Preds symptoms and conditions

I'm 16 years old, and in November of 2008 i was diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome, or FSGS. i started taking the preds starting at 60mg, and last month i started weaning off. i'm at 20 mg right now. i noticed that i started getting the common moon face right after i started taking the meds. and i hate it so much. also, i've had so much trouble falling asleep at night, but then when i do, i sleep for so long. i've also had the dreadful hair growth, REALLY bad mood swings, headaches, and for sure, increase in appetite. i've gained 30lbs since ive been on the preds and even when i exercise daily, i still cant loose a single pound. normally im a really fit girl, i ran track and i was a dancer. im just really worried that all this "fat" wont go away. i really hope it does. it just feels like prednisone really ruined my sophomore year of high school. and i just don't feel like doing anything anymore. i just wanna wear swearpants, curl up in a ball and lay in my bed and wait until this nightmare is over. But im just glad to know that there are a lot of other people out there that know how i feel.

I was giving prednisone for only 5 days (not sure about dose, but it tapered to one pill on the last day) for a bronchitis induced severe asthma attack. I have only had asthma twice in my 50 years, both times associated with a bad case of bronchitis. The "doc in the box" reduced his original dosage due to the 3 corisone injections I recently had in my spine. After reading these posts I feel grateful I wasn't on a higher, longer term dose. I have some of the same side effects listed here including uncontrollable appetite, fat gain around the middle, water weight gain, constantly having to urinate, superhuman energy, heart palpitations, and approximately two weeks after finishing, I began to get a mustache (hairs that were previously white became brown over a two week period). I have read on the internet and been told by my pharmacist that this is temporary. I have also read and been told that the 2mg estradiol I take every day since my hysterectomy causes the body to retain and not rid itself of the steroids as it normally would (estrogen is actually listed as drug interaction with prednisone). The doctor in the box apparently just ignored this interaction and prescribed it anyway. However the main reason I am posting is a very strange possible side effect that occurred approximately 1 week after my final dose. I was awakened in the middle of the night with SEVERE pain (felt like bone pain, not muscle) in my right knee that lasted until morning. By mid morning it was gone. The next night I had the same experience but in both knees. It lasted about 5 more days, gradually tapering in intensity, and then just went away. I do have severe arthritis in my lumbar and cervical spine, having had surgeries to repair injuries from a snowmobiling accident. I have normal arthritis elsewhere for a 50 year old, but have NEVER had issues with my knees. Has anyone had this strange symptom? None of my doctors (internist, rheumatologist, physiatrist - who gave me the injections and prescribed physical therapy for my spine) had any explanation. The only explanation I have is the prednisone because I had taken the Z-pac (antibiotic) with no side effects several times in the past. Weird!

Incidentally, I am off the prednisone for about 5 weeks, am still hungry all the time, still fat, still bloated. Unfortunately the extra energy is gone. Best of luck to everyone on this strange drug. My heart sincerely goes out to all of you on long term therapy. God bless.

hello, im 25 and was diagnosed with lupus nephritis 4 years ago, among other meds i was taking 60mg of pred for about 8 months with chemo for my damaged kidneys. in three years my dose went up and down between 60mg and 15mg. the side effects i had were at first extreme water retention, my skin was like play doe, swollen vulva, swollen leaky breasts, hamster cheeks, extra chin, i had extreme hunger cravings , wanted to eat every thing in sight but my husband helped me to maintain a proper diet and i did not gain any weight except for my face and breasts and water retention for around 5 months after diagnosis. i also had all the other effects like racing heart, chest pain , breathlessness, tiredness, excitement, bad mood swings. now after 5 years i have CAREFULLY weaned MYSELF down to 5mgs a days the moon face has gone down but i have the fatty deposit at the top of my back at my neck that happens with long term use, but only i can really notice it, i get nose bleeds cause skin is thin up my nose, i use glycolic moisturiser and have glycolic peels on my face to help with skin renewal keeping ageing at bay and also have factor 50 sunscreen on prescription, take zinc for my hair loss (prescription 220mgs) has helped a lot with hair loss, use pure glycerin on my body to keep the skin soft and less delicate( glycerin can be quite gloopy and stickes on the skin for a good hour before soaking in but does wonders and is in most mosturising creams, use mouth wash for gum desies to keep the bleeding at bay and keep the teeth strong, i buy probiotic yogurt dring and pills for digestive system to get rid of the gas bloating and constipation/diarrhea, take meds to prevent bone problems, drink a pint of full fat milk with some nesquick mixed in every day, i get bad headaches after eating sweet things sometimes that can last all day, i just live with them. don't take pain killers, they just go after ive slept
im constantly finding new ways to cope with the preds, and am now 3 and half months pregnant with my first baby, doc told me 4 days ago that he wants to start putting up my steroids to protect baby and me, so im panicking a bit about the moon man coming back, and hair loss has started again big time also cause of pregnancy. once ive had the baby im going to start back on my routine. perdnisolone is a nasty drug but also a life line for many people who cant get off it and need if for the foreseeable future until something can take its place, so im jus trying to stay 1 step ahead of the drug, the only thing i struggle with is exercise , starting to loose my memory more often, and eye sight is playing up, keep going cross eyed!!! gonna try that mangasteen stuff, worth a shot...
thanks for reading, sorry bout spelling.
love l.

