Nucala for Asthma User Reviews

• Nik...
• May 24, 2019

"After being on prednisone for years and no improvement. Nothing to lose but to try Nucala. Well, it has helped tremendously. My breathing issues, stuffy nose, and tons of mucus have stopped. However, after the first needle, I noticed I have flu-like symptoms. I thought I was having the flu. After the second needle, the doctor said to continue Nucala. While it improved my asthma, I am having severe back pain and pain all over my body. I am actually suffering in pain. Can someone please let me know if anyone else is having the same side effects, so I can prove to my doctor it is not in my head? While I like that my asthma has improved, I am suffering and cannot walk due to pain everywhere in my body. Please let me know if there is someone else experiencing this. Thanks."

• Hap...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 9, 2017

"My doctor told me that it might take time to work, yet, my asthma symptoms disappeared the first day! I have suffered with asthma for thirteen years. After a few years with an inhaled corticosteroid, I developed Cushing's syndrome, so I could no longer take them. My doctors have tried to control my asthma with a combination of medications not containing steroids, including some COPD meds. Over the years, my symptoms became more severe and more frequent. For the past several years, I was bedridden about half the time. I had asthma attacks even with no common triggers. I used a nebulizer and albuterol six times a day. Since starting Nucala two months ago, I am symptom-free and up from bed, living my glorious life!"

• Nic...
• August 6, 2019

"I have been on Nucala for 2 years. I am 41 years old. I’ve had several sinus infections, coughing like crazy, reflux. When the Dr. discovered I had Eosinophilic allergic asthma, he put me on Nucala. About 10 minutes after my injection, I had severe back pain & fatigue. As time goes by, I’m noticing more side effects. I’ve lost 30% of my hair. Severe dry skin on face. Arthritic pain. Headaches. Nucala has helped me tremendously, but I’m so upset about all my thinning/lost hair. I’ve had every blood test done. Thyroid checked. All good. Has to be a side effect. Everyone, PLEASE REPORT ALL YOUR SIDE EFFECTS!!! They need to know so many people are suffering from hair loss, joint pain, fatigue, headaches, muscle spasms, etc. I have to meet with my Dr. again to go over all this."

• Alw...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 24, 2020

"After two years on Nucala, I have had enough. For the past three months, I have had excruciating joint pain in my knees, ankles, wrists, elbows, and fingers to the point that I cannot run at all or even walk without pain. While on Nucala, my joints have always been hurting, but now it's just so much worse. I've also suffered from headaches, sore throat, muscle spasms, chest and back pain, and some eczema. I lost half of my hair in the last two months and some of my eyebrows as well. The weird thing is, all was well for over a year and a half, except for some minor joint ache, but then suddenly everything went bad really fast. Now I have to wait for a few months for Nucala to leave my system, and hopefully things will return to normal. It did help with my asthma and nasal polyps, but now the side effects are just too much."

• Bob...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 12, 2019

"I started Nucala 8 months ago for my asthma, and it started working within a week. I was surprised by what a difference it made. It was like my asthma was almost gone. But the past month or so, I’ve started to wheeze again; now my cough is back, and doing physical things is becoming more difficult. Is anyone else finding the effects fading, the longer you're on it?"

• Sid...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 2, 2019

"I have had 2 shots of Nucala over the past 5 weeks. It improved my asthma immediately. I estimate within a couple of hours the mucus, congestion, and infection in my respiratory system had gone completely. However, the side effects for me have possibly been even worse. Since the first injection, I have had constant arthritic pain in my feet, back, and jaw. I've also had the worst gout attack in my life. This pain has been nothing like I've previously experienced, and it's affected my lifestyle significantly. I also have minor flu-like symptoms. Although this is relatively mild, it's constant. I won't go away. I honestly don't know if I will be able to continue on Nucala. I'll need to make a call on that over the next 3 weeks. Has anyone else experienced anything like this?"

• wre...
• June 21, 2021

"I feel like I have been poisoned! It only works for about three weeks, but I still have asthma symptoms. My hair is falling out like I am on chemo, and I have terrible muscle spasms that paralyze my legs. I am stopping this awful medicine. The benefits do not override the risks. I'm done!!!"

• Lex...
• March 27, 2017

"I've always had bad asthma as a kid. I was constantly put on steroids. My doctor did an IgE test, and mine was over 1,500 (less than 100 is normal). I was put on Nucala for 5 months. At the time of the first injection, my lung function was at 86%, at the time of the fifth injection, I was at around 35%. While on this drug, I felt so sick! Back pain, headache, nausea, fatigue. I felt like I had the flu every day! We decided to stop the drug. (I am still looking for a new treatment option)"

• Lse...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 15, 2017

"I've had asthma since I was 18. Over the last 36 years, it has gotten progressively worse. My lungs were always congested, and breathing was always labored. Prednisone used to work for a few months and clear up those symptoms, but not anymore. Already in my 50s and my breathing getting steadily worse, I did some research to find the best respiratory hospital in the USA. In July 2015, I went there and was diagnosed with eosinophilic asthma, but Nucala wasn't yet approved. I started Nucala in April 2017. By the fourth shot, I'm a new person. I can breathe without lung congestion and haven't used my rescue inhaler at all in five weeks. It's a miracle drug! Thank you, GlaxoSmithKline!!"

