Prednisone (Oral Route)

Side Effects

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

More common

1. Aggression
2. agitation
3. blurred vision
4. decrease in the amount of urine
5. dizziness
6. fast, slow, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse
7. headache
8. irritability
9. mood changes
10. noisy, rattling breathing
11. numbness or tingling in the arms or legs
12. pounding in the ears
13. shortness of breath
14. swelling of the fingers, hands, feet, or lower legs
15. trouble thinking, speaking, or walking
16. troubled breathing at rest
17. weight gain

Incidence not known

1. Abdominal or stomach cramping or burning (severe)
2. abdominal or stomach pain
3. backache
4. bloody, black, or tarry stools
5. cough or hoarseness
6. darkening of the skin
7. decrease in height
8. decreased vision
9. diarrhea
10. dry mouth
11. eye pain
12. eye tearing
13. facial hair growth in females
14. fainting
15. fever or chills
16. flushed, dry skin
17. fractures
18. fruit-like breath odor
19. full or round face, neck, or trunk
20. heartburn or indigestion (severe and continuous)
21. increased hunger
22. increased thirst
23. increased urination
24. loss of appetite
25. loss of sexual desire or ability
26. lower back or side pain
27. menstrual irregularities
28. muscle pain or tenderness
29. muscle wasting or weakness
30. nausea
31. pain in the back, ribs, arms, or legs
32. painful or difficult urination
33. skin rash
34. sweating
35. trouble healing
36. trouble sleeping
37. unexplained weight loss
38. unusual tiredness or weakness
39. vision changes
40. vomiting
41. vomiting of material that looks like coffee grounds

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common

1. Increased appetite

Incidence not known

1. Abnormal fat deposits on the face, neck, and trunk
2. acne
3. dry scalp
4. lightening of normal skin color
5. red face
6. reddish purple lines on the arms, face, legs, trunk, or groin
7. swelling of the stomach area
8. thinning of the scalp hair

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

• Precautions

Portions of this document last updated: April 01, 2024

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