- Used to prevent the symptoms of asthma
- Used in the treatment of severe allergic rhinitis
- Used to treat severe arthritis, allergies and skin disorders
- Also used to treat rheumatic disorders, thyroid complications and lupus
- Used to treat severe eye disorders
- Used in the treatment of lymphoma and leukemia
Medrol Dosepak is the brand name for the generic drug Methylprednisolone and it is manufactured by Pfizer. It is available in tablets of 4 mg each in packs of 21.
Indications
Medrol Dosepak is used to treat the symptoms that lead up to asthma and prevents a full blown attack. It is also used to treat severe allergies, arthritis, skin disorders like psoriasis, eye disorders and certain cancers.
Action
This drug is a glucocorticoid which acts as an anti-inflammatory. It prevents the body’s reaction to certain stimuli which in turn causes inflammation in the body.
Side Effects
Most of the side effects caused by this drug are minor and usually go away once the treatment has progressed to a week or two. These could be headaches, insomnia, sore throat and dry mouth, increased appetite, stomach upsets, nervousness and weight gain. However, there could be a few people who suffer from serious side effects and this would need medical services immediately. There could be bloody stools, nausea and vomiting, swelling of the face or the feet, muscular weakness or changes in the menstrual cycle.
Caution
Before this drug can be prescribed, the doctor will want a very detailed medical history. This will include family history as well and what ailments and conditions you have or are suffering from, what medications you are taking, what vitamins and supplements you take and what allergies you might have. He will also want to know about alcohol and drug abuse and whether you smoke. There are certain ailments where this drug is contraindicated so he will have to know exactly what is on your medication list before he can prescribe this drug.
Contraindications
There are certain drugs and conditions that could contraindicate this drug. If you have a fungal infection – wherever it might occur on your body, you will have to tell the doctor and he might not prescribe a steroid till it is cured. Certain other medication also would mean that this drug cannot be prescribed. Pregnant women and nursing mothers will have to be careful and it would be better if they avoid this drug because the after effects on the baby are unknown. When you are on this medication, you have to realize that steroids bring down your immunity so you will have to be very careful about infections, especially measles and chicken pox as it would be dangerous if you contracted one of them. Remember that once you are on this medication, you cannot stop it abruptly, neither can you change the dosage. Any change must be done in consultation with your doctor. This drug could be contraindicated if you suffer from glaucoma, blood pressure, cataracts, ulcers or osteoporosis.