Information specific to: Prednisolone 25mg tablets when used in Rheumatic fever.
Prednisolone (pred-nisso-loan) is a medicine which is used in a number of conditions - an example is leukaemia.
The information in this Medicine Guide for prednisolone varies according to the condition being treated and the particular preparation used.
Your medicine
Prednisolone is a corticosteroid. Prednisolone works by preventing or reducing inflammation. It is used to treat a number of conditions that are characterised by excessive inflammation.
Prednisolone suppresses the immune system and so can be used to treat autoimmune diseases. Prednisolone can help to prevent and to treat the rejection of transplantedorgans. It can also be used in the treatment of certain types of cancers.
People who take corticosteroids for a long period of time are prone to infections as their immune system can become weak. These infections may be much more severe than they usually would be and the symptoms that would usually be used to identify such infections can be hidden. For this reason people who take Prednisolone must be careful to avoid exposure to infections such as chickenpox and measles whenever possible. If you have been exposed to chickenpox or measles, you must get immediate medical advice. You should continue to take your medicine unless your prescriber advises you to stop taking it.
Other information about Prednisolone:
- if you have been given a steroid warning card, make sure you carry it with you at all times while you are taking corticosteroids. These cards are normally given to you by your prescriber or by your pharmacist. If you are currently taking corticosteroids, or have taken them in the last year, you must tell everyone involved in prescribing you medicines and giving you medical treatment. This includes your doctor, dentist, nurse and pharmacist. You must make sure that they all know about your corticosteroid treatment.
Do not share your medicine with other people. It may not be suitable for them and may harm them.
The pharmacy label on your medicine tells you how much medicine you should take. It also tells you how often you should take your medicine. This is the dose that you and your prescriber have agreed you should take. You should not change the dose of your medicine unless you are told to do so by your prescriber.
If you feel that the medicine is making you unwell or you do not think it is working, then talk to your prescriber.
Whether this medicine is suitable for you
Prednisolone is not suitable for everyone and some people should never use it. Other people should only use it with special care. It is important that the person prescribing this medicine knows your full medical history.
Your prescriber may only prescribe this medicine with special care or may not prescribe it at all if you:
- are allergic or sensitive to or have had a reaction to any of the ingredients in the medicine
- are elderly
- have an infection
- have been exposed to chickenpox or shingles while you are taking Prednisolone
- have diabetes or a family history of diabetes
- have epilepsy
- have glaucoma or a family history of glaucoma
- have had muscle problems caused by taking steroids
- have had psychoses caused by steroids
- have heart problems
- have high blood pressure
- have inflammatory bowel disease
- have kidney problems
- have liver problems
- have or have had affective disorders
- have or have had tuberculosis
- have osteoporosis
- have peptic ulcers
Furthermore the prescriber may only prescribe this medicine with special care or may not prescribe it at all for a child.
Over time it is possible that Prednisolone can become unsuitable for some people, or they may become unsuitable for it. If at any time it appears that Prednisolone has become unsuitable, it is important that the prescriber is contacted immediately.
Alcohol
Alcohol can interact with certain medicines.
In the case of Prednisolone:
- there are no known interactions between alcohol and Prednisolone
Diet
Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your prescriber may advise you to avoid certain foods.
In the case of Prednisolone:
- there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when taking Prednisolone
Driving and operating machinery
When taking any medicine you should be aware that it might interfere with your ability to drive or operate machinery safely.
Like all medicinesPrednisolone can cause side effects. You should see how this medicine affects you and then judge if you are safe to drive or operate machinery. If you are in any doubt, talk to your prescriber.
Family planning and pregnancy
Most medicines, in some way, can affect the development of a baby in the womb. The effect on the baby differs between medicines and also depends on the stage of pregnancy that you have reached when you take the medicine.
In the case of Prednisolone:
- you should only take this medicine during pregnancy if your doctor thinks that you need it
You need to discuss your specific circumstances with your doctor to weigh up the overall risks and benefits of taking this medicine. You and your doctor can make a decision about whether you are going to take this medicine during pregnancy.
If the decision is that you should not have Prednisolone, then you should discuss whether there is an alternative medicine that you could take during pregnancy.
Breast-feeding
Certain medicines can pass into breast milk and may reach your baby through breast-feeding.
In the case of Prednisolone:
- you should only take this medicine while breast-feeding if your doctor thinks you need it
Before you have your baby you should discuss breast-feeding with your doctor or midwife. They will help you decide what is best for you and your baby based on the benefits and risks associated with this medicine. You should only breast-feed your baby while taking this medicine on the advice of your doctor or midwife.
Taking other medicines
If you are taking more than one medicine they may interact with each other. At times your prescriber may decide to use medicines that interact, in other cases this may not be appropriate.
The decision to use medicines that interact depends on your specific circumstances. Your prescriber may decide to use medicines that interact, if it is believed that the benefits of taking the medicines together outweigh the risks. In such cases, it may be necessary to alter your dose or monitor you more closely.
Tell your prescriber the names of all the medicines that you are taking so that they can consider all possible interactions. This includes all the medicines which have been prescribed by your GP, hospital doctor, dentist, nurse, health visitor, midwife or pharmacist. You must also tell your prescriber about medicines which you have bought over the counter without prescriptions.
The following medicines may interact with Prednisolone:
- acetazolamide
- aminoglutethimide
- carbamazepine
- carbenoxolone
- insulin
- phenobarbital
- phenylbutazone
- phenytoin
- primidone
- rifabutin
- rifampicin
The following types of medicine may interact with Prednisolone:
- antihypertensives
- barbiturates
- contraceptives
- coumarin anticoagulants
- diuretics
- hypoglycaemics
- non-depolarising muscle relaxants
- oestrogens
- salicylates
- vaccines
If you are taking Prednisolone and one of the above medicines or types of medicines, make sure your prescriber knows about it.
Complementary preparations and vitamins
Medicines can interact with complementary preparations and vitamins. In general, there is not much information available about interactions between medicines and complementary preparations or vitamins.
If you are planning to take or are already taking any complementary preparations and vitamins you should ask your prescriber whether there are any known interactions with Prednisolone.
Your prescriber can advise whether it is appropriate for you to take combinations that are known to interact. They can also discuss with you the possible effect that the complementary preparations and vitamins may have on your condition.
If you experience any unusual effects while taking this medicine in combination with complementary preparations and vitamins, you should tell your prescriber.
