Own time symptoms and conditions

Hi everyone,

i need to tell you about what just happened to me, because it seems most people are definitely not informed of all the possible side effects of prednisone - not only just relating to the dose of prednisone you take but also for how long.

I have been using prednisone for almost 14 years now, the doctors all tell me i'm unlikely to ever get off prednisone now because i've been on it too long. I know all about it's usual side effects (water retention, mood swings, thinning of all tissues including blood, acne, anemia, etc etc).

One side effect i was not advised of, not even in any educational material about prednisone either, was that long-term dependence can lead to Acute Adrenal Crisis. Which is deadly if not diagnosed and treated promptly. Thus i nearly died two weeks ago. I became rapidly ill with vague symptoms that i now know are symptoms of acute adrenal crisis. *THE ONLY REASON THE ACUTE ADRENAL CRISIS OCCURRED WAS BECAUSE OF LONG-TERM USE OF PREDNISONE*. Not many doctors will warn patients in advance of this. It is however, very very important that people are aware that long-term use of prednisone needs to be very carefully weighed with the benefits of using prednisone (i was started on prednisone in 1995 to treat severe Crohn's Disease).

Acute adrenal crisis can happen over weeks, months or years - in other words, it can come on so slowly that by the time you know there's something wrong you're already very very ill and in great danger.

I am very glad to have found this website and i hope you will all refer anyone who has any experience with prednisone to this site - education and knowledge is power - the power to stay alive.

(by the way, the treatment for acute adrenal crisis is to load up on prednisone - seems i'll probably never be free of this drug unless i can get my adrenal glands to begin working again (as prednisone "takes over" for the adrenal glands and they effectively go to sleep, and this is especially true for long-term use)).

My sympathies to everyone who has to go through the many nasty experiences with prednisone, especially the young children (I had to start it when i was 16). It really does mess with your body and mind, and in my case, became lethal.

Please pass on all your information relating to use of prednisone to everyone you can - it really is that important and seems to be the only way to avoid most of the disasters related to prednisone use.

take care everyone,
Linda
(Australia)

My life was ruined by Effexor and Wyeth should be held responsible. I need people who are as mad as I am. I went through hell. I'm spending my own time and money on my website to get what will be justice in the end. I am just getting started. Please visit my site dougtyler.com click on the Effexor link at the bottom. It's no joke folks........I need people, I need to show a Judge real E-mails from real people. I have a print and send letter to the CEO of Wyeth. Thank you and take care of yourselves. You CAN beat this drug!

I've been through the whole spectrum of side effects from Effexor and had my life nearly ruined.
13 weeks of withdrawal in the summer 2003. Couldn't work, or anything else for that matter. I today am still not totally myself. The last emotion I frequently read about is anger.I have read about thousands who are ready to scream at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals for this drug they've made. They've conveniently failed to warn us about the hell we will go thruogh if we decide to stop taking it. I found out that I did not need this drug in the first place, it was a mistake. I have set up a web site on my own time and it's just NOT a commercial site.There's a lot of information there if you want to get mad with me, it's dougtyler.com ,go to the Effexor link at the bottom.
Take care all and thanks.