Consumer Spiriva
For Patients

Give your health a boost

As you consider your health and wellness, be sure to talk to your doctor before starting a new exercise program or making any changes to your diet. Your doctor is the only one who can advise you on the appropriate level of exercise and nutritional guidelines that best meet your needs. The information provided here is not meant to take the place of your doctor’s advice.

Taking your medication as prescribed, keeping active, and eating well can help you stay in charge of your condition. Exercise can help improve your body’s use of oxygen. Eating well can help you maintain a healthy body weight, which may affect your symptoms. So let’s start incorporating some healthy habits.

Important Exercise Tips:

  • Always keep your rescue medication on hand

  • If needed, take medication before exercising

  • Start with a warm-up, end with a cooldown

  • Limit outdoor exercising if air quality isn’t great

  • Stop exercising if you experience chest pains or shortness of breath, or if you develop a cough

  • Use your oxygen if prescribed

  • Do not exercise if you’re sick, have chest pain, are out of oxygen, or are feeling dizzy

Breathing Exercises

Always talk to your health care professional before beginning any new breathing exercises.

Over time, conditions like asthma and COPD can reduce the lungs ability to take in fresh oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide.

Breathing exercises can help your lungs work more efficiently. If practiced regularly, breathing exercises may help rid the lungs of stale air, increase oxygen levels, and help you breathe better.

Two types of breathing exercises taught by health care professionals are pursed lip breathing and belly breathing.

Pursed Lip Breathing

This breathing exercise helps keep airways open longer so more air is able to flow in and out of your lungs.

Practicing pursed lip breathing is simple:

  • Breathe in through your nose

  • Breathe out at least twice as long through your mouth through pursed lips

Belly Breathing

Belly breathing, also called diaphragmic breathing, helps retrain your diaphragm to assist with filling and emptying your lungs as your breathe.

To practice belly breathing, follow these steps:

  • Start by breathing in through your nose. Pay attention to how your belly fills up with air. You may want to put your hands lightly on your stomach to feel how your belly rises and falls as you breathe

  • Breathe out through your mouth at least two to three times as long as your inhale

  • Be sure to relax your shoulders as you breathe

Previous

Air Quality Info

Next

Meditation

INDICATIONS

SPIRIVA RESPIMAT, 2.5 mcg, is a long-term, once-daily, prescription medicine used to control symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by relaxing your airways and keeping them open. COPD includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. SPIRIVA RESPIMAT also reduces the likelihood of COPD flare-ups (COPD exacerbations).

SPIRIVA RESPIMAT, 1.25 mcg, is a long-term, once-daily, prescription maintenance treatment of asthma for people 6 years and older.

SPIRIVA RESPIMAT is not a treatment for sudden symptoms of asthma or COPD.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Do not use SPIRIVA RESPIMAT if you are allergic to tiotropium, ipratropium, atropine or similar drugs, or any ingredient in these medicines.

SPIRIVA RESPIMAT is not a rescue medicine and should not be used for treating sudden breathing problems. Your doctor may give you other medicine to use for sudden breathing problems.

SPIRIVA RESPIMAT can cause allergic reactions. Symptoms can include raised red patches on your skin (hives), itching, rash and/or swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat that may cause difficulty in breathing or swallowing. If you have any of these symptoms, stop taking the medicine and get immediate medical care.

SPIRIVA RESPIMAT can cause your breathing to suddenly get worse (bronchospasm). If this happens, use your rescue inhaler, stop taking SPIRIVA RESPIMAT, and call your doctor right away or seek emergency medical care.

SPIRIVA RESPIMAT can increase the pressure in your eyes (acute narrow-angle glaucoma), which can cause the following symptoms: eye pain, blurred vision, seeing halos or colored images along with red eyes. If you have any of these symptoms, stop taking your medicine and call your doctor right away.

Dizziness and blurred vision may occur with SPIRIVA RESPIMAT. If you experience these symptoms, use caution when engaging in activities such as driving a car, or operating appliances or other machines.

SPIRIVA RESPIMAT can cause new or worsened urinary retention. Symptoms of blockage in your bladder and/or enlarged prostate may include difficulty passing urine and/or painful urination. If you have any of these symptoms, stop taking your medicine and call your doctor right away.

The most common side effects reported with SPIRIVA RESPIMAT in patients with COPD include sore throat, cough, dry mouth, and sinus infection.

The most common side effects with SPIRIVA RESPIMAT in adult patients with asthma were sore throat, headache, bronchitis, and sinus infection. The side effect profile for adolescent and pediatric patients was comparable to that observed in adult patients with asthma.

Do not spray SPIRIVA RESPIMAT into your eyes, as this may cause blurring of vision and pupil dilation.

Tell your doctor all the medicines you take, including eye drops. Ask your doctor if you are taking any anticholinergic medicines because taking them together with SPIRIVA RESPIMAT can increase side effects.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

CL-SVR-100067 2.15.2017

Please see full Prescribing Information, including Instructions for Use, for SPIRIVA RESPIMAT.