Chubby cheeks symptoms and conditions

Hello everyone! I just want to thank each and every one of you for your postings. On more than one occasion I would come to this site because without all of you I probably would have truly lost my mind. I just want to give a brief history of what's been going on with me because if it can help one other person then it's all worth it. In 2005, I go vaccinated for chickenpox, I work in health care, never had them, and wanted to start having children since I'm 36. A month after the vaccine I broke out in a horrific rash ALL OVER and had it until April of 2008. I went to the hospital where I had the vaccine, 5 dermatologists, 3 Infectious Disease, various medical doctors and no one knew what it was. This April, I was admitted to the hospital with Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia. After 3 hematologists, the last one feels the vaccine threw my immune system into a tizzy. I started with 60mg of Prednisone and eventually got down to 2.5mg. The hemolysis(body produces antibodies that attacks it own body) started again so I went to a new Hematologist and was put back up to 30mg and just got put down to 10mg today. Right now my biggest concern is the hair loss. I use to have such thick hair and now I cry almost daily because I loose so much. I am going to try the Ensure like someone posted just to see if that helps. I drink protein shakes, take Silica, multivitamins (Solgar) that have biotin, and going to try Nioxin shampoo. I have terrible mood swings and now I feel like I am going through withdrawal. It's almost like I want to take more just to feel better. I know that sounds crazy. The big fat moon face, my joints feel like they pop out, confused easily, can't sleep, and just can't really leave my house and live a normal life since April. I HATE IT!!! The only thing that helps me feel better when the daily prednisone "kicks in" is walking and exercising. I feel so bad for everyone this drug is just awful. I get angry because not one person told me what life was going to be like on prednisone. I think that is just mean. That's why these postings are so important. I know this is entirely to long but I feel so much better getting my story out there. Did everyone's hair eventually grow back. I don't know if I will have any left next month. Thank you all so much.
GG

hi all. thanks for writing your comments here. it has helped me today, another HORRIBLE day of prednisone hell. i have been seriously ill for 8 months been told ever other week I'm likely going to die from lung disease (i'm 35) and after a painful lung biopsy have been told my lung problems are almost all reversible... after a year on high dose prednisone. i was on 40mg a day for a month a while back and was so out of control from rage and crying and insomnia and panic/suicidality, ravenous appetite, that they lowered me to 30. then after biopsy they said i should be on 100mg to cure me, we settled at 60mg. it's been 24 days. The moon face started about one week in. i've gained 8 lbs. i am an emotional wreck. i have at least one rage filled attack per day where i am screaming and want to kill somebody or destroy something. some days i am so filled with hopelessness and worry i just want to die. my body changes (after just losing 30 lbs and being a work out fanatic my shortness of breath makes it impossible to walk up 2 flights of stairs without resting) face changes, acne, excess body hair (oh my god please make it stop i'm like a chia pet and i'm so afraid it is going to get worse) double chin, puffy eyes and cheeks, absolutely uncontrollable emotions and mood swings, inability to be logical or reasonable. i don't want to leave the house, i'm panicked and scared all the time. i never sleep. ambian gives me minimal relief (just started taking it) i feel like i'm losing everything, except my lung functioning is returning and i'm not going to die from this illness (they assure me THIS week) i understand light at the end of the tunnel, but living like this is unbearable most days, almost impossible the rest of the time. am i alone with the severity of this? or are all the others like me too busy hiding the sharps and crying in a corner to write on this board? thanks for listening :)

figures, forgot to mention what HELPS. no eating after 8 (7pm is better) no salt, no sugar, exercise, even just a walk every day, anything physical, i walk like a grandma on the treadmill but i still do it, sometimes it is the only thing that stops my crying. no alcohol, support and understanding from loved ones, it's not you, its the drugs. good luck.
figures, forgot to mention what HELPS. no eating after 8 (7pm is better) no salt, no sugar, exercise, even just a walk every day, anything physical, i walk like a grandma on the treadmill but i still do it, sometimes it is the only thing that stops my crying. no alcohol, support and understanding from loved ones, it's not you, its the drugs. good luck.