PredniSONE and acne

9 day course of prednisone for a rash on my face and neck.
started getting big zits right after i stopped and now 3 months later am still getting them, especially around my period. i had been acne free for a year and a half prior to this.
has anyone had effects like this for such a long time after stopping the prednisone?

i took a 9 day course of prednisone for a rash on my face and neck, and as soon as i stopped taking it, i started breaking out again ( i had been free of acne for a year and a half prior).

it is now 3 months later and i am still getting really huge zits. i am wondering if it could still be from the prednisone and what i should do about it...did anyone else notice an effect from prednisone that lasted this long?

I am 24 and have suffered from severe to moderate acne my entire life. I have tried every cure out there and nothing has worked. I went on prednisone for an skin allergic reaction about 2 weeks ago. I started out with 50mg on the first day, and 40 mg the next, 30 the next day, and so on. I took it for a week. By the second day of taking prednisone, my acne was 100% cleared up and has been gone since. Now that I am off the medication, my acne is coming back. The only side effect from this drug was insomnia and CLEARING of acne. Does anyone have any idea why I had such a weird reaction to this drug?

After my kidney transplant I was taking 40mg a day and only weighed slightly over 100lbs. I felt all of the same side effects: trembling, sweating, bloated tummy, paranoia, confusion, horrible acne, insatiable hunger, bad headaches. I started taking the pill and this helped a lot with acne and hair growth that started to appear. Ask your doctor if you can taper down to a more manageable dose. I'm still on prednisone and probably will be for the rest of my life, but I was firm with my doc and got it down to 7.5mg MWF. This level is much easier to deal with, and although I still have a slight "moose hump" (some kind of name) and disappearing eyebrows, my hair loss has evened out and I'm happy with what I have. Like many of you I used to have really thick hair. Things will get better, you just have to be persistent. No one should live that way, it's horrible and I don't think that doctors understand the drastic drop in quality of life that occurs.

I have UC, and was diagnosed in April after a Colonscopy. I was put on Prednisone and was never able to get past 20mg without getting very sick again.I changed everything I DID, my diet, everything. they finally put me on Imuran. But the prednisone is making me loose my hair, they started before imuran. Also give me horrible pain, in the bone and muscle. I take all my vitamins, and it helps a little but it still hurts. they run regular blood test. Some days I feel like I can;t walk. Make sure to cut your salt out. It also made my face horribly round and fat. and i got a fat hum p on my back. The acne sucks, and it messed with my period too!

Male 28. Was diagnosed a couple of months ago with Ulcerative Colitis and was prescribed Prednisone. A large dose to start with then tampered off for 4 weeks. The first week I felt great, better than great, fantastic. The only downside was difficulty sleeping. The following 3 weeks, without any exaggeration have been among the worst I have ever experienced. I think the lack of sleep finally caught up with me, so I was constantly tired and generically felt depressed, also knee ache, eye pain, inability to think clearly (quite a problem when you are an Engineer), lacked energy or strength – and the Acne. Never before have I had Acne like this, and I used to suffer quite bad during my teens. Its just so aggressive, every few hours there seems to be new ones appearing. It seems to occur when ever I step down the dose. I think having this bad skin has really added to my depression over the last few weeks, it has been especially difficult considering I have been in the process of starting a new job. To top all of that my UC seems to be worst than ever! I’m worried that when I go back to see the Doctor next week he is going to put me on some equally-annoying medication or maybe another course of Prednisone if I’m lucky.

Does anyone know of some natural alternatives that are good for UC, very reluctant to put anymore man-made chemicals into my body.

My 17 yr old son was prescribed Prednisone along with Accutane for Acne. His two older brothers had undergone accutane treatment when they were each 17 ish, with no major side effects - no mental disorders at all. They did not have Prednisone along with the accutane. I questioned why my youngest son should go on the prednisone but was assured by my trusted dr. of 35 years that his very low dose of 20mg a day would be no problem. We continued the dosage for 3 months and then tapered off for 3 weeks. That's when my son's trouble began. He felt a change immediately - things didn't seem 'real', he has a hard time describing the feelings. At two weeks after discontinuing the prednisone his symptoms really began to be very frightening. He is athletic and was vomiting for extended periods - probably due to the stress of what was going on in his head. We then saw 2 GPs, his Dermatologist and I contacted a Psychiatrist, His father and I didn't want him to progress to antidepressants and he does seem to be improving - nothing like some of the other stories contained here. I just wish we had NEVER gone on this - even at 20mg - for something like acne. NOT life threatening - I should have listened to my gut and just stuck with the Accutane.

