Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
As with other inhaler treatments there is a risk of worsening shortness of breath and wheezing immediately after using Proxor® and this is known as paradoxical bronchospasm. If this occurs, you should STOP using Proxor® immediately and use your quick-acting “reliever” inhaler straightaway to treat the symptoms of shortness of breath and wheezing. You should contact your doctor straightaway.
Tell your doctor immediately if you experience any hypersensitivity reactions like skin allergies, skin itching, skin rash, reddening of the skin, swelling of the skin or mucous membranes especially of the eyes, face, lips and throat. Other possible side effects are listed below according to their frequency.
Instructions for reporting side effects are in the footer of this page.
Other side effects
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
- fungal infections (of the mouth and throat), headache, hoarseness, sore throat
Pneumonia in COPD patients: Tell your doctor if you have any of the following while taking Proxor as they could be symptoms of a lung infection:
- fever or chills
- increased mucus production, change in mucus colour
- increased cough or increased breathing difficulties
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
- Palpitations, unusually fast heart beat and heart rhythm disorders, some changes in the electrocardiogram (ECG), flu like symptoms, fungal infections of the vagina, sinus inflammation rhinitis, inflammation of the ear, throat irritation, cough and productive cough, asthma attack. Nausea, abnormal or impaired sense of taste, burning of the lips, dry mouth, swallowing difficulties, indigestion, upset stomach, diarrhoea.
- Pain in muscle and muscle cramps, reddening of the face, increased blood flow to some tissues in the body, excessive sweating, trembling, restlessness, dizziness, nettle rash or hives.
- Alterations of some constituents of the blood: fall in the number of white blood cells, increase in the number of blood platelets, fall in the level of potassium in the blood, increase in blood sugar level, increase in the blood level of insulin, free fatty acid and ketones.
The following side effects have also been reported as “uncommon” in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease:
- reduction of the amount of cortisol in the blood; this is caused by the effect of corticosteroids on your adrenal gland
- irregular heart beat
Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)
- Chest tightness, missed heartbeat (caused by premature contraction of the heart’s ventricles), decrease and increase in blood pressure, kidney inflammation, swelling of skin and mucous membrane persisting for several days
Very rare (may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people)
- Shortness of breath, worsening of asthma, a fall in the number of blood platelets, swelling of the hands and feet
Using high-dose inhaled corticosteroids over a long time can cause in very rare cases systemic effects.
These include:
- Problems with how your adrenal glands work (adreno-suppression), decrease in bone mineral density (thinning of the bones), increased pressure in your eyes (glaucoma), cataracts, growth retardation in children and adolescents, decrease in bone mineral density (thinning of the bones)
Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data)
- Sleeping problems, depression or feeling worried, restless, nervous, over-excited or irritable. These events are more likely to occur in children
- Blurred vision
