Experience with Prednisone???

[Alice28]

Okay so two weeks ago I was in the hospital with kidney stones and they put me on Septra antibiotic cause they *thought* I might have an infection as well.

Fast Forward to last Thursday when I woke up to hives covering my entire body. Got worse on Friday so I went to the E/R. That doctor put me on oral Prednisone (a steroid) to take twice a day for 4 days and once a day for 4 days. I'm on my second day of just taking it once and I feel like a kook- I just feel overly anxious, slightly nauseous, and I have read that this will get worse for a day or two once I am done with the dosage...My Mom and my mother in law both have experienced this...my husband just thinks I'm being strange.

Anyone taken this before and what is your experience? TIA

 

[Aimeedyan]

I HATE this stuff. I've been on it numerous times and it totally throws me off... when I take it, I usually don't sleep for 7 days or so... it puts me on a frantic high, I clean EVERYTHING all hours of the night, shake a bit, feel anxious, etc. Not cool.

What you're exp is normal - crappy, but normal. Its a major steroid.

Good thing is, its always done its job for me... I've had to use it for asthma before, and it whips me into shape. Necessary evil.

 

[palmtreegirl]

I had to take Prednisone for a severe allergic reaction once, hives everywhere! I was allergic to a new detergent I was using, it took us a while to figure out what it was and the hives got so severe because I kept exposing myself to clothes washed in it. They out me on the Prednisone and I figured out what it was that caused the hives.

I didn't like it at all, I hated it in fact. I just didn't feel *right* when I was taking it. Then after I was weaned off of it I broke out with a severe case of acne, it was horrible! I do know that if you go off of it without slowly lowering the dosage you can get even worse side effects.

I had another reaction from some clothes that hadn't been rewashed and I refused to take the Prednisone again. I just said give me a antihistamine shot and I'm outta here because I knew what was causing the hives at that point and that they would clear up on their own.

I'll never go on Prednisone again. I hope you feel better soon!!

 

[Olaf]

Made me extremely grumpy and I put on weight. Hate the stuff.

 

[mom2grace]

I get an injection for severe allergic reactions. I think it is "time-released" so one is all I need. I much prefer this to the pills, ugh!

Also, I think it works faster, the docs usually say the injection is slower than the pills. Who knows.

It works really well for me, but you have to insist on the injection instead of the pills. The weaning off the pills is a pain in my book, I'd rather have a pain in my b*tt!!!

 

[mom2grace]

P.S. I love it, when I have a severe reaction, I must have relief and this does the trick!

 

[Alice28]

Thanks for the responses everyone....I don't feel like such a frantic freak after reading other's experiences! It's just strange...my brain feels like it's working non-stop, but yet I feel like I can't focus to really get anything accomplished. My temperament is just ugly....I find myself just breathing deeply to get through every day moments. I put the kids at 8:30, DH is upstairs watching tv, and I am enjoying just zoning in front of the computer for a few minutes....I just hope Easter weekend isn't ruined cause I don't feel well coming off this dumb medication.

 

[mom2grace]

Alice28---

How is the general allergic reaction? Have the hives cleared up?

I find that I am miserable and exactly how you are describing because of the allergic reaction, not the prednisone.

Could this be the source?

 

[HauntedMansionGeek]

Both of my sisters are on prednisone for sarcoidosis.

One sister does just fine with the meds.

The other one developed serious (REALLY serious) mental problems like seeing photographs talk to her, GOD was talking to her, she behaved bizarre to the point where she really should have been hospitalized. Her doctors kept pooh poohing her symptoms and then she hooked up with a doctor who recognized that she was in a steroid induced psychosis/mania. (you've read about athletes who use steroids and have *negative* personality changes? this is what it was for my sister.)

Once the steroids were lowered/stopped (I don't remember which they did) she was absolutely back to her old self...BUT she has no memory of her behavior.


Be careful and let your loved ones know how you're feeling. Have them keep an eye on you if you're comfortable with that. It was very scary for us all to see how whacked she became.

Best of luck with your health issues. I hope I didn't scare you........

 

[Alice28]

Mom2Grace-

The hives have cleared up almost 100%. I don't think anyone looking at my skin could tell, but I can still see them faintly...there were parts of my arms and legs, as well as torso that were just RED because the hives had just welled into one big HIVE. I have never been allergic to ANYTHING before, so it must have been the Sulfa in the Septra drug.

