Blowing up symptoms and conditions

I'm a 34 year old petite 110 lb female and have been on Prednisone for 7 weeks now for a kidney disease (Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis). The treatment is supposed to be 3-4 months to see if I go into remission. If not, then I'm "steroid resistant" and they will have to move to a more aggressive treatment (a type of chemo). So I'm praying that this prednisone works!!

The first 2 weeks were a peice of case, then I developed many side effects, but the following being the most troublesome:

- 2 weeks - Edema. I got really bad fluid retention in my lower body and was put on a diuretic. A few days later my heart started pounding so hard I thought it would pop right out of my chest. Well turns out I was totally dehydrated from the diuretic so I'm off that now but the edema seems to be under control anyway (following a low-sodium/low carb diet). At the same time as the edema my skin dried right up too, and I need to put moisturizer on all the time. Even when I bend over I feel the skin on my back stretching.
- 2 weeks - Bloating. Really bad bloating. I'm bloated constantly now. Eating a low sodium diet helps, but not much. At night I weigh 5 lbs more than I do in the morning. I have terrible gas (burping mostly) all of the time. Sometimes it looks like I'm 6 months pregnant! And I'm sure people think I am because as I mentioned I'm normally thin and now I have to wear looser clothing to hide my belly, which doesn't really work and just looks obvious.
- 3 weeks - Sore knees. It feels like there's something growing in between my kneecaps that make it very difficult to climb stairs and it feels spongy when I walk. I can not put any pressure on my knees, I can't squat down, bend to pick something up, kneel, anything. And it gets worse at night.
- 4 week - Moonface. And my face has been blowing up like a balloon ever since. As I sit here and type I can actually feel it throbbing and growing still. I've got fat on my neck under my chin now that actually feels like it's choking me if I sit hunched over. I'm finding the moonface very difficult to cope with. I do not like to look in the mirror any more. I feel like a candy apple.
- 4 weeks - Cramps. Terrible terrible hand and feet cramps. Sometimes if I'm using my hands to chop vegetables or write or even use a fork, my hand cramps up like a lobster claw. I try to use the other hand then the same thing. And then almost every day, my feet. First one, then the other. Excruitiating cramps that seem to go in 15 minute intervals that make it impossible to walk, stand, sit, anything.
- 4 weeks - Very moody and aggitated. I am usually very easy going, now i have patience for nothing. I will be in a good mood one minute, the next I feel like I can kill someone. My boyfirend and our dogs are being very patient with me... I just hope they know it's the drugs not me! I just don't seem to have any control over my emotions.
- 5 weeks - Extreme fatigue. I used to have lots of energy, especially at the beginning of my Prednisone journey. But now I'm just wasted all of the time. I walk to and from work and the last couple weeks I want to just lay down on the side of the road and have a nap as I walk home. I used to do pilates (as much as possible with the sore knees) but it's too hard now. And forget about any elliptical training or cycling. It's enough just to get to and from work and I'm just exhausted.

There are more issues and I could go on forever, but those are the most troublesome. I just try so hard to stay positive but it's very hard sometimes. I pray that this is working, and that it is not all for not. I can't wait to be off these drugs, and my heart goes out to each and every one of you enduring the same thing and pray that it works for your too.

Good luck everyone.

:)J

57 year old male with BP in the 130/90 to 140/100 range. MD prescribed 40 mg Diovan daily. Didn't help BP but I did get rashes on legs and thighs. After 3 months, MD doubled dose to 80 mg Diovan daily. Rash erupted all over my body. Went to Dermatologist who did biopsy and said I had developed acute eczema most likely as a Diovan side effect. MD changed prescription to 20 mg Lisinopril. After two days I woke up with itchy, tremendously swollen groin area, and my lower lip is blowing up like a balloon. Fair-skinned people should really do their homework before taking either one of these drugs.

I am 24 and have been taking Yasmin for 3 months.

I am nearly 15lbs heavier balloning to 150lbs (I am 5'5) - I work out 4-5 days a week and eat very well, NOTHING wil take the weight off.

I have been constipated to the point I have emitted blood.

I have been the most irritable and moody person, I am beginning to dislike myself for blowing up at everything, all the time. My boyfriend is starting to notice, the other day he listerally said,
"Who ARE YOU and what have you done to my sweet girlfriend?"

On the plus side (literally now lol) my skin is very nice and my periods are regular but extremely heavy. I am going off this pill when I see my doctor next week, I cannot take this anymore, I keep g aining and gaining, nothing will stop it. Quit while you still can, this pill is falsely advertised.

My stomach is like a balloon and my hips are spreading, it's as if I were pregnant.

PS - I am SOOOO happy someone brought up the VISION blurriness, I have PILOT vision and recently i can't read worth a damn.

Good luck. I can't wait to get the old me back :)

DO NOT START THIS PILL IF YOU PLAN TO WEAR A BATHING SUIT THIS SUMMER!