June 17th
2009
3:46 PM
I'm 15 years old and i've been taking prednisone for a few months, and from what i've read i'm on a really high dose. i was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and another autoimmune disorder concerning my muscles at the same time. my doctor told me prednisone was my only choice; it was either that or i would lose the ability to walk. he told me there'd be side effects, but i had no idea it'd turn out like this or i would have fought harder for another course of action. i started out on 30mg twice a day, and since then was weaned down to 20mg twice a day and now i'm down to 30mg once a day. i've been looking up a bunch of information trying to figure out if there's a way to lessen the side effects or any hope at all that they will get better. apparently there isn't much. after reading a bunch of these stories i gotta say i'm not feeling great about this. i totally understand everything everyone is going through. i'm sure you can imagine what it's like being smack in the middle of high school with a huge puffy face, acne so bad on my face, chest, back, neck, and shoulders that wearing a bra could put me in tears, and mood swings so bad i've lost friends over it. everyone knows how brutal high school can be, where appearance and attitude are everything. and i try to tell my doctor about it and he literally looks at me like i'm a whiny teenager and says "you're just going to have to deal with it." and people like my mom and my closest friends don't get it either. nobody understands how beyond frustrating it is. i'll get into the worst moods and not have a reason for it, but i'll stay angry for hours or burst into tears over someone looking at me the wrong way. it'll get to the point where i have to isolate myself from other people because the abrubt mood changes get so bad. as bad as i hate to admit it, the pain from the arthritis is gone now and supposedly my muscles are doing better too. developing arthritis caused me to have to quit cheerleading, something i've loved doing for 6 years, because the pain got to the point where i couldn't get my arms above my head or bend my knees. however, i'd almost rather deal with the horrible joint pain than deal with the side effects of prednisone. if your doctor gives you and alternative method, take it. i've always been confident in the way i look and really outgoing and happy and now i sometimes catch myself thinking about suicide. that's shocking to me because i've got so much going for me, but this medicine makes me miserable. and when i complain about it, anyone i'm talking to just looks at me like i'm being a cry baby. my mom does too, she'll say things like "you just have to do this. i know it's not what you want but to be honest i'm sick of hearing you bitch about it."
i feel a little better knowing other people feel the same way - like nobody gets whats going on with them. the prednisone does give me days of really great euphoria and days when i feel like i could run a marathon, but waking up in the morning to the acne and huge face puts me to tears every day. i have to pee all the time, usually getting up at 2 or 3 am. i don't sleep well anymore and i do sweat all the time. which also sucks being a teenage girl. i'm always hungry, and when i eat i never feel full so i don't know when to stop. my neck and face have put on so much weight that when people see me in the halls or out and about they ask me what happened. mind you these are people i don't talk to, just ones i know from classes or whatever. and it's pretty bad when teenage boys i've never really talked to ask what happened to your face. kind of a blow to the ego, or whatever is left of it at this point.
i'd like to know if, as my dosage gets lowered, the side effects will diminish and when i'm off the prednisone completely if they will disappear altogether. any help there?
or if there is any way to help the acne or puffy face
my doctor just put me on something called methotrexate or something like that to help wean me off the prednisone, and does anyone know what those side effects will do? or if they'll affect the prednisone side effects?
i'm constantly obsessing over gaining weight and what my skin looks like and what i eat and how heavy my face feels and the occasional pressure in my eyes to the point where i just want to be put out of my misery.
and after reading other people's stories i really don't understand why this drug is still given out as freely as it is. but maybe all doctors are like mine, they just don't get it.
best of luck to anyone who's on prednisone, my heart goes out to you; i'm right there with you
sorry this became like a book it wasn't meant to be this long
March 14th
2009
1:11 PM
I had a terrible cough and rusty sputum. I was given 2 rounds of Z-Pak with no help. Finally I went to an emergency center (Doc in a box kind of place) I got a chest x ray and was TOLD I had pneumonia and given Levaquin. No info was given when I filled the prescription at the only pharmacy open that time of night-that should have been a warning but I was too sick to realize. 10 days of vomiting, diarrhea and SHOULDER pain in the side I had rotator cuff repair last year. My shouldr pain is pretty bad but not as bad as some of you describe. I also have a pacemaker on the other side, so when I went to my cardiologist the next week he said I had NOT had pneumonia, but a bad bronchitis according to the radiologist who finally read my x-ray.
