Like all medicines, fluticasone can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them.
With inhaled fluticasone very little medicine gets into the rest of your body, so it's unlikely to give you side effects.
If you're on high doses of fluticasone, or you're also taking other steroid medicines or tablets for fungal infections or HIV, you may get underactive adrenal glands as a side effect. Ask your doctor if you need to carry a steroid emergency card.
Common side effects
These common side effects of inhaled fluticasone may happen in more than 1 in 100 people. There are things you can do to help cope with them:
Oral thrush (mouth thrush)
Try rinsing your mouth with water or brushing your teeth after using your inhaler to stop this happening.
Ask a pharmacist to recommend a suitable treatment for oral thrush, such as a mouth gel or liquid, and get them to check that you're using your inhaler correctly. They may suggest that you see your doctor to discuss the best treatment.
Dry or sore throat, or hoarse voice
Try rinsing your mouth with water or brushing your teeth after using your inhaler to stop this happening. Using a spacer with your inhaler can also help.
Keep taking the medicine but talk to your doctor if these side effects bother you or do not go away.
Serious side effects
It's unusual to have any serious side effects when using a fluticasone inhaler.
You are more likely to get serious side effects if you're taking a high dose of fluticasone for a long time (more than a few months).
Speak to a doctor if you get "moon face" (a puffy, rounded face), and weight gain in your upper back or belly – this happens gradually and can be a sign of Cushing's syndrome.
Call a doctor or call 111 now if you get:
- a high temperature, chills, 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
- a very upset stomach or you're being sick (vomiting), very bad dizziness or passing out, muscle weakness, 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, as this can be a sign of increased pressure in your eyes (glaucoma) or central serous chorioretinopathy (accumulation of fluid in the eye), or a cloudy lens in your eye, which could be a sign of a cataract
Serious allergic reaction
It happens rarely but it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to fluticasone.
This is different to an asthma attack. If you or your child have asthma symptoms, such as wheezing or have tightness in the chest or throat, use a reliever inhaler as advised for an asthma attack. If the symptoms do not improve or get worse, call 999 or go to A&E.
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.
Children and teenagers
Taking fluticasone at high 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 to know if your child's growth is slowing down and change the treatment if needed.
Even if your child's growth does slow down, this does not seem to have much effect on their adult height.
Talk to your doctor if you're worried. They'll be able to explain the benefits and risks of giving your child fluticasone.
Other side effects
These are not all the side effects of fluticasone. For a full list see the leaflet inside your medicines packet.
You can report any suspected side effect using the Yellow Card safety scheme.