When should cortisone tablets not be used?

Patients who have already had an allergic reaction to this active substance should not take any further dose. There are no contraindications for short-term applications that may be life-threatening. For longer-term use, certain relative contraindications should be mentioned: During pregnancy and breastfeeding, cortisone tablets should only be taken in urgent cases, as a harmful effect on the child cannot be ruled out. – Acute viral infections such as herpes simplex, chickenpox, polio

Active chronic hepatitis B
Approx. 8 weeks before to 2 weeks after vaccination
Complications after tuberculosis vaccinations

Prednisolone

Prednisolone is a glucocorticoid that is more effective than cortisone. A dose of 7.5mg prednisolone has a comparable effect to 30mg cortisone. Prednisolone is available in tablet form, for example as Decortin in dosages of 25/50 and 75 mg.

It is used to treat various diseases. A large field of application is skin diseases of various causes. Prednisolon tablets can also be used in the treatment of rheumatic diseases, sarcoidosis, respiratory diseases, chronic inflammatory bowel diseases or hair loss. Prednisolone tablets should not be discontinued abruptly, but should always be discontinued to avoid complications.

Cortisone tablets and alcohol – is this compatible?

During a treatment with cortisone tablets one should refrain from the consumption of alcohol. Alcohol consumption can increase the effect of cortisone and thus also the side effects. Furthermore, alcohol promotes inflammatory processes in the body and impairs the healing process.

Most illnesses that have to be treated with higher-dose cortisone tablets are thus aggravated or even prevented from healing. Furthermore, side effects caused by alcohol consumption cannot be 100% predicted. Liver damage caused by alcohol is also possible and can lead to serious consequences.

Weight gain through cortisone tablets

Long-term therapy with high-dose cortisone tablets can result in weight gain as a possible side effect. This is based on several mechanisms of action of cortisone. Cortisone leads to water retention in the tissue (edema), which increases weight.

Furthermore, the appetite can be increased, so that more calories are supplied. Overweight people in particular should therefore pay more attention to their diet under cortisone therapy in order not to gain weight. In addition, cortisone has effects on fat metabolism.

It leads to a redistribution of the fatty tissue, so that a trunk obesity develops in the case of long-term therapy above the Cushing’s threshold. Fat accumulates in the face, neck and trunk. In this context one also speaks of a moon face and a bull’s neck.

Are cortisone tablets available without a prescription?

By cortisone tablets are meant various glucocorticoids, which are available in different potencies. This does not necessarily have to be the active ingredient cortisone. For example, there are also tablets with the much stronger active ingredient prednisolone.

Tablets with glucocorticoids are not available without a prescription. The purchase from dubious Internet pharmacies that promise over-the-counter delivery should therefore be avoided. Glucocorticoids are very effective and important drugs, but they should not be taken without a doctor’s consultation and a precise application scheme. Therefore these tablets are not available over the counter.