I forgot to mention in my OP that it turns out I didn't even need to be on the Septra----after looking at the complete urinalysis, I never had an infection

I don't feel like a COMPLETE kook--- like pictures aren't talking to me (yet) or anything like that. Just overly anxious, very vivid dreams (although not bad ones), and find myself fixating on things that I don't have control over. I can function- drive around, clean the house, fix dinner, etc. I just don't feel "right." Things that normally roll off my back are bothering me and I feel overwhelmed by this weekend. We are going to see the Wiggles on Friday, plus 2-3 different Easter activities, plus a bday party, plus my in-laws are coming Sunday evening, etc. Normally this kind of stuff would have me excited, but I just feel overwhelmed!

 

[mom2grace]

Are you still itchy?

 

[momof3disneyholics]

it caused me to have seizures. The bad part was I couldn't just stop taking it. You have to level off of it.

 

[HauntedMansionGeek]

Originally posted by Alice28
Mom2Grace-

The hives have cleared up almost 100%. I don't think anyone looking at my skin could tell, but I can still see them faintly...there were parts of my arms and legs, as well as torso that were just RED because the hives had just welled into one big HIVE. I have never been allergic to ANYTHING before, so it must have been the Sulfa in the Septra drug.

I forgot to mention in my OP that it turns out I didn't even need to be on the Septra----after looking at the complete urinalysis, I never had an infection

I don't feel like a COMPLETE kook--- like pictures aren't talking to me (yet) or anything like that. Just overly anxious, very vivid dreams (although not bad ones), and find myself fixating on things that I don't have control over. I can function- drive around, clean the house, fix dinner, etc. I just don't feel "right." Things that normally roll off my back are bothering me and I feel overwhelmed by this weekend. We are going to see the Wiggles on Friday, plus 2-3 different Easter activities, plus a bday party, plus my in-laws are coming Sunday evening, etc. Normally this kind of stuff would have me excited, but I just feel overwhelmed!

You poor thing, you sound emotionally miserable.

Can you cut WAYYYYYYYYY back on your holiday plans at all or does doing that stress you out more?

I feel for you. Medicines are wonderful but they CAN be so tricky to use sometimes.

 

[Virgo10]

I was on it when they first suspected I had Rheumatoid Arthritis. The good news... in 48 hours my pain level had dropped amazingly! The bad news... it made me feel out of sorts. I experienced some mild depression and had some trouble sleeping. I gained a lot of weight and my dreams were incredible!

Once the RA diagnosis was confirmed, they eased me off of it over a period of several months and I am now off it totally.

Roberta

 

[Towncrier]

DW Sue just finished taking prednisone for a week. She is one of those lucky individuals who experiences no side effects from the use of the drug. She doesn't take it often, but it is the only thing that will reduce the swelling in the herniated disc in her back when it flares up. A week ago, she couldn't get up from a chair. Today she is at work where she will be standing and bending all day long. For Sue, prednisone is a miracle drug.

 

[browneyes]

I loved it when I was on prednisone. I had to take it while I was pregnant to boost up my platelet count. My joints were so happy while I was on that stuff.

It sounds like you might be allergic to it.

 

[tinaluis]

My 7yo DD has been on Prednisone off and on for the last year in an attempt to get her ulcerative colitis into remission. In fact, yesterday was her last dose -- we've been weaning her from it in 2.5 mg. increments. When we first started with it, she had minor hives but they went away in a few days. The longest lasting effect has been the mood swings. If you're able to cut back a bit on your holiday plans, it would probably help. If not, take a deep breath and try to take it easy. Good luck.

 

[my3kids]

Those sound like pretty typical reactions. Prednisone doesn't affect me, but others I know who have taken it have been jittery, sleepless, full of energy.

One thing I noticed in your post. When I have taken it, and I've had to a lot for allergic reactions, I take the larger dose first, but then taper off. But, I am always instructed to take the whole dose at one time in the morning, not to take the 2 pills as 2 doses, but one large dose instead. Anytime anyone I knew who took it, it was the same thing.

 

[Disney Doll]

How much are you taking????? If your reaction is really bothering you, perhaps you should call your MD and see if you can start weaning it sooner. DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, STOP COLD TURKEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Prednisone MUST be weaned.

At our hospital, we usually wean by 2.5 mg increments every 24-48 hours.

 

[joshsmom]

DS8 is on Septra and Prednisone, and has been since September after his kidney transplant. I saw an immediate (negative) change in his behavior and he gained 30 pounds in a month. His face is swollen and he is moody. He used to be very sweet most of the time. Now he is overly emotional--having angry outbursts at times. I've also noticed that he gets frustrated with things very easily and wants to "give up" on situations that he didn't before.

I've spoken to his doctor numerous times but I've been told he has to be on the Prednisone as part of his post transplant regimine. I feel so bad for him and I try to understand what he's going through, while not letting hm get away with everything.

He's a great kid and he's been through a lot. I wish there was another medication that he could take because I really don't want the personality changes to be permanent.