Prednisone for Poison Ivy

It's no fun to be suffering from a reaction to poison ivy. The rash and itching can can become painful and even spread. Have you ever had your doctor prescribe prednisone for poison ivy? Is this a legitimate treatment? How does it work? How much predinose should you take to ease the symptoms of poison ivy? Read on to learn more about treating poison ivy with prednisone.

When taken in high doses, the symptoms of poison ivy can be reduced in both severity and duration by the use of a corticosteroid such as prednisone. Poison ivy and other contact allergens, such as poison oak and poison sumac, cause severe rashes and itching. When this occurs, prescription relief may be in order.

How does prednisone help?

Why are corticosteroids effective for treating poison ivy. The reaction to poison ivy is an allergic reaction. Allergic reactions are immune reactions. Corticosteroids can have an effect on immune response. In particular, prednisone taken orally has proven to be the most effect way to achieve some comfort from the immune response to poison ivy.

Prednisone dosage for poison ivy

Prednisone dosage for poison ivy can differ depending on your physician, but this is an example of a possible dose. Typically, prednisone doses last 15 days, and the dose is decreased gradually in order to reduce withdrawal symptoms. The first 5 days, a patient will take a 60 mg dose. The next five days, the dose will be decreased to 40 mg. Finally, the last 5 days will be a 20 mg dose. Your poison ivy syptoms may be gone in under a week, but you need to complete the prednisone as prescribed by the doctor to avoid harmful side effects from coming off of the drug too quickly.

Side effects

When taking prednisone for poison ivy, there are certain side effects to be aware of. Mental symptoms may include confusion, mood swings, a heightened sense of well being, nervousness, and personality differences. Abdominal symptoms could include indigestion, loss of appetite, and either weight loss or weight gain. Other physical symptoms include dizziness, muscle weakness, joint pain, low blood pressure, insomnia, and chronic sore throat. Women can experience changes to their menstrual cycle. Obviously, a person must have a serious case of poison ivy to make it worth the risk of the many side effects of prednisone. If your doctor prescribes prednisone, he has no doubt weighed these factors in the decision.