Prednisone
Complete list of drugs used to
treat arthritis.
Prednisone, a corticosteroid, is similar to a natural hormone produced by your adrenal
glands. It often is used to replace this chemical when your body does not make enough of
it. It relieves inflammation (swelling, heat, redness, and pain) and is used to treat
certain forms of arthritis; skin, blood, kidney, eye, thyroid, and intestinal disorders
(e.g., colitis); severe allergies; and asthma. Prednisone also is used with other drugs to
prevent rejection of transplanted organs and to treat certain types of cancer..
Do not stop taking prednisone without talking to your doctor. Stopping the drug
abruptly can cause loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, confusion, headache,
fever, joint and muscle pain, peeling skin, and weight loss. If you take large doses for a
long time, your doctor probably will decrease your dose gradually to allow your body to
adjust before stopping the drug completely. Watch for these side effects if you are
gradually decreasing your dose and after you stop taking the tablets or oral liquid. If
these problems occur, call your doctor immediately. You may need to increase your dose of
tablets or liquid temporarily or start taking them again.
Precautions concerning Prednisone
- tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to prednisone, aspirin, tartrazine
(a yellow dye in some processed foods and drugs), or any other drugs.
- tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you
are taking, especially anticoagulants ('blood thinners') such as warfarin (Coumadin),
arthritis medications, aspirin, cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), digoxin (Lanoxin),
diuretics ('water pills'), estrogen (Premarin), ketoconazole (Nizoral), oral
contraceptives, phenobarbital, phenytoin (Dilantin), rifampin (Rifadin), theophylline
(Theo-Dur), and vitamins.
- if you have a fungal infection (other than on your skin), do not take prednisone without
talking to your doctor.
- tell your doctor if you have or have ever had liver, kidney, intestinal, or heart
disease; diabetes; an underactive thyroid gland; high blood pressure; mental illness;
myasthenia gravis; osteoporosis; herpes eye infection; seizures; tuberculosis (TB); or
ulcers.
- tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If
you become pregnant while taking prednisone, call your doctor.
- if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you
are taking prednisone.
- if you have a history of ulcers or take large doses of aspirin or other arthritis
medication, limit your consumption of alcoholic beverages while taking this drug.
Prednisone makes your stomach and intestines more susceptible to the irritating effects of
alcohol, aspirin, and certain arthritis medications. This effect increases your risk of
ulcers.
Side effects of Prednisone
Although side effects from prednisone are not common, they can occur. Tell your doctor
if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
- upset stomach
- stomach irritation
- vomiting
- headache
- dizziness
- insomnia
- restlessness
- depression
- anxiety
- acne
- increased hair growth
- easy bruising
- irregular or absent menstrual periods
If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:
- skin rash
- swollen face, lower legs, or ankles
- vision problems
- cold or infection that lasts a long time
- muscle weakness
- black or tarry stool
Adverse effects of prednisone?
Adverse effects do not occur in all
patients and are usually related to the amount and length of time prednisone is used.
Potential adverse effects will be monitored by your physician and include:
Insomnia and mood changes. Euphoria or depression may occur. The
cause is uncertain. It is best to take prednisone it in the morning to reduce the chances
of insomnia at night.
Increased appetite and weight gain. Prednisone increases the
appetite. Follow a diet to maintain your weight. Develop an eating schedule and stick to
it. If you eat when you feel hungry, you will be eating all the time.
Susceptibility to infections. Prednisone slightly decreases
resistance to infection. Avoid individuals with infectious illnesses if possible. Notify
your physician if you develop persistent signs of an infection.
Stomach upset (indigestion, stomach burning) or ulcer. Prednisone may
cause gastrointestinal irritation. Take prednisone with meals, milk or antacids. Do not
take it on an empty stomach.
Fluid retention. Prednisone can cause fluid retention. Your physician
will monitor this process. Fluid retention can be caused by sodium retention and potassium
depletion through frequent urination. A salt-restricted/potassium-rich diet may help
reduce fluid retention.
Hypertension. Prednisone may cause a rise in blood pressure. Your
physician can treat this, if necessary.
Hyperglycemia or diabetes (elevated blood sugar). Prednisone may
increase the amount of sugar (glucose) in your blood. With periodic blood work, your
physician can monitor this.
If prednisone is stopped too quickly, serious adverse effects can
occur (
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