A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Deltasone
Brand Names
; Deltasone® ; Liquid Pred® ; Meticorten® ; Orasone® ; Prednicen-M®Foreign Brand Names
; Apo-Prednisone® (Canada) ; Jaa-Prednisone® (Canada) ; Novo-Prednisone® (Canada) ; Wimpred® (Canada)Therapeutic Categories
Corticosteroid, OralReasons not to take this medicine
- If you have an allergy to prednisone or any other part of the medicine.
- If you have a serious infection.
What is this medicine used for?
- This medicine is used for the treatment of inflamed areas of the body, severe allergies, skin problems, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, organ transplantation, leukemias/lymphomas, brain swelling, ulcerative colitis, sarcoidosis, spinal cord injuries, Addison's disease, and arthritis.
- This medicine is used in other diseases where the anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressant properties are needed. Talk with healthcare provider.
How does it work?
- Prednisone is a man-made form of an important chemical produced in the body.
- Prednisone puts down the body's response to the allergen (the cause of the allergy) and reduces swelling, redness, itching, and other symptoms of allergy.
- It also reduces the body's ability to fight infection.
How is it best taken?
- Take with food. Take in the morning if you are taking this medicine once a day.
- A liquid (concentrate, syrup) is available if you cannot swallow pills. Those who have feeding tubes can also use the liquid. Flush the feeding tube before and after medicine is given.
- Do not suddenly stop using this medicine if you have been taking it for a long time. Medicine should be slowly decreased.
What do I do if I miss a dose?
- Take a missed dose as soon as possible.
- If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed one. Return to your regular schedule.
- Do not take a double dose or extra doses.
- Do not change dose or stop taking medicine without talking with healthcare provider.
What are the precautions when taking this medicine?
- Wear disease medical alert identification if you have asthma, lung disease, or are an allergy sufferer or if you are going to be on this medicine longer than 3-4 weeks.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are currently being treated for any infections.
- Unless healthcare provider told you to stop, it is dangerous to run out of this medication. Get it refilled today!
- Avoid alcohol (includes wine, beer, and liquor). Alcohol increases risk of stomach irritation/ulcers.
- If you have had a stomach ulcer or bleeding, tell healthcare provider. Can cause ulcers.
- Use caution if you have a weakened heart. Salt and water can accumulate. Talk with healthcare provider.
- Use caution if you are diabetic. Talk with healthcare provider. Diabetic medicine may need increasing.
- Use caution if you have high blood pressure. Your blood pressure may increase. Talk with healthcare provider.
- Tell dentists, surgeons, and other healthcare providers about this medicine.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are allergic to any medicine. Make sure to tell about the allergy and how it affected you. This includes telling about rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of face, lips, tongue, throat; or any other symptoms involved.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are breast-feeding.
What are the common side effects of this medicine?
- Risk of infection. Avoid crowds and people with infections, colds, or flu.
- High blood sugar. Can cause diabetes mellitus while on medicine, usually reverses when stopped.
- Menstrual changes. If you are premenopausal you may not have period. If you are postmenopausal you may have bleeding or spotting.
- Weakened bones. Take calcium and vitamin D as recommended by healthcare provider.
- Weight gain. This is because of salt and water gain or because of hunger and eating more.
- Muscle weakness, especially in the thighs and upper arms.
- Skin changes (pimples, stretch marks, slow healing if cut, hair growth).
- Cataracts, glaucoma with long-term use.
- Changes in fat distribution. Fat stores can move to face and trunk.
- Belly pain and cramps.
- Nausea or vomiting. Small frequent meals, frequent mouth care, sucking hard candy, or chewing gum may help.
What should I monitor?
- If a child is using this medicine, monitor growth carefully.
- Watch for swelling of legs or belly, shortness of breath, weight gain, exercise tolerance. If any of these worsen, talk with healthcare provider.
- Check blood sugar as ordered by healthcare provider. Watch for high blood sugar. Causes many trips to the bathroom, thirst, weight loss.
- Watch for signs of infection.
Reasons to call healthcare provider immediately
- Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing; tightness in the chest; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits; swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
- Any signs or symptoms of infection. This may include a fever greater than 99 degrees, chills, sore throat, cough, increased sputum or change in color, painful urination, mouth sores, wound that will not heal, anal itching or pain.
- For females, vaginal discharge and/or itching.
- Chest pains, fast heartbeats, shortness of breath, or decreased ability to walk.
- Severe nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea.
- Menstrual changes. This includes lots of bleeding, spotting, or bleeding between cycles.
- Feeling weak, tired, irritable, trembling, having rapid heartbeats, confusion, sweating, dizziness, especially if you missed a dose or recently stopped this medicine.
- Any rash.
- No improvement in condition or feeling worse.
How should I store this medicine?
- Store in a tight container at room temperature.
General statements
- Do not share your medicine with others and do not take anyone else's medicine.
- Keep all medicine out of the reach of children and pets.
- Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, herbal/supplements, vitamins, over-the-counter) with you. Give this list to healthcare provider (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, physician assistant).
- Talk with healthcare provider before starting any new medicine, including over-the-counter or natural products (herbs, vitamins).






