- Why is Fludrocortisone medication prescribed?
- How should this medicine be used?
- Other uses for this medicine
- What special dietary plans should I follow?
- What are the side effects of Fludrocortisone?
- What special precautions could I take?
- Fludrocortisone interactions with other drugs
- What can I do if I forget a dose?
- What can I know about the storage and disposal of this medication?
- What other information should I know?
Why is Fludrocortisone medication prescribed?
Fludrocortisone is a kind of steroid, it helps to reduce the inflammation in our body, it is also the kind of drug called an oral mineralocorticoid. These are oral tablets and only available as a generic drug. If our body is not producing enough steroids, in this condition fludrocortisone is used to create the steroid in our body such as salt-losing adrenogenital syndrome and Addison’s disease.
Fludrocortisone is a natural substance (glucocorticoid) that is made by the man in the body. Fludrocortisone also used with other medications like hydrocortisone to treat low glucocorticoid levels. This medication is used in its acetate form and this medicine is taken by mouth.
In 1953, it was patented and in 1954, was approved for medical use. The World Health Organization (WHO) created an Essential Medicines List, the fludrocortisone is one of them available in the list. And it was the first pharmaceutical drug to be marketed that contains fluorine.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information because this medicine also used for some other diseases.
How should this medicine be used?
Fludrocortisone medicine comes in a tablet form to be taken by mouth with food or without food, It totally depends upon you. Its dosage depends upon your medical condition and response to treatment. If you are taking any prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products then tell about these products your doctor and pharmacist. Your doctor or pharmacists will tell you about the time period of taking tablets. Don’t try to take the extra dosage for more and faster improvements, it could be harmful to you.
Without taking to your doctor or pharmacist, don’t try to stop taking fludrocortisone medicine. If you stop taking these medicine then it could be harmful to you like the Silver Sulfadiazine, you can cause an upset stomach, vomiting, drowsiness, confusion, headache, fever, and joint, etc. If you are a large does taking person then it could be better for you to talk to your doctor or pharmacist first. He/she will decrease your dose and then you can stop taking these pills. If you see any of these side effects then immediately talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Other uses for this medicine
It’s most important use to increase blood pressure and there are some other uses of this medicine ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information about the other uses of fludrocortisone medication.
What special dietary plans should I follow?
Always take this medication with food or milk because it may cause an upset stomach. Follow your doctor or pharmacist’s directions, he/she will tell you to take a low-sodium, low-salt, potassium-rich, or high-protein diet.
What are the side effects of Fludrocortisone?
Always remember that your doctor or pharmacist has prescribed you this medicine because he/she judges your medical condition by taking some of the tests. Doctors will suggest this medication by judging the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. So many peoples using this medicine do not have serious side effects. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist right away if have seen any of the side effects mentioned below.
Some common side effects of Fludrocortisone:
- You’ll feel dizziness.
- You’ll feel insomnia.
- You’ll feel restlessness.
- You’ll feel depressed.
- You’ll feel anxiety.
- You’ll feel acne.
- You’ll feel your hair growth increased.
- You’ll feel an upset stomach.
- You’ll feel stomach irritation.
- You’ll feel vomiting.
- You’ll feel a headache.
- You’ll feel easy bruising.
- You’ll feel irregular or absent menstrual periods.
Some serious side effects of Fludrocortisone:
- You’ll feel a cold or infection that lasts a long time.
- You’ll start feeling weakness in your muscles.
- You’ll feel black or tarry stool.
- You’ll feel skin rash.
- You’ll feel swollen face, lower legs, or ankles.
- You’ll feel vision problems.
What special precautions could I take?
Some special precaution of fludrocortisone medicine you should have followed before using this medication:
- If you have any allergic issues to fludrocortisone medicine, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in fludrocortisone tablets or orally disintegrating tablets then tell your doctor and pharmacist.
- If you have any of type fungal infection on your skin, then don’t take fludrocortisone medicine and tell your doctor and pharmacist.
- If you have or ever had a heart attack or stroke, uncontrolled high blood pressure, tuberculosis (TB), heart disease, mental illness, diabetes, an underactive thyroid gland, or intestinal then don’t try to take fludrocortisone medicine and tell your doctor and pharmacist.
