Can I take Tylenol with Prednisone? (A guide)
By
PsychReel
In this brief guide, we will try to answer the question “Can I take Tylenol with prednisone?”, and look at some other questions people commonly ask about Tylenol and prednisone and their drug interactions.
Can I take Tylenol with Prednisone?
Yes, you can take Tylenol with prednisone, as in most cases there are no interactions between the two medicines, but it is always recommended that this be checked with a healthcare provider.
It is always recommended that people talk to their doctor or pharmacist before mixing two medicines, because they have different histories and often what works for one person may not work for the other, and even mixing something as simple as Tylenol with prednisone can cause an adverse reaction.
Prednisone is a steroid, which means that it has a significant effect on the body, and it is usually used for individuals who are suffering from nerve damage or immune system related issues.
Tylenol is an over-the-counter analgesic which is used in cases where slight pain relief is required, and there is not much research related to its interaction with a lot of medications, which is why it cannot be said for sure if one can take Tylenol with prednisone.
Prednisone does not interact well with a lot of medication, including some commonly used pain medicines like ibuprofen, which means that if someone wants to take Tylenol and prednisone together they might have to check with the doctor who prescribed the medicine if they can.
Another thing one needs to always do is ask the doctor when they are prescribing any medicine about things they can and cannot take when they are taking this medication, which is especially applicable in cases of long term medication like prednisone.
This helps in improving the desired effect of the medication because one can make sure they don’t take anything that might hinder the effect it has on the body.
Can I take Ibuprofen with Prednisone?
You should probably check with your doctor before you take ibuprofen with prednisone, as there has been evidence of moderate interaction between these two medicines.
Both ibuprofen and prednisone have been known to have adverse effects on the stomach and liver, which means that if someone takes the two together, and they have some undiagnosed or underlying weakness of the gastrointestinal system, they may fall violently ill.
Before you mix ibuprofen and prednisone, always make sure to check with a medical professional, ideally one that knows your medical history, so they may tell you if this combination is especially right for you.
What pain reliever can I take with prednisone?
You can take analgesics like paracetamol with prednisone, as there have been very few reports of major problems with this drug interaction.
You can take other medicines like Tylenol or ibuprofen with prednisone too, but only after you have asked a medical professional about it, as there may sometimes be adverse effects of this interaction.
Some reports also suggest that opioids or opioid like substances are not adversely related to prednisone, and they may be taken for pain relief with prednisone as well.
What can I take for a headache while on prednisone?
You can take a paracetamol for a headache while on prednisone, as most evidence suggests that there are very few bad interactions between these two medicines.
If you get headaches frequently while on prednisone you should tell the prescribing doctor about it because in some cases it can mean that you are getting a side effect to the medicine or that there is some other problem that should get looked at.
Another thing you can do for headaches while on prednisone is keep ice packs on the head or apply pain salves for temporary relief, as these can help considerably without causing nasty side effects.
Prednisone Side Effects
Given below are some prednisone side effects that you need to look for if you are taking prednisone on a long term basis:
- headache
- dizziness
- difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
- inappropriate happiness
- slowed healing of cuts and bruises
- increased hair growth
- decreased sexual desire
- heartburn
- increased sweating
- changes in the way fat is spread around the body
- extreme tiredness
- extreme changes in mood
- changes in personality
- bulging eyes
- acne
- thin, fragile skin
- red or purple blotches
- weak muscles
- irregular or absent menstrual periods
The more serious side effects of prednisone, for which one needs to seek immediate medical attention, include:
- Shaking of hands that you cannot control
- numbness, burning, or tingling in the face, arms, legs, feet, or hands
- upset stomach
- vomiting
- light-headedness
- irregular heartbeat
- sudden weight gain
- shortness of breath, especially during the night
- vision problems
- eye pain, redness, or tearing
- sore throat, fever, chills, cough, or other signs of infection
- seizures
- depression
- loss of contact with reality
- confusion
- muscle twitching or tightening
- dry, hacking cough
- swelling or pain in the stomach
- swelling of the eyes, face, lips, tongue, throat, arms, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
- difficulty breathing or swallowing
- rash
- Hives
- Itching
Prednisone Drug Interactions
It is important to tell your doctor about the medication you are on already before they prescribe prednisone to you so that they are aware of the possible prednisone drug interactions in your system.
