Tiotropium starts working within 30 minutes of taking it and you may start breathing with ease after the first dose. The full benefits will be experienced within about 3 days to a week’s time.

No, Tiotropium is not a steroid, but it belongs to anticholinergic class of medicines. It works by relaxing the muscles of the small airways, helping them to open and remain open for 24 hours.

Tiotropium is a long-acting bronchodilator which opens the air passages and makes breathing easier. Using this medicine daily can help prevent sudden short-term worsening of your breathing problem. Regular use also helps relieve shortness of breath when you have ongoing shortness of breath.

Use Tiotropium carefully to prevent it from getting into your eyes. If it gets into your eyes, your vision may get blurry and the pupil in your eye may become larger (dilate). If this happens, call your doctor. Tiotropium may also cause dizziness and blurred vision. Avoid driving or using heavy machinery if you experience these side effects.

Always take it exactly as directed by your doctor. Tiotropium is meant for inhalation and should not be swallowed. The recommended dose is to inhale the contents of one capsule once daily. Since the effect persists for 24 hours, try to take it at the same time each day for best results.

Store Tiotropium at room temperature 68°F to 77°F (20°C to 25°C). Keep it away from heat and cold and do not refrigerate it. Keep it in a dry place and throw away any unused capsules which have been exposed to air.

Your doctor may prescribe you to take this medicine for life long. The reason being, COPD is a chronic condition and requires long-term treatment.

Rescue treatment is used to treat the sudden attack of disease. On the other hand, maintenance treatment are medicines that you take daily to help you manage the symptoms of disease. For example, when you have sudden shortness of breath due to COPD, you may be prescribed corticosteroids. Whereas, to help prevent these sudden attacks from happening, you may be prescribed Tiotropium.

COPD is a serious lung disease in which the airways become narrow, so the air moves out of your lungs slowly and makes it hard to breathe. Examples of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease include chronic bronchitis (swelling of the air passages leading to lungs) and emphysema (damage to air sacs in the lungs).

If you smoke, then quitting smoking is one of the most important things you can do to slow the progression of COPD. In fact, keep taking the medicine as advised by your doctor. Following the prescribed dose for the recommended duration may stop the progression of COPD.