Corticosteroid (Oral Route, Parenteral Route)

Free

E-newsletter

Subscribe to Housecall

Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics.

Precautions

Your doctor should check your progress at regular visits. Also, your progress may have to be checked after you have stopped using this medicine, since some of the effects may continue.

Do not stop using this medicine without first checking with your doctor. Your doctor may want you to reduce gradually the amount you are using before stopping the medicine completely.

Check with your doctor if your condition reappears or worsens after the dose has been reduced or treatment with this medicine is stopped.

If you will be using corticosteroids for a long time:

• Your doctor may want you to follow a low-salt diet and/or a potassium-rich diet.
• Your doctor may have you take a bisphosphonate (alendronate [e.g., Fosamax], risedronate [e.g., Actonel]) to help prevent and treat bone problems while you are taking a corticosteroid.
• Your doctor may want you to watch your calories to prevent weight gain.
• Your doctor may want you to add extra protein to your diet.
• Your doctor may want you to have your eyes examined by an ophthalmologist (eye doctor) before, and also sometime later during treatment.
• Your doctor may want you to carry a medical identification card stating that you are using this medicine.

Tell the doctor in charge that you are using this medicine:

• Before having skin tests
• Before having any kind of surgery (including dental surgery) or emergency treatment
• If you get a serious infection or injury

Avoid close contact with anyone who has chickenpox or measles. This is especially important for children. Tell your doctor right away if you think you have been exposed to chickenpox or measles.

While you are being treated with this medicine, and after you stop taking it, do not have any immunizations without your doctor's approval. Also, other people living in your home should not receive the oral polio vaccine, since there is a chance they could pass the polio virus on to you. In addition, you should avoid close contact with other people at school or work who have recently taken the oral polio vaccine.

For patients with diabetes:

• This medicine may affect blood glucose (sugar) levels. If you notice a change in the results of your blood or urine sugar tests or if you have any questions, check with your doctor.

For patients having this medicine injected into their joints:

• If this medicine is injected into one of your joints, you should be careful not to put too much stress or strain on that joint for a while, even if it begins to feel better. Make sure your doctor has told you how much you are allowed to move this joint while it is healing.
• If redness or swelling occurs at the place of injection, and continues or gets worse, check with your doctor.

Copyright © 2013 Thomson Healthcare Inc. All rights reserved. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes.