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Overview: Trimbow is an inhaler that is used to help manage asthma. It is a controller inhaler that contains three medicines. Common side effects include hoarseness, a sore throat or mouth, common cold symptoms, infections, back pain, and muscle spasms. After using Trimbow, rinse your mouth with water and spit it out to help prevent a mouth infection. Tell your health care provider or get medical help right away if your breathing gets worse instead of better after using Trimbow.

Uses

What is Trimbow used for?

Trimbow (beclomethasone/formoterol/glycopyrrolate) is commonly used to treat asthma.

Trimbow for Asthma: Benefits and How to Use It

Trimbow may also be used for other conditions as determined by your health care provider.

How does Trimbow work (mechanism of action)?

Trimbow contains three different medicines in one inhaler: beclomethasone, formoterol, and glycopyrrolate. Beclomethasone works by reducing swelling (inflammation) in the lungs. Formoterol and glycopyrrolate work by helping relax the muscles around the airways. These three medicines work together to help prevent asthma symptoms, making it easier to breathe.

How is Trimbow supplied (dosage forms)?

Brands and other names

  • Trimbow

Dosage forms and strengths

  • 86 mcg/4.9 mcg/10.6 mcg per puff (inhaler)
  • 172 mcg/4.9 mcg/10.6 mcg per puff (inhaler)

How should I store Trimbow?

Before using Trimbow for the first time, it should be stored in the refrigerator, between 36 F and 46 F (2 C and 8 C). After you have used the medicine, it should be stored below 77 F (25 C) for no more than 2 months. Do not expose the inhaler to temperatures above 122 F (50 C) or store it near heat or an open flame. This may cause it to burst. Do not freeze.

Side Effects

What are the most common side effects of Trimbow?

The most common side effects of Trimbow are listed below. Tell your health care provider if you have any of these side effects that bother you.

There may be other side effects of Trimbow that are not listed here. Contact your health care provider if you think you are having a side effect of a medicine. In the U.S., you can report side effects to the FDA at www.fda.gov/medwatch or by calling 800-FDA-1088 (800-332-1088). In Canada, you can report side effects to Health Canada at www.health.gc.ca/medeffect or by calling 866-234-2345.

What are the serious side effects of Trimbow?

While less common, the most serious side effects of Trimbow are described below, along with what to do if they happen.

Severe Allergic Reactions. Trimbow may cause allergic reactions, which can be serious. Stop using Trimbow and get help right away if you have any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction.

  • Breathing problems or wheezing
  • Racing heart
  • Fever or general ill feeling
  • Swollen lymph nodes
  • Swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue, or throat
  • Trouble swallowing or throat tightness
  • Itching or skin rash
  • Bumps on the skin called hives that can be red, pink, white, or brown depending on your skin tone
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Dizziness, feeling lightheaded, or fainting
  • Stomach cramps
  • Joint pain

Oral Thrush. Trimbow can sometimes cause the mouth and throat to become infected with a type of yeast, a condition known as oral thrush or oral candidiasis. Contact your health care provider if you notice any of the following symptoms of oral thrush. 

  • Cracking in the corners of the mouth
  • Loss of taste
  • Red or white patches in the mouth or throat
  • Raised white spots in the mouth or throat

Infections. Trimbow may weaken your immune system and increase your risk of infections, including serious infections. Call your health care provider right away if you have an infection or any of the following symptoms.

  • Burning or stinging when you pee 
  • Coughing, or coughing up blood
  • Fever, sweats, chills, or muscle aches
  • Shortness of breath
  • Diarrhea or stomach pain
  • Weight loss

Reduced Adrenal Function. Long-term use of Trimbow can cause your body’s adrenal glands to stop making as much cortisol (the stress hormone). This is known as adrenal insufficiency. This is especially a concern if you have been taking a corticosteroid by mouth, such as prednisone or methylprednisolone, and you stop it and switch to Trimbow. Adrenal insufficiency can also get worse if your body is under stress because of fever, surgery, or trauma. Contact your health care provider right away if you have the following symptoms of adrenal suppression. Do not stop using your Trimbow.

