MethylPREDNISolone Dose Pack

MethylPREDNISolone Dose Pack is a steroid that stops the body from releasing substances that cause inflammation.

MethylPREDNISolone Dose Pack is used to treat a variety of inflammatory conditions including arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, allergic disorders, gland (endocrine) disorders, and conditions affecting the skin, eyes, lungs, stomach, nervous system, or blood cells.

MethylPREDNISolone Dose Pack may also be used for other purposes not mentioned in this medication guide.

Follow all directions on your prescription label. Your doctor may sometimes change your dose. Do not use this medicine in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.

MethylPREDNISolone Dose Pack is sometimes taken every other day. Follow your doctor's dosing instructions very carefully.

Your dose may need to change if you experience unusual stress such as a serious illness, fever or infection, or if you have surgery or a medical emergency. Inform your doctor about any such situation that affects you.

This medicine can cause unusual results with certain medical tests. Inform any doctor who treats you that you are using MethylPREDNISolone Dose Pack.

You should not stop using MethylPREDNISolone Dose Pack suddenly. Follow your doctor's instructions about tapering your dose.

Wear a medical alert tag or carry an ID card stating that you take MethylPREDNISolone Dose Pack. Any medical care provider who treats you should know that you take steroid medication.

If you need surgery, inform the surgeon ahead of time that you are using MethylPREDNISolone Dose Pack. You may need to stop using the medicine for a short time.

Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

You should not use this medicine if you have a fungal infection anywhere in your body.

You should not use MethylPREDNISolone Dose Pack if you are allergic to it, or if you have:

• a fungal infection anywhere in your body.

MethylPREDNISolone Dose Pack can weaken your immune system, making it easier for you to get an infection. Steroids can also make an existing infection worse, or reactivate a past infection. Tell your doctor about any illness or infection you have had in the last several weeks.

To ensure MethylPREDNISolone Dose Pack is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:

• a thyroid disorder;
• herpes infection of the eyes;
• stomach ulcers, ulcerative colitis, or diverticulitis;
• depression, mental illness, or psychosis;
• liver disease (especially cirrhosis);
• high blood pressure;
• osteoporosis;
• a muscle disorder such as myasthenia gravis; or
• multiple sclerosis.

Also tell your doctor if you have diabetes. Steroid medicines may raise the glucose (sugar) levels in your blood or urine. You may also need to adjust the dose of your diabetes medications.

It is not known whether MethylPREDNISolone Dose Pack will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

It is not known whether methylprednisolone passes into breast milk or if it could affect the nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding.

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

MethylPREDNISolone Dose Pack may cause serious side effects. Call your doctor immediately if you experience:

• shortness of breath (even with mild activity), swelling, rapid weight gain;
• bruising, thinning skin, or any wound that does not heal;
• blurred vision, tunnel vision, eye pain, or seeing halos around lights;
• severe depression, changes in personality, unusual thoughts or behavior;
• new or unusual pain in an arm or leg or in your back;
• bloody or tarry stools, coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds;
• seizure (convulsions); or
• low potassium—leg cramps, constipation, irregular heartbeats, fluttering in your chest, increased thirst or urination, numbness or tingling.

Steroids can affect growth in children. Tell your doctor if your child is not growing at a normal rate while using MethylPREDNISolone Dose Pack.

Common side effects of MethylPREDNISolone Dose Pack may include:

• fluid retention (swelling in your hands or ankles);
• dizziness, spinning sensation;
• changes in your menstrual periods;
• headache;
• mild muscle pain or weakness; or
• stomach discomfort, bloating.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Call your doctor for instructions if you miss a dose of MethylPREDNISolone Dose Pack.

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

An overdose of MethylPREDNISolone Dose Pack is not expected to cause life-threatening symptoms. However, using high doses of steroids for a long time can lead to symptoms such as thinning skin, easy bruising, changes in the shape or location of body fat (especially in your face, neck, back, and waist), increased acne or facial hair, menstrual problems, impotence, or loss of interest in sex.

Avoid being near people who are sick or have infections. Call your doctor for preventive treatment if you are exposed to chicken pox or measles. These conditions can be serious or even fatal for people taking steroid medication.

Do not receive a "live" vaccine while using MethylPREDNISolone Dose Pack. The vaccine may not work as well during this time, and may not fully protect you from disease. Live vaccines include measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), polio, rotavirus, typhoid, yellow fever, varicella (chickenpox), and nasal flu (influenza) vaccine.

Other drugs may interact with methylprednisolone, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Inform each of your health care providers about all medicines you are currently taking and any medicine you begin or stop taking.