I have Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA), was diagnosed in Feb. 2008. Have been ill for several years and finally it came to a head in Feb. I had a blood transfusion and then in the hospital 6 days later with a hgb of 4.0. I was so toxic and my blood so screwed up I nearly died. I was given another transfusion then (total of 5 pints of packed red blood cells) and started on Prednisone. For 3 days given liquid Pred injections, starting at 1000mg, tapering down to 250mg., then on the pill form at 100mg. Sweat poured off of me dosing down. I was off work for 2 months. I am still tapering but am now at 1mg. DR. added another drug, Danazol, after getting to about 10mg because my blood started going crazy again. My side affects with Prednisone have been, Euphoria, no depression, LOTS of hyper brain activity, thoughts running a 100 miles an hour but body at slow speed.Visual problems and a feeling of being highly drugged. 2 to 3 hours of sleep each night, compulsive behaviors and a lot of pacing back and forth. Couldn't hold my concentration because my mind wandered so much. Extreme Tremors in my back, hands and head. Wanted to talk constantly, if no one was around I talked to my Chihuahua or the TV. My cheeks puffed up and became hard and had a fat pocket puffed up on left side of my neck. My dog thought I was crazy, she was tired of the lights being on at 3 or 4 in the morning. Legs looked skinny but didn't gain weight until I got to about 60mg. Gained 25 lbs total. Tapering caused bad spasms in my calves, feet and hands. Thigh muscles would get extremely weak each time I went down a dose. At 50mg I started getting sleepy and could hardly stay awake. Went back to work at 35mg and couldn't remember how to sign on to my computer. Some memory problems since I was in the hospital, couldn't remember how to spell words I knew as a young girl. Started having hip pain about 3 months into the Pred, that hasn't stopped. At 10mg feet, knees, shoulders hurt deep in the sockets, muscles below my neck knot up, may take a while to totally get off this. Read on a couple of blogs where people cut a 1mg tab into 4 pieces to taper off the Pred. because of side effects. Had thrush in the beginning and break outs of shingles. I hope to God I never have to get back on this drug again, it is so HARD on the body but it did do what it was given for, to repress my immune systems. My next step is Spleen surgery, hope this is a cure for me, am sick and tired of being sick and tired. Wouldn't advise anyone to take Pred unless it's a life or death situation. It's prescribed too liberally and people have multiple problems, worse than I have experienced. I've probably forgotten some things, but there's enough I've mentioned to give you an Idea it's not good, but if Pred is all you have then you do what you gotta do!! My puffy cheeks have went down though, now my hair has become curly but at least I have hair and my chihuahua stills loves me!!!

i have been an asthmatic since the age of 2 years old i am now 24 years old. preds as i call it has been a part of my life since then. i have a number of reactions to it from gaining 30 lbs in les than 6 months to almost definitely hallucinating. i urinate frequently,my hubby says that i'm a leaking tap. i cry and grumble at times for no reason: yes mood swings like rain in spring time. i even threw away my wallet after a dose of preds three months ago. i laugh uncontrollably. i get depressed. sleep for long hours one time and then become insomniac for days. i am super hyper. i am creative and expressive and get even better for a few hours after taking preds. also i appear to have an attention disorder at times. i have acute hearing i.e i hear like a fox really well and then some day si behave like an 89 year old with a hearing aid. i get rashes on allergic reactions to things i've been using all my life like band-aid.i don't like it in fact when the doctor gives me 8 to be taken 3 times daily for a week, i take two and feel better without all the side effects. i am so fat its a shame. i was tall and lean and sexy now i am tall heavy and my hubby still says sexy. we all hate it don't we?!

I was given 20 mg of Prednisone for 10 days for a rash and joint pain.
The pain went away and I felt great the rash got a little better. Two days ago I took my last pill. I woke up that night and my knees gave out. By morning I was great! Next night I woke with knee problem again had to slide down the stairs to the living room. I got to wondering if the knee thing could be associated with the Prednisone. I got on line and read all this terrible stuff. I am so Horrified! Today I am in pain like my body is bruised and my face is swollen a little. I have acid reflux as well. Non of this is typical for me. My knee thing is ok again, but I am just appalled! I have no MED insurance. I hope this isn't the beginning of worse things I am not taking that drug now. The Dr. didn't say I needed to taper...

I hope I have not damaged myself by taking this drug! My heart goes out to all of you! My question is - Why are the Dr.'s prescribing this terrible drug?

Hi I'm 26 years old and just started 60mg pred treatment for Kidney condition called Nephrotic Syndrome. This is my 8th Relapse since i was 7years old.

Started Tabs 27th Dec and now they are really kicking in with side effects! I have a beautiful little boy and just got married and was soooo Happy. Now I'm feeling so depressed, I cant sleep , My Face has started swelling and I've eaten all inside my mouth cause I'm so hungry!! Been having a few Cramps but nothing like I've experienced in the past.
I'm trying to reduce the tablets myself so I'm not on them too long but its just not working!
I just WISH I could stop the moon face I'm developing, Its the main problem for me (causing depressed thoughts)

I have a condition called Myositis and for the past two years the specialists put me on Prednisone, my condition of myositis is an Autoimmune problem that degenerates the muscles and causes artherites throughout the joints in the body.
I am 58 years of age and survive the chronic pain by taking 5 Mg of prednisone each day along with different types of anti inflaminetery pain killers.
Some days are good and other days require a wheel chair to get around but the side effects of this have caused Cateracts in both eyes, fatty liver tissues and other side effects like mood swings and so on.....