Prednisone side effects

[Tiggeroo]

I had a really bad asthma flare up do to a cold. Not even the dose pack of pred worked so I'm on a 12 day dose. I've never had to do this. It's makin mr feel terrible. I have headaches I'm cranky. My stomach is upset. And maybe worst of all I'm starving. Any tips. My asthma is much better now but still there. I'm thinking of callin doc to see if I can wean off now.

 

[Cinderella94]

I've been on and off prednisone for the last 2 years due to my ulcerative colitis. I'm currently on 60 mg a day. It SUCKS!

 

[acejka]

DON'T GIVE INTO THE STARVING PART!!!

I was a size 6 when I went on pred. I ended up on 2 rounds that were a few weeks each in a 6 month period...

Afterwards I was huge. I ballooned. And now its super hard to get the weight off.

The problem was every time I felt like I was starving and only wanting crap food, I gave in.

It's my fault for giving in to the food, I shouldn't have eaten like that but still, if they keep you on it, be careful with the starving part.

 

[acejka]

forgot to say-never had stomach problems, headaches or anything else just starving and craving terrible for me food.

 

[Melisande]

I hate the stuff and refuse to take it. Your side affects are not the most hideous. I turn into a real witch with a B when I take it.

 

[lovetoscrap]

You might ask your dr if there is another form that you might tolerate better. Plain/regular Prednisone gives me absolutely unbearable headaches. I now get Medrol and it is so much better for me. I always have to remember to be sure that I get the right script written.

 

[Tiggeroo]

I get worst when I stop taking it. And I've never taken it this long before cheers no doubt I needed it. But I also got a nebulizer and I think I could clear the rest of this just with that.

 

[lovetoscrap]

I get worst when I stop taking it. And I've never taken it this long before cheers no doubt I needed it. But I also got a nebulizer and I think I could clear the rest of this just with that.

Are you taking an nebulizer steroid also? That might be a better option.

 

[msmayor]

Prednisone is evil...I have had to take it a few times and now will only take it if my life depends on it.

Increased appetite, constipation, sleep interruption, wild mood swings...its awful.

 

[canopynut66]

I had a really bad asthma flare up do to a cold. Not even the dose pack of pred worked so I'm on a 12 day dose. I've never had to do this. It's makin mr feel terrible. I have headaches I'm cranky. My stomach is upset. And maybe worst of all I'm starving. Any tips. My asthma is much better now but still there. I'm thinking of callin doc to see if I can wean off now.

Doctor put me on preds for Gout attacks it will calm them but then have had gout them move to another joint and have to be on them again. Can not take any of the regular gout meds as have horrible reactions to them. But sure hate the prednisone.It varies with me sometimes am a witch and sometimes I am sleepy and some times just cranky. but always hungry am trying not to give into the food>>> any ideas on lowering uric acid to get rid or gout appreciated. diet they gave me has not worked and I have never been drinker of alcohol. makes me insane

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

I have been on Pred a few times but the longest was an entire summer for a skin infection.
I hated it!!

The worst parts for me was the food cravings, insomnia and mood swings. I finally had to get the Dr to wean me off of it because I was so mean to my kids. Like horribly mean, all l did was scream at them and even though I was aware of what I was doing I couldn't stop.
I totally understood Roid rage after that summer.

Don't wean yourself though. Call your Dr in the morning.

 

[shinysparklybubbles]

I am happy I came across this thread! Not happy for your suffering but this may explain alot! My poor son is 21 months old and has asthma. He was just in the hospital last week for it. His breathing is fine now and he was totally happy while in the hospital, bouncing off the walls but happy. The last 2 days the poor kid has been miserable and I mean miserable! I am now willing to bet it is the Orapred! He has been on it since Wednesday and it must have caught up with him Friday night or so. It is so hard not knowing what is wrong or how to fix it. I hope you get relief fast from the side effects!

Question for the asthma people, do you get a nasty wet cough after an attack? If so how long does it last?

 

[disfan07]

I have been on and off prednisone for the past 5 years for asthma and eczema. The highest dose I've been on (outside of the hospital) is 80mg. The longest i've been on it in a row is 3 months (3 month taper).

