Frequently Asked Questions About Medicines

There is not a scientifically recommended "lupus diet." In general, a well-balanced diet is recommended. If a patient is taking prednisone, we want him or her to watch salt and fat intake.

If you forget a dose, then you can resume treatment on the same day next week. If you are a day late, then just give the dose one date late and resume your normal schedule the following week.

Yes it can. This usually happens within 36 hours of taking the dose.

The Behavioral Health Service has a counselor who works with kids on relaxation and distraction if they get sick prior to getting medicine. Call 412-692-5589.

Contact your pharmacy to find out if it has a drop-off for medications that are no longer used.

Any medication has side effects. Methotrexate (MTX) lowers the immune system and can cause mouth ulcers and nausea. We know that adults have taken MTX safely for decades. Its use for children with arthritis started in the 1980s. We recommend checking the lab work on the liver, kidneys, and blood count every two months.

Prednisone is good for fighting off inflammation, but it does have many potential side effects. A general rule about prednisone is that the lower the dose the better. If higher doses are used for long periods of time, then there is more risk for side effects. Some of these include: high blood pressure, moodiness, personality changes, difficulty sleeping, weight gain, acne, cataract, interruption of the blood supply to the hip, and decrease in rate of growth (height).

Cellcept is a medicine that lowers the immune system. Some people can also experience nausea, stomach pain, and changes in the blood count. Other side effects are possible.

If a patient is taking medicine that lowers the immune system, then we would like him or her to avoid "live" vaccines. These would include varicella (chickenpox) and MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella).

If your child is getting a well-balanced diet, vitamins are not necessary. Otherwise, a multi-vitamin is recommended.

If a child feels well and the exam is normal, we might just leave him or her at the dose of medication. If the child is not doing well, then we may want to increase the medicine dose.

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