Betamethasone Side Effects

Brand Names: Celestone, Celestone Soluspan

Please note - some side effects for Betamethasone may not be reported. Always consult your doctor or healthcare specialist for medical advice. You may also report side effects to the FDA at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/ or 1-800-FDA-1088 (1-800-332-1088).

Side Effects of Betamethasone - for the Consumer

Betamethasone

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Betamethasone:

Acne; clumsiness; dizziness; facial flushing; general body discomfort; headache; increased appetite; increased sweating; lightheadedness; nausea; nervousness; pain, swelling, or redness at the injection site; sleeplessness; upset stomach.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); black, tarry stools; changes in body fat; changes in menstrual periods; changes in skin color; chest pain; easy bruising or bleeding; irregular heartbeat; mental or mood changes (eg, depression); muscle pain, wasting, or weakness; seizures; severe nausea or vomiting; sudden severe dizziness or headache; swelling of feet or legs; symptoms of infection (eg, chills, fever, sore throat); tendon or bone pain; thinning of the skin; unusual skin sensation; unusual weight gain; vision changes or other eye problems; vomit that looks like coffee grounds.

Betamethasone Valerate Cream

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Betamethasone Valerate Cream:

Acne; cracking and stinging of the skin; dryness; excessive hair growth; inflamed hair follicles; itching; skin irritation.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); itching, burning, redness, or swelling not present before the use of Betamethasone Valerate Cream; secondary infection; skin thinning and discoloration.

Betamethasone Dipropionate Cream

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Betamethasone Dipropionate Cream:

Dry skin; mild, temporary stinging when applied.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); acne-like rash; burning, cracking, irritation, or peeling not present before you began using Betamethasone Dipropionate Cream; excessive hair growth; inflamed hair follicles; inflammation around the mouth; muscle weakness; thinning, softening, or discoloration of the skin; unusual weight gain, especially in the face.

Betamethasone Dipropionate (Augmented) Cream

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Betamethasone Dipropionate (Augmented) Cream:

Dry skin; mild, temporary stinging when applied.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); acne-like rash; burning, cracking, irritation, or peeling not present before you began using Betamethasone Dipropionate (Augmented) Cream; excessive hair growth; inflamed hair follicles; inflammation around the mouth; muscle weakness; thinning, softening, or discoloration of the skin; unusual weight gain, especially in the face.

Betamethasone Valerate Foam

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Betamethasone Valerate Foam:

Dry skin; mild, temporary stinging when applied.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); acne-like rash; burning, cracking, irritation, or peeling not present before you began using Betamethasone Valerate Foam; excessive hair growth; inflamed hair follicles; inflammation around the mouth; muscle weakness; thinning, softening, or discoloration of the skin; unusual weight gain, especially in the face.

Betamethasone Dipropionate Gel

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Betamethasone Dipropionate Gel:

Mild, temporary stinging when applied.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); burning; itching; redness; swelling.

Betamethasone Valerate Lotion

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Betamethasone Valerate Lotion:

Acne; cracking and stinging of the skin; dryness; excessive hair growth; inflamed hair follicles; itching; skin irritation.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); itching, burning, redness, or swelling not present before the use of Betamethasone Valerate Lotion; secondary infection; skin thinning and discoloration.

Betamethasone Dipropionate (Augmented) Lotion

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Betamethasone Dipropionate (Augmented) Lotion:

Dry skin; mild, temporary stinging when applied.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); acne-like rash; burning, cracking, irritation, or peeling not present before you began using Betamethasone Dipropionate (Augmented) Lotion; excessive hair growth; inflamed hair follicles; inflammation around the mouth; muscle weakness; thinning, softening, or discoloration of the skin; unusual weight gain, especially in the face.

Betamethasone Dipropionate Lotion

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Betamethasone Dipropionate Lotion:

Dry skin; mild, temporary stinging when applied.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); acne-like rash; burning, cracking, irritation, or peeling not present before you began using Betamethasone Dipropionate Lotion; excessive hair growth; inflamed hair follicles; inflammation around the mouth; muscle weakness; thinning, softening, or discoloration of the skin; unusual weight gain, especially in the face.

Betamethasone/Calcipotriene Ointment

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Betamethasone/Calcipotriene Ointment:

Dry skin; headache; itching; mild burning at the application site; throat irritation.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); acne-like rash; burning, cracking, irritation, redness, or peeling skin not present before you began using Betamethasone/Calcipotriene Ointment; excessive hair growth; inflamed hair follicles; inflammation around the mouth; muscle weakness; thinning, softening, or discoloration of the skin; unusual weight gain, especially in the face.

Betamethasone Solution

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Betamethasone Solution:

Difficulty sleeping; dizziness or lightheadedness; headache; increased appetite; increased sweating; indigestion; nervousness.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); black, tarry stools; changes in menstrual periods; chest pain; eye pain or increased pressure in the eye; fever, chills, or sore throat; joint or bone pain; mood or mental changes (eg, depression); muscle pain or weakness; seizures; severe or persistent nausea or vomiting; stomach pain or bloating; swelling of feet or legs; trouble sleeping; unusual weight gain or loss; vision changes; vomiting material that looks like coffee grounds.

Betamethasone/Calcipotriene Suspension

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Betamethasone/Calcipotriene Suspension:

Mild burning, itching, pain, or redness at the application site.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); acne-like rash; confusion; eye irritation; increased thirst or urination; inflamed hair pores; muscle weakness; persistent headache; severe burning, cracking, irritation, redness, or peeling skin not present before you began using Betamethasone/Calcipotriene Suspension; severe or persistent dizziness, drowsiness, or weakness; severe or persistent vomiting; thinning, softening, or discoloration of the skin; unusual or easy bruising; unusual weight gain, especially in the face.

