Betamethasone Sodium Phosphate/Acetate Suspension, Injection

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: corticosteroid

Generic and brand names: betamethasone acetate suspension, injection; betamethasone sodium phosphate and betamethasone acetate, injection; betamethasone sodium phosphate, injection; Celestone Soluspan

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is given by injection (shots) into a muscle, a joint, or a lesion (sore) on the skin. It is used to reduce inflammation, irritation, and pain. This medicine is a form of cortisone called a corticosteroid.

This medicine may also be given to pregnant women at risk for preterm delivery to help mature the lungs of the infants and help prevent respiratory distress in the newborns.

It may be used for other conditions as determined by your healthcare provider.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before taking this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you have:

• an allergy to any medicine
• diabetes
• diverticulitis
• glaucoma
• high blood pressure
• liver or kidney disease
• lupus
• osteoporosis
• thyroid problems
• tuberculosis
• ulcerative colitis.

Females of childbearing age: Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

How should I use it?

These shots are given by your healthcare provider. Keep all appointments for the shots.

What should I watch out for?

You may get infections more easily when you are taking this medicine. Stay away from people with measles, chickenpox, or other infections. Also, do not have any vaccines (such as smallpox) without getting your healthcare provider's approval first.

Usually you should not have other vaccinations (shots to prevent diseases) while taking this medicine. Talk with your healthcare provider about this.

Diabetics: This medicine may affect your blood sugar level and change the amount of insulin or other diabetes medicines you may need. Talk to your healthcare provider about this.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (Report these to your healthcare provider right away. If you cannot reach your healthcare provider right away, get emergency medical care or call 911 for help): Allergic reaction (hives; itching; rash; trouble breathing; tightness in your chest; swelling of your lips, tongue, and throat).

Serious (report these to your healthcare provider right away): Headache, fever, seizures, increased pain, increased thirst, weight loss, weakness, frequent urination.

Other: Menstrual irregularities, swelling, muscle weakness, vision problems, abdominal bloating, depression, mood changes, trouble sleeping, acne, dizziness, pain at injection site.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• amphotericin B (Fungizone, Amphocin, Abelcet, AmBisome)
• antibiotics such as isoniazid (Laniazid, Nydrazid), rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane), and Rifabutin (Mycobutin), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), levofloxacin (Levaquin), moxifloxacin (Avelox), and gatifloxacin (Tequin)
• antifungals such as ketoconazole (Nizoral), itraconazole (Sporanox), and fluconazole (Diflucan)
• antiseizure medicines such as phenytoin (Dilantin), carbamazepine (Tegretol), primidone (Mysoline), and phenobarbital (Solfoton, Luminal)
• aspirin (daily doses)
• bupropion (Wellbutrin, Zyban)
• cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral)
• digoxin (Lanoxin)
• insulin and diabetes medicines taken by mouth such as glipizide (Glucotrol), glyburide (DiaBeta, Micronase, Glynase), tolazamide (Tolinase), tolbutamide, and metformin (Glucophage)
• isoniazid
• live virus vaccines
• natural remedies such as cat's claw and echinacea
• potassium sparing diuretics such as amiloride (Midamor), spironolactone (Aldactone), and triamterene (Dyrenium, Dyazide, Maxzide)
• quetiapine (Seroquel)
• warfarin (Coumadin).

Do not drink alcohol while you are taking this medicine.

Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, nonprescription, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins) with you. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.