Zempred General Information
Zempred is used to treat conditions such as arthritis, blood disorders, severe allergic reactions, certain cancers, eye conditions, skin/kidney/intestinal/lung diseases, and immune system disorders. It decreases your immune system's response to various diseases to reduce symptoms such as swelling, pain, and allergic-type reactions. Zempred is a corticosteroid hormone.
Zempred may also be used with other medications in hormone disorders.
How to Use Zempred
Take Zempred by mouth as directed by your doctor, usually with food or milk. Follow your dosing instructions carefully. The dosage and length of treatment are based on your medical condition and response to treatment. Different dosing schedules exist for Zempred. If you are not taking the same dose each day or if you take Zempred every other day, it may help to mark your calendar with a reminder. Consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.
Do not increase your dose or use Zempred more often or for longer than prescribed. Your condition will not improve any faster, and your risk of side effects will increase.
Do not stop taking Zempred without consulting your doctor. Some conditions may worsen or you may experience withdrawal symptoms (such as weakness, weight loss, nausea, muscle pain, headache, tiredness, dizziness) when Zempred is suddenly stopped. To prevent these withdrawal symptoms when stopping Zempred, your doctor may reduce your dose gradually. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details and report any withdrawal reactions immediately. See also Precautions section.
Zempred Possible Side Effects
Nausea, vomiting, heartburn, headache, dizziness, trouble sleeping, appetite changes, increased sweating, or acne may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.
Remember that your doctor has prescribed Zempred because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using Zempred do not have serious side effects.
Zempred may make your blood sugar level rise, which can cause or worsen diabetes. Tell your doctor immediately if you develop symptoms of high blood sugar, such as increased thirst and urination. If you already have diabetes, be sure to check your blood sugars regularly. Your doctor may need to adjust your diabetes medication, exercise program, or diet.
Zempred may lower your ability to fight infections. This may make you more likely to get a serious (rarely fatal) infection or make any infection you have worse. Tell your doctor right away if you have any signs of infection (such as fever, chills, persistent sore throat, cough, white patches in the mouth).
Tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side effects, including: unusual weight gain, menstrual period changes, bone/joint pain, easy bruising/bleeding, mental/mood changes (such as mood swings, depression, agitation), muscle weakness/pain, puffy face, slow wound healing, swelling of the ankles/feet/hands, thinning skin, unusual hair/skin growth, vision problems, fast/slow/irregular heartbeat.
Zempred may infrequently cause serious (rarely fatal) bleeding from the stomach or intestines. If you notice any of the following unlikely but serious side effects, consult your doctor or pharmacist immediately: black/bloody stools, vomit that looks like coffee grounds, persistent stomach/abdominal pain.
Get medical help right away if you have any very serious side effects, including: seizures.
A very serious allergic reaction to Zempred is rare. However, get medical help right away if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.
Zempred Precautions
Before taking Zempred, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to prednisone; or if you have any other allergies. Zempred may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.
Before using Zempred, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: bleeding problems, blood clots, brittle bones (osteoporosis), diabetes, eye diseases (such as cataracts, glaucoma, herpes infection of the eye), heart problems (such as recent heart attack, congestive heart failure), high blood pressure, current/past infections (such as those caused by tuberculosis, threadworm, herpes, fungus), kidney disease, liver disease, mental/mood conditions (such as psychosis, depression, anxiety), stomach/intestinal problems (such as diverticulitis, ulcer, ulcerative colitis), seizures.
Zempred may make you dizzy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do any activity that requires alertness until you are sure you can perform such activities safely.
Zempred may cause stomach bleeding. Daily use of alcohol while using Zempred may increase your risk for stomach bleeding.
Limit alcoholic beverages to decrease risk of dizziness and stomach bleeding. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Zempred can make you more likely to get infections or may worsen any current infections. Therefore, wash your hands well to prevent the spread of infection. Avoid contact with people who have infections that may spread to others (such as chickenpox, measles, flu). Consult your doctor if you have been exposed to an infection or for more details.
Zempred may cause vaccines to not work as well. Live vaccines may cause serious problems (such as infection) if given while you are using Zempred. Do not have immunizations/vaccinations/skin tests without the consent of your doctor. Avoid contact with people who have recently received live vaccines (such as flu vaccine inhaled through the nose).
Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products).
Using corticosteroid medications for a long time can make it more difficult for your body to respond to physical stress. Therefore, before having surgery or emergency treatment, or if you get a serious illness/injury, tell your doctor or dentist that you are using Zempred or have used Zempred within the past 12 months. Tell your doctor right away if you develop unusual/extreme tiredness or weight loss. If you will be using Zempred for a long time, carry a warning card or medical ID bracelet that identifies your use of Zempred. See also Medical Alert section.
Older adults may be more sensitive to the side effects of Zempred, especially brittle bones (osteoporosis). Talk to your doctor about the ways to prevent osteoporosis. See also Notes section.
Zempred may slow down a child's growth if used for a long time. Consult the doctor or pharmacist for more details. See the doctor regularly so your child's height and growth can be checked.
During pregnancy, Zempred should be used only when clearly needed. It may rarely harm an unborn baby. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor. Infants born to mothers who have been using Zempred for a long time may have hormone problems. Tell your doctor immediately if you notice symptoms such as persistent nausea/vomiting, severe diarrhea, or weakness in your newborn.
Zempred passes into breast milk, but is unlikely to harm a nursing infant. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.
Zempred Possible Intercations
Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor's approval.
Some products that may interact with Zempred include: aldesleukin, mifepristone, other drugs that can also cause bleeding/bruising (including antiplatelet drugs such as clopidogrel, "blood thinners" such as warfarin/dabigatran, NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, celecoxib, aspirin, salicylates).
If your doctor has directed you to take low-dose aspirin for heart attack or stroke prevention (usually at dosages of 81-325 milligrams a day), you should continue taking it unless your doctor instructs you otherwise. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details.
Other medications can affect the removal of Zempred from your body, which may affect how Zempred works. Examples include azole antifungals (such as ketoconazole), boceprevir, cyclosporine, estrogens, HIV protease inhibitors (such as ritonavir), macrolide antibiotics (such as erythromycin), rifamycins (such as rifampin), St. John's wort, some drugs used to treat seizures (such as phenytoin, phenobarbital, carbamazepine), telaprevir, among others.
Zempred may interfere with certain laboratory tests (such as skin tests), possibly causing false test results. Make sure laboratory personnel and all your doctors know you use Zempred.