What DEPO-MEDROL is used for?
It is used to treat inflammatory or allergic conditions affecting the:
- brain caused by a tumour or meningitis
- bowel and gut e.g. ‘Crohn’s disease’ and ‘ulcerative colitis’
- lungs caused by asthma, severe allergy or hypersensitivity, tuberculosis or breathing in (aspirating) vomit or stomach contents
- skin e.g. Stevens-Johnson Syndrome
It is also used following the organ transplant surgeries, flareups of the symptoms of multiple sclerosis or other stressful conditions
Talk to your Doctor if you
- are allergic to DEP-MEDROL or any other ingredients of this medicine
- have any fungal infection (such as thrush)
- have recently had, or are about to have any vaccination
- are suffering from, or receiving treatment for malaria
- are suffering from a head injury or stroke
- have chickenpox, measles, shingles or a herpes eye infection
- have heart failure
- have worm infestation (e.g. threadworm)
- have severe depression or manic depression (bipolar disorder)
- have delusions, hallucinations or disorganized speech
- have diabetes
- have epilepsy, fits or seizures
- have glaucoma
- have recently suffered a heart problem, including heart failure or infections
- have hypertension (high blood pressure)
- have hypothyroidism (an under-active thyroid)
- have joint infection
- have kaposi’s sarcoma (a type of skin cancer)
- have kidney or liver disease
- have muscle problems (pain or weakness)
- have myasthenia gravis (a condition causing tired and weak muscles)
- have osteoporosis (brittle bones)
- have skin abscess
- have stomach ulcer, diverticulitis (inflammation of the bowel wall) or other serious stomach or intestinal problems
- have thrombophlebitis – vein problems due to thrombosis (clots in the veins) resulting in phlebitis (red, swollen and tender veins)
- have tuberculosis (TB)
- have unusual stress
- have cushing’s disease (condition caused by an excess of cortisol hormone in your body)
- have acute pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
- If you are pregnant, think you might be pregnant or trying to become pregnant as this medicine could slow the baby’s growth
- Cataracts have been observed in infants born to mothers undergoing long-term treatment with DEPO during pregnancy
- Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding as small amounts of DEPO may get into breast milk
Tell your doctor if you are taking,
- acetazolamide (used to treat glaucoma, epilepsy and water retention)
- aminoglutethimide or cyclophosphamide (used for treating cancer)
- anticoagulants e.g. acenococoumarol, phenindione and warfarin
- anticholinesterases e.g. distigmine, neostigmine (used to treat myasthenia gravis)
- antibiotics e.g. erythromycin, clarithromycin or troleandomycin (used to treat bacterial infection)
- antidiabetics (used to treat high blood sugar)
- antihypertensives (used to treat high blood pressure)
- aprepitant, fosaprepitant (used to prevent nausea and vomiting)
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (also called NSAIDs) e.g: aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac (used to treat mild to moderate pain)
- barbiturates, carbamazepine, phenytoin and primidone (used to treat epilepsy)
- carbenoxolone, cimetidine (used for heartburn and acid indigestion)
- ciclosporin (used to treat severe rheumatoid arthritis, severe psoriasis, organ or bone marrow transplant)
- digoxin (used for heart failure, irregular heart beat)
- diltiazem, mibefradil (used for heart problems or high blood pressure)
- ethinylestradiol, norethisterone (oral contraceptive)
- isoniazid (used to treat bacterial infections)
- ketoconazole, itraconazole (used to treat fungal infections)
- mifepristone (used for the medical termination of pregnancy)
- neuromuscular blocking agents e.g. pancuronium, vercuronium (used in some surgical procedures)
- potassium depleting agents e.g. diuretics (used to treat heart problems)
- amphotericin B, xanthenes or beta2-agonists (used to treat asthma)
- rifampicin, rifabutin (used to treat tuberculosis) (TB)
- tacrolimus (used following an organ transplant to prevent rejection of the organ)
- ritonavir, cobicistat (used to treat HIV)
- live vaccines
- DEPO-MEDROL must only be given by a doctor or nurse
- The injection will be given into a vein (intravenous) or into a muscle (intramuscular)
- Usually the first dose is given into a vein, especially in an emergency
- It will be given slowly over at least 5 minutes
If you take more DEPO-MEDROL
- Your doctor or nurse will give you DEPO-MEDROL, so it is unlikely that you will receive too much. If you think you have been given too much, tell your doctor or nurse
If you forget to take DEPO-MEDROL
- If you have forgotten to take your injection take them as soon as possible on the same day. Do not take a double dose
If you stop taking DEPO-MEDROL
- Do not stop taking injection without talking to your doctor first
- allergic reactions such as skin rash, swelling of the face or wheezing and difficulty breathing
- pancreatitis, stomach pain spreading to your back, possibly accompanied by vomiting, shock and loss of consciousness
- burst or bleeding ulcers
- infections symptoms might include a raised temperature and feeling unwell
- pulmonary embolus (blood clots in the lung), symptoms include sudden sharp chest pain, breathlessness and coughing up blood
- raised pressure within the skull of children (pseudotumor cerebri) symptoms of which are headaches with vomiting, lack of energy and drowsiness. This side-effect usually occurs after treatment is stopped
- thrombophlebitis (blood clots or thrombosis in a leg vein), symptoms of which include painful swollen, red and tender veins
- high blood pressure, symptoms of which are headaches, or generally feeling unwell swelling and high blood pressure, caused by increased levels of water and salt content
- ulcers
- cataracts (indicated by failing eyesight)
- poor wound healing slowing of normal growth in infants, children and adolescents which may be permanent
- round or moon-shaped face (cushingoid facies)
- increased susceptibility to infection
- brittle bones (bones break easily)
- muscle weakness
- steroids including methylprednisolone can cause serious health problems
- feeling depressed
- feeling high (mania), or moods that go up and down
- feeling anxious, having problems sleeping, difficulty in thinking or being confused and losing your memory
- feeling, seeing or hearing thing which do not exist having strange and frightening thoughts, changing how you act or having feelings of being alone
- acne
- bruising
- thinning of skin (skin atrophy)
- Keep this medicine out of reach of children
- Do not use this medicine after the expiry date
- Store at room temperature (15-25ºC)
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