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| Pronunciation |
|
 (floo
droe KOR ti sone AS e
tate) |
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| Brand Names |
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| Florinef® |
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| Therapeutic
Categories |
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Corticosteroid, Oral |
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| Reasons not to take this
medicine |
|
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- If you have an allergy to fludrocortisone or any other part of the
medicine.
- If you have a fungal infection in your
body.
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| What is this medicine used
for? |
|
|
- This medicine is used for the treatment of Addison's disease. It is
used in combination with other medicines. It can be used for salt-losing
conditions. Talk with healthcare
provider.
|
|
|
| How does it work? |
|
|
- Fludrocortisone acetate is a man-made form of an important chemical
produced in the body.
- It causes the kidney to keep salt for the
body.
|
|
|
| How is it best taken? |
|
|
- Take with food. Take in the morning if you are taking this medicine
once a day.
- Do not suddenly stop using this medicine if you have been taking it
for a long time. Medicine should be slowly
decreased.
|
|
|
| What do I do if I miss a
dose? |
|
|
- Take a missed dose as soon as possible.
- If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed one. Return to
your regular schedule.
- Do not take a double dose or extra doses.
- Do not change dose or stop taking medicine without talking with
healthcare provider.
|
|
|
| What are the precautions when
taking this
medicine? |
|
|
- Wear disease medical alert identification if you have asthma, lung
disease, are an or allergy sufferer or if you are going to be on this medicine
longer than 3-4 weeks.
- Unless healthcare provider told you to stop, it is dangerous to run
out of this medication. Get it refilled today!
- Avoid alcohol (includes wine, beer, and liquor). Alcohol increases
blood pressure.
- Use caution if you have a weakened heart. Salt and water can cause
shortness of breath. Talk with healthcare provider.
- Use caution if you have high blood pressure. Your blood pressure may
increase. Talk with healthcare provider.
- Tell dentists, surgeons, and other healthcare providers about this
medicine.
- Tell healthcare provider if currently being treated for any
infections.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are allergic to any medicine. Make
sure to tell about the allergy and how it affected you. This includes telling
about rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of
face, lips, tongue, throat; or any other symptoms involved.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan on getting
pregnant.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are
breast-feeding.
|
|
|
| What are the common side effects
of this
medicine? |
|
|
- Swelling; salt and water
build-up.
|
|
|
| What should I monitor? |
|
|
- If a child is using this medicine, monitor growth carefully.
- Watch for swelling of legs or belly, shortness of breath, weight gain,
exercise tolerance. If any of these worsen, talk with healthcare provider.
- Report a 3-5 pound weight gain if you have heart failure.
- Check blood sugar as ordered by healthcare provider. High blood sugar
causes many trips to the bathroom, thirst, and weight loss.
- Signs of infection.
|
|
|
| Reasons to call healthcare
provider
immediately |
|
|
- Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing;
tightness in the chest; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits;
swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
- Any signs or symptoms of infection. This may include a fever greater
than 99 degrees, chills, sore throat, cough, increased sputum or change in
color, painful urination, mouth sores, wound that will not heal, anal itching or
pain.
- For females, vaginal discharge and/or itching.
- Chest pains, fast heartbeats, shortness of breath, or decreased
ability to walk.
- Severe nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea.
- Menstrual changes. This includes lots of bleeding, spotting, or
bleeding between cycles.
- Feeling weak, tired, irritable, trembling, having rapid heartbeats,
confusion, sweating, dizziness, especially if you missed a dose or recently
stopped this medicine.
- Any rash.
- No improvement in condition or feeling
worse.
|
|
|
| How should I store this
medicine? |
|
|
- Store in a tight container at room
temperature.
|
|
|
| General statements |
|
|
- Do not share your medicine with others and do not take anyone else's
medicine.
- Keep all medicine out of the reach of children and pets.
- Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, herbal/supplements,
vitamins, over-the-counter) with you. Give this list to healthcare provider
(doctor, nurse, pharmacist, physician assistant).
- Talk with healthcare provider before starting any new medicine,
including over-the-counter or natural products (herbs,
vitamins).
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Copyright © 1978-2001 Lexi-Comp Inc. All Rights Reserved
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The publisher does not accept any responsibility for the accuracy of the information or the consequences arising from the application, use, or misuse of any of the information contained herein, including any injury and/or damage to any person or property as a matter of product liability, negligence, or otherwise. No warranty, expressed or implied, is made in regard to the contents of this material. No claims or endorsements are made for any drugs or compounds currently marketed or in investigative use. This material is not intended as a guide to self-medication. The reader is advised to discuss the information provided here with a doctor, pharmacist, nurse, or other authorized healthcare practitioner and to check product information (including package inserts) regarding dosage, precautions, warnings, interactions, and contraindications before administering any drug, herb, or supplement discussed herein.
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