  • Low blood pressure
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Weakness, tiredness, or lack of energy

Sudden Breathing Problems. Trimbow may cause the muscles around the airways to tighten (bronchospasm) instead of relaxing, which can be serious. Stop using Trimbow and contact your health care provider right away if your ability to breathe worsens right after using the medicine.

Heart Effects. Trimbow may increase your risk of certain effects on the heart, such as raising your heart rate, blood pressure, or causing an abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia). If you measure your blood pressure and the top number (systolic) is 180 mm Hg or higher or the bottom number (diastolic) is 120 mm Hg or higher, get medical attention right away. Also call your health care provider or get medical attention right away if you have chest pain, a fast or irregular heartbeat, or if you feel your heartbeat more than usual.

Weak Bones. Using Trimbow for a long time may cause the bones to become weaker, leading to reduced bone density (osteopenia). It may also cause a more serious condition called osteoporosis, which can cause bones to break (fracture) more easily. Your risk may be higher if you use tobacco, have a family history of osteoporosis, or use certain medicines. Keep all appointments with your health care to check your bone density while you are using Trimbow.     

Eye Problems. Using Trimbow for a long time may increase pressure inside the eye and cause or worsen narrow-angle glaucoma, which can lead to blindness. It may also increase the risk of cataracts or other changes in vision. Keep all appointments for eye exams while using Trimbow. Tell your health care provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms.

  • Loss of vision or vision changes, such as blurred vision
  • Eye pain or redness
  • Severe headache or vomiting
  • Seeing bright, colorful circles around lights (vision halos)

Inability to Empty Bladder (Urinary Retention). Trimbow might make it harder to empty your bladder, especially if you already have a blockage or trouble peeing. Stop using Trimbow and call your health care provider right away if you have a hard time peeing or have a weak stream, if peeing is painful, or you are peeing frequently.

Low Potassium Level (Hypokalemia). Trimbow can cause a low potassium level, which can be serious, especially if you take certain other medicines. Keep all appointments for blood work. Call your health care provider if you have any of the following symptoms of a low potassium level.

  • Weakness
  • Unusual tiredness
  • Muscle cramps or twitching
  • Constipation

Increased Blood Sugar. Trimbow may increase your blood sugar levels. Talk to your health care provider about how to maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

Nervous System Effects. Trimbow may cause nervous system effects. Contact your health care provider right away if you have symptoms such as a tremor (shaking), nervousness, a fast heart rate, or a feeling of skipped heartbeats. 

Slow Growth. In people who are still growing, such as children and adolescents, Trimbow may slow down growth. Trimbow is not approved for children or adolescents. 

Warnings & Precautions

Who should not use Trimbow?

Allergies to Ingredients. People who are allergic to any of the following should not use Trimbow.

  • Beclomethasone
  • Formoterol
  • Glycopyrrolate
  • Trimbow 
  • Any of the ingredients in the specific product dispensed

Your pharmacist can tell you all of the ingredients in Trimbow.

Sudden Asthma Symptoms. If you are having a sudden worsening of symptoms, such as an asthma attack, you should not use Trimbow to treat these symptoms. Trimbow should be used on a daily basis to prevent and manage symptoms. Do not use it for quick relief of symptoms. 

What should I know about Trimbow before using it?

Do not use Trimbow unless it has been prescribed to you by a health care provider. Use it as prescribed. Using Trimbow more often than prescribed may increase the risk of serious side effects.

Do not share Trimbow with other people, even if they have the same condition as you. It may harm them.

Keep Trimbow out of the reach of children. Since this medicine should be kept in a refrigerator before it is used for the first time, take special precautions to keep it away from children who also use the refrigerator.

This medicine is inhaled. Read and follow the instructions and make sure you understand how to use it properly. If you have any questions, talk to your health care provider.

Trimbow is used on a daily basis to prevent and manage symptoms. Do not use it when a quick response to breathing problems is needed. Other inhaled medicines, sometimes called rescue inhalers or reliever inhalers, should be used to treat sudden symptoms. Ask your health care provider if you are not sure which inhaler to use for quick relief of symptoms. Get medical help right away if your breathing gets worse, does not get better after using a rescue inhaler, or you need to use your rescue inhaler more often than usual.

