Calcort Description

Calcort or generic Deflazacort is an oral corticosteroid drug taken to treat many diseases and conditions that cause inflammation or require suppressing the immune system, including arthritis, ulcerative colitis, connective tissue disease, asthma, and organ transplants. The generic alternative is not manufactured by the company that makes the brand product.

Corticosteroids imitate your own natural hormones (cortisol) your adrenal glands produce, however, some treatments require increasing this hormone to treat certain diseases and conditions in order to provide relief from the symptoms. This is not an anabolic steroid that is taken to boost performance or building muscles.

What Does Calcort Do?

When taken as directed, Calcort will work by acting within your cells to stop the release of inflammatory chemicals, such as prostaglandins or leukotrienes, that your immune response will signal when there is a threat detected. Although inflammation is part of the healing process, inflammation can cause more inflammation and pain.

Calcort also works to decrease the number of white blood cells circulating in your blood to suppress your immune system as a way to prevent an attack on healthy tissues or organs that are believed to be a threat. Some individuals have an over-active immune system that attacks healthy tissues or organs as a misguided immune response. By reducing the actions of your immune system, the attack is prevented. This is especially important for the success of transplanted organs.

Conditions Calcort May Treat

Rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis are among the medical conditions believed to be an autoimmune disease. Taking Calcort will help to suppress your immune system as a means of damage control and reducing the inflammation that can cause pain or discomfort. Calcort is not a cure for autoimmune diseases, but it will relieve the symptoms so you are able to carry on with your day.

Organ transplants such as heart, lungs, or liver will require a lifetime of anti-rejection medications, including corticosteroids because your immune system will detect the organ as a foreign intruder and will work to rid your body of the danger this threat poses to you. To protect this new organ from damage, your immune system is suppressed. However, with your immune system not working at full speed, you are more susceptible to other infections.

Before Calcort is Taken

Ask your doctor about any risks of taking Calcort while you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or are breast feeding. Discuss other medical conditions or allergies with your doctor and list any current OTC or Rx drugs you take or use, including herbal remedies and dietary or vitamin supplements to determine if Calcort is safe for you.

Calcort Precautions

Do not stop taking Calcort or Deflazacort generic without proper direction from your doctor as it must be done gradually to give your adrenal glands time to adjust to increasing their production of cortisol once your body is weaned off of the corticosteroid. If you are scheduled for any dental or medical procedure, make sure the medical staff are aware you are taking Calcort as you may have to stop taking it for a time before or after the procedure.

Possible Side Effects of Calcort

• Indigestion
• Change in appetite
• Raised blood glucose

Drugs Similar to Calcort

• Betnesol
• Kenacort
• Decadron