Deflazacort

Deflazacort6mgtablets
Whenusedinsituationswherecorticosteroidtreatmentisnecessary
Deflazacort(Defflazzacort)isamedicinewhichis
usedinsituationswherecorticosteroidtreatmentis
necessary.

Ifyoufeelthatthemedicineismakingyouunwellor
youdonotthinkitisworking,thentalktoyour
prescriber.

Yourmedicine

Whentotakeyourmedicine

Deflazacortisacorticosteroid.Deflazacortworksby
preventingorreducinginflammation.Itisusedto
treatanumberofconditionsthatarecharacterised
byexcessiveinflammation.

Somemedicinesworkbestiftheyaretakenata
specifictimeofday.Gettingthemostbenefitfrom
yourmedicinecanalsobeaffectedbywhatyoueat,
whenyoueatandthetimesatwhichyoutakeother
medicines.

Deflazacortsuppressestheimmunesystemandso
canbeusedtotreatautoimmunediseases.
Deflazacortcanhelptopreventandtotreatthe
rejectionoftransplantedorgans.Itcanalsobeused
inthetreatmentofcertaintypesofcancers.
Peoplewhotakecorticosteroidsforalongperiodof
timearepronetoinfectionsastheirimmunesystem
canbecomeweak.Theseinfectionsmaybemuch
moreseverethantheyusuallywouldbeandthe
symptomsthatwouldusuallybeusedtoidentify
suchinfectionscanbehidden.Forthisreason
peoplewhotakeDeflazacortmustbecarefulto
avoidexposuretoinfectionssuchaschickenpox
andmeasleswheneverpossible.Ifyouhavebeen
exposedtochickenpoxormeasles,youmustget
immediatemedicaladvice.Youshouldcontinueto
takeyourmedicineunlessyourprescriberadvises
youtostoptakingit.
OtherinformationaboutDeflazacort:

yourprescriberwilltrytofindthelowestdose
ofyourmedicinewhichcancontrolyour
condition

ifyouhavebeengivenasteroidwarning
card,makesureyoucarryitwithyouatall
timeswhileyouaretakingcorticosteroids.
Thesecardsarenormallygiventoyouby
yourprescriberorbyyourpharmacist.Ifyou
arecurrentlytakingcorticosteroids,orhave
takentheminthelastyear,youmusttell
everyoneinvolvedinprescribingyou
medicinesandgivingyoumedicaltreatment.
Thisincludesyourdoctor,dentist,nurseand
pharmacist.Youmustmakesurethattheyall
knowaboutyourcorticosteroidtreatment.
Donotshareyourmedicinewithotherpeople.It
maynotbesuitableforthemandmayharmthem.
Thepharmacylabelonyourmedicinetellsyouhow
muchmedicineyoushouldtake.Italsotellsyou
howoftenyoushouldtakeyourmedicine.Thisis
thedosethatyouandyourprescriberhaveagreed
youshouldtake.Youshouldnotchangethedoseof
yourmedicineunlessyouaretoldtodosobyyour
prescriber.

Providedbywww.medicines.org.uk/guides

SpecificinformationonwhentotakeDeflazacort
canbefoundinthePatientInformationLeafletthat
comeswiththismedicineoronthemedicinelabel.
Youcanalsoaskyourdoctororpharmacistfor
informationaboutwhentotakeyourmedicine.
Howtotakeyourmedicine
Somemedicineshavespecificinstructionsabout
howtotakethem.Thisisbecausetheyworkbetter
whentakencorrectly.Theseinstructionscaninclude
gettingtherightdoseandspecialinstructionsfor
preparingthemedicine.
SpecificinformationonhowtotakeDeflazacortcan
befoundinthePatientInformationLeafletthat
comeswiththismedicineoronthemedicinelabel.
Alternatively,youcanrequestinformationabouthow
totakeyourmedicinefromyourdoctoror
pharmacist.
Ifyouarehavingproblemstakingthisformof
Deflazacort,youshouldtalktoyourprescriberor
pharmacist.Theymaybeabletogiveyouadviceon
otherwaystotakeyourmedicineorother
preparationsthatareeasierforyoutotake.
Takingtoomuchofyourmedicine
Takingextradosesofsomemedicinescanbe
harmful.Insomecasesevenoneextradosecan
causeyouproblems.Ifyoutakeextradosesofyour
medicine,youmustgetmedicaladviceimmediately.
Youmayneedatesttoassesstheeffectoftaking
extradoses.Thisisbecausetheeffectsoftaking
toomuchmedicineareverycomplexsoitisvery
importantthatyouseekmedicaladvice.
Contactyourprescriber,pharmacist,specialistclinic
orcall111foradvice.
Makesureyoutakeallofyourmedicinecontainers
withyouifyouareadvisedtogotohospital.
Stoppingyourmedicine
Ifyouarenothavinganyproblemstakingthis
medicinethendonotstoptakingit,evenifyoufeel
better,unlessadvisedtodosobyyourprescriber.If,
however,youfindthatthismedicineiscausingyou

