Formost 400 Respicaps

Composition of Formost 400 Respicaps

Formost 400 Respicaps contains Formoterol + Mometasone. It belongs to the Inhaled bronchodilator / corticosteroid and Corticosteroid / calcineurin inhibitor class of medicines.

Uses of Formost 400 Respicaps

• This medicine is used in the treatment of asthma
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• eczema
• dermatitis
• psoriasis and skin inflammation and itching.

Key benefits

• Acts directly in the lungs with minimal effect elsewhere
• Prevents attacks when used daily as a preventer
• Portable and fast acting
• Rapid relief of itching and inflammation
• Acts where it is applied

How Formost 400 Respicaps works

This medicine combines 2 active ingredients: Formoterol and Mometasone. Formoterol is breathed straight into the lungs, where it opens the airways and reduces the swelling inside them, so less of the medicine reaches the rest of the body. Mometasone damps down the inflammation in the skin, which relieves redness, swelling and itching.

How to take Formost 400 Respicaps

Use this medicine as your doctor has directed. Follow the dose and the duration written on your prescription.

Take it exactly as your doctor prescribed. Do not change the dose or stop early on your own.

Missed dose and overdose

If you miss a dose

Take it as soon as you remember. If your next dose is almost due, skip the one you missed — never take two doses together to catch up.

If you take too much

An overdose of this medicine can cause a racing heart, marked tremor, headache and a fall in blood potassium. It can suppress the body's own steroid production when it is used for a long time over large areas, especially in children. Do not wait for symptoms to appear — go to the nearest emergency department and take the pack or strip with you.

Side effects of Formost 400 Respicaps

Most side effects of Formost are mild and settle as the body adjusts. Reported side effects include:

• Throat irritation
• Hoarse voice
• Oral thrush
• Tremor
• Fast heartbeat
• Headache
• Burning or stinging
• Thinning of the skin
• Stretch marks
• Acne
• Change in skin colour

Stop the medicine and seek help immediately for a rash, swelling of the face or lips, wheezing or difficulty breathing. Tell your doctor about any side effect that persists or worries you.

Safety advice for Formost 400 Respicaps

Warnings and precautions

Know which of your inhalers is the reliever and which is the preventer. A preventer must be used every day even when you feel well; a reliever is for symptoms. Seek emergency care if your reliever is not working, if you cannot speak a full sentence, or if you are using the reliever far more often than usual. Rinse your mouth with water and spit it out after every steroid inhaler dose to prevent thrush and hoarseness. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to watch your technique — poor technique is the commonest reason an inhaler seems not to work. Use a spacer if one has been advised, particularly for children. Use it only on the area and for the number of days your doctor specified. Potent steroid creams thin the skin permanently when used for too long. Never use a potent steroid cream on the face, the groin or the underarms unless your doctor has specifically told you to — the skin there is thin and absorbs much more. Do not use it on an infection. A steroid on ringworm, impetigo or herpes makes the infection worse while hiding it. Do not use leftover cream on a new rash, and never pass it to someone else. Stop and see your doctor if the area becomes more painful, weepy or crusted.

Do not take Formost if

Not for anyone with a known allergy to this medicine or to any ingredient in the pack. Not for anyone with a known allergy to the propellant used in the inhaler. Not for untreated bacterial, fungal or viral skin infections. Not for use in or around the eyes.

Interactions with other medicines

Beta blockers, including eye drops for glaucoma, can tighten the airways and reduce the effect of your reliever. No significant interactions are expected from preparations used on the skin.

How to store Formost 400 Respicaps

Store below 30°C in the original pack, away from direct sunlight and moisture. Keep out of the reach of children.

Expert advice for Formost 400 Respicaps

Keep a spare reliever and check the counter so you are not caught with an empty one. Follow your written asthma action plan if you have one. Do not stop a preventer because you feel better — that is the medicine working. Apply a thin layer — a fingertip's worth covers an area about the size of two adult palms. Use a plain moisturiser generously alongside it; that is what keeps eczema away between flares. Ask your doctor for a written plan of how long to use it and when to step down.

Manufacturer and class

Manufacturer:

G

Therapeutic class:

Anti-asthmatic and Topical corticosteroid

Drug class:

Inhaled bronchodilator / corticosteroid and Corticosteroid / calcineurin inhibitor