Hello- I was Dx with Sarcoidosis in February, 2007. My lung spe...

Hi There - you're certainly not alone. I am a nut case too. I have been on prednisone for two months now and I am a wreak.

Hospital gave me 2400 mg IV over 16 hours and my body and mind went crazy. Now I am on 60 mg per day indefinitely for Giant Cell Arteritis,

I am very troubled with sleeplessness - extreme fatigue - blurry vision - dramatic emotional changes (crying for no reason) - I'm covered with bruises - very red Moon face - gain weight fast - weak & can barely walk - dizzy - mental confusion and forgetfulness - it is like I am having constant little strokes.

They tell me there is no choice because there is no other treatment and GCA can cause blindness, strokes, and aortic aneuryisms - so here I am.

Every attempt thus far (2) to taper the dose has resulted in relapses that bring the symptoms back worse than before and require higher doses.

So I am going to the Mayo Clinic to see if there are any new tricks. Also I am going to try to reduce carbs and salt and meditate a lot.

Thanks for sharing your story - I think that the Docs underestimate the severity of these side effects and think that we are just plain nuts.

Get better soon.

Hey there-I was diagnosed with sarcoidosis in January 2007 and was put on 20 mg of Prednisone shortly thereafter by my pulmonologist. Mine was for enlarged lymph nodes, coughing, muscle stiffness/soreness, joint pain, etc. The prednisone helped almost immediately with the pain/stiffness and the coughing (although it is not completely gone). I am now down to 15 mg and will be going in soon to decrease to 10 mg. Since the decrease to 15 mg I have developed acne on my face like I've never had before (and it won't heal and go away), round face, hair growing on my chin, increased appetite and a feeling of being bloated. I work out Mon-Fri and eat less than I used too but I can't seem to lose any weight. Some days my clothes don't even fit the way they did the week before but I haven't gained any weight. I am concerned about the SLOW weening off (my doc may keep me at 10 mg for several months instead of six weeks like the other decreases). I am happy that the coughing is getting better and the stiffness/soreness is gone but I am not happy about the other effects this med has. I just want to be done with it and pray I don't relapse with the symptoms. I will keep positive and believe that it will get better. I hope it does for each of you.

I am a 44 yr. old woman diagnosed with SLE (Lupus) while in my mid thirties. I have been on prednisone for years, finally stopping abruptly about a year ago. I was on 7 mg. a day at the time. I knew stopping this abruptly after being on the drug for so long is dangerous, but I just had to call it quits. The mental side effects are incredibly overlooked and downplayed. Even being a year since my last dose, I am plagued with steriod withdrawal symptoms - which, even my doctor stated, are about the same side effects as when you're on the drug. My mood swings were so unbearable that I nearly drove off my husband of 15 yrs. I was irrational, often obsessing with a particular thought to an extreme degree. I was so racked with symptoms and crazed thoughts that I even began drinking secretly, hiding this from my husband. Of course, this behavior distanced us further, to the point now where I'm fighting to keep my relationship. I am on such an emotional edge that I cry often, have sleeplessness, nighmarish dreams, and unbelievable fatigue. My irrational thoughts are what frighten me most. I'm a basket case. I have no short-term memory and am often confused. I pray that I can save my relationship and keep my job until I get over this. I pray that even happens. I am now on an antidepressant, plus a high blood pressure pill. If my lupus ever acts up to the degree that prednisone is suggested, I will firmly refuse. I simply will never recommend this therapy to anyone. At the time of my mother's death from lupus in 1984, her eye doctor explained to me that she was being seen because she was going blind. When I asked "what from?", he almost chuckled as he said "the prednisone, of course. My god, she's been on it for years - a very low dose, but for such a length of time. I thought you, as her daughter, knew this.". She had just turned 50 years old.