problemsthenyoushouldtalktoyourprescriber
aboutyourconcerns.
Ifyourmedicalteamdecidesthatitisbestthatyou
donottakethismedicineanymore,theymay
advisethatyoudonotstopDeflazacortabruptly.
Thisisbecause,insomeinstances,stopping
Deflazacortabruptlycancausewithdrawal
symptomsorcauseyouroriginalconditiontoreturn.
Intheseinstances,reducingthedoseofDeflazacort
graduallyovertimemayreducethechancesof
havingtheseproblems.
Ifyouareinanydoubt,contactyourprescriber,
pharmacist,specialistclinicorcall111.
Lookingafteryourmedicine
Theinstructionsonhowyoushouldkeepyour
medicineareonthepharmacylabel.Itisagood
ideatokeepyourmedicineintheoriginalcontainer.
Thiswillhelptokeepyourmedicineinthebest
conditionandalsoallowyoutocheckthe
instructions.Donottakethemedicineifthe
packagingappearstohavebeentamperedwithorif
themedicineshowsanysignsofdamage.Make
surethatthemedicineisoutofthesightandreach
ofchildren.
SpecificinformationonhowtolookafterDeflazacort
canbefoundinthePatientInformationLeafletthat
comeswiththismedicineoronthemedicinelabel.
Alternatively,youcanrequestinformationabouthow
tolookafteryourmedicinefromyourdoctoror
pharmacist.
Youmustnottakethemedicineaftertheexpirydate
shownonthepackaging.Ifyouhaveanyunused
medicine,returnittoyourpharmacistwhowill
disposeofitsafely.
Whetherthismedicineissuitableforyou
Deflazacortisnotsuitableforeveryoneandsome
peopleshouldneveruseit.Otherpeopleshould
onlyuseitwithspecialcare.Itisimportantthatthe
personprescribingthismedicineknowsyourfull
medicalhistory.
Yourprescribermayonlyprescribethismedicine
withspecialcareormaynotprescribeitatallifyou:

haveliverproblems

areelderly

areallergicorsensitivetoorhavehada
reactiontoanyoftheingredientsinthe
medicine

haveheartproblems

havehighbloodpressure

havethromboembolicproblems

havediverticulitis

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havegastritisoroesophagitis
haveulcerativecolitis
haveabscesses
haveaninfection
haveorhadapepticulcer
haveosteoporosis
havemyastheniagravis
havekidneyproblems
areemotionallyunstable
havepsychotictendencies
haveepilepsy
havehypothyroidism
haveintestinalproblems
havehadmuscleproblemscausedbytaking
steroids

havetuberculosis

havediabetesorafamilyhistoryofdiabetes

arehavingavaccinationsoon

havecertaintypesofeyeinfections
Furthermoretheprescribermayonlyprescribethis
medicinewithspecialcareormaynotprescribeitat
allforachild.
OvertimeitispossiblethatDeflazacortcanbecome
unsuitableforsomepeople,ortheymaybecome
unsuitableforit.Ifatanytimeitappearsthat
Deflazacorthasbecomeunsuitable,itisimportant
thattheprescriberiscontactedimmediately.
Sideeffects
Amedicineisonlymadeavailabletothepublicifthe
clinicaltrialshaveshownthatthebenefitsoftaking
themedicineoutweightherisks.
Onceamedicinehasbeenlicensed,informationon
themedicine'seffects,bothintendedand
unintended,iscontinuouslyrecordedandupdated.
Somesideeffectsmaybeseriouswhileothersmay
onlybeamildinconvenience.
Everyone'sreactiontoamedicineisdifferent.Itis
difficulttopredictwhichsideeffectsyouwillhave
fromtakingaparticularmedicine,orwhetheryou
willhaveanysideeffectsatall.Theimportantthing
istotellyourprescriberorpharmacistifyouare
havingproblemswithyourmedicine.
Common:Morethan1in100peoplewhotake
Deflazacort

psychiatricorpsychologicalproblemssuch
asfeelingirritabledepressionmood
swingseuphoriathoughtsofcommitting
suicidepsychoticreactionsmania
delusionshallucinationworseningof
schizophreniabehaviouraldisturbances
feelinganxioussleepdisturbancesmemory
problemsorconfusion.Youoryourcarer
Lastupdated04Aug14
Copyright2010Datapharm