Betamethasone Side Effects - for the Professional

Betamethasone

The following local adverse reactions are reported infrequently when Betamethasone Dipropionate Lotion is used as recommended in the DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION section. These reactions are listed in an approximate decreasing order of occurrence: burning, itching, irritation, dryness, folliculitis, hypertrichosis, acneiform eruptions, hypopigmentation, perioral dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, maceration of the skin, secondary infection, skin atrophy, striae, miliaria.

Adverse reactions reported to be possibly or probably related to treatment with Betamethasone Dipropionate Lotion during a pediatric study include: paresthesia (burning), erythema, erythematous rash, and dry skin. These adverse reactions each occurred in a different patient; 4% of the 25 patient population, respectively. An adverse reaction reported to be possibly or probably related to treatment in 2 different patients, 8%, of the 25 patients is pruritus.

Systemic absorption of topical corticosteroids has produced reversible hypothalamic‑pituitary‑adrenal (HPA) axis suppression, manifestations of Cushing's syndrome, hyperglycemia, and glucosuria in some patients.

Side Effects by Body System

General

Corticosteroid complications are primarily dose and duration of therapy dependent. Adverse effects have occurred less frequently at physiologic or lower pharmacologic dosages.

Adverse effects associated with duration of corticosteroid therapy include those occurring during short-term therapy (up to three weeks) or those occurring during long-term therapy (greater than three weeks).

Short-term effects have included sodium retention-related weight gain and fluid accumulation, hyperglycemia and glucose intolerance, hypokalemia, gastrointestinal upset and ulceration, reversible depression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and mood changes including mild euphoria and insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, mania, catatonia, depression, delusions, hallucinations, and violent behavior.

Long-term effects have included hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activity suppression, Cushingoid appearance, hirsutism or virilism, impotence, menstrual irregularities, peptic ulcer disease, cataracts and increased intraocular pressure/glaucoma, myopathy, osteoporosis, and vertebral compression fractures.

Cardiovascular

Cardiovascular side effects have included hypertension and congestive heart failure due to long-term fluid retention as well as direct vascular effects.

Endocrine

Endocrine side effects have included decreased glucose tolerance and hyperglycemia resulting in diabetes-like symptoms. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activity has been suppressed up to 12 months following long-term corticosteroid administration. Cushingoid appearance commonly has occurred with chronic therapy. Hirsutism or virilism, impotence, and menstrual irregularities may occur.

Corticosteroid therapy may induce glucose intolerance by reducing the utilization of glucose in tissues and increasing hepatic glucose output. Diabetes mellitus requiring diet modifications and hypoglycemic agents has developed in some patients.

Adrenal suppression can persist for up to twelve months after long-term corticosteroid therapy. Giving corticosteroids once a day or once every other day may reduce adrenal suppression. After corticosteroid therapy has been tapered, supplemental corticosteroid therapy during times of physical stress may be required.

Gastrointestinal

Gastrointestinal side effects have included gastrointestinal upset, nausea, vomiting, and peptic ulcer disease. Pancreatitis, ulcerative esophagitis, gastrointestinal perforation, and hemorrhage also have been reported.

Gastrointestinal effects have most commonly included nausea, vomiting, dyspepsia, and anorexia. Peptic ulcer disease has been associated with long-term corticosteroid therapy, but is relatively uncommon. Routine prophylactic therapy was not warranted in all individuals. Aluminum/magnesium-containing antacids generally have been used to manage GI complaints without significant drug interactions.

Metabolic

Metabolic side effects have included hypernatremia (rare), hypokalemia, fluid retention, negative nitrogen balance and increased blood urea nitrogen concentration. Glucocorticoids have been reported to decrease the secretion of thyrotropin (TSH).

Musculoskeletal

Corticosteroid myopathy has presented as weakness and wasting of the proximal limb and girdle muscles and generally has resolved following cessation of therapy.

Corticosteroids inhibit intestinal absorption and increase urinary excretion of calcium leading to bone resorption and bone loss. Postmenopausal females are at risk of loss of bone density. Sixteen percent of elderly patients treated with corticosteroids for 5 years may experience vertebral compression fractures.

Musculoskeletal side effects have included myopathy, osteoporosis, vertebral compression fractures, tendon rupture (particularly the Achilles tendon), and aseptic necrosis of bone. Aseptic necrosis has been reported most often to affect the femoral head.

Immunologic

Immunologic side effects have included impairment in cell-mediated immunity and increased susceptibility to bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic infections. Immune response to skin tests has been suppressed. Rare cases of anaphylaxis have been reported in patients receiving parenteral corticosteroids.

Ocular

Ocular side effects have included increased intraocular pressure, glaucoma, and posterior subcapsular cataracts.

One study reviewing the use of intranasal steroids in 286,078 patients found no increased risk of cataracts.

Dermatologic

Dermatologic side effects have included an increased ease in bruising, ecchymosis, petechiae striae, delayed wound healing, and acne.

Psychiatric

Psychiatric side effects have included psychoses, personality or behavioral changes, and pseudotumor cerebri.

Hematologic

Hematologic side effects have included thrombocytopenia, lymphopenia, and platelet alterations resulting in thrombolic events.

Other

Pseudorheumatism or glucocorticoid-withdrawal syndrome not related to adrenal insufficiency has occurred on withdrawal of corticosteroids. Patients experienced anorexia, nausea, vomiting, lethargy, headache, fever, arthralgias, myalgias, and postural hypotension. Symptoms resolved when corticosteroid therapy was reinstated.

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