If your healthcare provider has asked you to consume prednisone regularly, then you must go through the various essential details of this medication before consuming it. This will help you to gather a clear knowledge regarding why you are taking this medication, how long does prednisone stay in your system, what are the possible side effects that you might be facing, etc. This medication comes in the form of a delayed-release tablet, normal tablet, a solution, as well as a concentrated solution. It is mostly taken with food 1 to 4 times a day, or sometimes, once every other day. In most cases, your healthcare provider will ask you to take this medication daily, at a certain time(s) of the day. The dosing schedule will totally depend upon the intended use, as well as how the body responds to the medication. It is highly recommended that you always follow the instructions stated in your prescription. If you find any difficulty in understanding anything, then ask your doctor or pharmacist without any hesitation. Wrong use of the medication will not benefit you, and it might further aggravate your health issue. So, if you are looking forward to finding out the essential details regarding the drug prednisone, then please continue reading.
Find out why prednisone is prescribed….
Before discussing how long does prednisone stay in your system, let’s see why this drug is normally prescribed by the doctors.
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In the majority of the cases, Prednisone is prescribed for the purpose of managing the symptoms associated with low corticosteroid levels. The corticosteroids are substances that are normally produced by the body, and are required for the healthy functioning of our body.
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Sometimes, the body might not be able to produce sufficient amounts of corticosteroids because of a number of reasons. During such instances, the doctors will prescribe Prednisone to compensate for the low levels of corticosteroids.
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On the other hand, sometimes this drug is also used for the management of conditions where the corticosteroid level remains normal. These include health issues such as arthritis, multiple sclerosis, severe allergic reactions, lupus, etc.
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Sometimes, Prednisone is also prescribed for the management of different conditions that affect the eyes, lungs, kidneys, skin, blood, stomach, intestines, thyroid, etc.
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It is also used for the treatment of certain symptoms in the patients who are suffering from different types of cancer.
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It is also used for the purpose of reducing swelling and redness which might result because of a number of health issues. The Prednisone achieves this by modifying the way our immune system functions.
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In addition to all these uses, the Prednisone might also be prescribed to manage a particular type of pneumonia in patients who are suffering from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS. During such instances, Prednisone is normally prescribed along with a suitable antibiotic.
See how long does prednisone stay in your system….
In order to determine how long this medication stays in our system, we must take a look at the half life of Prednisone. It can be defined as the total amount of time it takes for Prednisone to reduce its levels in our body by half.
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Now, this medication’s half life is about 2 to 3 hours. Hence, by this time, about 50% of prednisone will be metabolized.
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In order to find out how long this medication stays in our system, we need to multiply its half life by 7. So, based on the half life data, we can say that it will take about 14 to 21 hours for this medication to completely exit our system. These values are applicable in the case of adults.
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In the case of the children, these values will vary slightly, as the half life of Prednisone in children is about 1 to 2 hours. This is comparatively shorter than the half life of Prednisone in adults. So, it will take about 7 to 14 hours for Prednisone to exit their body.
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However, it must be noted that this is a general estimate, and the total elimination time might vary from one person to another depending on a number of factors. These factors might prolong the elimination time, thereby worsening the side effects of Prednisone.
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Some of these determining factors are listed below for the convenience of the readers.
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Dose, as well as schedule.
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Metabolic rate of the patient.
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Age and health of the patient.
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Patient’s total body mass.
Some common Side Effects of Prednisone
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Now that we have seen how long does prednisone stay in your system, let’s take a look at some of its common side effects.
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Dizziness, and headache.
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Inappropriate happiness, as well as extreme mood changes.
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Difficulty in falling asleep, and staying asleep.
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Certain notable personality changes.
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Bulging eyes, fragile skin, acne, and red or purple blotches or lines beneath the skin.
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Cuts and bruises might take a longer time to heal.
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Excessive hair growth.
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Irregularity in the menstrual cycle.
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Extreme changes in the way fat distribution occurs in the body.
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Lack of energy, and tiredness.
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Muscle pain, and weak muscles.
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Decrease in sexual desire.
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Acidity, and heartburn.
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Some severe side effects of this medication include the ones listed below.
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Seizures
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Depression, confusion, and anxiety.
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Complete loss of contact with reality.
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Uncontrollable shaking of the hands, muscle twitching, and tightening.
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Burning, or tingling sensation in the face, legs, arms, etc.
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Severe vomiting, and lightheadedness
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Upset stomach, and indigestion.
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Dry cough, and shortness of breath, especially at night.
Conclusion
We have discussed how long does prednisone stay in your system. Because of the addictive nature of Prednisone, some patients might find it quite difficult to stop their use. During such instances, you must seek appropriate medical help. Also, if you use this medication in a risky manner, then it might cause severe damage to the adrenal glands. These include taking non-prescribed high doses of Prednisone. This medication is detected by analyzing the patient’s blood serum, urine, or hair strand. Sometimes, a saliva test can also be used for the detection of Prednisone.
