What is Rayos?
Rayos, a corticosteroid, reduces inflammation and suppresses the immune system.Rayos can be used to treat a variety of conditions, including hormonal disorders, skin disorders, arthritis, lupus, and psoriasis. It is also prescribed for eye disorders, lung disease, asthma, tuberculosis, and blood cell disorders.This medication guide does not list all possible uses of Rayos.
Side effects of Rayos
If you experience any of the following symptoms of an allergic reaction: hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of your lips, face, tongue, or throat, contact emergency medical assistance.
If you experience:
- Muscle pain or weakness
- Eye pain, blurred vision or halos around lights
- Changes in personality or thoughts, severe depressive symptoms,
- Bloody or tarry stool, vomiting blood, or vomit that looks like coffee grounds
- Feeling short of breath, swelling, and rapid weight gain
- Heartbeat irregularities;
- Headache in the neck or ears
- Decreased hormones of the adrenal gland: weakness, fatigue, diarrhea, nausea, menstrual irregularities, skin discoloration, and craving for salty food;
- Low sodium level; cramps in the legs; constipation; increased thirst or urination; numbness, tingling, or muscle weakness.
Prednisone may affect the growth of children. If your child's growth isn't normal while taking this medication, tell your doctor.
Common Rayos side effects may include:
- Weight gain (especially on your face, upper back, or torso);
- Increased appetite
- Mood changes, trouble sleeping;
- Changes in your menstrual cycle;
- Memory or thinking problems;
- Muscle or joint pain
- Weakness;
- Headache, dizziness, spinning sensation;
- Loss of appetite, nausea, bloating;
- Slow wound healing
- Acne, sweating more, thinned skin, bruising, and pinpoint spots beneath your skin
There may be other side effects. For medical advice on side effects, call your doctor. The FDA can be contacted at 1-800-FDA-1088 to report side effects.
Warnings
If you are suffering from a fungus, it is best to avoid rayos. It may not matter if you use topical antifungals, but it is important to tell your doctor about any medications that you are taking.You can get infected more easily if you take corticosteroids. Avoid being around people who are sick. Prednisone should not be taken with a live vaccine.If you experience shortness of breath, severe abdominal pain, bloody or tarry stool, severe depression, personality or behavioral changes, vision problems, or eye pain, call your doctor immediately.Rayos should not be stopped abruptly. You should follow your doctor's advice about reducing your dose.
Before you take this drug
Rayos should not be used if prednisone is an allergen for you or if there are any fungal infections in your body.The corticosteroid medicine can weaken the immune system and make it easier to contract an infection. It can also worsen an existing infection. Inform your doctor of any illnesses or infections you have had in the last few weeks.
Tell your doctor about any of the following to ensure that Rayos will be safe for you:
- Heart problems, high blood pressure, or an attack.
- Glaucoma, or cataracts
- Herpes infection in the eyes
- Past or present tuberculosis
- A parasite that causes diarrhea, such as threadworms;
- Diarrhea is a symptom of any disease.
- Underactive thyroid
- Diabetes;
- A stomach ulcer or diverticulitis
- A colostomy or ileostomy;
- Osteoporosis, or low bone mineral densities (steroid medications can increase the risk of bone loss);
- Calcium and potassium levels in blood are low
- Cirrhosis, or any other liver disease
- Mental illness or psychosis
- A muscle disorder, such as myasthenia gravis.
If you are a smoker, drink alcohol, do not exercise, or do not get enough calcium or vitamin D in your diet, long-term corticosteroid use can lead to osteoporosis.Prednisone is not known to harm an unborn child. Inform your doctor immediately if you plan to get pregnant or if you think that you may be pregnant.Rayos should not be used while breastfeeding.
How to take Rayos?
Follow the instructions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Read all the instructions and directions that come with your prescription. Sometimes your doctor will change the dose.Rayos can be taken every day or every alternate day, depending on the condition that is being treated. The medicine may have to be taken at a specific time. You should follow your doctor's instructions on when to take the medicine and how much.If Rayos causes stomach upset, take it with food.Do not chew, crush, or break the Rayos delayed-release tablet.Prednisone may weaken your immune system and make you more susceptible to infection. If you experience any signs of infection, such as fever, weakness, cold or flu symptoms, skin sores, or diarrhea, or have a recurring or frequent illness, call your doctor.Prednisone dosage may need to be adjusted if you are undergoing major surgery or have a severe infection or injury. Be sure to tell any doctor who is treating you that you are taking this medication.You may need to undergo medical tests or vision exams if you take this medication for a long time.Wear or carry medical identification in case of an emergency to alert others that you are using a steroid.Rayos should not be stopped abruptly. You should follow your doctor's advice about reducing your dose.Keep away from heat and moisture. Store at room temperature.
What happens if I miss the dose?
If you are almost due for your next dose, skip the missed one. Never take two doses of a medicine at the same time.
What happens if I overdose?
For poison assistance, call 1-800-222-1222 or get immediate medical help.Rayos may cause thinning of the skin, bruising easily, changes in body weight (especially on your neck, face, back, and waist), an increase in acne, facial hair or menstrual issues, impotence, or a loss of interest in sexual activity.
What should be avoided?
Avoid receiving a "live vaccine" while taking Rayos. It may not protect you as well from disease, and the vaccine may not perform as well. Live vaccines include measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), polio, rotavirus, typhoid, yellow fever, varicella (chickenpox), zoster (shingles), and the nasal flu (influenza) vaccine.Avoid being around people who are ill or infected. If you have been exposed to measles or chickenpox, call your doctor immediately for treatment. These conditions are serious and can even be fatal for people taking steroid medication.Avoid alcohol consumption.
Interaction with other drug
It is sometimes not safe to take certain medications together. Some drugs may affect the blood levels of drugs that you are taking, causing side effects or making them less effective.
Inform your doctor of all the medications you are taking. Prednisone can interact with many drugs, including:
- Bupropion;
- Cyclosporine;
- Digoxin;
- Ketoconazole;
- Anti-biotic
- Hormonal replacement therapy or birth control pills
- A diuretic, or "water pill".
- Insulin, or oral diabetes medication
- A blood thinner warfarin coumadin jantoven
- Nsaids are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications. These include aspirin (advil), ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac (indomethacin), meloxicam (aleve), and celecoxib.
Prednisone can interact with many drugs. This list is not exhaustive. These include prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. This list does not include all drug interactions.