Prednisolone 5mg/5ml syrup What Prednisolone is used for: Boosting your body with extra corticosteroids is an effective way to treat various illnesses involving inflammation in the body. Prednisolone reduces this inflammation, which could otherwise go on making your condition worse. Do not take Prednisolone if you: • are allergic to Prednisolone or any of the other ingredients of this medicine • have any infection, unless you are receiving specific treatment for it • are suffering from a herpes infection of the eye • are suffering from galactose or lactose intolerance or glucose-galactose malabsorption Warnings and precautions: Talk to your doctor or pharmacist or nurse before taking Prednisolone if you have: • osteoporosis (weakening of the bones) especially in women who have passed menopause • severe depression or manic-depression • high blood pressure or heart failure, diabetes or a history of diabetes in your family • tuberculosis (a disease of the lungs) or a history of tuberculosis • glaucoma or a history of glaucoma or a history of glaucoma in your family • a history of muscle weakness • sever liver or kidney problems • suffered from epilepsy, fits/seizures • stomach ulcers • an under active thyroid gland which can cause tiredness and weight gain • suffered a recent heart attack • have ever had blood clots • are planning to have a vaccination • have Cushing’s disease • have inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s disease • are undergoing immunosuppression therapy for example in the treatment of cancer Possible side effects of Prednisolone: These include tiredness, increased number of white blood cells, serious mental health problems, blood clotting, nausea and vomiting, heart problems, convulsions, dizziness, headache, vertigo, sleeplessness, thinning of the skin, bruising, stretch marks, patches of skin reddening, itching, rash, hives, acne, extra hair growth, slow healing of wounds, increased sweating, absence or irregularity of menstrual periods, face becomes very round, weight gain, increased blood sugar, hypertension, carbohydrate imbalance in diabetes, euphoria (feeling high), feeling of dependency on treatment, general unwell feeling, vision problems, worsening of schizophrenia, worsening of epilepsy, risk of stroke is increased in Horton disease, increased pressure in the eyeball (glaucoma), pressure on the nerve to the eye, thinning of the tissues of the eye (sclera and cornea), bulging eyes, worsening of viral or fungal infections of the eye, existing infections can worsen, previous infections such as tuberculosis , muscle wasting of the upper arms and legs, muscle pain, bone fractures, tendon rupture, indigestion, stomach ulcers with bleeding or perforation. Other medicines and Prednisolone: Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking: • antiepileptic drugs • antivirals such as ritonavir which can be used to treat HIV infection • antibiotics such as erythromycin, rifampicin and rifabutin • thalidomine and aminoglutethimide, used to treat some cancers • coumarin anticoagulants for example warfarin • somatropin or growth hormones • isoniazid, used to treat tuberculosis • antifungals such as ketoconazole and amphotericin, which are used to treat fungal infections • ciclosporin • live vaccines • medicines used to relax muscles during surgery • cardiac glycosides for example digoxin and related drugs called cardiac glycosides • salbutamol, formoterol, fenoteral, ritodrine, bambuterol, salmeterol and terbutaline • insulin and other medicines used to treat diabetes • medicines used to treat high blood pressure • theophylline, used to treat asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) • loop diuretics • female sex hormones - oestrogens, for example in the oral contraceptive pill or HRT • mifepristone, used to induce labour or abortion. How to take Prednisolone: Your doctor may start your treatment with the lowest dose for a minimum period of time to minimize side effects. Your doctor may decide to start your treatment with Prednisolone at a dose of 5mg to 60mg taken daily either in several doses throughout the day, or as a single dose in the morning after breakfast, or as a double dose on alternate days. The dose may be lowered after a few days to 2.5mg to 15mg per day, but your doctor may decide higher doses may be needed for several weeks or months. Use in children: Prednisolone may be given to children very rarely to treat specific conditions. The smallest dose may be given for the shortest time possible. How to store Prednisolone: • Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children. • Do not store above 25°C • Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the packaging. * Dosage form and route of administration of Prednisolone 2.5mg, 10mg, 20mg, 25mg and 30mg Tablets should be prescribed according to therapeutic indication and disease severity of each individual patient.