hi all. thanks for writing your comments here. it has helped me t...

I feel so bad for you. You are goimg through a lot of what hits me periodically. Most of the time, I just tell myself that this medicine is just keeping me alive till I can taper off . I have begun tapering and am down to 9 mg, with no side-effects. My appetite seems to be lessening , I sure hope so after gaining 50 pounds in 6 months!!!JUst hang in there

thank you for your sympathy gsaiazzi. i'm so happy for you that you are tapering and getting back to normal, gives me hope. best to you!!

I understand everything you are saying.....I have been on 70mg. of Prednisone and down to 20 then back up again for about a year for a rare eye condition called "VKH" I have all the side effects like you and it drives me insane. Trying to get people that do not take Prednisone to understand is hard. I have had a lot of rages and have tried to control those and the depression. My marriage is on a roller coaster most of the time and what esteem I had is gone. I don't mirror the person I was at all before the Prednisone. I hate going places and hate seeing people because it is not like you wear a sign that states that you are a Prednisone user and it's effects. Other than the moon face, the horrible acne, the buffalo hump and weight gain I have also had problems walking because of joint and hip pain. I wish to be off this drug sometime soon but my doctor said that since I have been on so long the tapering process will be long since my body is addicted to the steroids. I am sorry for all that have to be on this drug for long periods of time because I think this drug is only meant to be used for short time use. Long term effects of this drug I think can be worse than the disease or conditon you start off with. I wish you the best and hope that you do not need this drug much longer and that you have a complete recovery.

twentworth75- gawd what a nightmare!! so sorry to hear of all your troubles. i too wish you the best of luck and a speedy recovery. we should all get shirts made up for when we go out! "Beware! On Prednisone, paranoid, angry, and a loose cannon (sorry please don't hate me! It's the drugs! Not me! And I'm actually an attractive person!)" ugh. oh well, here's to hoping it's worth it.

I feel terribly for all of you guys. My boyfriend was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis 2 years ago and was put on Prednisone. He is constantly up and down with the doses. Usually 60mg at the highest and 10mg at the lowest. He always has mood swings, started growing more hair, sometimes gets the chubby cheeks and his weight is always flucuating which makes him depressed. Although there are many negative effects to this medication, I guess it's better to look at it from a more positive perspective. I mean I've seen how sick he can be without the Predisone and its absolutely horrible. I think I'd rather him have mood swings and be occasionally sad then have him not being able to get up because he is so sick. Hopefully one day they can come out with a medication that has less severe side effects =/. I hope you all get better soon!

I also have been on prednisone. Only , I have been on 80 mg aday for almost 3 years. i am very moody. i have gained 121 pounds. ( I was balimic) before all this. I also have a lung problem. Mine is from high portions of toxic mold. Now I grow mold on my lungs and it will always be like this. I have also thought of suicide and dying. I cry most days and live with my in-laws, which does not make it any better. Although I do really appreciate all of there support. I have 3 daughters 12,11, and 6. They love sports and since I can not do it with them , they are no longer interested. My husband is very helpful at tiomes. Sometimes I do not care who helps it just is not right or nothing is good enough. I am sorry others are going through this. I am batteleing social security right now. I have been denied 3 times. Its my age. I am 31 and feel like i am 80. I am on ambein. It does help , but then you get use to it and it just makrs everything worse. I do not sleep, unless I take strong sleeping pills, which I love but they knock me out in 20 min. And i only sleep for 2 hours. If you would like to e-mail me to talk more please feel free to do so.
jkanderson023@yahoo.com.

i'm sorry to hear about your struggles, and unfortunately i can totally relate to you. i was diagnosed with evan's syndrome last november and had to leave school to be hospitalized for a month. i was on 200mg of prednisone for a month, and took until april to finally get off of it. it was absolutely terrible and i experience all of the awful side effects. i haven't recognized my face in nearly a year and it is very hard on my self esteem (especially at 21 years old) but the drug saved my life. my face is almost back to normal and i'm working to lose the 30lbs i gained. my family and i are on a constant vigil of my health and we hope that it never happens again. i hope with all of my heart that your treatment works and that you can kiss that crap goodbye!

You have just described my life for the past 2 and a half years. I am using prednisone to manage RADS and MCS both lung issues brought on by an industrial accident.

Prednisone allows me to stay alive and helps me to get some breathing accomplished. I am on doses as high as 120 mg (when I actually need to move from my desk and have some sort of activity in my day) to as low as 20 mg per day just to have enough air to not drop dead.

It is hellish. It has been a nightmare. Everything that you have described and a few besides.

I rarely leave the house anymore. Most of my friends and family avoid me. I have closed down my own business and fired everyone. I spen a lot of time wondering if death might not be a better option.

Hang in there................

benson