Prednisolone Prednisolone is a type of medicine known as a corticosteroid or steroid. Corticosteroids are not the same as anabolic steroids. Prednisolone is used to treat a wide range of health problems including allergies, blood disorders, skin diseases, infections, certain cancers and to prevent organ rejection after a transplant. It helps by reducing inflammation. It also damps down your immune system, which can help in autoimmune illnesses like rheumatoid arthritis, where your immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues. Prednisolone is available only on prescription as tablets and as a liquid to drink. It can also be given by injection but this is usually only done in hospital. NHS coronavirus adviceAs long as you have no symptoms of coronavirus infection, carry on taking your prescribed steroid medicine as usual. If you develop any coronavirus symptoms, do not stop taking your steroid medicine suddenly. Ask your doctor about whether you need to stop taking it or not. Updated: 20 March 2020 Key facts
Who can and cant take prednisolone Prednisolone can be taken by adults and children. Prednisolone isn't suitable for some people. Tell your doctor before starting the medicine if you:
Make sure your doctor is aware if you have:
How and when to take it It's important to take prednisolone as your doctor has advised. The usual dose varies between 5mg and 60mg daily - 1ml of liquid prednisolone is usually equal to 10mg. Unless your doctor or pharmacist gives you different instructions, it's best to take prednisolone as a single dose once a day, straight after breakfast. For example, if your dose is 40mg daily, your doctor may tell you to take 8 tablets (8 x 5mg) all at the same time. Take prednisolone with breakfast so it doesn't upset your stomach. Taking prednisolone in the morning also means it's less likely to affect your sleep. If your prednisolone tablets are labelled as "enteric coated" or "gastro resistant", you can take these with or without food but make sure to swallow them whole. Do not take indigestion medicines 2 hours before or after taking enteric coated or gastro resistant tablets. Sometimes, you may be advised to take prednisolone on alternate days only. How much will I take?The dose you'll take depends on your illness and whether you are taking prednisolone as a short course or for longer. In children, the dose may be lower than for an adult with the same illness because it is calculated according to their height and weight. Will my dose go up or down?Your dose may go up or down. Once your illness starts to get better, it's likely that your dose will go down. Your doctor will probably reduce your dose before you stop treatment completely. This is to reduce the risk of withdrawal symptoms. Your dose may go up if your illness gets worse. What if I forget to take it?If you miss a dose of prednisolone, take it as soon as you remember. If you don't remember until the following day, skip the missed dose. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten one. If you forget doses often, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to help you remember to take your medicine. What if I take too much?Taking too many prednisolone tablets by accident is unlikely to harm you. If you're worried, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Stunted growth in children The higher the dose of prednisolone that you take, the greater the chance of side effects. You are less likely to get side effects if you take a relatively low dose of less than 20mg prednisolone daily. Some side effects, such as stomach upset or mood changes, can happen straight away. Others, such as getting a rounder face, happen after weeks or months. Common side effectsCommon side effects happen in more than 1 in 100 people. Keep taking the medicine, but tell your doctor if they bother you or don't go away:
Serious side effectsYou are more likely to have a serious side effect if you take a higher dose (more than 20mg daily) of prednisolone or if you have been taking it for more than a few weeks. Call a doctor straight away if you get:
You should also call a doctor straight away if you get:
Serious allergic reactionIn rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to prednisolone. Call 999 or go to A&E if:
You could be having a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital. These are not all the side effects of prednisolone. For a full list see the leaflet inside your medicines packet. You can report any suspected side effect to the UK safety scheme. Long periods of prednisolone treatment can slow down the normal growth of children and teenagers. Your child's doctor will watch their growth carefully while they are taking steroids. That way any slowing of growth can be picked up promptly and treatment changed if necessary. Talk to your doctor about the risks of giving prednisolone to your child if you are concerned. How to cope with side effects What to do about:
Prednisolone isn't usually recommended in pregnancy unless the potential benefits outweigh the risks. Prednisolone has occasionally been linked to problems in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. High doses or long-term use can also affect the unborn baby's growth. If you take prednisolone in pregnancy, the baby's growth will be checked often. For more information about how prednisolone can affect you and your baby during pregnancy, read this leaflet on the Best Use of Medicines in Pregnancy (BUMPS) website. Prednisolone and breastfeedingYou can usually take prednisolone while you're breastfeeding. However, prednisolone can get into breast milk. If you're taking a high dose of prednisolone the baby may need to be monitored for side effects. For safety, it's usually recommended that you wait 3 to 4 hours after taking your dose of prednisolone before feeding your baby or expressing milk. Tell your doctor if youre:
There are many medicines that interfere with the way prednisolone works, or that increase the risk of side effects. It's very important you check a medicine is safe to take with prednisolone before you start taking it. This includes some medicines that you buy over the counter like aspirin and anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen. Mixing prednisolone with herbal remedies or supplementsThere's very little information about taking herbal remedies and supplements with prednisolone. ImportantFor safety, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you take any other medicines, including herbal remedies, vitamins or supplements. How does prednisolone work? When will I feel better? How long will I take prednisolone for? Will I put on weight? How do I come off prednisolone and will I get withdrawal symptoms? Can I take prednisolone for a long time? Do I need to be careful of infections? Can I have vaccinations? Do I need a blue steroid card? Are there other steroids? Will it affect my mood? Will it affect my fertility? Will it affect my contraception? Can I drink alcohol with it? Is there any food or drink I need to avoid? BestCareCompare | ||||||
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