Product Details

What you need to know before you are given Depo-Medrone

Do not use Depo-Medrone if: • You think you have ever suffered an allergic reaction, or any other type of reaction after being given Depo-Medrone, or any other medicine containing a corticosteroid or any of the ingredients in this medicine (listed in section 6).An allergic reaction may cause a skin rash or reddening, swollen face or lips or shortness of breath. • You get a rash, or another symptom of an infection. • You have recently had, or are about to have any vaccination. See your doctor immediately if any of the above applies to you. Do not inject this medicine: • into the Achilles tendon (which is located behind the ankle joint), or • directly into a vein (intravenous), the spinal cord (intrathecal), the outer covering of the brain (extradural), into the nostrils (intranasal) or in the eye (intraocular). Warnings and precautions Talk to your doctor or nurse before taking Depo-Medrone if you have any of the following conditions. Your doctor may also have to monitor your treatment more closely, alter your dose or give you another medicine. • Acute adrenal insufficiency (when your body cannot produce enough corticosteroid due to problems with your adrenal glands). • Acute pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). • Chickenpox, measles, shingles or a herpes eye infection. If you think you have been in contact with someone with chickenpox, measles or shingles and you have not already had these illnesses, or if you are unsure if you have had them. • Severe depression or manic depression (bipolar disorder). This includes having had depression before while taking steroid medicines like Depo-Medrone, or having a family history of these illnesses. • Cushing’s disease (condition caused by an excess of cortisol hormone in your body). • Diabetes (or if there is a family history of diabetes). • Epilepsy, fits or seizures. • Glaucoma (increased pressure in the eye) or if there is a family history of glaucoma. • Contact your doctor if you experience blurred vision or other visual disturbances. • You have recently suffered a heart attack. • Heart problems, including heart failure or infections. • Hypertension (high blood pressure). • Hypotension (low blood pressure). • Hypothyroidism (an under-active thyroid). Page 3 of 13 • Joint infection. • Kidney or liver disease. • Muscle problems (pain or weakness) have happened while taking steroid medicines in the past. • Myasthenia gravis (a condition causing tired and weak muscles). • Osteoporosis (brittle bones). • Pancreatitis(Inflammation of the pancreas which causes severe pain in the abdomen and back). • Peritonitis (Inflammation of the thin lining (peritoneum) around the gut and stomach). • Pheochromocytoma (a rare tumour of adrenal gland tissue. The adrenal glands are located above the kidneys). • Scleroderma (also known as systemic sclerosis, an autoimmune disorder), because the risk of a serious complication called scleroderma renal crisis may be increased. Signs of scleroderma renal crisis include raised blood pressure and decreased urine production. • Skin abscess. • Stomach ulcer or other serious stomach or intestinal problems. • Unusual stress. • Thrombophlebitis – vein problems due to thrombosis (clots in the veins) resulting in phlebitis (red, swollen and tender veins). • Tuberculosis (TB) or if you have suffered tuberculosis in the past. • Traumatic brain injury. Tumour lysis syndrome can occur after treatment of a fast-growing cancer, especially certain leukemias and lymphomas (cancers of the blood) or solid tumours. As the tumour cells die, they break apart and release their contents into the blood. This causes a change in certain chemicals in the blood, which may cause damage to organs, including the kidneys, heart and liver that may lead to muscle cramping, muscle weakness, confusion, irregular heartbeat, visual loss or visual disturbances, and shortness of breath. Your doctor will monitor you closely, especially if you are at high risk of developing tumour lysis syndrome. You must tell your doctor before you take this medicine if you have any of the conditions listed above. Other medicines and Depo-Medrone Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. You should tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines which can affect the way Depo-Medrone or the other medicine works: • Acetazolamide – used to treat glaucoma and epilepsy. • Aminoglutethimide and cyclophosphamide – used for treating cancer. • Antibacterials (such as isoniazid, erythromycin, clarithromycin and troleandomycin). • Anticoagulants – used to ‘thin’ the blood such as acenocoumarol, phenindione and warfarin. • Anticholinesterases – used to treat myasthenia gravis (a muscle condition) such as distigmine and neostigmine. • Antidiabetics – medicines used to treat high blood sugar. • Antiemetics (such as aprepitant and fosaprepitant). Page 4 of 13 • Antivirals (such as ritonavir, indinavir) and pharmacokinetic enhancers (such as cobicistat) used to treat HIV infections. • Aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (also called NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen used to treat mild to moderate pain. • Barbiturates, carbamazepine, phenytoin and primidone – used to treat epilepsy. • Carbenoxolone – used for heartburn and acid indigestion. • Ciclosporin – used to treat conditions such as severe rheumatoid arthritis, severe psoriasis or following an organ or bone marrow transplant. • Digoxin – used for heart failure and/or an irregular heart beat. • Diltiazem – used for heart problems or high blood pressure. • Ethinylestradiol and norethindrone – oral contraceptives. • Ketoconazole or itraconazole – used to treat fungal infections. • Pancuronium and vecuronium – or other medicines called neuromuscular blocking agents which are used in some surgical procedures. • Potassium depleting agents – such as diuretics (sometimes called water tablets), amphotericin B, xanthenes or beta2 agonists (e.g. medicines used to treat asthma). • Rifampicin and rifabutin – antibiotics used to treat tuberculosis (TB). • Tacrolimus – used following an organ transplant to prevent rejection of the organ. • Vaccines – tell your doctor or nurse if you have recently had, or are about to have any vaccination. You must not have ‘live’ vaccines while using this medicine. Other vaccines may be less effective. If you are taking long term medication(s) If you are being treated for diabetes, high blood pressure or water retention (oedema) tell your doctor as he/she may need to adjust the dose of the medicines used to treat these conditions. Before you have any operation tell your doctor, dentist or anaesthetist that you are taking this medicine. If you require a test to be carried out by your doctor or in hospital it is important that you tell the doctor or nurse that you are taking Depo-Medrone. This medicine can affect the results of some tests. Depo-Medrone with drink Do not drink grapefruit juice while taking this medicine. Pregnancy and breast-feeding If you are pregnant, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine, as this medicine could slow the baby’s growth. There is a risk associated with low birth weight of the baby; this risk can be reduced by administering a lower dose of the medicine. Cataracts have been observed in infants born to mothers treated with long-term corticosteroids during pregnancy. If you are breast-feeding, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine, as small amounts of corticosteroid medicines may get into breast milk. If you continue breast-feeding while you are having treatment, your baby will need extra checks to make sure he or she is not being affected by your medicine. Driving and using machines Undesirable effects, such as dizziness, vertigo, visual disturbances and fatigue are possible after treatment with corticosteroids. If you are affected do not drive or operate machinery. Page 5 of 13 Depo-Medrone contains sodium This medicinal product contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per vial, that is to say essentially ‘sodium-free’