Prednisone

• For the treatment of allergies, inflammation and rheumatic disorders associated with various organs.
• For the treatment of a certain type of cancer and infections (with appropriate chemotherapy)
• To prevent organ rejection during organ transplant procedures.

When should one not use Prednisone

• If you are allergic to prednisone, other steroids or any other ingredients of this medicine.
• If you have any serious infection and you are not taking any anti-infective treatment for that.
• You should not take a certain vaccine (live vaccine), especially if you are immunocompromised.
• If you are suffering from a viral infection of the eye (herpes infection).

Common side effects of this drug are:

• Infection
• Weight gain
• Indigestion
• Sleeplessness
• Mood swings
• Confusion
• Weakness
• Fatigue
• Impaired wound healing
• Growth retardation

Other General Warnings

• You experience any skin allergies and rise in blood sugar levels or you are diabetic.
• You experience mood disturbances, fits and other psychiatric problems including suicidal thoughts.
• You experience visual disturbances and eye infections. Upon long-term use, there is the probability that you may develop a cataract.
• You are elderly, you have a heart problem, high blood pressure and cholesterol, blood clotting problems, liver and kidney diseases.
• It can impair the fertility of an individual, be very cautious.
• You have a history of muscle weakness due to steroid therapy or have a condition called myasthenia gravis.
• This medicine makes you more prone to infections, in case you already have an infection like fungal infection or you have measles or chickenpox, you are taking medicines to suppress immune response discuss your condition with the doctor.
• This medicine may cause inflammation and swelling in different parts of your gut like the stomach, pancreas and can also cause ulcers.
• Children and adolescents receiving steroids should be observed for growth abnormalities as steroids can retard the growth.

How Does It Work?

• Prednisone is a man-made steroid. Steroids are hormones produced in the human body naturally that play an important role in maintaining normal physiological function and well being of the human body.
• This medicine mimics the action of naturally produced steroids. It works by suppressing the immune response in allergies, inflammation, autoimmune diseases and during organ transplantation.

Interactions with other medicines

• You should not take any live vaccine while taking this medicine as it can reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine.
• Antacids and certain antibiotics such as rifamycin can reduce the effectiveness of this medicine.
• You may require a higher dose of this medicine if you are taking medicines to treat fits like phenobarbital, phenytoin.
• If you are taking antifungal medicines like amphotericin and ketoconazole, oral contraceptive medicines, antibiotics like troleandomycin and erythromycin, immunosuppressants like ciclosporin, methotrexate you are more likely to experience side effects of either of the medicine.
• There is an increased risk of stomach bleeding if you are taking painkillers or aspirin along with this medicine.
• You should be cautious if you are taking any anti-diabetic medicine like insulin, medicines to stop blood clotting, water pill, medicine for hyperactive thyroid such as carbimazole and thiamazole and medicines for heart failure like digoxin.
• Somatropin, a growth hormone if taken along can inhibit its growth in an individual.
• Other medicines to treat asthma, like salbutamol may lead to an increase in potassium level in blood and you may experience irregular heartbeats.
• Any other medicine, supplement or herbals, if you are taking or might take, should be discussed with your doctor.

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