Liquid Pred

Who is Liquid Pred for ?

Prednisone 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. Prednisone also is used with other drugs to prevent rejection of transplanted organs and to treat certain types of cancer. this medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Prednisone, a corticosteroid, is similar to a natural hormone produced by your adrenal glands. It often is used to replace this chemical when your body does not make enough of it. Prednisone decreases inflammation or swelling by preventing certain inflammation-promoting chemicals in the body from moving into the affected area (eg. airway with asthma or skin with poison ivy). Prednisone also suppresses your immune system so that your body is less able to reject a transplanted organ.

When should I be careful taking Liquid Pred ?

Before taking prednisone,

• tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to prednisone, 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 you are taking, especially anticoagulants ("blood thinners") such as warfarin (Coumadin), arthritis medications, aspirin, cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), digoxin (Lanoxin), diuretics ("water pills"), estrogen (Premarin), ketoconazole (Nizoral), oral contraceptives, phenobarbital, phenytoin (Dilantin), rifampin (Rifadin), theophylline (Theo-Dur), and vitamins.
• if you have a fungal infection (other than on your skin), do not take prednisone 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 prednisone, call your doctor.
• if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking prednisone.
• 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. Prednisone 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.

Side Effects

Although side effects from prednisone are not common, they can occur. 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