Prednisone is used to reduce inflammation and swelling. It works as an anti-inflammatory for many different conditions, including asthma flares, COPD flares, poison ivy, and flares from auto-immune disorders.

Many people may report more energy or feeling great for the first day or so.

While taking prednisone, it may:

• Make it a little more difficult to sleep

• Cause you to feel mildly irritable or affect your mood.

• Increased appetite.

• If you have diabetes, it can increase your blood sugars.

Long term use (i.e. repeated doses over several weeks or months) can risk:

• Stomach ulcers or bleeding.

• Decreased bone strength (“osteoporosis”)

There is a very, very low risk of prednisone causing a condition called “Avascular Necrosis” in a person’s hip. This caused by a tiny blood vessel to the hip bone getting blocked off. It is extremely rare, but it is something everyone should be aware of before taking the medication.

Despite the possible side effects, often there is no other option for people take. The benefits usually far outweigh the risks.

There are many different doses and ways to take this medication.

Sometimes it is just a short 5 day prescription. Sometimes, you may need to slowly lower the dose over a couple of weeks.

So, take the medication as it says on your bottle.

Disclaimer: this is just the general and common advice regarding this medication that Dr. Stewart tells his patients. It is not intended to be a complete list of all the information about this medication. For complete information, please click on the product monograph here, or contact your pharmacist.