Mass quantity symptoms and conditions

After reading so many of everyone’s stories, I feel I got off easy, but not without some agony. I developed a double whammy of acute bronchitis and pleurisy in my left lung. If you are not familiar with pleurisy, it feels like hit with a baseball bat in your ribs each time you attempt to take a normal breath. I was completely uninformed of the condition and it is now burned in my memory forever. I was prescribed azithromycin and Prednisone for a month. I started with two 20mg (40mgtotal) tabs for 7 days and then tapered off in the following manner. 1 ½ tabs for 7 days, 1 tab for 7days and then ½ a tab for the last 7 days. I have read many of the users who have been on Prednisone for years at a time and my heart goes out to each and every one of you. I experienced a large number of side effects for being on it for such a short period. My wife was ready to attach the ole cinder block to my ankles and drop me in the lake, but she stuck through it. The first side effects began within the first week. My appetite went through the stratosphere, my heart felt like it was going to erupt out of my chest on some nights and finally, my memory just went to (for lack of a better work) shit. After coming home from the grocery store on multiple occasions, I left the house key in the key hole on the outside, only to find it the next morning on my way out the door. My short term memory was just misfiring constantly. There are too many funny stories to tell. For some odd reason, I did not gain near as much weight as I should have given the mass quantity of food I ingested. The total weight gain was only around seven or eight pounds. The most prominent side effect was my mood swings. I am a laid back person my nature, but not for that 30 day period. I had to make a conscious effort to not put myself in a position to disagree with another individual. When it did occur, it was just not a pretty site. A few of the other side effects were lack of sleep and profuse sweating. I would wake up every morning and my pillow was drenched. I live in Austin, Texas, so the AC was pegged and 67 degrees and no one was allowed to touch the thermostat without grave consequences. I broke out the winter pajamas for the kids and my wife wrapped up in multiple layers of clothing, while I was spread eagle under the ceiling fan (Highest setting of course) in my birthday suit, and was still only the in the moderate comfort range. More side effects included swelling of my ankles and hands. I was not on it long enough to get the infamous moon face or the hump on the back of the neck. The side effects after stopping the dosage were no less entertaining. I took my last dose seven days ago. The three main effects have been rashes on my ankles and under my arms, severe energy loss and heartburn. The worst of it all has been my energy level, or the lack of. My energy level crashed so hard I have had to literally peel myself out of bed each morning. If I did not have a two year old daughter and a four year old son, I would probably still be asleep right now. It has been getting a little easier each day. I have started walking each morning now and hopefully this will end soon. I have also been drinking large amounts of water. That has seemed to help me out. The heartburn was easily treatable with some Pepcid AC. I hope my experience offers some solace to those in a similar situation and fair warning to those who are about to embark on this medication.