He also said the Levaquin given me was most likely the cause of my symptoms. He said Levaquin is being massively over prescribed like all newer drugs and is becoming ineffective towards more and more infections. I wish I had known then what I know now. Go to a REAL doctor-not an intern moonlighting and get REAL medical advice. My shoulder is better with Tylenol and Omega 3/7/9 Fish Oil capsules. Ibuprofen is not as effective for me.
-- By scpck | Reply | Private Message me
July 19th
2007
10:17 AM
I took 500mg per day for 9 out of 10 days. On the morning of the 9th day I hopped out of bed but was SHOCKED by the amount of pain I had in my feet! I could barely put my weight on my feet or walk! It was like I was 85 years old!
I stopped taking it immediately but the symptoms continued to get worse over the next 5 days. By the 5th day I had pain in my feet, knees, hands, neck, back and shoulders! I went to the doctor; they refused to believe it was a reaction to the medication so the did blood work. I tested negative for rhematoid arthritis, Lyme disease or any other auto-immune disease. THANK GOD! The doctor still wont say it was the medication. He said it was caused by a "virus" . ya right - whatever! I didn't want to take anything for the pain so I started going to the gym 2x a day,( AM &PM) to sit in the hot tub and steam room. I also drank tons of water to flush my system. I at only foods that are known to be anti-inflammatory such as red grapes, 100% red grape juice, tuna fish, sardines, pineabble, soy milk, flax seet. I also took 1000mg of omega 3 fish oil capsules (iceland health brand) a multi vitamin (geritol brand) extra calcium with extra Vitamin D, and I switched from coffee to green tea. I drank about six cups a day in addition to about 8 glasses of water. I also gave up all foods suspected of causing inflammation such as meat, processed foods, and sugars. I also (for the first time) went to a one hour reiki session with a woman who was excellent. After about a week the pain in gone almost completely, except my feet still hurt a little bit in the morning untili they loosen up. I highly recommend trying this to see if it helps aleviate your symptoms of muscle and joint pain. Good luck.
November 6th
2006
11:07 AM
I have read all recent postings and I completely agree with all stated. I thought it was just me, but now I see others are having the same difficulties as I have been. This has helped me to make the decision to lay off of these drugs and start taking fish oil capsules to see if my health benefits. I got the idea of fish oil from my mother just yesterday, after she read about the benefits of it in a doctor's column in her newspaper. Worth a try I think.....thanks for all of your input!
-- By deedeex | Reply | Private Message me
February 2th
2006
1:36 PM
I did not suspect Lipitor as the cause for my shoulder pain and rash on my leg. I've been taking Lipitor for couple of years and over time both my shoulders were so painful that the doctors (2) said I had inflammation and possible muscle tears. Put me on antiinflammatory pills and eventually gave me cortisone shots in both shoulders. During this time I continued to take Lipitor. I went on a 2 week vacation to Mexico and forgot to take the Lipitor with me and I didn't have a prescription to get more in Mexico (legally) so I did without. Magically during my second week without Lipitor, my pain started to subside in both shoulders and the rash eased up. I have been off Lipitor for 1 month now and my shoulders are almost back to normal and rash has stayed away. I am convinced it is the side effects from Lipitor. I encourage all to see their doctors regarding going on another form of Statin. I myself have started taking some liquid glucosamine (with condroitin, MSM, and Colegen) that I got at Costco, Vitamin E, and Fish Oil capsules. Not sure about my cholesterol but the pain is almost all gone and improving daily. Good luck to all who are dealing with the side effects of Lipitor. This is my theory and I'm sticking to it.
-- By dkmar2 | Reply | Private Message me
September 19th
2009
3:32 PM
ive been on prednisone and cortisone..2 doses i woke up and couldn't move my legs at all. the more i walked the more it hurt..the more i sat the worse it was to stand up and walk..idk what to do..i have to take this for the rest of my life..its just terrible to move.and my doctor wont be around for 3 days.
-- By scarlette | Reply | (2) replies | Private Message me