Like all medicines, budesonide can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them.
Common side effects
Different brands of budesonide have different common side effects, so it's best to check the leaflet in your medicine packet.
These common side effects of budesonide happen in more than 1 in 100 people. There are things you can do to help cope with them:
Stomach pain or indigestion
It may help to stick to plain food. If the pain is severe or does not go away, tell your doctor. They may be able to prescribe an extra medicine to protect your stomach.
Headaches
Make sure you rest and drink plenty of fluids. Try not to drink too much alcohol. Ask your pharmacist to recommend a painkiller. Talk to your doctor if the headaches last longer than a week or are severe.
Muscle pains
If you get unusual muscle ache that is not from exercise or physical work, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Skin reactions such as a rash, acne, or wounds that do not heal
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Pain, discomfort or white spots in the mouth or food pipe (thrush)
This can happen with the tablets that dissolve on your tongue. These are signs of an infection (oral thrush or thrush in the food pipe). Talk to your pharmacist or doctor. They may give you something to treat the infection.
Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if the advice on how to cope does not help and a side effect is still bothering you or does not go away.
Serious side effects
Call your doctor or call 111 now if you get:
- a high temperature, a very sore throat, ear or sinus pain, a cough, coughing up more mucus (phlegm) or a change in colour of your mucus, pain when you pee, mouth sores or a wound that will not heal – these can be signs of an infection
- weight gain in your upper back or tummy, a puffy, rounded face (moon face), very bad headaches and slow wound healing – these can be signs of Cushing's syndrome
- feeling or being sick (nausea or vomiting), very bad dizziness or passing out, muscle weakness, feeling very tired, mood changes, loss of appetite and weight loss – these can be signs of adrenal gland problems
- changes in your eyesight, such as blurred vision or a cloudy lens in the eye – these can be signs of increased pressure in your eyes (glaucoma) or a cataract
- muscle pain or weakness, muscle cramps, or changes in your heart rate – these can be signs of low potassium levels
- severe stomach pain, severe back pain, feeling or being sick or diarrhoea – these can be signs of pancreas problems
Immediate action required: Call 999 or go to A&E now if:
- you have black poo, black or dark brown vomit or you're vomiting blood
Mood changes
You may notice mood changes and mental health problems while taking budesonide.
Call your doctor or call 111 now if you have any mood changes including:
- feeling depressed
- feeling high, or moods that go up and down
- feeling anxious, having problems sleeping, difficulty in thinking, or being confused and losing your memory
- feeling, seeing or hearing things that do not exist (hallucinations)
- having strange and frightening thoughts, changing how you act, or having feelings of being alone
The higher the dose, the more intense the mood changes can be.
Immediate action required: Call 999 or go to A&E if:
- you have thoughts about harming yourself or ending your life
Serious allergic reaction
It's possible to have a serious allergic reaction to budesonide (anaphylaxis).
Immediate action required: Call 999 now if:
- your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly become swollen
- you're breathing very fast or struggling to breathe (you may become very wheezy or feel like you're choking or gasping for air)
- your throat feels tight or you're struggling to swallow
- your skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale (if you have black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet)
- you suddenly become very confused, drowsy or dizzy
- someone faints and cannot be woken up
- a child is limp, floppy or not responding like they normally do (their head may fall to the side, backwards or forwards, or they may find it difficult to lift their head or focus on your face)
You or the person who's unwell may also have a rash that's swollen, raised, itchy, blistered or peeling.
These can be signs of a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital.
Long-term side effects
Children and teenagers
Taking budesonide at higher doses for a long time can slow down the normal growth of children and teenagers.
Your child's doctor will monitor their height and weight carefully for as long as they're taking this medicine. This will help them spot any slowing down of your child's growth and change their treatment if needed.
Even if your child's growth slows down, it does not seem to have much effect on their eventual adult height.
Talk to your doctor if you're worried. They will be able to explain the benefits and risks of giving your child budesonide.
Other long-term side effects
Most people will not need to take budesonide for a long time.
If you do need to take it for a long time, side effects are less likely than with some other steroid medicines. This is because budesonide works mainly in your gut, liver or food pipe and does not reach the rest of your body.
But there's still a chance of long-term side effects if you take budesonide for a long time. These could include changes in your mood, problems with your adrenal glands, eyesight problems, weak bones (osteoporosis) and Cushing's syndrome.
Other side effects
These are not all the side effects of budesonide tablets, capsules and granules. For a full list see the leaflet inside your medicines packet.
You can report any suspected side effect using the Yellow Card safety scheme.