Common questions about prednisolone tablets and liquid

If your sputum (the matter you cough up during an asthma attack) thickens or changes color from clear white to yellow, green, or gray, call your doctor; these changes may be signs of an infection.

Methylprednisolone

Methylprednisolone, a corticosteroid, is similar to a natural hormone produced by your adrenal glands. It is often used to replace this chemical when your body does not make enough of it. It relieves inflammation (swelling, heat, redness, and pain) and is used to treat certain forms of arthritis; skin, blood, kidney, eye, thyroid, and intestinal disorders (e.g., colitis); severe allergies; and asthma. Methylprednisolone is also used to treat certain types of cancer.

This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

How should this medicine be used?

Methylprednisolone comes as a tablet to take by mouth. Your doctor will prescribe a dosing schedule that is best for you. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take methylprednisolone exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

Do not stop taking methylprednisolone without talking to your doctor. Stopping the drug abruptly can cause loss of appetite, upset stomach, vomiting, drowsiness, confusion, headache, fever, joint and muscle pain, peeling skin, and weight loss. If you take large doses for a long time, your doctor probably will decrease your dose gradually to allow your body to adjust before stopping the drug completely. Watch for these side effects if you are gradually decreasing your dose and after you stop taking the tablets. If these problems occur, call your doctor immediately. You may need to increase your dose of tablets temporarily or start taking them again.

What special precautions should I follow?

Before taking methylprednisolone,

• tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to methylprednisolone, aspirin, tartrazine (a yellow dye in some processed foods and drugs), or any other drugs.
• tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take while taking methylprednisolone. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.\
• the following nonprescription product may interact with methylprednisolone: aspirin. Be sure to let your doctor and pharmacist know that you are taking this medication before you start taking methylprednisolone. Do not start this medication while taking methylprednisolone without discussing with your healthcare provider.
• if you have a fungal infection (other than on your skin), do not take methylprednisolone without talking to your doctor.
• tell your doctor if you have or have ever had liver, kidney, intestinal, or heart disease; diabetes; an underactive thyroid gland; high blood pressure; mental illness; myasthenia gravis; osteoporosis; herpes eye infection; seizures; tuberculosis (TB); or ulcers.
• tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking methylprednisolone, call your doctor.
• if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking methylprednisolone.
• if you have a history of ulcers or take large doses of aspirin or other arthritis medication, limit your consumption of alcoholic beverages while taking this drug. Methylprednisolone makes your stomach and intestines more susceptible to the irritating effects of alcohol, aspirin, and certain arthritis medications. This effect increases your risk of ulcers.

What special dietary instructions should I follow?

Your doctor may instruct you to follow a low-sodium, low-salt, potassium-rich, or high-protein diet. Follow these directions.

Methylprednisolone may cause an upset stomach. Take methylprednisolone with food or milk.

What should I do if I forget a dose?

When you start to take methylprednisolone, ask your doctor what to do if you forget a dose. Write down these instructions so that you can refer to them later.

If you take methylprednisolone once a day, take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

What side effects can this medication cause?

Methylprednisolone may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• upset stomach
• stomach irritation
• vomiting
• headache
• dizziness
• insomnia
• restlessness
• depression
• anxiety
• acne
• increased hair growth
• easy bruising
• irregular or absent menstrual periods

If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:

• skin rash
• swollen face, lower legs, or ankles
• vision problems
• cold or infection that lasts a long time
• muscle weakness
• black or tarry stool

If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online (https://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch) or by phone (1-800-332-1088).

What should I know about storage and disposal of this medication?

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom).

It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location – one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. https://www.upandaway.org

Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in your community. See the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medicines website (https://goo.gl/c4Rm4p) for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.

In case of emergency/overdose

In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at 1-800-222-1222. Information is also available online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can’t be awakened, immediately call emergency services at 911.

What other information should I know?

Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor will order certain lab tests to check your response to methylprednisolone. Checkups are especially important for children because methylprednisolone can slow bone growth.

If your condition worsens, call your doctor. Your dose may need to be adjusted.

Carry an identification card that indicates that you may need to take supplementary doses (write down the full dose you took before gradually decreasing it) of methylprednisolone during periods of stress (injuries, infections, and severe asthma attacks). Ask your pharmacist or doctor how to obtain this card. List your name, medical problems, drugs and dosages, and doctor’s name and telephone number on the card.

This drug makes you more susceptible to illnesses. If you are exposed to chicken pox, measles, or tuberculosis (TB) while taking methylprednisolone, call your doctor. Do not have a vaccination, other immunization, or any skin test while you are taking methylprednisolone unless your doctor tells you that you may.

Report any injuries or signs of infection (fever, sore throat, pain during urination, and muscle aches) that occur during treatment.

Your doctor may instruct you to weigh yourself every day. Report any unusual weight gain.

If your sputum (the matter you cough up during an asthma attack) thickens or changes color from clear white to yellow, green, or gray, call your doctor; these changes may be signs of an infection.

