Methylprednisolone for arthritis management

A certain drug called methylprednisolone is either a synthetic or a corticosteroid drug and a person can purchase it under such brand names as Medrol and Solu-Medrol. This drug can also be purchased as a generic drug. The main function of this drug is not to let the release of certain substances in the body to happen. This is vital as these substances that are supposed to be stopped lead to inflammation.

Methylprednisolone for inflammation

Apart from being able to prevent inflammations from occurring, methylprednisolone is also being used for the treatment of several other conditions. Some of these conditions are allergic disorders, skin conditions, ulcerative colitis, arthritis, lupus, psoriasis and problems with breathing. In addition to these uses, there are some other uses for this drug that are not mentioned.

However, this drug is not good for everyone. Those who are allergic to methylprednisolone should definitely avoid using it. A person with a fungal infection that is located anywhere on the body must also avoid using this drug. The patient needs to talk to the doctor about any of the medical conditions that he or she is suffering from and about any sort of medication he or she is on before taking methylprednisolone. Some of the disease that should definitely be mentioned include liver disease, kidney disease, diabetes, tuberculosis, osteoporosis, certain muscular disorders, glaucoma, cataracts, herpes infections of the eyes, stomach ulcers, high blood pressure and depression or some mental disease. Congestive heart failure should also be mentioned and a history of malaria as well. The main reason why that is so, is because a lot of medications interfere with this steroid and various medical conditions can be affected when methylprednisolone is taken. Almost every steroid medication makes the immune system a lot weaker and if the person is suffering from any infection, the situation will only get worse. Various other infections can enter the system when the immunity is weak. The patient should also mention to the doctor about kind of disease or infection that he or she suffered from in the last couple of weeks before coming to the hospital.

Once the person has started using methylprednisolone, he or she needs to look out for certain things. The doctor will advise the patient to stay away from those who are ill or suffer from any sort of infection. In situations where the patient who is taking this steroid is exposed to either chicken pox or measles, he or she needs to consult the doctor as soon as possible about the ways to prevent these illnesses from affecting him or her. A vaccine is the best way to prevent these diseases from infecting a person but those who are taking methylprednisolone are not allowed to take vaccines as it does not work the way it should because of the drug.

The drug should be taken for as long as the doctor has ordered. Suddenly stopping taking the drug must not be done in any situation as a person will experience some rather problematic withdrawal symptoms. If for any reason the patient wishes to stop using the drug, he or she must talk it over with the doctor first. Every person who uses the drug should wear a medical alert tag or an ID card that says he or she is taking it.

Side effects of methylprednisolone

Pregnant women need to talk to the doctor whether it is safe for them to take methylprednisolone. However, the researchers have not yet decided whether this drug has any effect on the unborn baby. Women who plan to become pregnant must mention that to the doctor as well. As this steroid can pass into breast milk, women who are breastfeeding should be careful when using the drug and consult the doctor before deciding on using it. The main concern for the doctors is the fact that steroids do affect the growth of children.

Just like almost every other drug, methylprednisolone causes certain side effects. These side effects usually do not occur in those who do not take the drug over a long period of time. Some of the side effects that are mainly seen include weight gain, glaucoma, osteoporosis and psychosis. Side effects are also more likely to occur if the person takes high doses of methylprednisolone. However, the most serious side effect that can occur due to the intake of the drug happens after the adrenal gland no longer creates cortisol as methylprednisolone replaces it. If the person stops taking the drug all of a sudden, that can lead to development of a certain condition called Addisonian crisis. This condition proved to be fatal in a majority of cases. However, this can be prevented. Methylprednisolone is almost never prescribed without a tapering dosage. This dosage includes a pre-dosed pack that explain just how much pills a person should take over a period of a couple of days. In addition to these side effects, the steroid can also lead to sleeplessness and down moods.