Prednisone
Prednisone is a corticosteroid that works by reducing inflammation.

Prednisone

Prednisone is a corticosteroid that works by reducing inflammation. It is therefore often prescribed for the treatment of skin conditions, psoriasis, some breathing disorders, arthritis and allergic disorders. If you have some fungal infection or in case of ever being allergic to this medicine, you are not supposed to start taking prednisone. Your health care provider needs to know your full medical history to make sure you will benefit from the treatment. Some heath conditions you have may be affected by the use of steroids, and some of them can interact with prednisone. The following health conditions must be reported to make sure your doctor can adjust the dose or recommend additional tests: high blood pressure, depression or mental illness, glaucoma, muscle disorder, thyroid disorder, kidney disease, liver disease, tuberculosis, osteoporosis, diabetes, stomach ulcers or congestive heart failure. The following drugs have been reported to interact with prednisone, which means you should report the fact of using them to your doctor: aspirin, diuretics, blood thinners, ketoconazole, seizure medications, diabetes medications, rifampin and cyclosporine.

Do not give prednisone to your child unless specifically instructed to do so by your health care provider. Drugs that belong to the group of steroids can affect growth of children. The effects of prednisone in unborn ad nursing babies have not been studied properly. However, it is known that this drug can pass into breast milk and have some effects on the nursing baby. This drug has been classified as FDA category C - this means that before any woman starts taking it regularly, she needs to discuss all the risks and benefits of the treatment with her health care provider.

Since prednisone can make your immune system weaker, make sure you are not exposed to infection. Try to avoid receiving live vaccines and avoid being surrounded by people that have some contagious diseases. When you start taking prednisone make sure there are no questions related to the aspects of your treatment, and if you do have any - do not hesitate to ask your doctor. Your dosage may be adjusted occasionally to make sure you get the most benefits from the treatment. Take the tablet of prednisone with a full glass of water, and make sure you use a special dose-measuring device to take the exact dose of the liquid form of prednisone. Since every person's dosing schedule can be different, in case of a missed dose just consult your health care provider and ask for advice.

Serious side effects you may get while taking prednisone can include bloody or tarry stools, problems with your vision, rapid weight gain, feeling short of breath, severe depression, seizures, coughing up blood and dangerously high blood pressure, as well as some other ones. These symptoms must be reported to a qualified health care professional and you shouldn't take any more of this medicine until told so by the doctor. In most cases, however, people taking this medicine have less serious side effects, such as increased sweating, headache, sleep problems, dry skin, mood changes, stomach pain, dizziness, thinning skin, acne, nausea, bloating and spinning sensation. In case of having any of the following symptoms of an allergic reaction to this medicine get emergency medical assistance: hives, trouble breathing, and swelling of the throat, face, and lips. An overdose of this drug is not expected to cause very dangerous symptoms and conditions.

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