Combisal Inhaler

What is Asthma?

Asthma is a long-term lung condition that affects 5.4 million people in the UK, that’s one in every 12 adults and one in every 11 children. In Asthma sufferers the airways remain inflamed and irritated.

This causes people who suffer with Asthma to experience symptoms such as wheezing, breathlessness and coughing, they often feel tight chested. Increased mucus production within the lungs is also a common side effect.

These symptoms come and go and aren’t always an issue, so managing these symptoms with regular preventatives is important.

Asthma sufferers will have certain triggers that can aggravate symptoms further, things like Allergens, dust, over powering fragrances, Aerosols, temperature fluctuations and sometimes even physical activity.

What is an Asthma attack?

When we come into contact with something that triggers an Asthma attack it causes our lungs to react causing further swelling and irritation.

How to manage your Asthma?

Ensuring you use your preventative inhaler everyday as shown by your healthcare professional is key to managing your Asthma and ensuring asthma attacks aren’t a common occurrence.

Make sure your reliever inhaler is always on hand in case of any increase in symptoms, if you find you are using this inhaler more than three times in a week that is a sign your Asthma is getting worse and a review with

To prevent dry mouth, hoarseness, and oral yeast infections from developing, gargle, rinse your mouth with water and spit out after each use. Do not swallow the rinse water.

1. To remove the mouthpiece cover, hold between the thumb and forefinger, squeeze gently and pull apart as shown.
Check inside and outside to make sure that the mouthpiece is clean, and that there are no foreign objects.
Testing Your Inhaler: If the inhaler is new or if it has not been used for three days or more, one puff should be released into the air to make sure that it works.

2. Hold the inhaler upright as shown, with your thumb on the base, below the mouthpiece.
Breathe out as far as is comfortable.

3. Place the mouthpiece in your mouth between your teeth and close your lips around it but do not bite it.

4. Just after starting to breathe in through your mouth press down on the top of the inhaler to release a puff while still breathing in steadily and deeply

5. Hold your breath; take the inhaler from your mouth and your finger from the top of the inhaler.
Continue holding your breath for a few seconds or as long as is comfortable. Breathe out slowly.

6. If you are to take another puff, keep the inhaler upright and wait about half a minute before repeating steps 2 to 5.

7. After use always replace the mouthpiece cover to keep out dust and fluff. Replace firmly, snap into position and check the dose indicator.

Important: Do not rush steps 2, 3, 4 and 5.

It is important that you start to breathe in as slowly as possible just before operating the inhaler. Practice in front of a mirror for the first few times.

Like all medicines, Combisal can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

If you notice an immediate increase in wheezing, shortness of breath and cough straight after using your inhaler, stop using and use a quick-acting ‘reliever’ inhaler immediately. Contact your doctor straightaway. Your doctor will review your asthma and may change your treatment and may prescribe a different inhaler to treat your asthma.

The following side effects have been reported. Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you suffer from any of these side effects but do not stop treatment unless told to do so. Your doctor will try to prevent these effects by prescribing Combisal in the lowest dose possible to control your asthma.

Very Common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people):

• Thrush in the mouth and throat. This is more likely if the daily dose taken is greater than 400 micrograms. Thrush can be treated with anti-fungal medicines whilst you continue to use your inahler. Brushing your teeth, or thoroughly rinsing your mouth with water immediately after each dose may help prevent thrush.

Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):

• Hoarse voice or a sore throat or tongue. Using a Volumatic spacer device or rinsing your mouth with water immediately after using your inhaler may help prevent this.

If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.

Reporting of any side effects

If you get any side effects talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the YellowCard Scheme at www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store.

By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

Reporting of side effects

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in the above description and patient information leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for “MHRA yellowcard” in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.