Explanation

Dexamethasone is a type of medicine called a corticosteroid. It's used to treat illnesses that cause inflammation in your body.

What does dexamethasone do?

Dexamethasone works by blocking the chemicals that cause inflammation. Boosting your natural levels of corticosteroids can help lower inflammation and help control your condition.

What does dexamethasone look like?

Dexamethasone comes as a tablet that you swallow, a clear or yellowish liquid that you swallow, a liquid for use as eye drops and also as a liquid for injections.

How much do I take or inject and for how long?

It's important that you take as much dexamethasone as your doctor has told you to and for as long as he or she has told you to.

If you are using the eye drops, you will normally need to take 1-2 drops in your affected eye every 30-60 minutes if it's very inflammed. When it starts to get better you should start to take only one drop every 4 hours. You shouldn't use dexamethasone eye drops for more than 1 week at a time.

If you are being treated with injections, tablets or syrup, you will normally have your dexamethasone every day or every second day. Your doctor will tell you exactly when to have your dexamethasone and how much to have. This will depend on how much you weigh.

But what if I don't feel like taking/injecting it?

It's important that you take your dexamethasone when your doctor has told you to. If you don't take your dexamethasone regularly your condition might come back or get even worse.

If you are receiving the injection, tablets or syrup it can be very dangerous if you stop taking your dexamethasone suddenly. If you don't want to take your dexamethasone for some reason it's important to talk to your doctor about it, but don't stop taking it unless he or she says it's okay to do so. Your doctor will probably keep reducing the amount of dexamethasone you are taking until you can stop taking it altogether without getting side effects. If you stop taking dexamethasone quickly you might notice side effects like:

feeling faint or fainting

fever

pain in your muscle and joint

swelling on the inside of your nose

weight loss

itchy skin

pain or swelling in your eye

headache

feeling or being sick

conjunctivitis

What should I do if I forget to take/inject it?

If you forget to take your dexamethasone, take it when you remember. But, if it's nearly time for your next dose, don't take it, just take the next one as usual. Don't take twice as much to make up for the dose you missed. Remember the three D's: Don't Double Dose!

If you are having injections, a doctor or nurse will do this, or show an adult looking after you how to do it. If you think you have missed an injection, tell your doctor or an adult looking after you about it straight away.

What if I have too much?

If you use too much of the eye drops you should wash your eyes out with water straight away. If you take too many tablets, too much syrup or inject more dexamethasone than you should, talk to a doctor or go to a hospital straight away. Make sure you take the medicine pack with you so the doctor knows what you have taken. If you have taken too much you might notice swelling of your throat, a rash on your skin or you may have trouble breathing.

What are the most likely side effects I might get if I'm being treated with dexamethasone?

Like any medicine, dexamethasone can cause side effects. You might get some side effects or you might not get any at all. Dexamethasone can cause allergic reactions which can be serious. It's important that you go to a hospital straight away if you notice any swelling, itching, a rash or are having trouble breathing. Take your dexamethasone packet with you so the doctor or nurse can see what you have taken or injected .

Some of the other side effects you might get are:

pain or upset stomach

infections that keep coming back

wounds healing slowly or bruising easily

eye infections

headaches

seizures

feeling generally unwell

weak muscles

feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting)

felling more hungry than normal

hiccups

runny poo (diarrhoea)

swelling of your face

growth of extra body hair

trouble sleeping

feeling sleepy

If you are using the eye drops you might notice:

narrowing of your field of vision (tunnel vision)

cloudy vision

eye infections getting worse

pain in your eye

stinging or burning when you put the drops in.

If you notice these or any other side effects, tell your doctor or an adult who looks after you about it as soon as possible.

What other side effects might I get?

Dexamethasone can cause side effects that change the way you think or feel. These can be serious so it's important that you tell your doctor or an adult who looks after you about it straight away. The things you might notice can include:

feeling unhappy, sad, or lonely

feeling very happy or full of energy (mania)

having sudden changes in your mood

feeling worried or nervous

seeing things that aren't there, or having strange or unreal thoughts

having thoughts about harming yourself

having trouble thinking or feeling confused

Is it safe for me to be taking/injecting dexamethasone?

Before you are treated with dexamethasone, tell your doctor about any other medical problems that you know you have or have had in the past, including any allergies.

It's important that you tell your doctor before you start taking dexamethasone if you need to have any vaccinations. Also, if you have been near someone who has measles or chicken pox and you have not had them before. You could become very sick if you catch these or have vaccinations while you are being treated with dexamethasone.

You must tell your doctor before you start using the dexamethasone eye drops if you have an infection in your eye caused by fungi, bacteria or a virus.

It's also really important to tell your doctor if you have:

diabetes

heart problems

high blood pressure

liver problems

kidney problems

glaucoma

epilepsy

stomach ulcer

muscle weakness from illness or caused by steroids in the past

bad headaches (migraines)

weak bones

mental health problems

underactive thyroid gland

infection with parasite

tuberculosis {TB)

malaria

asthma

Is it OK for me to take dexamethasone if I'm taking any other medicines?

You should tell your doctor about any other medicines that you are taking, or have taken, recently, including herbal remedies or medicines you bought without a prescription. It's especially important to mention if you are taking:

antibiotics

medicines for treating diabetes

blood thinners

medicines for high blood pressure

diuretic

epilepsy medicines

NSAIDs or aspirin

medicines used to treat HIV

other steroid

antacids for treating indigestion or medicines for ulcers

cancer medication

methotrexate

ephedrine

acetazolamide

medicines that help you sleep

anti-rejection medicines

medicines for worm infections

What if I have any other questions?

If you have any other questions, you can ask your doctor, or chat to other people about dexamethasone in the Medikidz forums and virtual world, Mediland.