Notice
Road and parking lot construction in Madison, Wis. may result in travel delays and route changes to UW Health clinic and hospital locations. Please plan accordingly.Read more
Road and parking lot construction in Madison, Wis. may result in travel delays and route changes to UW Health clinic and hospital locations. Please plan accordingly.Read more
The name of your oral corticosteroid is ______________________________.
Oral Corticosteroids are pills that you swallow and use when your asthma starts to flare-up. Most often they are taken for only a short period of time (5-10 days). They are part of the “Red Zone” plan for care on many written Asthma Action Plans.
They decrease airway swelling. This opens the airways and makes it easier to breathe.
Prednisone tablets
Prednisolone
Orapred®: 15mg/5ml
Pediapred®: 5mg/5ml
Prelone®: comes in both strengths as listed above
Orapred®ODT (dissolvable tablets): 10mg, 15mg, & 30mg
Methylprednisolone (Medrol®)
Side effects may include any or all the symptoms listed below and should improve when you are done taking the medicine.
Increased appetite
Changes in mood
Trouble sleeping
Stomach-ache
If you take this medicine for a long time, other side effects may include:
Weight gain
Your bones may become weak (osteoporosis)
Decrease in growth (height) for a child
Higher risk for infection
Eye changes (cataracts)
Increase in blood pressure
Increase in blood sugar (diabetes)
Bruising and skin changes
Please talk with your health care team if you are or plan to take oral corticosteroids for a long time.
Take each dose with food.
If you take it twice a day, it is best to take it with breakfast and again in the mid-afternoon with a snack.
If you take it once a day, take it in the morning.
If you are taking an oral corticosteroid for more than 10 days, do not stop taking it until you talk with your health care team. They may suggest a “taper.” A taper slowly decreases your dose over time until you are scheduled to stop taking it.