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| Pronunciation |
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 (KROE
moe lin SOW dee
um) |
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| Brand Names |
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| Crolom®; Gastrocrom®;
Intal®; Nasalcrom®[OTC] |
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| Foreign Brand
Names |
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| Novo-Cromolyn (Canada); Opticrom® (Canada);
PMS-Sodium Cromoglycate (Canada); Rynacrom®
(Canada) |
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| Therapeutic
Categories |
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Antihistamine, Inhalation; Mast Cell Stabilizer |
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| Reasons not to take this
medicine |
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- If you have an allergy to cromolyn or any other part of the medicine.
- If you have an asthma
attack.
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| What is this medicine used
for? |
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- This medicine is used as an additional medicine for the prevention of
allergies. Cromolyn is not helpful in urgent situations.
- Oral inhaled and nebulized type is used for long-term asthma control.
- Nasal form is to manage the runny nose caused by allergies.
- Eye solution is to treat a chronic eye redness and itching.
- Oral form is for mastocytosis, food allergy, and treatment of
inflammatory bowel disease.
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| How does it work? |
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- Cromolyn prevents the start of an allergic reaction. It prevents the
release of chemicals that cause the symptoms of an
allergy.
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| How is it best taken? |
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- To gain the most benefit, do not miss doses.
- Continue to take this medicine to prevent the allergy. Once the
symptoms start, this medicine will not help.
- Oral:
- Take 30 minutes hour before meals and at bedtime.
- Do not swallow capsule. Open it and empty powder into a
1/2
glass of hot water. Add a 1/2
glass of cold water. Mix and drink.
- Oral inhalation:
- For inhaling (puffing) only. Shake well before use. Check inhaler use
with healthcare provider at each visit. It is important to use it the right way.
- There is also a solution for use in a nebulizer. Healthcare provider
will teach you how to use this.
- Nasal inhalation:
- Use as a nasal spray only. Do not get it into the eyes. Shake well
first.
- Blow your nose before using.
- Eye:
- For the eye only.
- Take out soft contact lenses before using medicine. Lenses can be
replaced 15 minutes after medicine is given.
- Do not touch the bottle or tube tip to the eye, lid, or other skin.
- Tilt head back and drop medicine into eye.
- After using medicine keep your eyes closed. Apply pressure to the
inside corner of the eye. Do this for 3-5 minutes. This keeps medicine in the
eye.
- Separate each eye medicine by 5 minutes. Give one and wait 5 minutes
before using the
next.
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| What do I do if I miss a
dose? |
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- Take a missed dose as soon as possible.
- If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed one. Return to
your regular schedule.
- Do not take a double dose or extra
doses.
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| What are the precautions when
taking this
medicine? |
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- Tell healthcare provider if you are allergic to any medicine. Make
sure to tell about the allergy and how it affected you. This includes telling
about rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of
face, lips, tongue, throat; or any other symptoms involved.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan on getting
pregnant.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are
breast-feeding.
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| What are the common side effects
of this
medicine? |
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- Oral:
- Bad taste afterwards.
- Belly pain and cramps.
- Diarrhea.
- Oral inhalation:
- Dry mouth and throat, sore throat.
- Wheezing.
- Nasal spray:
- Sneezing, nasal stinging, burning, bleeding, or irritation.
- Eye:
- Stinging and burning shortly after
using.
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| What should I monitor? |
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- Relief of symptoms. Are they better, worse, or about the
same?
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| Reasons to call healthcare
provider
immediately |
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- Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing;
tightness in the chest; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits;
swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
- Coughing or wheezing with
use.
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| How should I store this
medicine? |
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- Store in a tight, light-resistant container at room
temperature.
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| General statements |
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- Do not share your medicine with others and do not take anyone else's
medicine.
- Keep all medicine out of the reach of children and pets.
- Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, herbal/supplements,
vitamins, over-the-counter) with you. Give this list to healthcare provider
(doctor, nurse, pharmacist, physician assistant).
- Talk with healthcare provider before starting any new medicine,
including over-the-counter or natural products (herbs,
vitamins).
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