Methylprednisolone is a steroid medication used to treat inflammatory disorders such as allergies, arthritis and ulcerative colitis (inflammation of your colon and rectum). This medication is formulated under the brand names Medrol or Medrol Dosepak. Tell your doctor whether you have a history of such medical conditions as kidney disease, diabetes or osteoporosis (brittle bones), as methlprednisolone may require dosage adjustments to make it safer for your body, states Drugs.com.
Effects on Muscles and Bones
Methylprednisolone can affect your muscles and lead to muscle pain, weakness and loss of muscle mass, states RxList.com. In some instances, your bones can become very brittle when you suffer from a bone disease such as osteoporosis. With osteoporosis, you are at an increased risk for developing vertebral compression fractures as well as other bone fractures in other regions of your body. Methylprednisolone also increases the risk of a tendon rupture.
Signs of an Overdose
Overdosing on methylprednisolone can lead to acne, increase facial hair growth, thinning of your skin and easy bruising. You may also experience menstrual problems, decreased libido and changes in your body fat's location and shape, according to Drugs.com. Overdosing on methylprednisolone rarely causes life-threatening symptoms, but it is important to seek immediate help to prevent further harm to your body.
Gastrointestinal Side Effects
Methylprednisolone can lead to harmful effects on your digestive system. According to RxList.com, it may cause a peptic ulcer with possible bleeding and perforation and swelling of your stomach. Methylprednisolone can also lead to infections of your pancreas called pancreatitis and your esophagus in ulcerative esophagitis. You can also develop benign changes in your liver enzymes (natural chemicals) such as alanine transaminase or aspartate transaminase. These levels usually decline when you stop using methylpredisolone.
Signs of an Allergic Reaction
At times, you may develop an allergic reaction to methylprednisolone. If this is the case, get immediate medical help. Symptoms of an allergic reaction include difficulty breathing, hives and swelling of your throat, lips or face, states Drugs.com.
Other Physical Side Effects
According to RxList.com, congestive heart failure (CHF) may develop with methylprednisolone use. CHF is a condition where your heart is unable to pump blood to the rest of your body. You may also retain fluid and have hypertension. In some instances, methylprednisolone may cause convulsions, headache, stunted growth in children, exopthalmos (protrusion of your eyes), cataracts and diabetes mellitis.
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