What is a Methylprednisolone Tablet?
Methylprednisolone tablet is an effective medicine that provides relief to inflamed areas of your body.
Doctors prescribe this medication to treat various medical ailments including:
- Arthritis
- Certain cancers
- Blood disorders
- Serious allergic reactions
- Immune system disorders
- Eye conditions
- Skin, intestinal, kidney, and lung diseases
Methylprednisolone reduces the response of your immune system to various diseases.
This further provides you relief from symptoms like pain, swelling, and allergic reactions.
A corticosteroid hormone called methylprednisolone tablet may be used with other medications to correct hormonal imbalances.
Only with a prescription from your doctor, you can get this medication from an authorized or licensed pharmacy.
Methylprednisolone oral tablet is a prescription medicine and available as brand-name drug Medrol. It comes in generic drugs also.
How does Methylprednisolone Tablet work in your body?
You need to know that Methylprednisolone belongs to a class of medicines known as glucocorticoids.
This medicine works by reducing inflammation and altering the response of your body’s immune.
In this way, Methylprednisolone decreases inflammation that is caused by your condition or ailment.
Moreover, this medicine lowers the amount of inflammatory chemicals that cause swelling, pain, itching, and redness.
Uses of Methylprednisolone
Methylprednisolone is recommended by doctors to treat different medical conditions, including:
- Skin ailments
- Eye inflammation
- Lung disorders
- Conditions that affect certain hormones like low adrenal hormones
- Allergic reactions
- Joint conditions
- Multiple sclerosis
- Cancer of blood cells
- Gut problems
- Ailments related to your blood cells
Methylprednisolone: Know about its dosage
Take this tablet by mouth as prescribed by a doctor, mainly with food or milk. Carefully, follow dosing instructions.
Based on your medical condition and response to treatment, the doctor will determine the dosage of this medicine.
For Methylprednisolone tablets, different kinds of dosing schedules exist. Properly discuss with a doctor once.
Mark your calendar appropriately if you don't take the same dose every day or if you only take methylprednisolone every other day.
If you are unsure about this medication or its dosage, it is best to speak with a doctor or chemist.
Without a doctor’s direction, do not increase your dosage or use this medicine more often or for longer than prescribed.
Your condition will not improve faster by increasing the dose, instead, the risk of side effects will increase.
Without discussing it with your doctor, do not stop taking Methylprednisolone tablets.
Some conditions might become worse when the Methylprednisolone tablet is stopped suddenly.
Depending upon your condition, a doctor will gradually decrease the dosage of this medicine.
When this medicine is stopped suddenly, withdrawal symptoms can be experienced by patients.
Some common withdrawal symptoms of Methylprednisolone tablets include:
- Weight loss
- Weakness
- Tiredness
- Nausea
- Headache
- Dizziness
To help patients prevent withdrawal symptoms, doctors can decrease the dosage of this medicine slowly.
There is more chance of experiencing withdrawal symptoms, if you have used Methylprednisolone tablet for a long time.
Call your doctor immediately, if you suffer from any withdrawal symptoms.
Missed dose
If you miss a dose of Methylprednisolone tablet then discuss it with a doctor and then continue treatment.
Overdose
An overdose of this medicine is not expected to produce any kind of life-threatening symptoms.
Nevertheless, long-term usage of high steroid dosage can cause symptoms like thinning skin, impotence, easy bruising, and much more.
Get emergency medical help, if you suffer from an overdose of Methylprednisolone.
Methylprednisolone Tablet: precautions and warnings
It is always better to understand precautions and warnings of this medicine before starting your treatment.
Before taking Methylprednisolone, inform your doctor if you are allergic to it or prednisone or have other allergies.
This medicine can contain some inactive ingredients which can make you suffer from allergic reactions or problems.
Inform your doctor beforehand about all prescription, and non-prescription medicines you take, especially:
- Warfarin
- Cyclosporine
- Arthritis medicines
- Azithromycin
- Aspirin
- Oral contraceptives
- Theophylline
- Vitamins
- Diuretics
- Digoxin
- Phenytoin
Patients suffering from fungal infections other than skin must not take methylprednisolone without a doctor’s prescription.
Before you start treatment with this medicine, inform a doctor about your medical history, including:
- Seizures
- Liver disorder
- Kidney disease
- Heart problems
- Herpes eye infection
- Diabetes
- Tuberculosis
- Mental ailment
- An underactive thyroid gland
- High blood pressure
- Ulcers
- Myasthenia gravis
- Osteoporosis
Let your doctor know, if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.
During your treatment with methylprednisolone tablet, if you become pregnant then call your doctor.
Before undergoing any surgery, including dental surgery, tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking a methylprednisolone tablet.
Your doctor can tell you to follow a potassium-rich, low-sodium, high-protein, or low-salt diet.
Drug interactions
Drug interactions can alter how your medicines work or even increase risk of experiencing severe side effects.
Make a list of all products that you use and share it with your doctor before starting treatment with methylprednisolone tablet.
Without approval from your doctor, do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medications.
There are certain medicines that interact with methylprednisolone tablets including mifepristone, aldesleukin, warfarin, and others.
If your doctor directs you to take low-dose aspirin for heart attack or stroke prevention then continue taking it.
Unless the doctor advises you to stop, continue taking low-dose aspirin medication.
There are also certain medicines that affect the removal of methylprednisolone tablets from your body.
Intake of this medicine can interfere with some of your lab tests. So, inform your doctor beforehand about taking a methylprednisolone tablet.
Side effects of Methylprednisolone tablet
Just like other medicines, there are some common side effects of methylprednisolone tablet including:
- Acne
- Nausea
- Trouble sleeping
- Vomiting
- Appetite changes
- Heartburn
- Dizziness
- Increased sweating
- Headache
Sometimes, this medicine can cause an increase in blood sugar levels and worsen diabetes.
If you have symptoms of high blood sugar like frequent urination or increased thirst, inform your doctor.
Methylprednisolone tablets can also cause some serious side effects:
- Unusual weight gain
- Symptoms of stomach bleeding
- Mental or mood changes
- Muscle weakness
- Vision issues
Call your doctor promptly, if any of your side effects continue or become worse with time.