Deflazacort
Deflazacort6mgtablets
Whenusedinsituationswherecorticosteroidtreatmentisnecessary
mustseekmedicaladviceifyoudevelopany
ofthesesymptoms.Psychiatricor
psychologicalproblemsmayalsooccurwhen
stoppingDeflazacort

weightgain
Uncommon:Morethan1in1000peoplewhotake
Deflazacort

acne

adrenalproblemsthesemaybefatal

amenorrhoea

bleeding

bonefractures

cushingoidfacies

hairovergrowth

headaches

hypersensitivityreactionsincluding
anaphylaxis

increasedriskofgettinginfectionswhichmay
becomeseveresomeofthesesuchas
chickenpoxmaybefatal.Ifyougetany
symptomsofaninfectionorareexposedto
chickenpox,youmustimmediatelyseek
medicaladvice

indigestion

nausea

oedema

osteoporosis

pepticulcerswithperforation

raisedbloodpressurewithsodiumandwater
retention

reactivationoftuberculosis

reducedcarbohydratetolerancewithan
increasedrequirementforantidiabetic
therapy

striae

vertigo
Rare:Morethan1in10,000peoplewhotake
Deflazacort

bruising

musclewasting
Thefrequencyofthesesideeffectsisunknown

abnormallaboratorytestresults

appetitegain

bloodproblems

cataractsthesemaydevelopifDeflazacort
istakenforalongperiodoftime

diabetesintheelderly

eyeoreyesightproblems

feelingrestless

glaucomathismayhappenifDeflazacortis
takenforalongperiodoftime

growthsuppressionininfants,childrenand
adolescents

healingproblems
Providedbywww.medicines.org.uk/guides

heartproblems
hidingsymptomsofinfection
increasedpressureintheeye
intracranialhypertension
irregularmenstrualperiods
metabolicproblems
muscleproblems
osteonecrosis
pancreatitis
papilloedema
raisedintracranialpressureinchildren
telangiectasia
thinningoftheskin
thromboembolism
withdrawalsymptomscanoccurwhenthis
medicineisstopped.Theseincludefever,
musclepainortenderness,jointpain,rhinitis,
conjunctivitis,weightlossorpainfulitchy
skin.IfthedoseofDeflazacortisreducedtoo
rapidlyseriousproblemscanoccurincluding
adrenalproblems,loweredbloodpressureor
death

worseningofepilepsy

worseningofeyeinfections
Thefollowingsideeffectshavebeenreportedin
peoplewhohavehadmedicinessimilarto
Deflazacort.Thefrequencyofthesesideeffectsin
peoplewhotakeDeflazacortisnotknown

tendoninflammation

tendonrupture
Ifyoufeelunwellorifyouhaveconcernsabouta
sideeffect,youwillneedtoseekadvice.Ifyoufeel
veryill,getmedicalhelpstraightaway.Contactyour
prescriber,pharmacist,nurseorcall111.
Takingothermedicines
Ifyouaretakingmorethanonemedicinetheymay
interactwitheachother.Attimesyourprescriber
maydecidetousemedicinesthatinteract,inother
casesthismaynotbeappropriate.
Thedecisiontousemedicinesthatinteractdepends
onyourspecificcircumstances.Yourprescribermay
decidetousemedicinesthatinteract,ifitisbelieved
thatthebenefitsoftakingthemedicinestogether
outweightherisks.Insuchcases,itmaybe
necessarytoalteryourdoseormonitoryoumore
closely.
Tellyourprescriberthenamesofallthemedicines
thatyouaretakingsothattheycanconsiderall
possibleinteractions.Thisincludesallthemedicines
whichhavebeenprescribedbyyourGP,hospital
doctor,dentist,nurse,healthvisitor,midwifeor
pharmacist.Youmustalsotellyourprescriberabout

medicineswhichyouhaveboughtoverthecounter
withoutprescriptions.

preparationsandvitamins,youshouldtellyour
prescriber.

Thefollowingmedicinesmayinteractwith
Deflazacort:

rifampicin

rifabutin

carbamazepine

phenobarbital

phenytoin

primidone

aminoglutethimide

ketoconazole

insulin

acetazolamide

carbenoxolone

Drivingandoperatingmachinery

Thefollowingtypesofmedicinemayinteractwith
Deflazacort:

oestrogens

hypoglycaemics

antihypertensives

diuretics

coumarinanticoagulants

nondepolarisingmusclerelaxants

salicylates

antacids

oralcontraceptives

vaccines

liverenzymeinducers

liverenzymeinhibitors

betaagonists

xanthines
IfyouaretakingDeflazacortandoneoftheabove
medicinesortypesofmedicines,makesureyour
prescriberknowsaboutit.

