Prednisolone

Prednisolone works well to control allergic reactions and conditions involving an overactive immune system. It can make you feel better quickly, but it might also cause side effects if you use it for a long time.

What is Prednisolone used for?

This medication is used for many different conditions. Generally, it's used for autoimmune disorders, conditions related to swelling, or cancer. Some examples include:

• Allergies
• Skin conditions
• Hormone conditions
• Stomach conditions
• Conditions related to red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets
• Some cancers
• Nervous system conditions
• Eye conditions
• Conditions related to transplanted organs
• Lung conditions
• Kidney conditions
• Rheumatoid arthritis

How Prednisolone works

Prednisolone is a corticosteroid. These are man-made steroids that are like cortisol, a natural hormone your body makes. These medications work by lowering certain chemicals in your body that normally cause itching, redness, swelling, or pain.

Pros and Cons of Prednisolone

• Take the medication in the morning with food. This helps to avoid upset stomach and trouble sleeping. If your provider wants you to take a dose in the morning and evening, take the evening dose 2 to 3 hours before bedtime to help you sleep better at night.
• This medication can raise your blood sugars and blood pressure. If you have diabetes or high blood pressure, it's important that you check your blood sugar and blood pressure often while taking this medication.
• Some vaccines are live vaccines and should not be received since prednisolone can weaken your immune system. Live vaccines include varicella (chicken pox), yellow fever, or the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
• Call your healthcare provider right away if you have a fever, chills, flu-like symptoms, cough, pain with passing urine, or a wound that won't heal. These could be signs of an infection.
• If you need to take prednisolone for longer than one week, you will need to lower your dose slowly before completely stopping. If this is the case, take it exactly as your provider prescribed and don't suddenly stop taking prednisolone.

What are the risks and warnings for Prednisolone?

Prednisolone can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.

Changes in Heart and Kidney Function

• Risk factors: Recent heart attack | History of heart failure, high blood pressure, and kidney problems

Prednisolone can cause high blood pressure, unexplained weight gain, and other changes in the way your kidneys work. If you have a history of heart failure, high blood pressure, or kidney problems, talk to your healthcare provider first before using this medication.

Weakening of Bones

• Risk factors: Taking this medication at high doses or for a long period of time | Infants and young children | Age 60 or older | Women after menopause | Alcohol use | Smoking

Long-term use of prednisolone can weaken the bones of adults and older people. This can raise the risk of having bone fractures. This medication can also slow the growth in infants as well as children. This is more likely to happen if the medication is used for a long period of time. Discuss any concerns you have with your provider.

Harm to Unborn Baby

• Risk factors: Pregnant women | Women who can or plan to become pregnant | Use in first trimester of pregnancy

Prednisolone can cause harm to an unborn baby. There is more of a risk if used in the first trimester of pregnancy. There isn't much data on corticosteroid use during pregnancy in general. If you are pregnant, planning on pregnancy, or breastfeeding, talk to your healthcare provider to see if this is the right medication for you.

Poor Adrenal Gland Function

• Risk factors: Taking high doses of corticosteroids| Using this medication for a long period of time | Young children | Stress, such as trauma, injury, or infection

Your adrenal gland makes certain hormones for your body. Taking prednisolone for a long time can cause adrenal suppression. This is when your adrenal glands stop making your own natural hormones. This can happen if you are using the medication over a long period of time. Lowering the dose or stopping it suddenly can be dangerous since your body now depends on prednisolone. Talk to your provider or pharmacist before making any sudden changes in your medication. Symptoms of withdrawal include dizziness, joint or muscle pain, and low energy.

Greater Risk of Infections

• Risk factors: Taking other medications that weaken the immune system | Using this medication for a long time | People who are not vaccinated against viral illnesses | Coming into contact with people who have viral illnesses | History of bacterial or viral conditions | Live vaccines like varicella (chicken pox), yellow fever, or the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine

Taking prednisolone for a long time can raise your risk of getting an infection and may hide some signs of infection. Be careful not to be in contact with anyone who has chicken pox or measles. If you had tuberculosis (TB) in the past, your provider will need to monitor you while you are taking prednisolone. You may or may not need to take medicine for TB to prevent or treat it. Also, talk to your provider first before getting vaccines because they might not work as well. Live vaccines might raise your chances of getting an infection.

Eye Problems

• Risk factors: Cataracts and/or glaucoma | History of herpes simplex in the eye

Long-term use of prednisolone leads to a higher risk of cataracts, glaucoma, and certain eye infections. Don't take prednisolone if you have herpes simplex of the eye. Let your provider know if you have blurry vision, eye pain, or any vision changes. If you are taking the medication for a long time, you may need to get regular eye exams.

