Macleods Hydrocortisone Injection

MACLEODS HYDROCORTISONE INJECTION is a corticosteroid medicine, prescribed for many different conditions, including serious illnesses, such as:

• Shock as a result of your adrenal glands not producing enough corticosteroids of their own.
• Systemic lupus erythematosus (rash with fever, arthritis, inflammation of blood vessels, kidney problems and problems affecting the brain).
• If the adrenal glands are not working properly for any reason, so that the body does not make enough of its own steroids naturally.
• Allergic disorders and disorders of the immune system, where antibodies are formed against several different parts of the body.

Do not take MACLEODS HYDROCORTISONE INJECTION:

• If you had an allergic reaction such as skin rash, swelling, or wheezing, or breathing problems after being given MACLEODS HYDROCORTISONE INJECTION, or another corticosteroid, tell your doctor or health care professional.
• It is important to tell your doctor if you are pregnant and your doctor will give the appropriate medicine.
• It is important to tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding and your doctor will give the appropriate medicine. High doses may cause your baby’s adrenal glands not to work properly.
• MACLEODS HYDROCORTISONE INJECTION suppresses growth in infants, children and adolescents and therefore treatment will be limited to the lowest possible dose for the shortest possible time.

You should not be administered MACLEODS HYDROCORTISONE INJECTION:

It is important that you tell your doctor or healthcare professional if you suffer from any of the conditions mentioned below, if you are receiving MACLEODS HYDROCORTISONE INJECTION or have been prescribed MACLEODS HYDROCORTISONE INJECTION:

MACLEODS HYDROCORTISONE INJECTION is given as an injection through a needle placed into a vein or muscle. Your doctor, nurse or other healthcare provider will give you this injection.

The dosage is governed more by the severity of the condition and response of the patient, than by age or body mass, but should not be less than 25 mg daily. You will not be expected to give yourself MACLEODS HYDROCORTISONE INJECTION. It will be given to you by a person who is qualified to do so.

Method of administration

MACLEODS HYDROCORTISONE INJECTION is given as an injection through a needle placed into a vein or muscle.

If you take more MACLEODS HYDROCORTISONE INJECTION than you should

Too much MACLEODS HYDROCORTISONE INJECTION can cause side effects to occur. In the event of overdosage consult your doctor or pharmacist. If neither is available contact the nearest hospital or poison control centre.

MACLEODS HYDROCORTISONE INJECTION can have side effects. Not all side effects reported for MACLEODS HYDROCORTISONE INJECTION are included in this leaflet. Should your general health worsen or if you experience any untoward effects while taking MACLEODS HYDROCORTISONE INJECTION, please consult your doctor, pharmacist or other healthcare professional for advice.

If any of the following happens, stop taking MACLEODS HYDROCORTISONE INJECTION and tell your doctor immediately or go to the casualty department at your nearest hospital:

• swelling of the hands, feet, ankles, face, lips and mouth or throat, which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing,
• rash or itching,
• fainting

These are all very serious side effects. If you have them, you may have had a serious reaction to MACLEODS HYDROCORTISONE INJECTION. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation.

Tell your doctor immediately or go to the casualty department at your nearest hospital if you notice any of the following:

• chest pain,
• angina,
• changes in the way your heart beats, for example, if you notice it beating faster,
• difficulty breathing,
• signs of recurrent infections such as fever or sore throat,
• less urine than is normal for you,
• yellowing of the skin and eyes, dark urine, and tiredness which may be symptoms of liver problems.

These are all very serious side effects. If you have them, you may have had a serious reaction to MACLEODS HYDROCORTISONE INJECTION. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation.

Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following:

Frequent side effects:

• Nausea (feeling sick),
• Abdominal cramps or stomach pains,
• Headache,
• Dizziness,
• Tiredness,
• Light-headedness,
• Inability to sleep
• Nervousness
• Vomiting
• Increased appetite
• Indigestion - pain or discomfort in the stomach associated with difficulty in digesting food.
• Purpura - A rash of purple spots due to small blood vessels leaking blood into the skin, joints, intestines or organs.
• Thinning of the skin
• Death of tissue (particularly in the bones of the arms and legs)
• Scarring at the injection site
• Presence of infections are unable to be diagnosed
• Cushingoid – caused by increased cortisol and features include facial puffiness and weight gain
• Decrease in cortisol production
• Too rapid reduction of corticosteroid dosage after long term treatment can cause adrenal problems, menstrual problems and growth problems in children
• Increase in pressure in the brain, swelling of the optic disc, fits, epidural lipomatosis an abnormal amount of fat is deposited on or outside the lining of the spine. It may press on the spinal cord and nerves.
• Cataract, increased pressure in the eye, thinning of the white part of the eye, worsening of viral or fungal eye diseases, central serous chorioretinopathy (when fluid builds up under the retina in the eye)
• bleeding ulcers in the stomach, swelling of the pancreas, stomach filled with gas, ulcers in the foodpipe, fungal infection in the food pipe, tearing of the intestines, acid-reflux, nausea
• Petechiae (tiny purple, red, or brown spots on the skin), Telangiectasia (dilated or broken blood vessels located near the surface of the skin or mucous membranes), bruising, thinning of the skin

Less frequent side effects:

• Dry cough,
• Muscle cramps,
• Flatulence or wind,
• Diarrhoea,
• Loss of appetite
• Confusion, excitement, restlessness, disorientation, false sense of well-being, seeing, feeling or hearing things that are not there, sudden wide mood swings, mistaken feelings of self-importance, or paranoia.
• Headache, dizziness, lightheadedness, anxiety, vertigo (feeling that the environment is spinning), sweating
• Sudden blindness
• Increased blood pressure
• Increase in liver enzymes (determined by tests)
• Pimples, wounds taking long to heal
• Weakness, muscle pain, tearing of a tendons (the tissue attaching muscle to bones)
• Burning, numbness, pain or tingling near the injection site, allergic reaction at the injection site
• Feeling irritable, sad, Confusion, excitement, restlessness, disorientation, false sense of well-being, seeing, feeling or hearing things that are not there, sudden wide mood swings, mistaken feelings of self-importance, or paranoia, sleep disturbances, forgetfulness
• Heart failure
• High blood pressure
• Hiccups
• Muscle disease, muscle weakness, death of bone cells, degeneration of bone tissue, fracture due to weak and brittle bones, growth retardation (when your foetus doesn't develop at a normal rate)

- If you notice any side effects not mentioned in this leaflet, please inform your doctor or pharmacist.

Should your general health worsen or if you experience any untoward effects while taking MACLEODS HYDROCORTISONE INJECTION, please consult your healthcare provider for advice.

Store at or below 25 °C. KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN. Store in the original package / container. The solution is stable for 2 hours after reconstitution and must therefore be used immediately. Unused solution must be discarded. Your doctor will check that the solution contains no particles and is not discoloured before using it. Do not store in a bathroom. Do not use after the expiry date stated on the blister/label/carton bottle. Return all unused medicine to your pharmacist. Do not dispose of unused medicine in drains or sewerage systems (e.g. toilets).