After using Trimbow, rinse your mouth out with water and spit the water out. This helps lower your chance of getting a fungal infection in your mouth or throat, also called oral thrush. See the Side Effects section for more details.

What should I tell my health care provider before using Trimbow?

Tell your health care provider about all of your health conditions and any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using. This will help them know if Trimbow is right for you.

In particular, make sure that you discuss any of the following.

Current and Past Health Conditions. Tell your health care provider if you have any of the following.

  • Heart problems or high blood pressure
  • Problems with your thyroid, kidneys, or liver
  • Weak or thin bones, such as osteopenia or osteoporosis
  • Eye problems, such as glaucoma or cataracts
  • Diabetes
  • An infection, a history of immune system problems or infections, including tuberculosis (TB), or if you have been exposed to chickenpox or measles
  • Problems with your bladder or prostate
  • Seizures

Pregnancy. It is not known if or how Trimbow could affect pregnancy or harm a fetus. Tell your health care provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

Breastfeeding. It is not known if Trimbow passes into breast milk. Tell your health care provider if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Your health care provider will let you know if you should Trimbow while breastfeeding.

How can I get more information about Trimbow?

For more information about Trimbow, you can call the drugmaker at 888-661-9260.

Interactions

Does Trimbow interact with foods or drinks?

There are no known interactions between Trimbow and foods or drinks. 

It is unknown if drinking alcohol will affect Trimbow.

Does Trimbow interact with other medicines (drug interactions)?

Always tell your health care provider about any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using.

In particular, make sure that you discuss if you are using any of the following before using Trimbow.

  • Any other long-acting beta-2 agonist (LABA), such as arformoterol (Brovana), formoterol (Perforomist), olodaterol (Striverdi), or salmeterol (Serevent), which is an inhaled medicine used for asthma or COPD
  • A corticosteroid, such as dexamethasone, methylprednisolone, or prednisone, which is a medicine for certain inflammatory conditions, asthma, or COPD
  • A diuretic, also called a water pill, which is a medicine used to reduce edema (fluid retention) and blood pressure
  • A beta-blocker, such as atenolol (Tenormin), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL, and others), or propranolol (Inderal LA, Innopran XL), which is a medicine that may be used for certain heart conditions or to lower blood pressure
  • An anticholinergic medicine taken by mouth, which includes antihistamines and medicines commonly used for overactive bladder, Parkinson’s disease, or stomach problems
  • An inhaled anticholinergic, such as aclidinium (Tudorza), ipratropium (Atrovent), tiotropium (Spiriva), or umeclidinium (Incruse), which is a medicine commonly used for COPD
  • A medicine used for fungal infections, such as itraconazole (Sporanox, Tolsura), ketoconazole, posaconazole (Noxafil), or voriconazole (Vfend)
  • A medicine for HIV or AIDS
  • A macrolide antibiotic, such as clarithromycin or erythromycin (Ery-Tab and others), which is a medicine used for bacterial infections
  • Any medicine that can cause QT prolongation, which is a potentially dangerous heart rhythm problem 
  • A tricyclic antidepressant, such as amitriptyline, nortriptyline, or protriptyline, even if it is not used for depression
  • A monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) within the past 2 weeks, which is a medicine usually used for depression or Parkinson’s disease
  • Theophylline (Elixophyllin, Theo-24), which is a medicine for asthma or certain other breathing problems

This may not be a complete list of medicines that can interact with Trimbow. Always check with your health care provider.

Does interact with other drugs you are taking?

Enter your medication into the WebMD interaction checker

Overdose/Missed Dose

What should I do if I accidentally use too much Trimbow?

If you or someone else has used too much Trimbow, get medical help right away, call 911, or contact a Poison Control center at 800-222-1222.

What should I do if I miss a dose of Trimbow?

If you miss a dose, use it as soon as you remember. Then use your next dose at the regularly scheduled time. Do not use more than 4 puffs of Trimbow per day.