Behavior Changes

• Risk factors: History of mental health conditions

Like most corticosteroid medications, prednisolone may cause changes in your mood or behavior. Tell your provider right away if you feel depressed, develop anxiety, or have mood swings, trouble sleeping, or hallucinations (hearing or seeing things that aren't there) while taking this medication. If you need to make any changes or slowly lower your dose, talk to your provider or pharmacist first.

Stomach Problems

• Risk factors: History of stomach bleeding | History of stomach ulcers | History of ulcerative colitis | Taking prednisolone with other medications that can also cause stomach problems | Alcohol use | Using NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve)

Taking prednisolone raises the risk of stomach damage. You should avoid drinking alcohol while taking this medication because it can worsen stomach irritation. Tell your provider right away if you have stomach pain that doesn't go away or you get bloody/dark stools. You may need to take an additional medication to protect your stomach if your provider told you to take prednisolone for a long period of time.

Ml of oral solution

• 15mg/5ml | 50 ml

Ml of syrup

• 15mg/5ml | 45 ml

Tablet

• 5mg

The typical dosage of prednisolone can range from 5 mg to 60 mg by mouth per day. This depends on your condition and how bad it is. Your provider will raise or lower your dose based on how you respond and if you have any side effects.

Prednisolone can interact with a wide range of medications. Here are some of them:

• Aspirin
• Amoxicillin / Clavulanate (Augmentin)
• Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
• Celecoxib (Celebrex)
• Mycophenolate Mofetil (CellCept)
• Loratadine (Claritin)
• Ubiquinone (CoQ10)
• Rosuvastatin (Crestor)
• Duloxetine (Cymbalta)
• Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (Fish Oil)
• Fluticasone Nasal (Flonase)
• Furosemide (Lasix)
• Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
• Pregabalin (Lyrica)
• Metoprolol (Metoprolol Succinate ER)
• Polyethylene Glycol 3350 (MiraLAX)
• Esomeprazole (Nexium)
• Acetaminophen (Paracetamol, Tylenol)
• Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil)
• Montelukast (Singulair)
• Tiotropium (Spiriva)
• Budesonide / Formoterol (Symbicort)
• Albuterol (Ventolin)
• Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12)
• Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
• Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3)
• Ranitidine (Zantac)
• Ondansetron (Zofran)
• Cetirizine (Zyrtec)

The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.

Common Side Effects

• Swelling
• High blood pressure
• High blood sugar
• Muscle weakness
• Stomach pain
• Insomnia (trouble sleeping)
• Changes in your mood
• Headache
• Acne
• Weight gain and greater appetite

Serious Side Effects

Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.

• Allergic reaction: trouble breathing or swallowing, swelling (on your face, lips, mouth, or throat), peeling skin, rash, hives

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

More common

• Aggression
• Agitation
• Anxiety
• Blurred vision
• Decrease in the amount of urine
• Dizziness
• Fast, slow, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse
• Headache
• Irritability
• Mental depression
• Mood changes
• Nervousness
• Noisy, rattling breathing
• Numbness or tingling in the arms or legs
• Pounding in the ears
• Shortness of breath
• Swelling of the fingers, hands, feet, or lower legs
• Trouble thinking, speaking, or walking
• Troubled breathing at rest
• Weight gain

Incidence not known

• Abdominal cramping and/or burning (severe)
• Abdominal pain
• Backache
• Bloody, black, or tarry stools
• Cough or hoarseness
• Darkening of skin
• Decrease in height
• Decreased vision
• Diarrhea
• Dry mouth
• Eye pain
• Eye tearing
• Facial hair growth in females
• Fainting
• Fatigue
• Fever or chills
• Flushed, dry skin
• Fractures
• Fruit-like breath odor
• Full or round face, neck, or trunk
• Heartburn and/or indigestion (severe and continuous)
• Increased hunger
• Increased thirst
• Increased urination
• Loss of appetite
• Loss of sexual desire or ability
• Lower back or side pain
• Menstrual irregularities
• Muscle pain or tenderness
• Muscle wasting or weakness
• Nausea
• Pain in back, ribs, arms, or legs
• Painful or difficult urination
• Skin rash
• Sleeplessness
• Sweating
• Trouble healing
• Trouble sleeping
• Unexplained weight loss
• Unusual tiredness or weakness
• Vision changes
• Vomiting
• Vomiting of material that looks like coffee grounds

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common

• Increased appetite

Incidence not known

• Abnormal fat deposits on the face, neck, and trunk
• Acne
• Dry scalp
• Lightening of normal skin color
• Red face
• Reddish purple lines on the arms, face, legs, trunk, or groin
• Swelling of the stomach area
• Thinning of the scalp hair