Omnacortil 2.5 Mg

Description

About Omnacortil 2.5 mg

Omnacortil 2.5 mg is a prescription tablet containing 2.5 mg of prednisolone, made by Macleods Pharmaceuticals, used as a low-dose corticosteroid for allergic, respiratory, rheumatic and other inflammatory conditions and for the final stages of coming off a longer steroid course. It is the lowest Omnacortil strength we stock, which lets a doctor lower or fine-tune a daily dose in very small steps.

How does prednisolone work?

Prednisolone is a synthetic glucocorticoid, a stronger relative of cortisol, the hormone made by your adrenal glands. Inside cells it switches down the genes that drive inflammation, so fewer chemical signals are released to cause swelling, redness, pain and narrowing of the airways, and overactive immune cells settle. Prednisone, the steroid more often prescribed in the US, has to be converted by the liver into prednisolone; milligram for milligram the two are regarded as equivalent.

What is the 2.5 mg strength used for?

• Tapering: stepping down gradually at the end of a long course, for example from 5 mg to 2.5 mg a day before stopping altogether.
• Low maintenance doses: some people with polymyalgia rheumatica, rheumatoid arthritis or chronic lung disease are kept on a few milligrams a day.
• Precise totals: one 5 mg and one 2.5 mg tablet make 7.5 mg, a dose often used in rheumatology.

How to take Omnacortil 2.5 mg

Take your dose once a day in the morning, with or just after breakfast. Morning dosing follows the body’s natural cortisol rhythm and disturbs sleep less, while food reduces stomach upset. Follow your written reduction schedule exactly, even if you feel well.

Why you must not stop suddenly

After more than about three weeks of steroid tablets, or after high doses, the adrenal glands slow their own cortisol output. Stopping abruptly can then leave the body short of cortisol, causing exhaustion, dizziness, low blood pressure, nausea, aching joints or, rarely, a life-threatening adrenal crisis. Small tablets like this one allow a gentle withdrawal. If you become ill, need surgery or are injured while on steroids, or within months of stopping, tell the medical team, as extra steroid cover may be needed. Carry a steroid alert card or wear a medical ID.

What are the side effects?

At 2.5 mg a day, side effects are usually milder than on high doses, but years of use still add up. Possible effects include a bigger appetite and weight gain, raised blood sugar, indigestion, changes in mood or sleep, thin skin and easy bruising. Long-term treatment can weaken bones, raise the risk of cataracts and glaucoma, and increase blood pressure, so your doctor may suggest calcium and vitamin D, bone density scans and eye checks.

Seek urgent help for fever, chills or other signs of a serious infection, black or bloody stools, vomiting blood, severe low mood or confusion, sudden changes in vision, or collapse with severe weakness.

Who should not take it?

Prednisolone is unsuitable for people with an untreated systemic fungal infection or an allergy to the medicine. Tell your doctor about diabetes, high blood pressure, heart failure, stomach ulcers, osteoporosis, glaucoma, tuberculosis, epilepsy, or past depression or psychosis. If you are not immune to chickenpox, shingles or measles, avoid people who have them and get advice quickly after any contact. Important interactions include NSAIDs such as ibuprofen (stomach bleeding), warfarin, diabetes medicines, diuretics, and rifampin (rifampicin), carbamazepine or phenytoin, which lower steroid levels.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Prednisolone may be used in pregnancy when needed, because the placenta inactivates much of each dose; discuss the balance with your doctor. Only small amounts pass into breast milk, and low doses like this are generally considered compatible with breastfeeding.

Pack sizes and storage

Omnacortil 2.5 mg comes in strips of 10 tablets, sold in packs of 30, 60 or 90, from $4.00. Store below 86°F (30°C) in the original strip, away from moisture and out of the reach of children.

Frequently asked questions

Can I cut a 5 mg tablet in half instead?

Only if your pharmacist confirms it can be split; a whole 2.5 mg tablet gives a more accurate dose. Omnacortil 5 mg is the next strength up.

How long does tapering take?

It depends on your dose, how long you have taken steroids and your condition. After long treatment, the last few milligrams are often reduced over weeks or months.

What other strengths are available?

Options include Omnacortil 10 mg and the dispersible Wysolone 5 mg; see the full respiratory range.

General health information, not a substitute for your doctor’s instructions. Omnacortil 2.5 mg is a prescription medicine; change or stop your steroid dose only on medical advice.