Prednisone side effects: weight gain, eye pain, depression and many more.
Prednisone belongs to the group of glucocorticoid medicines. It is given to the patient to decrease inflammation in the body which can cause diseases like arthritis, asthma, and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases). Prednisone when given to the patient, it suppresses the immune system of the body. Also, we observe Prednisone side effects on the human and animal body.
Prednisone is used as an anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant medicine. This is also given for other conditions like high blood calcium caused due to cancer and also for adrenal insufficiency along with other steroids. It is also given in other diseases which include ulcerative colitis, lupus, psoriasis, and allergic disorders.
Prednisone is considered safe when prescribed in pregnancy and for lactating mother, the dose for prednisone is low as compared with its normal dose.
Prednisone is approved as a medicine in 1955 in the United States. This medicine is also available as a generic medicine.
How Prednisone activates the inside liver
After oral administration of this medicine, this medicine has to be converted into prednisolone which is an active state of this medicine. This conversation of prednisone to prednisolone takes place in the liver. After its activation prednisolone binds with glucocorticoid receptors, after which it activates the receptors and starts producing a change in the gene expression.
What should be considered before prescribing Prednisone
Prednisone medicine is given in many diseases condition like-
- Breathing difficulty- asthma
- Arthritis
- Skin allergies
- Allergic disorders
- Psoriasis
- Lupus etc
But if a patient is suffering from fungal infection and he/she is taking anti-fungal medicine orally then the patient should avoid taking prednisone medicine during that time. There is no issue if the patient is using tropical fungal medication, but your doctor should have the knowledge that before the patient is starting prednisone medicine, the patient should all medicinal history which includes all medicines patient had taken before.
This is done because prednisone is a steroid and while taking any steroid it lowers down the immune system of the body to fight against diseases, which makes the patient make it easier to catch any kind of sickness which will make the patient much weaker.
So, the advice is given to the patient who is taking prednisone medicine that avoids going to the place where the patient can catch infection easily and stay away from the people who are infected.
While taking prednisone the patient should not receive any kind of live vaccinations. Live vaccination is given to the person so that the body can produce antibodies against the bacteria or virus which boosts up the immune system of the normal healthy person.
If you are taking prednisone after which if you have symptoms like
- Severe pain in the upper chest
- Difficulty in breathing
- Blood in stool
- Severe depression
- Change in the personality or behaviour
- Difficulty in vision
Stop taking the prednisone medicine and don’t delay in calling your doctor.
Also, read – Prednisone and alcohol: Can I have them together?