Methylprednisolone provides relief for inflamed areas of the body. It is used to treat a number of different conditions, including skin conditions with rashes and inflammation. Methylprednisolone is a corticosteroid (cortisone-like medicine or steroid). It works on the immune system to help relieve swelling, heat, redness, itching, and allergic reactions.¹

It is similar to a natural hormone produced by your adrenal glands and is often used to replace this chemical when your body does not make enough of it.²

Your dose depends on your condition and how severe it is. There are two common approaches:³

• Custom daily dosing: Adults typically start at 4 mg to 48 mg per day, with lower doses often enough for milder cases. Once symptoms improve, your provider gradually lowers the dose to the smallest amount that keeps them under control.

• Six-day dose pack: A prepackaged taper of 21 tablets, each 4 mg, often used for short-term flare-ups. You take one fewer tablet (4 mg less) each day:

• Day 1: 24 mg (six tablets, spread across the day as directed on the pack)

• Day 2: 20 mg (five tablets)

• Day 3: 16 mg (four tablets)

• Day 4: 12 mg (three tablets)

• Day 5: 8 mg (two tablets)

• Day 6: 4 mg (one tablet)

RedBox Rx offers a 21-tablet dose pack of methylprednisolone for only $25 after a $39 online consult, with no insurance required. Your provider will confirm whether the dose pack or a different dosage is right for you.

Directions for the 21-tablet dose pack prescribed by RedBox Rx will vary from patient to patient, so be sure to follow your doctor’s specific instructions very carefully.

Your dose needs may change if you have unusual stress, such as a serious illness, fever, or infection, or if you have surgery or a medical emergency. Tell your doctor about any such situation that affects you.

This medicine can cause unusual results with certain medical tests. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are using a methylprednisolone dose pack.

You should not stop using methylprednisolone dose pack suddenly. Follow your doctor's instructions about tapering your dose.⁴

Yes, methylprednisolone is a prescription steroid medication.⁵

Methylprednisolone and prednisone are not the exact same drug, but they are very similar synthetic corticosteroids that treat inflammation and suppress the immune system. The main difference between oral methylprednisolone and oral prednisone is that methylprednisolone is slightly stronger than prednisone.⁵ Learn more about prednisone.

Methylprednisolone works quickly and patients often feel relief within the first few days of treatment.⁶

The dose of methylprednisolone will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.⁷

Methylprednisolone requires a prescription. Start an online consult for skin rash and inflammation with RedBox Rx to see if methylprednisolone could be right for you.

Through RedBox Rx, methylprednisolone is $25 per treatment (21-tablet dose pack) following a $39 online doctor consult with a licensed medical provider. No insurance required and no membership fees.

You save money on your doctor consultation fee by selecting RedBox Rx pharmacy and having treatment shipped to your address. Consult fee increases to $69 if another pharmacy is used.

Yes, in some patients, methylprednisolone causes rapid weight gain.⁸

Methylprednisolone isn‘t known to interact with alcohol. But methylprednisolone and alcohol can cause some similar side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, and headache. So, you may be more likely to experience these side effects if you drink alcohol during your methylprednisolone treatment.⁹

Using methylprednisolone with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.¹⁰

