I was diagnosed with my first case of bronchitis at 41 in August. I am female and was diagnosed with diverticulitis in July, for which I was given dual antibiotics for 10 days. I thought those side effects were bad, but I am beginning to believe PREDNISONE is worse!
I took a 12 day declining dose regimine, prescribed 3 days after I started a zpack for bronchitis that was worsening, not getting better. I had the rapid heartbeat at times, but really no effects.
My effects begin AFTER finishing the course of PREDNISONE a week ago. Two days ago, I broke out with tiny pimples all over my jawline. The next morning , they were covering my upper chest, neck, cheeks, temple and forehead. They are still there today and worse. They look horrible. I've never had acne in my life and I am supposed to be doing job interviews now. Looks like they'll have to wait. It's embarrassing. Makeup does not cover at all--it's almost like bad hives, there are so many I can't count. I have researched this and it's called steriod-induced acne and I suppose I'm going to have to go out and get some face wash with salicylic acid and some benzyl peroxide or something!
My second bothersome symptom, which started yesterday, is headache. I have never had headaches in my life. The pain started around 4pm when I would move my head, turn my head, look down or up or simply swallow. The pain was directly in the back of my head at the base of the skull. It migrated then behind my eyes and cheekbones. It lasted all night
and whenever I would sit up (not sleeping well either, awoke four times last night) or stand up--boom--there was the pain. Thankfully it lasted 12 hours and for about three hours now I've had really bad pain behind my eyes and cheeks. I took a couple advil just now. I am guessing these are the headaches Prednisone is famous for.
The third symptom has been sweating. Like crazy. Two days after finishing my dose, I would sit at kitchen table and just POUR sweat. Same thing this morning at breakfast. This seems to be a morning occurrence. Thank goodness I am job hunting now. I could not work with these symptoms.
My fourth symptom isn't so bothersome but is sensitivity to sunlight and blurry vision. I noticed the blurry vision once starting the Prednisone.
How long will these last? There are so many side effects you all have shared I wonder if anyone will even see this. I don't see acne, but a google search revealed a dermatologist causing acne after Prednisone the steroid-induced acne referenced above.
For reference, I will NEVER take Prednisone again. How easily I've forgotten the mood swings. The best part of Prednisone for me was it healed my bronchitis in about 10 days. The worst? The constant, epic dreams that lasted all night and involved constant problem-solving. I'm a lucid dreamer, but these weren't lucid. The themes were tied to daily life, something ridiculous I had heard on tv, and went on and on--almost psychotic. No nightmare quality--just very unpleasant and downright odd.
I will tell my doctor that under no circumstance will I take this drug again. I'm asking friends to recommend detox programs. I guess I should go to a steam room and exercise and sweat a lot, but the pain behind my eyes and my tiredness (oh yeah, forgot to mention that at 3pm each day I'm hit with terrible exhaustion) prevent me from doing that, or job hunting, or going to job interviews.
This better resolve this weekend. Being sick is no fun, but side effects from drugs shouldn't be worse. Apparently many people are sensitive to this drug!