What Flovent Diskus is used for

Flovent Diskus contains a medicine called fluticasone propionate. This medicine belongs to a group of medicines known as corticosteroids, frequently called 'steroids'. They are not 'anabolic steroids' which are the steroids sometimes misused by athletes.

Your Flovent Diskus provides a measured amount of steroid for you to breathe into your lungs. By using your Flovent Diskus regularly every day, the medicine reduces the swelling and irritation in the walls of the small air passages in your lungs. Your Flovent Diskus contains the type of asthma medicine known as a 'preventer'. It does not give immediate relief from an asthma attack and may take up to a week to start to work. If your shortness of breath or wheeze does not get better after 7 days, tell your doctor. When used every day, your Flovent Diskus helps to ease breathing problems and prevent asthma attacks.

This medicine is only one part of a general plan to help you manage your asthma. You should discuss this plan with your doctor. You may also be using a 'reliever puffer'. Keep using it according to your doctor's advice. Ask your doctor to check your treatment regularly.

Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why Flovent Diskus has been prescribed for you.

The medicine in Flovent Diskus is not addictive.

Flovent Diskus generally does not cause any problems with your ability to drive a car or operate machinery.

Before you use Flovent Diskus

When you must not use it:

• Do not use Flovent Diskus if you have ever had an allergic reaction to fluticasone propionate or any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet. See "Side Effects" section for symptoms of an allergic reaction.
• Do not use Flovent Diskus if you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breastfeeding, unless your doctor says you should. It is important that asthma is managed well during pregnancy and you should not stop your medicine without asking your doctor.
• Do not use Flovent Diskus after the expiry date (EXP) printed on the pack.
• Do not use Flovent Diskus if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.

If you're not sure whether you should be using Flovent Diskus, talk to your doctor.

Before you start to use Flovent Diskus you must tell your doctor if:

• you are taking other steroid medicines by mouth or inhalation. If you are already taking steroid tablets, you should carry a warning card about needing extra oral steroids during periods of stress. Discuss this with your doctor.
• you are taking ritonavir, a medicine used in the treatment of HIV (AIDS)
• you have ever had to stop taking other asthma medicines.
• you have tuberculosis (TB) of the lung or other long term lung infection.
• you are allergic to foods, dyes, preservatives or any other medicines.

Taking other medicines with Flovent Diskus

Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including medicines you buy without a prescription from a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.

Some medicines may affect the way other medicines work. Your doctor or pharmacist will be able to tell you what to do when using Flovent Diskus with other medicines.

How to use it Flovent Diskus

Remember that the medicine in your Flovent Diskus is taken by inhalation only.

You will find the instructions on how to use your Flovent Diskus in the pack. Follow the instructions carefully.

Flovent Diskus Dosage

The pharmacist's label will usually tell you how many inhalations and how often to use your Flovent Diskus. If you are not sure, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

For adults and children over 16 years of age: The usual dose is in the range of 100 to 1000 micrograms twice daily.

For children over 4 years: The usual dose is in the range of 50 to 200 micrograms twice daily.

Your doctor will decide what dose you should take, how often you should take it, and what strength of Flovent Diskus you should use.

You should visit your doctor or pharmacist regularly to check that you are using your Flovent Diskus in the right way. If you are not breathing the medicine in correctly, the medicine may not be helping you as much as it could.

When not to use Flovent Diskus

Do not use your Flovent Diskus to treat a sudden attack of breathlessness. You will need a different kind of medicine called a 'reliever' which your doctor will have told you to take.

How long to use Flovent Diskus

You must use your Flovent Diskus every day. Do not stop using it, even if you feel better, unless your doctor tells you.

If you forget to use Flovent Diskus

You must use your Flovent Diskus every day. If you forget to take a dose, do not worry. Just take the next dose when it is due.

Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose that you missed.

If you become wheezy or feel tight in the chest before the next dose is due, use a 'reliever puffer' in the usual way. You should get relief from your 'reliever puffer' within a few minutes.

While you are using Flovent Diskus

Tell your doctor or pharmacist that you are using Flovent Diskus if you are about to be started on any new medicines.

If you have to go into hospital for an operation, take your Flovent Diskus with you and tell the doctor what medicine(s) you are taking.

All doctors treating you need to be aware that you are on inhaled steroids. If your body is stressed by, for example, severe infection, surgical operation, an accident etc, you may need steroid tablets or injections for a time.

Tell your doctor if you become pregnant or are trying to become pregnant.

Tell your doctor if, for any reason, you have not taken your medicine exactly as prescribed. Otherwise, your doctor may think that your medicine was not effective and change your treatment unnecessarily.

Do not stop using Flovent Diskus, or change the dose without first checking with your doctor.

Do not give this medicine to anyone else, even if their symptoms seem similar to yours.

Do not use Flovent Diskus to treat any other complaints unless your doctor says to.

If your Flovent Diskus does not have the usual effect

If your chest condition gets worse, tell your doctor. Your doctor may tell you to take extra puffs of your Flovent Diskus or add another medicine (such as a 'reliever puffer') to your treatment.

IMPORTANT: If your breathing suddenly becomes more difficult just after you have used your Flovent Diskus, you will need to use a 'reliever puffer' and tell your doctor immediately.

Side-Effects of Flovent Diskus

Check with your doctor as soon as possible if you have any problems while using Flovent Diskus, even if you do not think the problems are connected with the medicine or are not listed.

Like other medicines, Flovent Diskus can cause some side-effects. If they occur, they are most likely to be minor and temporary. However, some may be serious and need medical attention.

The most commonly reported side-effects are:

• a sore throat or tongue. This may be due to 'thrush' (candida infection)
• hoarseness or throat irritation

For these, it may be helpful to rinse your mouth with water and spit it out after using your Flovent Diskus. Your doctor may prescribe treatment for the 'thrush' in your mouth while you continue to use your Flovent Diskus.

Very rarely, Flixotide can cause swelling of the throat and face. There may also be an increase in sugar (glucose) in your blood.

Very rarely the person taking the medicine may feel anxious, have disturbed sleep or notice increased irritability (mainly in children).

Taking high doses of steroids for a long time, may affect bone density, or affect the rate of growth in children. It is unclear what, if any, difference this makes to their final height. Taking high doses of steroids for a long time this could affect the adrenal glands, which make the body's own steroid. Your doctor may do tests to check how the adrenal glands are working. Your doctor will be able to answer any questions you may have.

If you feel unwell in any other way or have any symptoms that you do not understand, you should ask your doctor immediately.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.

If you think you are having an allergic reaction to Flovent Diskus, tell your doctor immediately or go to the Accident and Emergency department at your nearest hospital. Symptoms usually include some or all of the following:

• wheezing
• swelling of the lips/mouth, face and throat
• difficulty in breathing, shortness of breath
• hay fever
• lumpy rash ("hives")
• fainting

This is not a complete list of all possible side-effects. Others may occur in some people and there may be some side-effects not yet known.

Tell your doctor if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell, even if it is not on this list.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you don't understand anything in this list.

Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side-effects. You may not experience any of them.