Cromolyn
How Does This Medication Work?
Cromolyn is an anti-inflammatory medicine that prevents airways from swelling when they come in contact with an asthma trigger.
It is an inhaled medicine that can be taken using a metered dose inhaler or by nebulizer.
Most people who use cromolyn to prevent asthma attacks take the medicine every day. People who take it to prevent asthma attacks caused by exercise or by contact with an asthma trigger (like a cat or a dog), take the medicine between 5 – 60 minutes before they are exposed to the trigger. The effects of the medicine last 3- 4 hours. three or four hours.
Side Effects
Sometimes asthma medicine makes people feel weird or sick at the same time it is making their asthma better. These weird or sick feelings are called “side effects”.
Cromolyn is a very safe medicine with very few side effects. The only side effect is a dry cough. You can avoid this by rinsing your mouth and drinking some water after taking it.
Cromolyn cannot be used to stop an asthma episode once it has started; it can only be used to keep an episode from starting. This medicine does not work for everybody who has asthma and it may take up to 6 weeks before it starts working.