Dexacort Phosphate in Turbinaire

Dexamethasone is a prescription medication used to relieve inflammation and treat a variety of conditions that involve swelling, heat, redness, and pain in many body systems.

Dexamethasone belongs to a group of drugs called corticosteroids. These work by replacing natural hormones produced by your adrenal glands when your body cannot make enough.

This medication is available as an oral concentrate, an oral elixir, an oral solution, an oral tablet, eye drops, and ear drops. The directions and frequency of use will vary with the indication for dexamethasone.

This medication is also available as an intravitreal implant for injection into the eye by a healthcare professional.

This medication is also available in an injectable form to be given directly into a vein (IV), a muscle (IM), a joint (intra-articular), a lesion (intralesional), and soft tissue by a healthcare professional.

Common side effects of dexamethasone include upset stomach, vomiting, headache, insomnia, restlessness, depression, anxiety, acne, increased hair growth, easy bruising, increased appetite and weight gain, and irregular or absent menstrual periods.

Dexamethasone can also cause dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how dexamethasone affects you.

Oral and injectable forms:

Dexamethasone is a prescription medication used to relieve inflammation and treat a variety of conditions including the following:

• arthritis
• skin disorders
• blood disorders
• kidney disorders
• eye disorders
• thyroid disorders
• intestinal disorders
• systemic lupus erythematosus
• dermatitis
• psoriasis
• allergies
• asthma

Dexamethasone can also be used in the treatment of certain types of cancers.

Intravitreal implant:

The intravitreal implant form of dexamethasone is used to treat macular edema, which involves fluid and protein deposits on the eye, and non-infectious uveitis, which is an inflammation of part of the eye.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• Aminoglutethimide (Cytadren)
• Amphotericin B (Amphocin, Fungizone Intravenous)
• Cholesterol-lowering drugs
• Anticoagulants such as warfarin (Coumadin)
• Antidiabetic agents
• Isoniazid (Hyzyd, Laiazid, INH, Nydrazid, Rimifon, Stanozide, Tubizid)
• Cholestyramine (Locholest, Prevalite, Questran)
• Cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune)
• Digoxin (Lanoxin)
• Diuretics
• Ephedrine
• Estrogens, including oral contraceptives
• Barbiturates such as phenobarbital
• Phenytoin (Dilantin)
• Carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Epitol, Tegretol)
• Rifampin (Rifadin)
• Ketoconazole (Nizoral)
• Erythromycin (EES, ERY-C, Ery-Tab, Erythrocin, Pediamycin)
• Indinavir (Crixivan)
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), celecoxib (Celebrex), and piroxicam (Feldene)
• Thalidomide (Thalomid)
• Theophylline (Theo-Dur)

This is not a complete list of dexamethasone drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Dexamethasone falls into category C. In animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication and had some babies born with problems. No well-controlled studies have been done in humans. Therefore, this medication may be used if the potential benefits to the mother outweigh the potential risks to the unborn child.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

Dexamethasone has been detected in human breast milk. Because of the possibility for adverse reactions in nursing infants from dexamethasone, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or to stop use of this medication. The importance of the drug to the mother should be considered.

Take dexamethasone exactly as prescribed.

This medication is available as an oral concentrate, an oral elixir, an oral solution, an oral tablet, and eye and ear drops. Your doctor will prescribe the dose and schedule for use that is appropriate for your condition. Oral forms of dexamethasone may be taken with food or milk to decrease the risk of an upset stomach.

This medication is also available as an intravitreal implant for injection directly into the eye by a healthcare professional.

This medication is also available in an injectable form to be given directly into a vein (IV), a muscle (IM), a joint (intra-articular), a lesion (intralesional), and soft tissue by a healthcare professional.

If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of dexamethasone at the same time.