Diet

Whentakinganymedicineyoushouldbeawarethat
itmightinterferewithyourabilitytodriveoroperate
machinerysafely.
InthecaseofDeflazacort:

thismedicineisunlikelytoaffectdriving
abilityortheabilitytooperatemachinery
Youshouldseehowthismedicineaffectsyou
beforeyoujudgewhetheryouaresafetodriveor
operatemachinery.Ifyouareinanydoubtabout
whetheryoushoulddriveoroperatemachinery,talk
toyourprescriber.
Medicinescaninteractwithcertainfoods.Insome
cases,thismaybeharmfulandyourprescribermay
adviseyoutoavoidcertainfoods.
InthecaseofDeflazacort:

whileyouaretakingDeflazacortyour
prescribermayadviseyoutolimittheamount
ofsaltandpotassiumsupplementsinyour
diet
Ifyourdietincludesanyoftheabove,speaktoyour
prescriberorpharmacistforfurtheradvice.
Alcohol
Alcoholcaninteractwithcertainmedicines.

Complementarypreparationsandvitamins

InthecaseofDeflazacort:

therearenoknowninteractionsbetween
alcoholandDeflazacort
Familyplanningandpregnancy

Medicinescaninteractwithcomplementary
preparationsandvitamins.Ingeneral,thereisnot
muchinformationavailableaboutinteractions
betweenmedicinesandcomplementary
preparationsorvitamins.

Mostmedicines,insomeway,canaffectthe
developmentofababyinthewomb.Theeffecton
thebabydiffersbetweenmedicinesandalso
dependsonthestageofpregnancythatyouhave
reachedwhenyoutakethemedicine.

Ifyouareplanningtotakeorarealreadytakingany
complementarypreparationsandvitaminsyou
shouldaskyourprescriberwhetherthereareany
knowninteractionswithDeflazacort.

InthecaseofDeflazacort:

youshouldonlytakethismedicineduring
pregnancyifyourdoctorthinksthatyouneed
it

ifyoutakethismedicineduringyour
pregnancy,yourbabymayhavesome
problemsafterbirth
Youneedtodiscussyourspecificcircumstances
withyourdoctortoweighuptheoverallrisksand
benefitsoftakingthismedicine.Youandyourdoctor
canmakeadecisionaboutwhetheryouaregoingto
takethismedicineduringpregnancy.

Yourprescribercanadvisewhetheritisappropriate
foryoutotakecombinationsthatareknownto
interact.Theycanalsodiscusswithyouthe
possibleeffectthatthecomplementarypreparations
andvitaminsmayhaveonyourcondition.
Ifyouexperienceanyunusualeffectswhiletaking
thismedicineincombinationwithcomplementary

Page2of3

Lastupdated04Aug14
Copyright2010Datapharm

Deflazacort
Deflazacort6mgtablets
Whenusedinsituationswherecorticosteroidtreatmentisnecessary
Ifthedecisionisthatyoushouldnothave
Deflazacort,thenyoushoulddiscusswhetherthere
isanalternativemedicinethatyoucouldtakeduring
pregnancy.
Breastfeeding
Certainmedicinescanpassintobreastmilkand
mayreachyourbabythroughbreastfeeding.
InthecaseofDeflazacort:

youshouldonlytakethismedicinewhile
breastfeedingifyourdoctorthinksyouneed
it
Beforeyouhaveyourbabyyoushoulddiscuss
breastfeedingwithyourdoctorormidwife.Theywill
helpyoudecidewhatisbestforyouandyourbaby
basedonthebenefitsandrisksassociatedwiththis
medicine.Youshouldonlybreastfeedyourbaby
whiletakingthismedicineontheadviceofyour
doctorormidwife.
Ingredientsofyourmedicine
Medicinescontainactiveingredients.Theymayalso
containother,additionalingredientsthathelpensure
thestability,safetyandeffectivenessofthe
medicine.Theyarealsoaddedtoimprovethe
medicine'stasteandappearanceandtomakeit
easiertotake.Somemaybeusedtoprolongthelife
ofthemedicine.
Thismedicinecontainsdeflazacort.
Weareunabletolistalloftheingredientsforyour
medicinehere.Forafulllist,youshouldrefertothe
patientinformationleafletthatcomeswiththis
medicine.Youshouldcheckthatyouareableto
taketheingredientsofyourmedicine,especiallyif
youhaveanyallergies.Youshouldalsocheck
whetheranyoftheseingredientsareknowntohave
sideeffects.
Ifyouarenotabletotakeanyoftheingredientsin
yourmedicine,talktoyourprescriberorpharmacist
toseeiftheycansuggestanalternativemedicine.If
youhavereactedbadlytoDeflazacortbefore,do
nottakeDeflazacort.Talktoyourprescriber,
pharmacistornurseassoonaspossible.

Providedbywww.medicines.org.uk/guides

Page3of3

Lastupdated04Aug14
Copyright2010Datapharm