Neck skin symptoms and conditions

i recieved 3 kenalog epidural injections for herniated disc, 2 weeks apart, followed by a decompression nucleoplasty, also with Kenalog injection. after the first epidual. i began having extreme irritablity which i reported to the pain management doc. he said he couldn't prescribe anything but could refer me to a psychologist, which i declined , realizing i was having a reaction to something. after the 3rd epidural, my irritabilty had increased to the point where i was shouting and screaming, and had completely lost my patience. my face had blown up, and cheeks were hard to the touch, and my neck skin was swollen and hanging down. i described my appearance as "looking like a blowfish".

on the day of the nucleoplasty, i agreed that the doc should go ahead and use it again, since it was important for the procedure, and it was not a "true (anaphalctic) type reaction.

after this last injection of Kenalog, i had a terrible terrible reaction. my face became even larger, with big dark circles under my eyes, and my eyes partially closed, appeared like slits. i was frightened by my reflection in the mirror.

my feet, ankles and legs swelled up to the point where it was painful and difficult to walk.

i also i developed insomnia.

at the same time i was "off the wall" with irritability, anger, impatience, and could not stop crying.

during the day i had a general ill and sleepy feeling, and fell asleep driving, without notice.

throughout this period of Kenalog adminstration, i also had flu like symptoms every morning. sore throat, laryngitis, loose cough, muscle pains. i noticed black and blue marks on my extremities as well.

now i have a full blown flu and full blown bronchitis, and i feel so very very ill.

my feet and calves, hands and fingers are experiencing very painful cramping, intermittantly throughout the day and night. it's happening right now in my left hand, so i have to stop typing. i wait for one minute and try to continue typing, but that causes the painful spasm to return. i try again 2 more times, waiting a minute in between spasms. finally it stops and i can continue typing.

there are probably more symptoms, like the irregular heart beat, and these little bumps on the skin of my right cheek, but i need to rest now.

generally, i feel sicker probably than i can ever recall feeling in my life.

would appreciate hearing from anyone with similar symptoms, and especially how long before my face returns to normal. i live with the fear of what will i do if it does not?

I've been on Prednisone since February of this year. I started at 60mg/day and am currently weaing from 40mg/day to 20mg/day. For awhile I thought I was losing my mind. First I will say I am on this medication after being diagnosed with Sarcoidosis. The Prednisone has decreased the number and size of granulomas in my lungs making breathing a lot easier and has also gotten rid of most of the chronic pain I was in. I used to wake up barely able to drag myself out of bed. Here is a list of my side effects: increased appetite, indigestion, nervousness/restlessness, dizziness, flushing of facial and neck skin, burping, SWEATING, mental confusion - inability to think clearly, memory loss, tinnitus, irritability, mood swings, muscle cramping in legs and arms/fingers, weight gain, sodium/fluid retention, increased hair growth on facial areas. I had daily headaches for awhile but those seem to have dissapated to infrequent headaches. I'm grateful for this drug for what it's done for me but the side effects are making me feel I'm going insane.