Have you ever taken Prednisone?

[chell]

There is one thing that happens to me during the first day or two I'm on prednisone and I'd like to ask if anybody else has this side effect. My muscles hurt really bad...it's a deep awful ache. There is this desire to put pressure on my limbs.

I've had the real heavy feeling in my limbs. Wonder if that's what it is from?

Tomorrow is my last pill of a 10-day run with Prednisone! Woo-hoo!!! This is only the 2nd time I've ever taken it, but after the first I said I never wanted to do it again. This time I didn't have much choice though. My doctor gave me an antibiotic that I'm allergic to and of course I was too out of it to realize what I had. Anyway, after the shot of Prednisone my breathing was SO much better! The hives aren't near as bad as they were before I started taking it. But when I cut down to one pill a day I noticed that the hives picked back up a bit.

I do think it has helped keep me from hurting so bad because one of my reactions to anything dealing with eggs is severe muscle and joint pain. I'm afraid to think how I will feel after this run of meds is over.

The one side effect I will be glad to be rid of will be the food cravings! I can't stand it. The other day I had to go to McDonald's - which I maybe do every 5 years or so. This morning I had to stop and get some bananas and Pringles on the way to work.

Now since my immune system (after having the flu, a virus and the allergic reaction) was already down I'm scared to death of catching something. I'm too chicken to go see my grandmother who is in the hospital. I'm afraid I'll get the flu again and wind up in the hospital myself. Oh, I feel like such a bad grand-daughter. Mask wearing is not an option because she will freak out.

Have I said too much?

 

[sue1013]

Love it!! Never had mood problems or bloating. Took away every little ache and pain, I felt 10 yrs younger.

 

[ahutton]

I had to take it before a medical test that used a dye I'm allergic to. I had to take 3 doses in a 12 hour period. It made me very agitated, sleepless and generally made me feel like I had WAY too much coffee. Someone I work with said the patients she used to see who had taken it always told her they got all their housecleaning done - apparently I'm not the only one who lost sleep taking it. I was lucky though, after they did the test I got a monster dose of Benadryl, and that made me sleep for the next 2 days!

 

[chell]

Too bad it hasn't helped my memory. It makes me real jittery. My heart races at the smallest things and I get irritated easy. I'm sure that I wouldn't be able to sleep well if I wasn't taking the Benedryl.

 

[christineann]

My dog is on 20 mg/day since Dec. 31st, when he was diagnosed with lymphoma. I really believe we would have lost him by now if we hadn't. He eats like CRAZY now, and his weight has stabilized. It makes him feel much better, which is all we can do at this point. My mom took it for hip problems and says it helped her tremendously. Never taken it myself though.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

My SIL has Krohns disease, and I know she was on prednisone for a very long time, and was very upset about the weight gain. I'm not sure if she had other side effects.

My DD has CRMO, and took prednisone for over a year, with NO side effects. We were surprised, and relieved. We had to switch doctors during that time, and the new doctor was amazed...he commented that she didn't "look like" someone on prednisone. She now takes methotrexate...no side effects there either, altho she takes folic acid to prevent side effects (mouth sores, stomach pain).

Even our dog took prednisone, for panosteitis, on and off until he was about 18 months. He didn't seem to have side effects either...no weight gain.

 

[off2disney]

I've never taken it myself but my daughter has taken it for 15 years for Crohn's Disease, and the side effects have been bad. It is terrible on the bones (she's had surgery on her knee, her elbow has deteriated and has locked at about a 45 degree angle (she's had surgery on it twice but it didn't help). Doctors have advised her to be very cautious about risky activities (4wheeling, etc.) becuase of brittle bones. She never swelled or bloated (she's skinny as a rail) but it affects her disposition (cranky & depressed). Thankfully, she's off it right now with her Chron's in remission but a lot of damage has been done to her body.

 

[gobo2]

Pharmacist here.
Short term prednisone use generally has few side effects at doses given for most inflammatory conditions like acute asthmatic incidents, allergic reactions, swelling from a host of causes, etc. Mood changes can be common, but are usually much easier to endure than the condition being treated. I personally have taken oral steroids for asthma flareups and will choose to take the crankiness and irritability. Anything is better than not being able to breath. Besides, its good to have an extra excuse to be crabby when you are sick. I tell my patients to tell their families that the pharmacist said that they can't help but be cranky.

Long term use is different. Doses are frequently higher and the side effects are many and often severe. But for many conditions, ther are no or few options. In each case, the benefit must be weighed against the potential risk.

Hope this helps.

 

[FreshTressa]

I took it. I didn't gain any weight and it gave me all this energy.

All the floors in my house were so clean you could see the toys reflecting on the surface. My home was GLOWING.

I want it again!

 

[mom2of2]

I'm on it now too. Today is my last day of 2 pills then tomorrow I go down to 1 for another 5 days. I agree it works but the side effects are killers!! Not sleeping, shaking, nausea is the worst!!! I'm on advair as well and the combo of the 2 is just BAD!! I've been sick for 14 days and haven't slept in at least half of them. I can't wait to get off this stuff.