What is dexamethasone?

Dexamethasone is an oral drug used to treat many allergic conditions and inflammation among patients. It mainly targets itching, swelling, and inflammation. Available under the brand name DexPak, this medicine is offered as both – brand & generic drug.

Dexamethasone itself is the key ingredient of the medicine. Several inactive ingredients may be observed along.

Dexamethasone is an FDA-approved corticosteroid medication that belongs to the class of steroid hormone. It has many variations: oral tablet, oral solution, eye drops & ear drops.

Available Dosages

The common Dexamethasone dosage availability range from 0.5 to 8 mg tablets

We have the following dexamethasone dosage in stock:

Dexamethasone 4 mg tablet
Dexamethasone 8 mg tablet

What is dexamethasone used for?

Dexamethasone is mainly used to treat several health conditions in humans that include allergies, blood or bone marrow issues, arthritis, skin problems, and more.

Also, Intravenous (IV) Dexamethasone is used for dogs & cats when they suffer from immune system troubles like hives, asthma, itching, inflammation, and eye & skin problems.

Dexamethasone vs. prednisone

Dexamethasone is often compared with prednisone. Both dexamethasone and prednisone are corticosteroids. Dexamethasone is classified as a long-acting drug with a biological half-life ranging between 36-72 hours. Prednisone has half-life range between 12-36 hours.

One can easily conclude that dexamethasone is almost 6 times potent than the latter.

Dexamethasone Warnings

Dexamethasone should not be used without prescription
Tell your doctor if you are allergic to Dexamethasone.
Dexamethasone might not be prescribed to the patients with fungal infection problems else Dexamethasone may worsen the infection in such patients.
Discuss with your doctor if you’re consuming any other medicine so that the active ingredient of Dexamethasone and those medicines don’t clash.
Tell your doctor if you’re pregnant, planning to conceive or breastfeed your child as Dexamethasone as it is not recommended during pregnancy.

What are the side effects of dexamethasone?

Here are some of the most common Dexamethasone side effects to take note of:

Increased appetite
Hair thinning & dry scalp
Acne
Redness of the skin
Abdominal area swelling
Insomnia
Weight gain
Stress, anxiety & aggression
Sudden increase/decrease in heart rate
Mood swings or depression
Breathing troubles
Difficulty in walking, talking or thinking

Do not panic if you see any of these side effects. Consult your doctor if you observe any of the above-mentioned side effects of Dexamethasone repeatedly.

DexamethasoneInteractions

Dexamethasone is not recommended to be used with certain medicines. Some of them are as follows:

Live rotavirus vaccine
Parasitic infection treatment like Praziquantel
HIV Vaccine like Rilpivirine
Anti-malarial drugs
Drugs used to treat depression & fungal infections

Besides this, some consequences may be observed when the patient witnesses delayed response to other medicines gets declined due to Dexamethasone. (Eg: aspirin or similar pain killer)

How to take dexamethasone dosage?

Dexamethasone dosage is recommended by the doctor based on the physical & psychological conditions of the patient. One dose of Dexamethasone per day is commonly prescribed.

The patient may take the prescribed dosage of the medicine as instructed. Taking Dexamethasone tablet with a glass full of water or milk will not cause gastric troubles after taking the medicine.

Dexamethasone tablet is prescribed for both – adults & children & the dosages may vary. Ask your doctor before taking this medicine.

FAQs

1. Do I need a prescription to buy dexamethasone?
Yes. Dexamethasone is on-prescription medicine & should only be consumed as and when prescribed by the doctor. Only the doctor can prescribe the right dosage required for the treatment of the patient, considering their current health conditions.

2. Which dexamethasone dosage is right for me?
Dexamethasone tablets are available in different mg ranging from 0.5 to 6mg. Please refer to your prescription or consult your doctor to figure out the right dosage for your health issue.

3. What are dexamethasone interactions with other medicines?
Different dexamethasone interactions are observed depending on the active ingredients of the respective medicines. It is not recommended to be used along with fungal infection treatment medicines as well as causes delayed interactions in some cases. Please refer to “Dexamethasone Interactions” above for more details or consult your doctor.

4. When should I consume dexamethasone?
Usually, one dose per day is consumed as prescribed during morning or night. You should ask your doctor to find out the best time to take dexamethasone.

5. Is dexamethasone a painkiller?
Being an inflammatory medication, dexamethasone relieves inflammation in several parts throughout the body. However, one cannot call it a pain killer as it is used to decrease swelling, treat eye inflammation & prevent allergic reactions.

6. Does dexamethasone make you tired?
No. Use of dexamethasone does not cause tiredness or drowsiness. Well, it may have other side-effects that are discussed above.

7. Does dexamethasone give you energy?
Dexamethasone may give instant energy to people. As a result, they may feel insomnia or difficulty sleeping due to activeness. It is so prescribed by the doctors to consume in the morning.

8. What are the long term side effects of dexamethasone?
The side effects of dexamethasone may only last for as long as the effect of the medicine remains in the body. As the effect of dexamethasone reduces, the patient may start seeing the negative effects of diminishing.

9. Is dexamethasone stronger than prednisone?
Dexamethasone is more potent than prednisone as the effective duration of the former is more than the latter. Though both the medicines are corticosteroids, Dexamethasone has a longer life than prednisone. One can say that Dexamethasone is stronger than prednisone.

10. Can I take dexamethasone during pregnancy?
No. Dexamethasone might not be prescribed to pregnant women. It is not safe for the fetus and hence it is highly recommended to share your pregnancy & allergy conditions with the doctor before it is too late.