• Lei...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 6, 2019

"I have just taken my 5th injection of Nucala on July 2nd, and although my severe asthma, allergy, GERD, and sternum and back pain are finally gone, I have had a sore throat for a month and a half, and now I am experiencing extreme hair loss. I have lost nearly half my long beautiful hair in just the last three weeks. I have added no other meds, and it seems each month as Nucala has built in my system, side effects have increased for me. As much as it has alleviated my eosinophilic asthma, I can’t live without hair or with this chronic sore throat. I am going to an ENT soon to rule out any other cause, as my general doctor nor allergist can find no cause for the throat discomfort. I am also going for blood work on Monday to check for other issues that can cause sudden hair loss, but I am betting I will have to go off this medication."

• bam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 14, 2018

"I am an anesthesiologist who was forced onto disability due to my asthma 8 years ago. I have had asthma for nearly two decades. My symptoms were getting worse, and all of the doctors I went to just doubled the dosage of my meds that weren't working. Yesterday, I had my first injection of Nucala, and I woke up today a new man. NO WHEEZING, NO COUGH, NO RUNNING NOSE, NO CHOKING WHEN I EAT, NO SHORTNESS OF BREATH. I am a lucky guy......"

• suy...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 8, 2019

"I had my first Nucala shot in June 2019, and it seems to help my asthma. I completely stopped taking prednisone, which was amazing because I have become totally dependent on it to breathe. My second Nucala shot, I started to notice several side effects: severe back pain, stomach pain, urinary tract infection, and the final straw was severe muscle pain and spasms. The pain I experience from the muscle spasms is so bad I cry. I had to discontinue this drug. I was very hopeful this would be the answer to my asthma, so now I am back on prednisone."

• Bcb...
• May 21, 2017

"I suffered from severe asthma for the past 4 years. I was hospitalized several times, despite using 4 different asthma medications. Nothing seemed to control my symptoms for very long, except high doses of prednisone. After a blood test and some pre-approval from my insurance company, my doctor finally got me approved for Nucala. Nucala has been a life changer. I can finally breathe much easier, I'm able to exercise, enjoy the outdoors, and I rarely have asthma attacks now."

• Geo...
• August 13, 2019

"Nucala deserves 7 stars. Nucala co-pay program should be discontinued. I have had asthma all my life. I am 46 years old. I have also been on steroids since I was 10. I had almost immediate results after my first injection. I haven’t used my rescue inhaler once, which is unheard of. However, my blood pressure has skyrocketed. The only thing I can relate that is new is the Nucala. Also, I was approved for their co-payment program. Don’t be fooled. They claimed to cover anything Nucala-related, up to $11,000 a year. Wrong. They’ve changed their process. After being approved for the program and starting it, now they want me to pay up front and they will reimburse me after it's approved. It’s been hell to get reimbursed (I haven't seen a $1) and fees are racking up quickly. Even the doctor's office doesn’t understand their billing. To save my credit rating, I will have to pay for the fees and discontinue Nucala. Their co-pay program is terrible!!! Don’t be fooled!"

• Lis...
• June 10, 2020

"My doctor seems to be playing a guessing game with my asthma, but I guess that might be what everyone's pulmonary doctor does these days. I had pneumonia and a horrible cough and woke up in the middle of the night unable to breathe even after six puffs on my inhaler. Ever since that illness, five months later, I need a nebulizer treatment at least three times a day. I started this drug on May 8th, and at the end of the first month developed a severe bladder infection. I am now a week into my second month, still having bladder infection issues, and absolutely NO change in my severe asthma symptoms. The website indicates it can cause UTIs, so I fear that I have three more weeks of misery with a bladder infection AND severe asthma. I am glad this works for some people, but it has done nothing but make me more miserable than I already was before I started the drug."

• Sid...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 1, 2019

"I have had 2 injections of Nucala, within the past 5 weeks (4 weeks apart) as part of a 6-month trial here in Sydney, Australia. I reckon within maybe 2-3 hours of the first injection, most of my asthma/respiratory infection symptoms had gone. Prior to that, I had suffered years of chronic sinus and chest infections. But... since I've had the Nucala, I've had the worst 'arthritis'-like symptoms in my feet (especially) and lower back. TBH, there are days I can hardly walk. I can't exercise at all due to the pain and inconvenience. I also have the flu-like symptoms others have mentioned on this blog. I am now thinking of removing myself from the trial, as the side effects are worse than the original problem. Keen to hear if anyone else has had a similar problem."