- If you are taking some prescription and nonprescription medications, other vitamins, nutritional supplements, herbal products, or you are taking arthritis medications, aspirin, cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), phenytoin (Dilantin), rifampin (Rifadin), theophylline (Theo-Dur), or planning to take then tell your doctor and pharmacist.
- If you are breastfeeding, pregnant, or planning to become pregnant and using the fludrocortisone medicine. if you become pregnant while taking fludrocortisone then tell your doctor and pharmacist while you are taking this medicine.
- If you are planning for surgery or dental surgery and using the fludrocortisone medicine then tell your doctor and dentist.
- If you have any medical history of ulcers or take large doses of aspirin or other arthritis medication then control your consumption of alcoholic beverages while taking fludrocortisone medicine and don’t try to take this drug without consulting your doctor or pharmacist because it increases your risk of ulcers.
Fludrocortisone interactions with other drugs
Your doctor or pharmacist can already be aware of any drug interactions. Don’t try to change, stop, or start the dosage of any medicine before checking or before talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
If you are taking some prescription and nonprescription medications, other vitamins, nutritional supplements, herbal products, or you are taking arthritis medications, aspirin, cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), phenytoin (Dilantin), rifampin (Rifadin), theophylline (Theo-Dur), or planning to take then tell your doctor and pharmacist.
There are so many types of drugs that are available with them it can interact like drugs that can cause bleeding/bruising, hormones (such as androgens, birth control pills, estrogens), or mifepristone, vaccines, drugs affecting liver enzymes that remove fludrocortisone from your body tell your doctor and pharmacist before using them.
If you are directed by your doctor or pharmacist to take low-dose aspirin for heart attack or stroke prevention, So unless your doctor instructs you don’t try to change the dosages, it could be harmful to you. If you want more information about this then ask your doctor or pharmacist.
What can I do if I forget a dose?
When you start to take fludrocortisone, always remember to write down all of the instructions that your doctor or pharmacist tells you when you ask a question what should I do if I forget a dose?
The answer is if you forgot to take fludrocortisone medicine and if it is near the time of your next dose then we suggest you please skip that dose and take it at the next dose at the regular time. Don’t take the dose at irregular times. It makes your dose double and it would be harmful to you.
What can I know about the storage and disposal of this medication?
Store this medication at room temperature and keep them away from the light or excessive heat and moisture. And put them away from the reach of the pets and children, we suggest you put that medicine in a tightly closed container in which they came. Ensure that the liquid form of this product doesn’t freeze and try to protect it from the light also.
You should have disposed of all the medication that is unneeded in a special way to ensure that children, pets, and other people can’t consume them. You can not flush them or pour them into the drain. You can return them to the pharmacist or the best way is that you can take back the program for returning your medicines.
What other information should I know?
Don’t miss any of your doctor and laboratory appointments because your doctor will check the response of this medicine then he/she will tell you the update or other pieces of information. So, Keep your all appointments with your doctor, pharmacist, and the laboratory.
Talk to your doctor pr pharmacist if you feel your health condition is getting worsen or your dose may need to be adjusted.
Ask your pharmacist or doctor how to get an identification card. During periods of stress like severe asthma attacks, infections, and injuries, carry an identification card (that has mentioned your name, medical problems, drugs and dosages, and doctor’s name and telephone number) which indicates that you may need to take supplementary doses of fludrocortisone medicine.
While taking fludrocortisone medicine, and you want to exposed to chickenpox, measles, or tuberculosis (TB) then ask your pharmacist or doctor. And unless your doctor tells you that you may have a vaccination, other immunization, or any skin test then do not have them while you are taking fludrocortisone medicine.
There are so many injuries or signs of infection that can occur while you are taking fludrocortisone medicine like fever, sore throat, pain during urination, any unusual weight gain, or If your sputum thickens or changes color from clear white to yellow, green, or gray, and muscle aches. If you have seen any of these injuries or signs of infection then report to your doctor or pharmacist.
It is very important to tell your pharmacist about all your prescriptions and non-prescription you were taking and make a list of them and carry the list all time. It would help you in case of emergencies. When you meet or visit your doctor you should bring the list. It’s important to your doctor.
And ensure that no one is taking your medicine or no one has them. And whenever you meet your pharmacist or doctor ask them any of the questions you have about refilling your prescription.
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