Pulmicort
Pulmicort is a budesonide inhaler for asthma and COPD, sold in 100mcg and 200mcg strengths in packs of one, three or six inhalers.
All strengths and pack prices
| Strength | Pack | Price | Per inhaler |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100mcg | 1 inhaler | $58.64 | $58.64 |
| 100mcg | 3 inhalers | $141.09 | $47.03 |
| 100mcg | 6 inhalers | $270.30 | $45.05 |
| 200mcg | 1 inhaler | $75.64 | $75.64 |
| 200mcg | 3 inhalers | $196.35 | $65.45 |
| 200mcg | 6 inhalers | $341.70 | $56.95 |
- Category
- Respiratory Health
- Active ingredient
- Budesonide
- Route
- Inhalation
- Form
- Inhalation suspension, Inhaler
- Strengths
- 100/200mcg
You will receive a quality generic equivalent, depending on stock.
Shipped in a discreet, unmarked envelope.
Details
- Therapeutic Class
- Inhaled Corticosteroid
- Pharmacological Class
- Glucocorticoid
- Minor Side Effects
- Hoarseness, Dry mouth
- Moderate Side Effects
- Oral thrush, Sore throat
- Dosage Forms
- Inhalation suspension, Inhaler
- Administration Route
- Inhalation
- Originator
- AstraZeneca
- Onset Time
- Within 24 hours
- Duration
- 12–24 hours
- Storage Instructions
- Keep upright and away from excessive heat.
- Drug Interactions
- Ketoconazole, Ritonavir
What you will receive
Pulmicort is the originator brand name, made by AstraZeneca. We use it to identify the medicine; the pack you receive is a generic equivalent, not the original Pulmicort.
- The same active ingredient (Budesonide) at the same strength.
- The exact brand supplied depends on what is in stock when your order ships.
FAQ
Which Pulmicort strengths and pack sizes can I order?
Pulmicort comes as 100mcg or 200mcg budesonide inhalers, in packs of 1, 3 or 6 inhalers. This is generic budesonide, not the original Pulmicort. Larger packs cost less per inhaler.
What arrives when I order Pulmicort to Hong Kong?
Pulmicort inhalers are sent in plain, unbranded packaging with nothing on the outside about the contents. If a parcel does not arrive within the delivery window, or arrives damaged, it is sent again free; if that is not possible, the order is refunded.
What are the alternative names for Pulmicort and budesonide?
Pulmicort and Rhinocort are brand names of budesonide, which is also sold as Cortiment, Entocort and Uceris. Here, budesonide can be bought online as generic Pulmicort, and also as generic Rhinocort and budesonide caps capsules. These are generics, not the original brand.
How long does Pulmicort take to work?
It starts reducing airway swelling within days, but the full benefit builds over about one to two weeks of regular use. That is why it is taken twice a day whether or not you have symptoms — the effect depends on steady use rather than a single puff.
Can I use Pulmicort during an asthma attack?
No. Pulmicort is a preventer and cannot open airways that have already tightened, so it will not stop an attack in progress. A fast-acting reliever inhaler is the one to reach for when breathing suddenly gets hard; Pulmicort works in the background to make those episodes less frequent.
Do I need to rinse my mouth after using Pulmicort?
Yes. A few seconds of rinsing and spitting after each dose is enough. Budesonide left behind in the mouth feeds thrush, which shows as sore white patches, and it roughens the voice and irritates the throat. The dose that reached the lungs is not affected.
Does the 200mcg inhaler work better than the 100mcg?
Neither strength is a different medicine; the number is simply how much budesonide leaves the inhaler with each puff. A 200mcg puff carries twice as much as a 100mcg puff, so one puff of the higher strength gives the same amount as two of the lower.
How many doses are in one Pulmicort inhaler?
Depending on the size, an inhaler delivers 60 or 120 puffs. Divide that by how many puffs you take each day to see how long it lasts, and replace it once you reach that count — later puffs may not contain the right amount even if the inhaler still sprays.
About Pulmicort
What Pulmicort is for
Pulmicort is an inhaler of budesonide, a corticosteroid that calms the swelling and irritation inside the airways. That swelling is what makes asthma feel tight, wheezy and cough-prone, and it is there even on days when breathing seems fine. Used regularly, the medicine keeps the airways quieter and cuts down how often symptoms flare. It is also used in COPD, a long-term lung condition that narrows the airways.
It is a preventer, not a reliever. Pulmicort will not stop an attack that has already begun — a fast-acting inhaler does that. Keep the reliever with you and use Pulmicort alongside it.
Using a budesonide inhaler day to day
Most people take budesonide twice a day, morning and evening, at about the same times so the effect in the lungs stays steady. Some improvement can come within days, but it builds over one to two weeks of regular use; stopping when you feel well lets the swelling come back.
The count is worth tracking. An inhaler holds 60 or 120 puffs depending on size, and once the number is used up the next puffs may not carry the right dose, even though the device still sprays. A new inhaler is primed before its first dose.
Side effects worth knowing
A dry or irritated throat, a cough just after inhaling and a slightly croaky voice are the usual complaints, and rinsing the mouth with water and spitting it out after each dose helps with all three, and with the white patches of thrush. Thrush in the mouth and throat is the other common nuisance. Less often, breathing becomes harder in the minutes after a puff; that needs urgent help, as does a severe allergic reaction with rash, swelling of the face, lips or tongue, or difficulty swallowing. Antifungal medicines such as ketoconazole and itraconazole slow the breakdown of budesonide and raise its level in the body.
Pulmicort and the other budesonide products
Budesonide is sold in several forms, and the form decides what it treats. Budesonide Inhaler is a 100mcg and 200mcg metered inhaler sold under the ingredient name, for asthma. Rhinocort is a 100mcg nasal spray for allergic rhinitis and seasonal allergies — sneezing, a blocked or runny nose — and does not treat the lungs. Budesonide Caps are 3mg capsules for Crohn's disease, where the medicine needs to work in the gut. All of them are covered on the budesonide page.
Sources
- Budesonide Oral Inhalation: MedlinePlus Drug Information — MedlinePlus / National Library of Medicine
- What Is Asthma? - American Lung Association — American Lung Association