Surviving Asthma main image .jpg 400 X 400

Surviving Asthma site main title.

Subtitle for one of the pages of Surviving Asthma.  Prednisone

Divider button for images and text on Suriving Asthma site.

If you are an asthma sufferer, the chances you take Prednisone are astronomically high. However, you must check with your physician as to what are the long lasting effects of the drug on your system and what are the side effects the drug will have on you.

With that in mind, here are some of the side effects of Prednisone and what the permanent effects on your system will be. Nevertheless, check with your physician and pharmacist to ensure that your asthma condition is under control. And also you should know that lately Prednisone has been prescribed for a host of other illnesses besides asthma.

Fungal, viral and bacterial infections may appear as a result of the drug but could be masked by its usage. As usage increases, the possibility of complications increase to the point that it can be fatal.

Use of cortisone or hydrocortisone which are steroids, can result in elevation of blood pressure, salt and water retention and edema. You should ask your doctor if salt should be reduced from your diet and if you need to take potassium supplements as well as a diuretic if you have been on this medication for some time to get rid of the excess of fluids your body is accumulating. The use of this drug can also increase the chances of fatal child diseases such as chicken pox and measles, even though the child may have been immunized against them. While on this drug if you become in contact with someone who suffers from chicken pox or measles, please seek immediate medical attention because they can affect your health.

Those who suffer from hypothyroidism, cirrhosis, ocular herpes simplex, psychic derangement such as euphoria, insomnia, mood swings, personality changes, and severe depression should be under constant medical supervision. These symptoms can get as serious as psychotic manifestations and in some cases, psychotic brakes..

Your stomach will suffer as well from ailments such as ulcers, colitis, perforation of the stomach walls, diverticulitis, intestinal anastomoses, active or latent peptic ulcer, renal insufficiencies, hypertension, and osteoporosis.

There are also severe allergic reactions with other medications and it will affect the body electrolytes.  This medication can lead to congestive heart failure.

The list goes on and on and once you start investigating the side effects of the drug, your chances of putting your life in danger are greatly reduced. Like everything else that has to do with your body, study it and ask questions before accepting it blindly. Remember, it is your life, and if you don't ask questions, you may not get totally truthful answers.

Prednisone is the generic name for Deltasone, Liquid Pred, Meticorten, Orisone, and Prednicen-M.  Because of its usage for respiratory illnesses, it can be confused with Prednisolone which is the generic name for Delta-Cortel, Keypred (oral), K-Pred-SP (injection), Pediapred (injection) and Prednisol (oral). (Ref.:  Drug Information Handbook for the Allied Health Professional with indication/therapeutic category index.  7th edition. 200-2001)

For more information on the side effects of this drug, please go to http://www.webmd.com and http://www.drkoop.com.

Divider button for images and text on Suriving Asthma site.

Hyperling button to return to the index page of Surviving Asthma.              Hyperlink button to the email form of Surviving Asthma


Background by
Claudia's Collection