Prednisone - Your Experience With It

[FlightlessDuck]

I have a family member who is on a relatively lose dose of prednisone now, but it was pretty high earlier. This person also suffered from insomnia a lot. Also had "moon face". I don't think they had jitters.

This person's doctor wanted to get their prednisone dose down as much as possible due to kidney damage it could cause.

 

[nkereina]

Have the itchy hands subsided? I've had that with other medication before, and it turned out to be an allergic reaction.

 

[blana]

Prednisone actually makes me sleepy. VERY sleepy. As in, fall asleep at 4 in the afternoon & wake up the next morning and barely make it to 4pm again. I just feel like crap the whole time I take it. But, man, does it help when you need it!

 

[Christine]

Have the itchy hands subsided? I've had that with other medication before, and it turned out to be an allergic reaction.

They were gone when I went to bed last night. Not there this morning either, but just took my next dose of meds so we'll see when/if they return.

 

[crazylady]

I have some side effects at the higher doses but it sounds like you have more issues. I take a small dose every day. I suggest taking it in the morning to help with the insomnia. But if you're able to spread it out throughout the day, that will help with the jitters. I wonder if you did a steroid shot if the side effects would he less than the pill? I hope you get some relief soon.

 

[mckennarose]

I have a few autoimmune diseases and can't take certain first-defense meds because of prior allergic reactions and organ damage, so small prednisone bursts help me tremendously with pain and inflammation. I would never be able to go to Disney without a course of prednisone. BUT, I only do this two to three times a year and only at a small dose of 10 mgs with a taper down every few days to zero, about 21 days total. If I go higher, which I've had to do with prior drug allergy reactions. (ironically, to treat my disease!) At 60mgs I was jittery, hungry, irritable, shakes etc. One time I just laid on my living room floor and cried, i felt so awful! That also happened with a medrol dose pack, again needed for a severe reaction. But the small doses help without making me crazy and I am actually tapering off a burst now since I just got back from WDW. I am fearful of the day where my rheumatologist may suggest I go on it permanently, every day.

With a lot of AI diseases there are no "easy" or tame meds or treatments....it seems they go straight for the "big guns"....steroids, chemo, immunosuppressive meds, anti malarials. It sucks.
The poster who called it an angel and a devil rolled into one got it right, but for me the high doses are the devil while the small burst for a short time is the angel.

Good luck and hang in there! You shouldn't have too many more days until you're off? If you ever had to do it again, I would ask your doctor if a smaller dose taken for a longer time would be better for you. I've only had high doses of 60 mgs for really serious issues, like severe drug reactions or other acute issues that needed to get under control quickly. For the pain and inflammation of my diseases the small dose works better for me and doesn't make me a wreck! I feel for you.....I know that high dose feeling and it's awful.

 

[rajak73]

Took it once for a severe case of eczema on my arms, had no problems, started with I think 6 a day, (don't remember the dosage anymore) then went down to 5, 4, etc. It did clear the arms up fine.

 

[Christine]

I have a few autoimmune diseases and can't take certain first-defense meds because of prior allergic reactions and organ damage, so small prednisone bursts help me tremendously with pain and inflammation. I would never be able to go to Disney without a course of prednisone. BUT, I only do this two to three times a year and only at a small dose of 10 mgs with a taper down every few days to zero, about 21 days total. If I go higher, which I've had to do with prior drug allergy reactions. (ironically, to treat my disease!) At 60mgs I was jittery, hungry, irritable, shakes etc. One time I just laid on my living room floor and cried, i felt so awful! That also happened with a medrol dose pack, again needed for a severe reaction. But the small doses help without making me crazy and I am actually tapering off a burst now since I just got back from WDW. I am fearful of the day where my rheumatologist may suggest I go on it permanently, every day.

With a lot of AI diseases there are no "easy" or tame meds or treatments....it seems they go straight for the "big guns"....steroids, chemo, immunosuppressive meds, anti malarials. It sucks.
The poster who called it an angel and a devil rolled into one got it right, but for me the high doses are the devil while the small burst for a short time is the angel.

Good luck and hang in there! You shouldn't have too many more days until you're off? If you ever had to do it again, I would ask your doctor if a smaller dose taken for a longer time would be better for you. I've only had high doses of 60 mgs for really serious issues, like severe drug reactions or other acute issues that needed to get under control quickly. For the pain and inflammation of my diseases the small dose works better for me and doesn't make me a wreck! I feel for you.....I know that high dose feeling and it's awful.

Thanks!

Things seem to be improving. The itching hands abruptly stopped so now I think that might have been due to something else. The same day I started the prednisone, I also used a new hair product (Drybar Triple Sec Finishing spray) and used my fingers to adjust my hair after spraying. I'll have to try that out again in a few weeks to see if it is indeed the spray (which I've stopped).


I was supposed to be on for about 18 days, but I won't make it. I couldn't handle the 60 mg. I've been on 20 mg for a few days. Doing okay, really bad insomnia though. Today I'm going down to 10 mg. Ankle still feels pretty good! Hope it lasts.