What is Dexamethasone?
Dexamethasone, also known as a steroid, is used for treating many conditions, including allergic disorders and skin disorders. It can also be prescribed to treat lupus or other skin disorders. This medication guide does not list all possible uses of dexamethasone.
Side effects of Dexamethasone
Symptoms of an allergy include difficulty in breathing, hives and any swelling to lips, face throat or tongue.
Dexamethasone can cause severe side effects. If you experience:
- Fever, chills, tiredness;
- Pain, swelling, or stiffness in a treated joint;
- Muscle weakness and a limping feeling
- Feeling short of breath, swelling, and rapid weight gain;
- Blurred vision, pain in the eyes, or seeing halos around lights
- Bloody or tarry stool, coughing blood
- A seizure;
- Increased pressure in the skull—severe headaches, ringing ears, nausea, visual problems, eye pain;
- Pancreatitis: severe pain spreading from your stomach to your back and nausea;
- Low blood potassium can cause leg cramps, diarrhea, increased thirst, or an increase in urination. It may also lead to numbness, tingling, or muscle weakness.
Children's growth can be affected by dexamethasone. If your child's growth isn't normal while taking this medication, tell your doctor.
Some of the common side effects that dexamethasone can cause include:
- Fluid retention
- Headache, dizziness;
- Increased blood pressure
- Slow wound healing
- Acne, thin skin, discoloration, or bruising
- Changes in menstrual cycles;
- Changes in body fat distribution (especially on your legs, arms, chest, shoulders, breasts, and neck)
There may be other side effects.Call your physician immediately if experiencing side effects; report these to FDA by dialing 1-800-FDA-1088.
Warnings
Inform your doctor of all medical conditions and medications you use. Steroids can affect many diseases, while many medicines can also interact with them.
Before you take this drug
Dexamethasone should not be used if:
- A fungus can occur anywhere on your body.
The use of steroids can cause your immune system to be weakened, which makes it more likely that you will contract an infection. Inform your doctor of any illnesses or infections you have had in the last few weeks.
If you've ever:
- Liver disease
- Kidney disease
- A thyroid condition;
- A parasite that can cause diarrhea, such as threadworms
- Tuberculosis;
- Osteoporosis;
- A muscle disorder, such as myasthenia gravis.
- Diabetes (steroid medication may cause glucose to increase in the blood or urine);
- Glaucoma and cataracts are both eye diseases.
- Herpes in the eye
- Diverticulitis and inflammatory bowel disease are all terms used to describe stomach ulcers.
- Depression or mental illness
- Congestive heart failure is a heart attack.
- High blood pressure.
Inform your doctor of any pregnancy or nursing.
How to take Dexamethasone?
Injecting dexamethasone into the muscle or vein is done. This injection will be given by a healthcare professional. In general, dexamethasone can only be administered by injection if the patient is unable to swallow it. Your dosage needs could change due to surgery, illness, stress or medical emergencies.Inform your doctor of any situation affecting you. Dexamethasone may affect certain medical tests. Inform any doctors who treat you about your dexamethasone use. If you suddenly stop taking dexamethasone after a long period of use, withdrawal symptoms may occur. Before stopping your medicine, consult with your doctor. Keep away from heat and moisture at room temperature.
What happens if I miss the dose?
If you forget to take a medication, call your doctor.
What happens if I overdose?
Call 1-800-222-1222 for poison help or seek immediate medical attention. On the other hand, high doses of steroids or prolonged use can cause thinning of the skin, increased facial hair, or acne, as well as changes in body weight (especially on your neck, face, back, and waist), impotence, or a loss of sexual interest.
What should be avoided?
Stay away from people with infections or illnesses. If you have been exposed to measles or chickenpox, call your doctor immediately for treatment. The conditions are serious and can even be fatal for people taking steroid medication. Alcohol should not be consumed while taking dexamethasone. Receiving live vaccines may expose you to serious illness.The live vaccines are measles (MMR), rubella, rotavirus (rotavirus), yellow fever (typhoid), varicella, chickenpox, and zoster. Do not receive any vaccines without consulting your doctor, even a flu shot.
Interaction with other drug
It is sometimes not safe to take certain drugs at the same time. Certain drugs may affect the blood level of drugs that you are taking, causing side effects to increase or making them less effective. Dexamethasone can be affected by many drugs. These include prescription, over-the-counter, and herbal medicines. This list does not include all interactions. Inform your physician of all medications you are currently taking as well as those you intend to stop or start using in the near future.