• Pag...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 17, 2019

"I’ve been taking this for about three years now. I know it is an effective health option for me. As I find myself having a difficult time breathing, then I look at the calendar. Yep. I’m a few days away from the next injection. I’m one of those people out there that enjoy oxygen when I breathe in, I know, radical. I don’t have reactions to the medication, not after the first time and not today either. I thank God for giving someone out there the ability to figure this medicine out for me."

• Ran...
• September 17, 2020

"I am a very lucky lady. Nucala has been fantastic for me from the get-go. Been taking a monthly shot for over 2 years now, and I rarely use my rescue inhaler and have not had to take prednisone. Yahoo! Before Nucala, I had severe bronchitis episodes one after another. Was on heavy doses of prednisone, which had begun not to help at all. Thank goodness for Nucala. I can go on walks again and be more active."

• Ran...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 6, 2019

"I got my first shot a year ago. It was life-changing! I can now breathe for the first time in my life. I was in and out of the hospital before for exacerbations. My lungs are permanently scarred and airways remodeled because of my asthma. Nucala changed my life. I had a little trouble getting it through insurance, the copay program saved me! I thank God for Nucala. My only side effect is headache the day of the shot. I am now doing self-injector at home."

• JOD...
• August 31, 2017

"Diagnosed borderline asthma when I was 21. Over the years, it has steadily worsened. Eight years ago, I became steroid dependent. Other than that, nothing worked. I was on literally everything I could be on, and it just wasn't enough. I was afraid my pulmonologist would give me up for a lost cause. Started Nucala in January 2017. It wasn't instant, and I actually missed two doses, April and May. When I restarted in June, it was like something clicked. I can now participate in activities with family and friends. Almost off the steroids completely. Could not be happier with these results!"

• lin...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 3, 2020

"I have been on Nucala for almost a year after being on Xolair (similar biologic) for 15 years. I haven't noticed any significant change since switching to Nucala; I very much like that I get the injection only once a month compared to every 2 weeks with Xolair. For me, it's an excellent drug to keep my severe asthma under control."

• Ter...
• February 15, 2018

"I have been on this drug for 8 years. (It was a clinical trial when I began.) I was diagnosed with HES (hypereosinophilia), and it was attacking my lungs the most: chronic pneumonia/lung infections and asthma. Despite a healthy lifestyle, I could no longer walk a flight of stairs or even half a block without being winded and dizzy. Steroid use exacerbated the infections. My doctor suggested the mepolizumab clinical trial. The dose was much higher via IV when I started, and results were apparent within a week. The main side effect was nausea, which has subsided with the lower dose. I now get monthly injections and am perfectly healthy. I work out daily and am very fit. I still have some mild asthma symptoms, but they are rare and easily controlled without prednisone. I haven’t noticed any long-term use side effects. I believe this drug saved my life. The downside is cost... Hopefully, you have a great drug plan to cover it. But I would definitely recommend trying it!"

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 6, 2022

"I wanted to thank everyone for taking the time to write their experiences. In particular, one person wrote about the different asthma medications with the same effects. My asthma has been under control while on Xolair, Dupixent, forget Fasenra, and now Nucala. I’ve had muscle and joint pain with all of them, but this is my third month on Nucala, and the muscle and joint pains are worse. I’m having a real hard time with my thumbs, severe pain even when I’m not using my hands. I’ve developed a bone spur on my left thumb that is extremely painful to the touch. I’m not sure if I now have arthritis. I’m so confused about what to do next. I guess I’ll stay on Nucala until it’s obvious beyond any doubt that it is the cause of it all, and I’m unable to manage the pain. Back, neck, spine, hands, muscle spasm on my calves, etc. I forgot to mention my eosinophils were so high I was hospitalized, another reason why I was switched over to Nucala. I hope some will benefit!"

• Str...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 10, 2020

"I have now had my second injection of Nucala. I was so happy with the results of no runny nose, chest congestion was much better. I also have a back problem and have had one hip replacement surgery and am waiting for the second one. I take maintenance medications for pain management. I started with pain so bad, my joints ached, my skin hurt, I was so tired, and got exhausted just going to town and trying to get groceries. I stay on my heating pad day and night. I am up and down frequently, my pain meds are not working well. I made an appointment to go back to the doctor and see what can be done. I liked the results of the Nucala and what it does for my breathing. Anyone have any ideas?"

• Lil...
• July 2, 2021

"I will definitely start reporting again as the symptoms are similar to others. It’s definitely making my asthma better, but I have side effects of lower back pain, earaches, and muscle spasms, which are real with this injection. Please report your side effects, guys, the better data they gather from the community, the better for the next person."