Friday, March 29, 2024

Prednisone Uses and Withdrawal Symptoms, Dosage, Side Effects, Warnings

Prednisone is a corticosteroid that is used to treat inflammation in the body and suppresses the immune system as well. It is a typical anti-inflammatory medicine that is helpful in treating many skin diseases and breathing disorders too. It is also helpful in treating ulcerative colitis, arthritis, lupus, psoriasis.

Important information regarding Prednisone

The steroid medication can weaken the immune system of a person so it’s advised that you should not get close to such a person. If a patient is already suffering from some fungal infection then using Prednisone can bring many harmful effects so consulting a doctor before using it will be a wise move. Another important thing to understand it that if you are consuming these pills you should not stop them immediately as it can cause withdrawal symptoms which won’t be easy to handle.

How should I take Prednisone?

Prednisone
Prednisone

Prednisone should be taken according to the recommended dose suggested by the doctor. If you increase or decrease the dose as per your convenience it won’t be suitable. You can take the pills with your food but if you get stressed out or other symptoms appear then the dosage may need changes. Don’t crush the pill rather swallow it in full form.

What happens if I miss the dose?

If you have missed the dose try to take it as soon as you remember it but if the time of new dose arrives then its better not to overdose.

What happens if I overdose?

An overdose may not be very severe to cause death but the immune system will be badly affected so make sure you don’t make this mistake.

Side effects of Prednisone

There are many side affects which you can get after using Prednisone so consult the doctor if you have the following problems.

  • Allergic reactions
  • Hives
  • Difficulty in breathing
  • Swelling on the face or other parts of body
  • Blurred vision or pain in the eyes
  • Rapid weight loss or gain
  • High blood pressure

Other drugs which may affect prednisone

Some other medications may collide with prednisone to bring bad affects to the body.

  • amphotericin B;
  • cyclosporine;
  • digoxin, digitalis;
  • John’s wort;
  • an antibiotic such as clarithromycin or telithromycin;
  • antifungal medication such as itraconazole, ketoconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole
  • Birth control pills

What is the dosage of prednisone?

The dose of this medicine varies from person to person but the normal dose may be in between 5 mg to 60 mg per day.

The withdrawal symptoms and signs

The basic thing is that Prednisone should not be stopped abruptly and you should stop it gradually or else it will give very bad withdrawal symptoms which includes

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Weakness
  • Fatigue
  • Weight loss
  • Diarrhea

Common side affects

Side effects of using this medicine range between mild to serious but they occur more when a person is on a high dose and treatment goes on for the long term. Let’s look at the common side effects.

  • Weight gain
  • High blood pressure
  • Loss of potassium
  • Headache
  • Weakness in the muscles
  • Vomiting
  • Acne

The drug may cause depression, insomnia or loss of appetite in some people.

What else should you know about this medicine?

Prednisone is available in tablets of 1, 2.5,10,20 and 50 mg and it can be taken through oral solution or syrup as well. The syrup is mostly 5mg/5ml and you should place this medicine in room temperature only. Keep it away from the reach of children.

Teodora Torrendo
Teodora Torrendohttps://www.ccdiscovery.com
Teodora Torrendo is an investigative journalist and is a correspondent for European Union. She is based in Zurich in Switzerland and her field of work include covering human rights violations which take place in the various countries in and outside Europe. She also reports about the political situation in European Union. She has worked with some reputed companies in Europe and is currently contributing to USA News as a freelance journalist. As someone who has a Masters’ degree in Human Rights she also delivers lectures on Intercultural Management to students of Human Rights. She is also an authority on the Arab world politics and their diversity.

Related Articles