Concerns Taking Prednisone With Other Drugs For Ménière's Disease
In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses concerns a reader has combining prednisone, clonazepam and an antihistamine.
I was just put on 40 mg of prednisone for 2 weeks for a flare-up of Ménière’s disease. Can I still take my antihistamine and my rescue med, Klonopin, for dizziness? I forgot to ask my doctor, and it’s the weekend now, so no one is in the office.
Apr 14, 2024- Prednisone has no known interactions with Klonopin or most antihistamines, though your antihistamine and Klonopin together may cause added drowsiness.
- Steroid treatment for Ménière's disease flare-ups typically lasts only 7 to 14 days, though this can vary for each person.
Answer
Thank you for reaching out to us!
I'm sorry to hear you're experiencing a flare-up of Ménière’s disease. The fact that you were prescribed a steroid such as prednisone likely indicates that you are having some pretty disabling symptoms despite being on other first-line treatments for the condition. I hope you start to feel better soon!
Regarding taking prednisone with your two other medications, Klonopin and an antihistamine (you didn't mention which one), there are no known interactions. If you plugged all of these drugs into an online 'drug-interaction checker', you'd likely only get a result warning against the combination of your antihistamine and Klonopin (with the risk being additive central nervous system depressant effects). Otherwise, there is no interaction between them.
Generally, in those who take steroids for a flare-up of Ménière’s disease, the duration of therapy is only 7-14 days total, although this can vary per individual. If you have any other concerns about taking prednisone, or interactions with other drugs, let us know and we can provide some more information for you.
Final Words
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References & sources
Glossary — Terms in This Answer
- Ménière's disease
- A disorder of the inner ear that causes episodes of vertigo, hearing loss, and ringing in the ears.
- Flare-up
- A sudden worsening or return of symptoms of a chronic condition.
- Steroid
- A type of anti-inflammatory medication that reduces swelling and suppresses immune system activity.
- Prednisone
- A corticosteroid medication used to reduce inflammation and suppress immune responses.
- First-line treatments
- The standard or preferred medications that doctors try first for treating a condition.
- Klonopin
- A medication that belongs to the benzodiazepine class and is used to treat anxiety and seizures.
- Antihistamine
- A medication that blocks the effects of histamine to relieve allergy symptoms and reduce inflammation.
- Central nervous system depressant effects
- A slowing down of brain and nerve activity that can cause drowsiness and reduced alertness.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD
Doctor of Pharmacy, board certified clinical pharmacist (BCPS), American Herbalist Guild, Medication Therapy Management certified
Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS, is a licensed pharmacist with more than 13 years of experience across retail pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, medication safety, pharmacy program development, and healthcare administration. He is the founder of HelloPharmacist.com, where he helps patients...
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