can sometimes lead to respiratory problems like increased mucus production in the airways, and it can also cause seizures and other neurological symptoms. People who faint, experience changes in the heart rate, or start to have trouble breathing while taking budesonide should discuss these symptoms with a doctor.
More rarely, budesonide side effects can include an allergic reaction to the drug, which may onset at any time. Patients who are allergic can experience anaphylaxis, hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of the mouth and nose, and rashes on the skin. Use of the medication should be discontinued and a doctor should be contacted to get treatment and talk about alternative medications to treat the condition being managed with the budesonide.
People who experience severe budesonide side effects and have trouble sticking with a medication regimen have a number of options. One is to change the format or dosage of the medication in consultation with a doctor to see if it is possible to get the beneficial effects while reducing side effects. Another is to stop using it and try another medication. A different drug may be effective at managing inflammation without the budesonide side effects, or with fewer side effects than the patient experienced while on this drug. The availability of alternatives is something important for patients undergoing treatment for conditions like asthma to be aware of, as they may struggle on drugs they don't like under the mistaken belief that those drugs are the only choice for managing their conditions.