Fludrocortisone Acetate

Fludrocortisone, a corticosteroid, is used to help control the amount of sodium and fluids in your body. It is used to treat Addison's disease and syndromes where excessive amounts of sodium are lost in the urine. It works by decreasing the amount of sodium that is lost (excreted) in your urine. This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Fludrocortisone comes as a tablet to be taken by mouth. Your doctor will prescribe a dosing schedule that is best for you. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take fludrocortisone exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. Do not stop taking fludrocortisone without talking to your doctor. Stopping the drug abruptly can cause loss of appetite, an upset stomach, vomiting, drowsiness, confusion, headache, fever, joint and muscle pain, peeling skin, and weight loss. If you take large doses for a long time, your doctor probably will decrease your dose gradually to allow your body to adjust before stopping the drug completely. Watch for these side effects if you are gradually decreasing your dose and after you stop taking the tablets. If these problems occur, call your doctor immediately. You may need to increase your dose temporarily or start taking the tablets again.

<p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>Fludrocortisone may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

<ul>
<li>
upset stomach</li>
<li>
stomach irritation</li>
<li>
vomiting</li>
<li>
headache</li>
<li>
dizziness</li>
<li>
insomnia</li>
<li>
restlessness</li>
<li>
depression</li>
<li>
anxiety</li>
<li>
acne</li>
<li>
increased hair growth</li>
<li>
easy bruising</li>
<li>
irregular or absent menstrual periods</li></ul></p> <p></p> <p>If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:

<ul>
<li>
skin rash</li>
<li>
swollen face, lower legs, or ankles</li>
<li>
vision problems</li>
<li>
cold or infection that lasts a long time</li>
<li>
muscle weakness</li>
<li>
black or tarry stool</li></ul>If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at <a href='http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch'>http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch</a>] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].</p>

Before taking fludrocortisone, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to fludrocortisone, aspirin, tartrazine (a yellow dye in some processed foods and drugs), or any other drugs. tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially anticoagulants ('blood thinners') such as warfarin (Coumadin), arthritis medications, aspirin, cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), digoxin (Lanoxin), diuretics ('water pills'), estrogen (Premarin), ketoconazole (Nizoral), oral contraceptives, phenobarbital, phenytoin (Dilantin), rifampin (Rifadin), theophylline (Theo-Dur), and vitamins. if you have a fungal infection (other than on your skin), do not take fludrocortisone without talking to your doctor. tell your doctor if you have or have ever had liver, kidney, intestinal, or heart disease; diabetes; an underactive thyroid gland; high blood pressure; mental illness; myasthenia gravis; osteoporosis; herpes eye infection; seizures; tuberculosis (TB); or ulcers. if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking fludrocortisone. if you have a history of ulcers or take large doses of aspirin or other arthritis medication, limit your consumption of alcoholic beverages while taking this drug. Fludrocortisone makes your stomach and intestines more susceptible to the irritating effects of alcohol, aspirin, and certain arthritis medications. This effect increases your risk of ulcers.

In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.