Side Effects

Possible side effects

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. To reduce the chance of side effects, your doctor will prescribe the lowest dose of Fluticasone Salmeterol 250 Inhaler to control your asthma. Allergic reactions: you may notice your breathing suddenly gets worse immediately after using Avenor. You may be very wheezy and cough or be short of breath. You may also notice itching, a rash (hives) and swelling (usually of the face, lips, tongue or throat), or you may suddenly feel that your heart is beating very fast or you feel faint and light headed (which may lead to collapse or loss of consciousness). If you get any of these effects or if they happen suddenly after using Avenor, stop using Fluticasone Salmeterol 250 Inhaler and tell your doctor straight away. Allergic reactions to Fluticasone Salmeterol 250 Inhaler are uncommon (they affect less than 1 person in 100). Other side effects are listed below: Very Common (may affects more than 1 in 10 people) • Headache – this usually gets better as treatment continues. • Increased number of colds have been reported in patients with COPD. Common (may affects up to 1 in 10 people) • Thrush (sore, creamy-yellow, raised patches) in the mouth and throat. Also sore tongue and hoarse voice and throat irritation. Rinsing your mouth out with water and spitting it out immediately and/or brushing your teeth after taking each dose of your medicine may help. Your doctor may prescribe an anti-fungal medication to treat the thrush. • Aching, swollen joints and muscle pain. • Muscle cramps. The following side effects have also been reported in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): • Pneumonia and bronchitis (lung infection). Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following symptoms: increase in sputum production, change in sputum colour, fever, chills, increased cough, increased breathing problems. • Throat irritation. Rinsing your mouth out with water and spitting it out immediately after taking each puff may help. • Bruising and fractures. • Inflammation of sinuses (a feeling of tension or fullness in the nose, cheeks and behind the eyes, sometimes with a throbbing ache). • A reduction in the amount of potassium in the blood (you may get an uneven heartbeat, muscle weakness, cramp). Uncommon (may affects up to 1 in 100 people) • Increases in the amount of sugar (glucose) in your blood (hyperglycaemia). If you have diabetes, more frequent blood sugar monitoring and possibly adjustment of your usual diabetic treatment may be required. • Cataract (cloudy lens in the eye). • Very fast heartbeat (tachycardia). • Feeling shaky (tremor) and fast or uneven heart beat (palpitations) – these are usually harmless and get less as treatment continues. • Chest pain. • Feeling worried (this effect mainly occurs in children). • Disturbed sleep. • Allergic skin rash. Rare (may affects up to 1 in 1000 people) • Breathing difficulties or wheezing that get worse straight after taking Avenor. If this happens stop using your Fluticasone Salmeterol 250 Inhaler inhaler. Use your fast-acting ‘reliever’ inhaler to help your breathing and tell your doctor straight away. • Fluticasone Salmeterol 250 Inhaler may affect the normal production of steroid hormones in the body, particularly if you have taken high doses for long periods of time. The effects include: • Slowing of growth in children and adolescents • Thinning of the bones • Glaucoma • Weight gain • Rounded (moon shaped) face (Cushing’s Syndrome) Your doctor will check you regularly for any of these side effects and make sure you are taking the lowest dose of Fluticasone Salmeterol 250 Inhaler to control your asthma. • Behavioural changes, such as being unusually active and irritable (these effects mainly occur in children). • Uneven heart beat or heart gives an extra beat (arrhythmias). Tell your doctor, but do not stop taking Fluticasone Salmeterol 250 Inhaler unless the doctor tells you to stop. • A fungal infection in the oesophagus (gullet), which might cause difficulties in swallowing. Not known, (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data): • Depression or aggression. These effects are more likely to occur in children. • Blurred vision Reporting of side effects If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via Yellow Card Scheme, www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine