Triamcinolone Inhalers: What Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider?
Also, let your healthcare provider know if you are:
- Pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant
- Breastfeeding.
Make sure to tell your healthcare provider about all of the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Some Precautions and Warnings With Triamcinolone Inhalers
Some warnings and precautions to be aware of with the
triamcinolone inhaler include the following:
- If you are switching from an oral steroid to the triamcinolone inhaler (which is an inhaled steroid), your healthcare provider should decrease your dose of the oral steroid very slowly. Stopping an oral steroid too quickly can be very dangerous.
- The triamcinolone inhaler is not a fast-acting asthma medication and cannot replace fast-acting rescue inhalers. Do not use the triamcinolone inhaler to treat an asthma attack. Everyone taking the triamcinolone inhaler should also have a rescue asthma medication available at all times. Let your healthcare provider know if you need to use your rescue inhaler more often than usual, as this may be a sign that your asthma is getting worse.
- The triamcinolone inhaler can cause an immediate worsening of asthma symptoms. If this happens, use your rescue inhaler (such as albuterol) as needed and contact your healthcare provider for further instruction.
- The triamcinolone inhaler is a steroid and may suppress the immune system. Although this is more likely to occur with oral steroids, it is still possible with inhaled steroids (such as the triamcinolone inhaler). As a result, you may be at a higher risk for infections. Certain infections (such as chickenpox or the measles) may be more dangerous if you are using the triamcinolone inhaler. Let your healthcare provider know right away if you are exposed to chickenpox or the measles (if you have not had these infections and have not been vaccinated against them).
- Like all steroids, the triamcinolone inhaler may slow the growth of children and teenagers. Usually, this slowing of growth is small, with children growing about a half a centimeter less per year. Contact your child's healthcare provider if you are concerned about slow growth in your child.
- The triamcinolone inhaler can cause thrush (a yeast infection of the mouth or throat). To help prevent this, rinse your mouth with water (without swallowing) after each dose.
- Inhaled steroids (including the triamcinolone inhaler) can cause glaucoma or cataracts (conditions of the eyes).
- Before starting the triamcinolone inhaler, be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you currently have any type of infection. Also let your healthcare provider know if you have ever had tuberculosis or a herpes infection of the eye, as the triamcinolone inhaler may weaken the immune system, allowing these infections to worsen.
- The triamcinolone inhaler can interact with other medications (see Drug Interactions With Triamcinolone Inhalers).
- The triamcinolone inhaler is considered a pregnancy Category C medication. This means that the triamcinolone inhaler may not be safe to use during pregnancy. Talk to your healthcare provider about the risks and benefits of using the triamcinolone inhaler during pregnancy (see Azmacort and Pregnancy for more information).
- It is not known if inhaled triamcinolone (the active ingredient of the triamcinolone inhaler) passes through breast milk. Therefore, if you are breastfeeding or plan to start breastfeeding, be sure to talk with your healthcare provider about using the triamcinolone inhaler (see Azmacort and Breastfeeding for more information).
