So basically this is my story.. I am 19 and have had severe asthm...

I'm so sorry you're having all those issues! I don't know about the hives, but I do know that prednisone is lousy. I've been on it a couple times and will never take it again if I can help it. I take oral hydrocortisone (Cortef) which is the non-synthetic version of prednisone and it makes all the difference in the world. I don't have all those horrible side effects and it helps my condition, so I actually feel better from the medicine instead of worse.
I also started going to a guy who started me on prolamine iodine tablets and when I did some research on that I found out that sometimes asthma is related to a thyroid problem and iodine can help. I have asthma too, adrenal problems and apparenty thyroid issues, but being on the hydrocortisone and iodine seems to be really helping with everything. If you can get a doctor to prescribe it, please go with the Cortef instead of prednisone--it sure can't hurt to try!! And hopefully if you switched, the Cortef would keep away the hives. I'd also take some benedryl while going off prednisone because prednisone is an anti-inflammatory and benedryl is too, so maybe it will keep the reaction away.
I hope there is health in your future! God bless,
k

My husband was also on prednisone for autoimmune pancreatitis. When he came off he could not hardly move his arms or legs. It has been 5 months and he is lots better. The doctor told him that it would probally take about 6 months to get over the med.

rileyb1989
please read these articles.
http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=4508980
and
http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/590158

Childhood asthma is now possibly associated with H.pylori bacteria. Maybe you need a blood test to see if you have H.pylori.

rileyb1989
One more thing.. You mentioned the skin problems. You can research H.pylori and skin disease and find some research also possibly connecting it..

Wow, I'm so sorry you've had to go through this.
I'm not a doctor, but have been on prednisone and HATE it. One doctor switched me to the non-synthetic version and it has made all the difference in the world. I'm not sure if it's exactly the same with asthma (I have adrenal problems and asthma) but it would certainly be worth the try!
Oral hydrocortisone--it's the natural, non-synthetic version of prednisone and doesn't have all those horrible side effects. Your doctor should know it as oral hydrocortisone or as Solu-Cortef. I can't believe he hasn't thought to try it with all the trouble you've had. For some reason, doctors don't seem to want to recommend it. I hope you can get some and that it will help! (The ratio is 4 to1, as in if you take 10 whatevers of prednisone, it would be equal to 40 of hydrocortisone).
Keep looking for a solution!
God bless,
k

It doesn't sound to me like your symptoms are actually related to the prednisone. I'm a PA and I have autoimmune thyroiditis. It sounds like you may have autoimmune thyroiditis which is causing you to have symptoms of hypothyroidism. Chronic hives can also be linked to this disorder (as is also the case with me). I had symptoms of hypothyroidism and chronic hives months before my thyroid levels ever reflected it. I was exactly your age and it kept being missed because my TSH levels were normal. The telling factor, which someone finally picked up on, was my thyroid antibody level which was sky high. Physicians rarely check for this. If this is your situation, you can be helped by beginning thyroid replacement treatment even before your TSH level is off. You may also need a daily anti-histamine or other combination of medications, to treat the hives. Prednisone is only masking the symptoms, not treating, that's why they come back. So...if I were you, I would go to your doctor and ask them to run a full thyroid panel and treat accordingly. Sorry if all of that is a little confusing, but I hope it helps (if you have not already been helped).

ABS

Hi, I was put on predisone for chronic urticaria 15 months ago. I hate it. I cannot get off because when I go below 10 mg a day I itch to death and break out in a rash all over my body. It is worse at night. Antihistimines help some but not enough to get me off the steriods. I have lost most of my hair and am freaking out right now because I don't know what to do. I think my body is addicted to the predisone. I feel for you and everyone else who cannot get off this horrible drug. The doctors should never prescribe it to anyone unless they are dying.

Good luck and you will be in my prayers.