Ulcers Diarrhea Liver, kidney, or heart disease High blood pressure Diabetes Depression
When prednisone is prescribed for short-term use to treat a temporary condition, it’s usually taken for 5–10 days, with a different dosage each day. If you’re taking prednisone long-term to treat a chronic condition, your doctor will likely start you at a higher dose to get your condition under control. Then, they’ll gradually reduce the dose each day to completely wean you off of it or down to a lower dose for maintenance. Your doctor might need to change the dose if you experience stress from infection, fever, or an extreme illness. In some cases, they may lower the dosage, such as when you’re recovering from an infection. However, they may increase your dosage if the condition they’re treating with prednisone worsens.
Depending on your dosage, you may need to take just 1 or up to several tablets throughout the day.
If the medication doesn’t come with a measuring cup or spoon, ask the pharmacist for one.
Most side effects of prednisone are caused by long-term use, particularly changes in weight or skin thinning. If you’re using it as a short-term treatment, you likely won’t have any major side effects if you aren’t allergic to the drug. Some people report impotence and menstrual problems after being on prednisone for a while.
You may need to begin insulin or increase your medication dosages to manage your diabetes.
Rash Itching or swelling (especially around your face or throat) Severe dizziness Difficulty breathing
If your doctor believes that prednisone is essential to your treatment, they may put you on the lowest dose. If you’re breastfeeding, the doctor might have you wait 4 hours after taking the medication before you feed your baby. However, this may not be necessary, so talk to your doctor.
This may not be an issue if you’re taking a low dosage of prednisone. However, it’s best to talk to your doctor. If you develop a fungal infection after you’ve started taking prednisone, tell your doctor immediately. They may advise you to temporarily stop taking prednisone.
If you remember just before it’s almost time to take another scheduled dose, just take the upcoming dose without doubling up. Don’t stop taking prednisone completely. When you’re ready to stop the medication, the doctor will gradually reduce your dosage.
Trembling and convulsions Elevated blood pressure Fever Heart attack or stroke
Alcohol and prednisone may increase your risk for gastrointestinal bleeding and ulcers.