Did he give you a taper dose or are is it the same amount for the entire 12 days? It really should not be the same amount for 12 days> it should be a taper. If you are on a higher dose (40mg to 60mg or higher) going off of it all at once can really screw up your system. It can mess with your blood sugar as well as your adrenal gland. I went through what my doctor calls prednisone withdrawl once becasue of this. You feel about 10 times worse when you get off than when you were on it.

Part of the mood swings and hunger for me is because it screws with my blood sugar. Prednisone raises my blood sugar when I have on a dose above 60mg. Whenever I am in teh hospital on high dose prednisone or IV solumedrol I am also always on insulin as well.

Do not taper without talking to your doctor. If you really need it and it hasnt cleared up with the prednisone you can relapse even worse than before.

I hate prednisone but it is what it is. Prednisone is literally a life saver for me. For me, I am routinely on it at 6 or 7 different times during the year, maybe more for 2-3 weeks at a time.

I odnt know if it's because my body is so used to it or what but I dont get the side effects really bad anymore. I dont get headaches or mood swings anymore and very rarely do I get an increased appetite but for the first couple of years I was on it we called it the fat and b***hy medication.

 

[GoofyforDisney3]

I second the Medrol. It has been wonderful for my allergies. Plus I do not have the side effects like with Predisone.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I got steriod pychosis along with yeast in my digestive tract. It was the most vile drug I was ever on.

 

[Jeafl]

A fw years ago my husband had meningitis and the doctor put him on MEGA doses of prednisone to reduce the inflammation in his brain. The doctor described it as "enough to take down an elephant". Let me tell you, he was IMPOSSIBLE to live with! He was like a totally different person! He was mean to me, mean to the kids, ate everything in sight and just plain nasty. This went on for almost 4 months and I almost lost my mind!

Fortunately, he did get better and things got back to normal, just in the nick of time to save MY sanity.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Years ago I took it for 6 months and the Dr didn't warn me about it. I gained a ton of weight, I still haven't gotten it all off. I had horribly insomnia AND I was insane. I had 2 young kids at the time and I begged my Dr to take me off it he said if i refused to take it I would have to be admitted to the hospital and given it IV. I told him I couldn't take care of my kids like this and he gave me Xanax and it helped, A LOT. The Xanax didn't prevent the weight problem but I was able to behave normally and sleep.

My son is on it from time to time and I do my best to warn the people around him, keep him calm, provide low calorie snacks he can eat in volume like celery and baby carrots AND always direct him to water first.

 

[CharliNye]

I agree with the other poster about the taper. You should be on a taper not a straight dose if it's only temporary.

I've been on it a few times, mainly when my MS gets bad. Last spring I did it for my chronic sinus infections.

If you're on a taper it won't be AS evil as a straight dose. The first few days I was always euphoric. Felt like the world was my oyster, I cleaned my house like mad, had tons of energy, my skin was super bright. Then slowly but surely, usually at the end of it-I would start to get really edgy and cranky and cry a lot and want to smash things.

And yes I was super awful to my oldest kid(strangely I had control with the little one).

Prednisone is not fun at all. The worst part is that the prednisone and antibiotic combo I was on made me susceptible to MRSA and I developed a mild but creepy case of it on my chin. They had to give me a super heavy duty antibiotic to knock it out. But still, I will never take the prednisone again after that.

 

[FloraFauna]

I also had a bad reaction to prednisone. It was when I got off of it. I couldn't sleep at night and I would have mood swings big time. I also would say avoid the temptation to eat. I am still trying to get the weight off.

 

[Tiggeroo]

Thanks. Yes it is a decreasing dosage. I started with 50 mg and today I'm down to 20. Three days left. She made it a fairly slow taper because I told her I am worst when I come off it. Previously I have only done the five day medrol. Before I started on this I did that and it wasn't enough so she put me on this. I'm on the nebulizer too. If I had gone on that in the first place I wouldn't have needed this. I think that is actually a big reason I feel better.
I always feel great the first two days. But now I'm alternating between constipation and the opposite. Stomach is bloated. I'm starving and craving carbs. And they dont' taste good when I eat them. I think it's affecting my sugar too because on the very high dose I had to pee alot. I am dreading coming off it this time. But I only have two days of work next week so I'll be able to chill a bit. My cough is mostly better. I'm complaining about 12 days. If I was on it for six months I'd gain 100 lbs. I wouldn't be able to resist these food cravings and hunger indefinitely.