Betamethasone : Drug Information

What is Betamethasone?

Betamethasone is commonly available under brand names such as  Alphatrex, Del-Beta, Diprosone, Sernivo, Dovobet, Occlucort. It is a type of steroid medication. Betamethasone belongs to the class of drugs known as Anti-inflammatory drugs. Doctors prescribe Betamethasone to treat conditions like

• Rheumatic disorders, such as rheumatic arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus
• Skin diseases like dermatitis and Psoriasis
• Allergic diseases such as asthma and angioedema
• Preterm labor to speed up the development of the fetus
• Chron’s disease
• Cancers such as leukemia (along with other drugs)

It is available in the below-mentioned forms. One can avail of this medication only with a proper prescription from a doctor.

Drugs	Form	Generic name
Celestone soluspan	Injection	betamethasone acetate and betamethasone sodium phosphate
betamethasone dipropionate	Lotion	betamethasone dipropionate
Diprolene	Ointment	betamethasone dipropionate
Diprolene AF	Cream	betamethasone dipropionate
Luxiq	Aerosol  foam	betamethasone valerate
sernivo	Spray	betamethasone dipropionate
betamethasone valerate	Cream	betamethasone valerate
betamethasone valerate	Ointment	betamethasone valerate
betamethasone valerate	Lotion	betamethasone valerate

 

Important Information

• You must visit your doctor regularly and take a proper body checkup to avoid unwanted medicines effects.
• Please don’t stop taking Betamethasone without consulting your doctor; otherwise, you may face unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.
• Please avoid medical errors.
• Please don’t use cosmetics products or other skincare products in the affected areas.
• It is available in a different form; your doctor may prescribe the suitable form of medicine after a complete checkup.

What to know before taking Betamethasone?

You should avoid taking this medication if you are allergic to it or any of its components or if you have

• Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
• Any other severe illness or infection in the past few weeks
• Tuberculosis or family history of tuberculosis

To ensure that Betamethasone is safe for you, you should tell your doctor if you have or ever had the following medical issues:

• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Thyroid disorder
• Parasite infection resulted in diarrhea
• Herpes infection in the eyes
• Muscles disorder
• Kidney disease
• Cirrhosis or any other liver disease
• Mental illness or psychosis
• Stomach ulcers, diverticulitis, colostomy, ileostomy
• Perforation in stomach or intestine
• Malaria
• Osteoporosis (low bone mineral density)

Expecting women should consult their doctor before using this medication. Lactating mothers should not use Betamethasone; it may harm their child.

How to take Betamethasone?

Take Betamethasone precisely as prescribed by the doctor. You must follow all the instructions given on the prescription label and medication guide carefully. Please don’t take it more than recommended and try to be consistent throughout the treatment. Consult your doctor if you are not feeling any improvement in the condition or getting worse.

Keep the medication out of children’s reach and store it at room temperature away from heat and moisture. After completion of treatment, ask your pharmacist regarding the disposal of leftover medicines.

Betamethasone dosage

The dosage of Betamethasone prescribed by the doctor is dependent on several factors, such as :

• The age and weight
• Symptoms
• The seriousness of the condition
• Another medical problem that the patient is having
• Other medications that the patient is using
• How the patient reacted to the first dose of the medication

The doctor may prescribe you the dosage of Betamethasone (topical form) according to the patient’s different medical conditions.

For itching, swelling, and redness of the skin

In the state of gel, cream, lotion, or ointment

• For adults and children (above 13 years)

Apply the medicine to the affected area once or twice a day.

• For children (below 13 years of age)

Doctors should not prescribe Betamethasone for this age group.

For Psoriasis (ranging from mild to moderate)

In the form of spray

• For adults

Apply the medicine to the affected area twice a day. Doctors should not recommend the use of Betamethasone spray for more than four weeks.

• For children

Doctors should not prescribe Betamethasone for this age group.

Overdose

If you ever feel uneasy after taking Betamethasone or have taken the medication in excess, Do consult your doctor and seek medical help as soon as possible. You can get medical assistance by calling on the poison helpline number at 1-800-222-1222. It would be best if you don’t ignore these symptoms; they can be very dangerous.

• Thinning of the epidermal layer of the body
• Easy bruising
• Weight gain
• Increased acne
• Growth of facial hairs
• Menstrual problem
• Problem in intimacy

What to avoid while using Betamethasone?

You should avoid taking any live vaccine, such as the vaccine for chickenpox, nasal flu, yellow fever, polio, rotavirus, typhoid, measles, etc., while you are on this medication. Try to avoid being in contact with the person affected by severe illness. Ask your doctor for precautionary measures if you got exposed to measles or chickenpox. However, you can receive vaccines for hepatitis, pneumonia, whooping cough, HPV, shingles, etc.

Betamethasone side effects

Some of the common side effects symptoms of using Betamethasone are as follows:

• Headache
• Mood swings
• Depression
• The problem in sleeping (insomnia)
• Numbness
• Tingling
• Burning pain
• Skin redness
• Itching
• Discoloration
• Thinning skin
• Stretch marks
• Muscles weakness
• Nausea or vomiting
• Bloating
• Pain in stomach
• Any allergic reaction to the medicines

It is obvious to experience mild side effect symptoms, but if these symptoms bother you so much and are unbearable, you should consult your doctor and ask for medical help. You can stop taking medication and tell your doctor if you face the following problems while taking Betamethasone:

• Irregular heartbeats
• Blurred vision
• Tunnel vision
• Pain in eyes
• Seeing halos around the lights
• Bumps on the skin or raised scars on the skin
• Pain in chest
• Swollen glands
• Seizures
• Swelling in the body
• Unusual weight gain
• Shortness of breath
• Any unhealed wound
• Pain, swelling, or stiffness in the joints
• Severe pain in the upper stomach
• Severe depression
• Unusual thought or behavior
• Increased adrenal gland hormones result in weight gain in your face and shoulders, slow wound healing, skin discoloration, thinning skin, increased body hair, tiredness, mood changes, menstrual changes, sexual changes.

You should also report to your doctor from time to time if you experience any new symptoms or your symptoms are getting even worse.

What drugs can interact with Betamethasone?

If your doctor is treating you with Betamethasone, he must be knowing all the possible interactions with other medications. It will be best to tell your doctor about all the over the counter medicines you take or taken in the past few days. Some of the following medications which can interact with Betamethasone are:

• Aminoglutethimide
• Amphotericin B injection and potassium-depleting agents
• Antibiotics
• Anticholinesterases
• Oral anticoagulants
• Antidiabetics
• Antitubercular drugs
• Cholestyramine
• Cyclosporine
• Digitalis glycosides
• Estrogens, including oral contraceptives
• Hepatic enzyme inducers
• Ketoconazole
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs)
• Diminished response to vaccines
• Herbal products
• Vitamins or other nutritional supplements