• Desmopressin

• Ensitrelvir

• Mifepristone

• Ranolazine

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.¹¹

• Aceclofenac

• Acemetacin

• Aldesleukin

• Alfentanil

• Amlodipine

• Amtolmetin Guacil

• Apalutamide

• Artemether

• Aspirin

• Atazanavir

• Atogepant

• Avacopan

• Balofloxacin

• Bemiparin

• Benzhydrocodone

• Besifloxacin

• Bromfenac

• Bufexamac

• Bupropion

• Carbamazepine

• Cariprazine

• Celecoxib

• Choline Salicylate

• Ciprofloxacin

• Clarithromycin

• Clonixin

• Clozapine

• Cobicistat

• Codeine

• Conivaptan

• Cosyntropin

• Cyclosporine

• Darunavir

• Dexibuprofen

• Dexketoprofen

• Diclofenac

• Diflunisal

• Desmopressin

• Ensitrelvir

• Mifepristone

• Ranolazine

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.¹²

• Acenocoumarol

• Alcuronium

• Apixaban

• Aprepitant

• Atracurium

• Auranofin

• Bendroflumethiazide

• Benzthiazide

• Bumetanide

• Chlorothiazide

• Chlorthalidone

• Clopamide

• Cyclopenthiazide

• Cyclothiazide

• Dalfopristin

• Diazoxide

• Diltiazem

• Ethacrynic Acid

• Etozolin

• Fluindione

• Fosaprepitant

• Furosemide

• Gallamine

• Hexafluorenium

• Hydrochlorothiazide

• Hydroflumethiazide

• Kratom

• Licorice

• Methyclothiazide

• Metocurine

• Metolazone

• Mibefradil

• Nefazodone

• Phenobarbital

• Piretanide

• Primidone

• Quinethazone

• Quinupristin

• Rifampin

• Rivaroxaban

Before taking methylprednisolone:¹³

• Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to methylprednisolone, 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, azithromycin (Zithromax), clarithromycin (Biaxin), cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), digoxin (Lanoxin), diuretics (water pills), erythromycin, estrogen (Premarin), ketoconazole (Nizoral), oral contraceptives, phenobarbital, phenytoin (Dilantin), rifampin (Rifadin), theophylline (Theo-Dur), or vitamins.

• If you have a fungal infection (other than on your skin), do not take methylprednisolone 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.

• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while taking methylprednisolone, call your doctor.

• If you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking methylprednisolone.

• 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. Methylprednisolone 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.

Your doctor may instruct you to follow a low-sodium, low-salt, potassium-rich, or high-protein diet. Follow your doctor’s directions.

Methylprednisolone may cause an upset stomach. Take methylprednisolone with food or milk.¹⁴

When you start to take methylprednisolone, ask your doctor what to do if you forget a dose. Write down these instructions so you can refer to them later.

If you take methylprednisolone once a day, take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.¹⁵

No, methylprednisolone doesn’t typically cause sleepiness. However, it can cause restlessness and trouble sleeping.¹⁶

Methylprednisolone may cause side effects, including:

• Upset stomach

• Stomach irritation

• Vomiting

• Headache

• Dizziness

• Insomnia

• Restlessness

• Depression

• Anxiety

• Acne

• Increased hair growth

• Easy bruising

• Irregular or absent menstrual periods

If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:

• Skin rash

• Rapid weight gain

• Swollen face, lower legs, or ankles

• Vision problems

• Cold or infection that lasts a long time

• Muscle weakness

• Black or tarry stool

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 (https://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch) or by phone (1-800-332-1088).^{17, 18}

Methylprednisolone tablets clear your system in approximately 13 to 20 hours after your last dose.¹⁹

Keep this medication in the container it comes in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom).

It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children, as many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location — one that is up, and out of their sight and reach.

Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in your community.²⁰

In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at 1-800-222-1222. Information is also available online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at 911.²¹

Keep all appointments with your doctor. If your condition worsens, call your doctor. Your dose may need to be adjusted.

This drug makes you more susceptible to illnesses. If you are exposed to chickenpox, measles, or tuberculosis (TB) while taking methylprednisolone, call your doctor. Do not have a vaccination, other immunization, or any skin test while you are taking methylprednisolone unless your doctor tells you that you may.

Report any injuries or signs of infection (fever, sore throat, pain during urination, or muscle aches) that occur during treatment.

Your doctor may instruct you to weigh yourself every day. Report any unusual weight gain.

If your sputum (the matter you cough up during an asthma attack) thickens or changes color from clear white to yellow, green, or gray, call your doctor; these changes may be signs of an infection.

If you have diabetes, methylprednisolone may increase your blood sugar level. If you monitor your blood sugar (glucose) at home, test your blood or urine more frequently than usual. Call your doctor if your blood sugar is high or if sugar is present in your urine; your dose of diabetes medication and your diet may need to be changed.

Do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.

It is important for you to keep a written list of all the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.²²

Brand names for methylprednisolone include:²³

• Medrol^®

• Medrol^® Dosepak

We offer a variety of prescription medication options for skin rashes, hives, and eczema, including:

• Clobetasol 0.05% cream

• Clobetasol 0.05% ointment

• Clobetasol 0.05% topical solution

• Hydroxyzine (Generic Atarax®)

• Triamcinolone 0.1% cream

• Triamcinolone 0.1% ointment

• Hydrocortisone 2.5% cream

• Prednisone tablet

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