How to Stop Entocort

Entocort is the brand name for the generic drug budesonide, a corticosteroid used to treat the intestinal inflammation characteristic of active Crohn's disease. Entocort is dispensed in 3 mg pills. The initial loading dose of Entocort is 9 mg, or 3 pills, per day for up to eight weeks. For chronically active Crohn's, the eight-week course can be repeated indefinitely. If the Crohn's disease goes into remission, a 6 mg, or two pills, per day maintenance dose is often sufficient. However, if the side effects of the drug impair your daily life, you develop a severe allergic reaction or the maintenance dose does not control your attacks, you may wish to stop taking Entocort.

Instructions

• 1

  Consult your physician before stopping Entocort. Abruptly stopping a course of Entocort will cause severe steroid withdrawal symptoms and may trigger a relapse of your Crohn's disease.

• 2

  Step down the Entocort dosage as directed by your physician. Unless you experience a life-threatening reaction to Entocort, your doctor will want to bring you down slowly to reduce the possibility of severe withdrawal. Typically, you will reduce your daily dosage by 3 mg (one pill) every two weeks until you are no longer taking the steroid.

• 3

  Monitor your withdrawal symptoms. While stepping down off Entocort may help lessen these symptoms, side effects of withdrawal may still occur. Symptoms include general weakness, nausea, muscle pain, headache, dizziness, tiredness or weight loss. If any of these symptoms persist longer than a week or affect your daily life, contact your physician.

• 4

  Begin taking any new medications as directed by your doctor. If you are switching to a different steroid, you may be able to take the two drugs at the same time, decreasing the likelihood of steroid withdrawal. Other medications may require you to stop taking Entocort completely before starting the new therapy.