Corticosteroids Glucocorticoid Effects (Systemic)

Proper Use of This Medicine

For patients taking this medicine by mouth:

• Take this medicine with food to help prevent stomach upset. If stomach upset, burning, or pain continues, check with your doctor.
• Stomach problems may be more likely to occur if you drink alcoholic beverages while being treated with this medicine. You should not drink alcoholic beverages while taking this medicine, unless you have first checked with your doctor.

For patients taking budesonide extended-release capsules :

• Swallow the capsule whole, without breaking, crushing, or chewing it.

Use this medicine only as directed by your doctor . Do not use more or less of it, do not use it more often, and do not use it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. To do so may increase the chance of side effects.

Dosing - The dose of these medicines will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label . The following information gives the range of doses of these medicines for all uses, which can vary widely. The dose that you are receiving may be very different. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The number of capsules, tablets, teaspoonfuls of liquid or amount of injection that you use depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are taking the corticosteroid. In addition, your doctor may need to change the dose from time to time .

For betamethasone
• For oral dosage forms:
  • Syrup, tablets, effervescent tablets:
    • Adults and teenagers - Dose may range from 0.25 to 7.2 milligrams (mg) a day, as a single dose or divided into several doses.
    • Children - Dose is based on body weight or size and must be determined by your doctor.
  • Extended-release tablets:
    • Adults and teenagers - 2 to 6 mg a day.
    • Children - Dose is based on body weight or size and must be determined by your doctor.
• For injection dosage form:
  • Adults and teenagers: Dose may range from 1.2 to 12 mg injected into a joint, lesion, muscle, or vein as often as necessary, as determined by your doctor.
  • Children: Dose is based on body weight or size and must be determined by your doctor.

For budesonide
• For oral dosage form (extended-release capsules):
  • Adults: At first, the dose is 9 milligrams (mg) a day for up to eight weeks. Then your doctor may decrease the dose to 6 mg a day. Each dose should be taken in the morning before breakfast.
  • Children: Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

For cortisone
• For oral dosage form (tablets):
  • Adults and teenagers: 25 to 300 milligrams (mg) a day, as a single dose or divided into several doses.
  • Children: Dose is based on body weight or size and must be determined by your doctor.
• For injection dosage form:
  • Adults and teenagers: 20 to 300 mg a day, injected into a muscle.
  • Children: Dose is based on body weight or size and must be determined by your doctor.

For dexamethasone
• For oral dosage forms (elixir, oral solution, tablets):
  • Adults and teenagers: 0.5 to 10 milligrams (mg) taken as often as necessary, as determined by your doctor.
  • Children: Dose is based on body weight or size and must be determined by your doctor.
• For injection dosage form:
  • Adults and teenagers: 0.2 to 40 mg injected into a joint, lesion, muscle, or vein as often as necessary, as determined by your doctor.
  • Children: Dose is based on body weight or size and must be determined by your doctor.

For hydrocortisone
• For oral dosage forms (oral suspension, tablets):
  • Adults and teenagers: 20 to 800 milligrams (mg) every one or two days, as a single dose or divided into several doses.
  • Children: Dose is based on body weight or size and must be determined by your doctor.
• For injection dosage form:
  • Adults and teenagers: 5 to 500 mg injected into a joint, lesion, muscle, or vein, or under the skin as often as necessary, as determined by your doctor.
  • Children: Dose is based on body weight or size and must be determined by your doctor.

For methylprednisolone
• For oral dosage form (tablets):
  • Adults and teenagers: 4 to 160 milligrams (mg) every one or two days, as a single dose or divided into several doses.
  • Children: Dose is based on body weight or size and must be determined by your doctor.
• For injection dosage form:
  • Adults and teenagers: 4 to 160 mg injected into a joint, lesion, muscle, or vein as often as necessary, as determined by your doctor.
  • Children: Dose is based on body weight or size and must be determined by your doctor.

For prednisolone
• For oral dosage forms (oral solution, syrup, tablets):
  • Adults and teenagers: 5 to 200 milligrams (mg) taken as often as necessary, as determined by your doctor.
  • Children: Dose is based on body weight or size and must be determined by your doctor.
• For injection dosage form:
  • Adults and teenagers: 2 to 100 mg injected into a joint, lesion, muscle, or vein as often as necessary, as determined by your doctor.
  • Children: Dose is based on body weight or size and must be determined by your doctor.

For prednisone
• For oral dosage forms (oral solution, syrup, tablets):
  • Adults and teenagers: 5 to 200 milligrams (mg) every one or two days, as a single dose or divided into several doses.
  • Children: Dose is based on body weight or size and must be determined by your doctor.

For triamcinolone
• For oral dosage forms (syrup, tablets):
  • Adults and teenagers: 2 to 60 milligrams (mg) a day, as a single dose or divided into several doses.
  • Children: Dose is based on body weight or size and must be determined by your doctor.
• For injection dosage form:
  • Adults and teenagers: 0.5 to 100 mg injected into a joint, lesion, or muscle, or under the skin as often as necessary, as determined by your doctor.
  • Children: Dose is based on body weight or size and must be determined by your doctor.

Missed dose - If you miss a dose of this medicine and your dosing schedule is:

• One dose every other day - Take the missed dose as soon as possible if you remember it the same morning, then go back to your regular dosing schedule. If you do not remember the missed dose until later, wait and take it the following morning. Then skip a day and start your regular dosing schedule again.
• One dose a day - Take the missed dose as soon as possible, then go back to your regular dosing schedule. If you do not remember until the next day, skip the missed dose and do not double the next one.
• Several doses a day - Take the missed dose as soon as possible, then go back to your regular dosing schedule. If you do not remember until your next dose is due, double the next dose.

If you have any questions about this, check with your health care professional.

Storage - To store this medicine:

• Keep out of the reach of children.
• Store away from heat and direct light.
• Do not store capsules or tablets in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause the medicine to break down.
• Keep the liquid dosage forms of this medicine from freezing.
• Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children.