Here are some of the common drugs that may interact with prednisone:
- Amiodarone (Pacerone)
- Anticoagulants (‘blood thinners’) such as warfarin (Coumadin)
- Antifungals such as fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral) and voriconazole (Vfend)
- Aprepitant (Emend)
- Aspirin
- Carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Epitol, Tegretol)
- Cimetidine (Tagamet)
- Clarithromycin (Biaxin, in Prevpak)
- Cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune)
- Delavirdine (Rescriptor)
- Diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor, Tiazac, others)
- Dexamethasone (Decadron, Dexpak)
- Efavirenz (Sustiva)
- Fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem)
- Fluvoxamine (Luvox)
Prednisone reviews
Given below are some prednisone reviews that may help you figure out what your experience with this medication might look like:
For Bursitis: “I’ve used prednisone twice for bursitis pain in my left hip. Both times the response has been almost immediate- within 5 hours I felt like a new man. The effect seems to last about 4-5 weeks. My only regret is that my Ortho will only prescribe it about 2 times her year.”
For Polymyalgia Rheumatica: “I was recently diagnosed with PMR (Polymyalgia Rheumatica). My Rheumatologist started me on prednisone, 15 mg. a day. It did nothing for the pain. From what I’ve read, prednisone is the best medication for PMR and I should see relieve within a few days. I didn’t see any relief. My dr. has changed meds to Lyrica. Lyrica is doing nothing for the pain either. Does anyone have any comments about what has help you? I don’t understand why nothing is helping.”
For Gouty Arthritis: “46 yrs old. Non drinker. Heart patient. Diuretics & Warfarin. Had an allergic reaction on my first dose of prednisone 50mg (2x25mg tablets). My palms & body began to itch all over & I had difficulty breathing. Ceased Prednisone. I noticed my gout pain settled after the single dose though. The next day I commenced Colchicine 500mcg (500ug). I took it for 4 days, 3 times a day, & the swelling & pain did not subside. It sent me bonkers going to the toilet with diarrhea & began to bleed on the 4th day. Colchicine was useless as it did nothing for me. On the 5th day I went back to Prednisone, but this time a smaller 12.5mg dosage (half of a 25mg tablet) & I had no allergic reaction on this small dose. The gout swelling & pain eased within 2 hours & I was able to walk again. Pain went from 8/10 to 3/10. Prednisone IS the wonder drug for gout for me. It works brilliantly. I just have to monitor my warfarin INR levels as it’s known to interact with it and make INR shoot up.”
For Allergic Reactions: “I sought prednisone after a severe poison ivy reaction. I was given a 12 day prescription of 10mg pills(6×2, 5×2, 4×2, 3×2, 2×2, 1×2) My initial reaction at 60mg doses was hyper alertness which tapered each day but nonetheless endless energy and focus. I got so much accomplished. On day 8 the poison ivy had almost completely healed but my entire upper torso began itching constantly. No hives or marks of any kind. Almost like a million bugs crawling all over me. So bad that it woke me from a sleep every night.”
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we tried to answer the question “Can I take Tylenol with prednisone?”, and looked at some other questions people commonly ask about Tylenol and prednisone and their drugs interactions.
It is wise to check before one mixes two medicines because you never know when the interaction might be a problem, and if you are unable to find the right answer online make sure you always consult a medical professional or at least your pharmacist before you mix two medicines.
If you’re facing this, it may be a good idea to seek the help of a therapist or other mental health professional. You can find a therapist at BetterHelp who can help you learn how to cope and address it.
If you have any queries about this subject, or if you have any questions similar to “Can I take Tylenol with prednisone, please feel free to reach out to us at any time.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Can I take Tylenol with Prednisone?
What medicines should not be taken with prednisone?
Medicines that should not be taken with prednisone are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen and salicylates, like aspirin as this interaction has been known to increase the risk of toxicity and gastrointestinal side effects.
Does prednisone give pain relief?
Yes, sometimes prednisone has been known to give pain relief, especially if it is nerve based pain, as it has been seen that corticosteroids can reduce spontaneous discharge in an injured nerve, which is usually the cause for neuropathic pain. Dexamethasone, another corticosteroid like prednisone, is used often for pain relief, which means that prednisone or prednisolone can also be used.
Can you take pain meds with steroids?
You can take some pain meds with steroids, like paracetamol or other mild analgesics, but mixing drugs like ibuprofen or opioids with steroids like prednisone can cause considerable physical complications like increased heart rate and chronic pain, as well as other stomach related side effects like Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.
Can I eat eggs while taking prednisone?
Yes, you can eat eggs while taking prednisone, in fact, based on the fact that Prednisone can have a negative effect on metabolism, which means that when someone like this takes protein in the morning like eggs and cheese, they may find that it helps with cravings during the day.
What should you not eat when taking prednisone?
Things one should not eat when taking prednisone include things that interfere with the blood glucose, or sugar, as tends to increase the levels of these on its own.
When taking prednisone most doctors will tell the patient to avoid “simple” carbohydrates and concentrated sweets, such as cakes, pies, cookies, jams, honey, chips, breads, candy and other highly processed foods.
Citations
https://www.drugwatch.com/prednisone/
https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a601102.html