If you have diabetes, methylprednisolone may increase your blood sugar level. If you monitor your blood sugar (glucose) at home, test your blood or urine more frequently than usual. Call your doctor if your blood sugar is high or if sugar is present in your urine; your dose of diabetes medication and your diet may need to be changed.

Do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.

It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.

Common questions about prednisolone tablets and liquid

Steroids mimic the effects of stress hormones your body naturally produces in your adrenal glands. The adrenal glands sit on top of your kidneys.

When prescribed in doses higher than your body’s usual levels, steroids like prednisolone dampen inflammation. This can reduce the symptoms of inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis and asthma.

Steroids also damp down your immune system, which can help in autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, where your immune system mistakenly attacks your own body.

When will I feel better?

This can vary. For some health problems, you will feel better after a couple of days.

However, for certain problems or conditions you may not feel any better even though the medicine is helping you. This may be the case if you’re taking prednisolone to stop your symptoms getting worse or to prevent a problem happening (for example after an organ transplant).

Ask your doctor what you can expect.

Are there any long-term side effects?

Taking prednisolone for many months or years can have several harmful effects on your body. It can lead to:

• thinner bones (osteoporosis)
• poorly controlled diabetes
• eyesight problems
• slower growth in children and teenagers

If you have to take prednisolone for a long time, there are steps you can take to stay as healthy as possible.

• Take regular exercise and make sure you get enough calcium in your diet to help strengthen your bones. Calcium-rich foods include milk, cheese and leafy greens. To check your bones, your doctor may arrange for you to have an occasional bone scan.
• If you have diabetes, you may need to check your blood glucose more often. Your doctor can advise you about this.
• To reduce the chances of eyesight problems, visit an optometrist every 12 months to check for high pressure in your eye (glaucoma) and cataracts.
• Make sure that children and teenagers have their height monitored regularly by a doctor so that any changes in their growth can be picked up promptly.

Do I need a steroid card?

Emergency steroid card

If you’re taking steroid medicines such as prednisolone your adrenal glands may not make as much of some of the hormones your body needs such as cortisol (known as the stress hormone). This is known as adrenal insufficiency.

It’s more likely to happen if you take high doses for a long time (especially tablets and injections) or if you regularly use different kinds of steroids at the same time (such as a steroid nasal spray and a steroid inhaler).

Your doctor or pharmacist will assess your risk of adrenal insufficiency based on the type and dose of steroids you’re taking, and may recommend that you carry an emergency steroid card (red card). The card is the size of a credit card and fits in your wallet or purse.

Important

If you need any medical or dental treatment, or are having surgery or an invasive procedure, show your steroid emergency card to your doctor or dentist. This is important so they know you are having steroid treatment and can give you extra steroids as needed.

Blue steroid card

If you’re taking prednisolone for longer than 3 weeks, or you’ve been prescribed a high dose of more than 40mg daily, your doctor or pharmacist will give you a blue steroid treatment card.

The card is the size of a credit card and fits in your wallet or purse. It tells you how you can reduce the risks of side effects. It also gives details of your doctor, how much prednisolone you take and how long the treatment will last.

How does prednisolone compare with other steroid medicines?

There are other steroids available, including:

• deflazacort
• dexamethasone
• methylprednisolone
• prednisone

For most health problems, these steroids are very similar to prednisolone in terms of how well they work and how safe they are.

Do I need to be careful of infections?

Taking prednisolone makes you more likely to catch infections such as flu, coronavirus (COVID-19), the common cold and chest infections. Tell your doctor if you get symptoms of an infection or test positive for COVID-19.

Keep away from people with an infectious disease, especially measles, chickenpox or shingles. If you have never had these illnesses they could make you very ill.

Important

Tell your doctor straight away if you come into contact with someone who has an infectious disease such as measles, chickenpox or shingles. Your doctor may be able to prescribe a medicine to protect you.

Can I have vaccinations?

If you need any vaccinations, let the doctor or nurse know you’re taking prednisolone.

Some types of vaccines, known as live vaccines, are not suitable while you’re taking it. This is because prednisolone affects your immune system, so you’re more at risk of infection caused by a live vaccine.

Live vaccines include the oral typhoid vaccine and the BCG vaccine for tuberculosis.

There are non-live versions of vaccines available for conditions including flu, shingles and polio. These are safe to have while you’re taking prednisolone.

Will it affect my contraception?

Prednisolone will not affect any type of contraception including the combined pill or emergency contraception.

Can I drive or ride a bike?

Prednisolone does not make you sleepy and so it’s usually safe to drive or ride a bike while taking this medicine.

However, do not drive, cycle or operate machinery if your eyesight is affected.

Can I drink alcohol with while taking prednisolone?

Yes, you can drink alcohol while taking prednisolone.

Is there any food or drink I need to avoid?

Do not eat real liquorice while taking prednisolone.

It’s thought that real liquorice increases the amount of prednisolone in the body and also increases the risk of low potassium.

More in Prednisolone tablets and liquid

Page last reviewed: 24 February 2022
Next review due: 24 February 2025

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