Common questions about betamethasone for eyes, ears and nose - Brand names: Betnesol, Vistamethasone

Betamethasone for eyes, ears and nose is a corticosteroid (steroid) medicine.

Steroids closely copy the effects of natural hormones produced in your adrenal glands. These are above your kidneys.

Betamethasone works on your immune system to reduce the symptoms of inflammatory conditions and allergic reactions such as swelling, redness and itching.

Your eye, ear or nose condition should start to improve quickly within a few days. Tell your doctor if you do not feel better after 7 days.

Once your condition has settled down your doctor will generally recommend that you stop using this medicine.

If you've been using betamethasone eye, ear or nose products for a long time, a doctor may advise you to gradually reduce the amount you use before stopping completely.

Using betamethasone continuously for a long time can increase the risk of side effects.

There's also a risk that some of the medicine gets into your blood, especially if you are using the nose drops. If this happens, there's a very small chance it can cause serious side effects.

You may stop using betamethasone drops or ointment when your condition has improved. Talk to a doctor if you want to stop treatment after using betamethasone for a long time.

If you've been using the ointment or drops for more than a few weeks, your doctor may tell you to use them less often before you stop completely. This is to reduce the chances of your condition coming back.

Talk to your doctor if your condition comes back after you've stopped using betamethasone.

Betamethasone can be combined with an antibiotic called neomycin. These drops are known by the brand name Betnesol-N.

They can be prescribed when there is inflammation and signs of a bacterial infection. They're often used to treat infections in the ear canal (known as "swimmer's ear").

Red steroid emergency card

If you're using steroid medicines such as betamethasone, your adrenal glands may not make as much of some of the hormones your body needs such as cortisol (known as the stress hormone). This is known as adrenal insufficiency.

It's more likely to happen if you take high doses for a long time (especially tablets and injections) or if you regularly use different kinds of steroids at the same time (such as a steroid nasal spray and a steroid inhaler).

Your doctor or pharmacist will check your risk of adrenal insufficiency based on the type and dose of steroids you're taking, and may recommend that you carry a red steroid emergency card. This card is the size of a credit card and fits in your wallet or purse. A similar card, called the adrenal insufficiency card, is available for children.

Find out more about steroid emergency cards for adults on the Addison's Disease Self-Help Group (ADSHG) website.

Find out more about the adrenal insufficiency card for children on the British Society for Paediatric Endocrinology website.

Blue steroid card

If you're on a very high dose of betamethasone for eyes, ears and nose, your doctor or pharmacist may also give you a blue steroid treatment card. The card is the size of a credit card and fits in your wallet or purse. It tells you how you can reduce the risks of side effects. It also gives details of your doctor, how much betamethasone you use, and how long the treatment will last for.

If you need any medical or dental treatment, show your blue steroid card to the doctor or dentist.

Betamethasone drops and ointment do not affect any type of contraception, including the combined pill or emergency contraception.

For most people, using betamethasone drops or ointment will not affect their ability to drive a car or cycle. However, it might help to wait 15 minutes after using the eye drops or ointment, so that your vision returns to normal.

Yes, you can drink alcohol while using betamethasone drops or ointment.