I'm 15 years old and i've been taking prednisone for a few months, and from what i've read i'm on a really high dose. i was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and another autoimmune disorder concerning my muscles at the same time. my doctor told me prednisone was my only choice; it was either that or i would lose the ability to walk. he told me there'd be side effects, but i had no idea it'd turn out like this or i would have fought harder for another course of action. i started out on 30mg twice a day, and since then was weaned down to 20mg twice a day and now i'm down to 30mg once a day. i've been looking up a bunch of information trying to figure out if there's a way to lessen the side effects or any hope at all that they will get better. apparently there isn't much. after reading a bunch of these stories i gotta say i'm not feeling great about this. i totally understand everything everyone is going through. i'm sure you can imagine what it's like being smack in the middle of high school with a huge puffy face, acne so bad on my face, chest, back, neck, and shoulders that wearing a bra could put me in tears, and mood swings so bad i've lost friends over it. everyone knows how brutal high school can be, where appearance and attitude are everything. and i try to tell my doctor about it and he literally looks at me like i'm a whiny teenager and says "you're just going to have to deal with it." and people like my mom and my closest friends don't get it either. nobody understands how beyond frustrating it is. i'll get into the worst moods and not have a reason for it, but i'll stay angry for hours or burst into tears over someone looking at me the wrong way. it'll get to the point where i have to isolate myself from other people because the abrubt mood changes get so bad. as bad as i hate to admit it, the pain from the arthritis is gone now and supposedly my muscles are doing better too. developing arthritis caused me to have to quit cheerleading, something i've loved doing for 6 years, because the pain got to the point where i couldn't get my arms above my head or bend my knees. however, i'd almost rather deal with the horrible joint pain than deal with the side effects of prednisone. if your doctor gives you and alternative method, take it. i've always been confident in the way i look and really outgoing and happy and now i sometimes catch myself thinking about suicide. that's shocking to me because i've got so much going for me, but this medicine makes me miserable. and when i complain about it, anyone i'm talking to just looks at me like i'm being a cry baby. my mom does too, she'll say things like "you just have to do this. i know it's not what you want but to be honest i'm sick of hearing you bitch about it."
i feel a little better knowing other people feel the same way - like nobody gets whats going on with them. the prednisone does give me days of really great euphoria and days when i feel like i could run a marathon, but waking up in the morning to the acne and huge face puts me to tears every day. i have to pee all the time, usually getting up at 2 or 3 am. i don't sleep well anymore and i do sweat all the time. which also sucks being a teenage girl. i'm always hungry, and when i eat i never feel full so i don't know when to stop. my neck and face have put on so much weight that when people see me in the halls or out and about they ask me what happened. mind you these are people i don't talk to, just ones i know from classes or whatever. and it's pretty bad when teenage boys i've never really talked to ask what happened to your face. kind of a blow to the ego, or whatever is left of it at this point.
i'd like to know if, as my dosage gets lowered, the side effects will diminish and when i'm off the prednisone completely if they will disappear altogether. any help there?
or if there is any way to help the acne or puffy face

my doctor just put me on something called methotrexate or something like that to help wean me off the prednisone, and does anyone know what those side effects will do? or if they'll affect the prednisone side effects?
i'm constantly obsessing over gaining weight and what my skin looks like and what i eat and how heavy my face feels and the occasional pressure in my eyes to the point where i just want to be put out of my misery.
and after reading other people's stories i really don't understand why this drug is still given out as freely as it is. but maybe all doctors are like mine, they just don't get it.
best of luck to anyone who's on prednisone, my heart goes out to you; i'm right there with you
sorry this became like a book it wasn't meant to be this long

I was diagnosed with Chrohn's in February. I am 25 years old. I was put on prednisone and asacol to control my systems. I was on 40mg then down to 20mg and finally last Friday 5/22 after weening off I was off the drug completely. I also had EN (a complication of Chrohn's) with severe pain, swelling and bruising in the feet and legs. In fact that was the only reason I went to the doctor, I was just dealing with everything for years. With Prednisone I experienced a slight moon face but also a huge bloated, pregnant like belly, it's awful. I have to hide it with baggy shirts. I also gained about 20 lbs, I have abdomen pain, hair on my upper lip, my ear clogs and clicks, insomnia, insane amount of energy. Oddly though people have been saying they are moody, the good thing the drug did was put me in an excellent mood all the time and took away my acne.

My Question: When do these side effects go away, I have been off for a week. Primarily the bloated stomach and weight gain. I know it takes a while, but how long???

I have been on prednisone since I was two years old (I am now sixteen) because I have Autoimmune Hepatitis IIa. I would like to point out that there is still a life worth living being on prednisone, maybe I say this because I do not know life without it, but at least we're alive! Last year I had a flare up of the AIH and had to 6x my dose of prednisone. It sent me into a spiraling depression of constant sleep, crying, hopelessness etc....but I made it through. Just PLEASE keep hope that things would get better, because I know what it's like being on the dreaded drug better than most.

my boyfriend has been on prednisone for 4 years and he is terribly snappy and aggravated all the time and short tempered and does not think that he is... i love him so i deal with it but its getting harder because he dosnt feel this is correct every time i ask him something he bites my head off and almost everything i do irritates him gets on his nerves the mood swings are out of this world sometimes and he totally thinks im being a lala in his words...will someone respond to this so i can show him and he will know im not just saying these things
all this

I had a kidney transplant feb08. I was put on prednisone as a rejection med. So far, i have gained 50 lbs, my hair has fallen out, had mood swings when first put on it. Haven't noticed them lately, have little bumps under my skin, not acne, have started noticing slight breathing problems, when trying to walk to lose the weight. Yesterday I was diagnosed with cataract. Eye doctor said that it is another side effect of the med. I am under the impression that, I am on this for rest of my life. Whats next?

Hi everyone, I have just read all thirty pages of posts to try to find some answers to my crazy reaction to prednisone. My thoughts are with you all since I have had an usually severe reaction to prednisone. I was on prednisone for 1 week in October 2008 at 60 mg/day for a sinus surgery. I am still having the following side effects at full force:

Axiety to the point I can't socialize
mood swings
hot/sweating even in freezing weather
whole body shakes
severe migraines
tooth sensitivity
muscle pains
extreme thirst (I drink almost 2 gallons/day)
hungry all the time
moon face
water retention around waist
acne
hair loss
rapid heart rate
dizziness
nightmares
night sweats
high blood pressure
high hear rate

I'm not exaggerating, my parent's can contend to that. I do have a history of having sever reactions to medication and I've had all the gland and blood tests which all check out. I never had a single one of these before the prednisone - I was a healthy 22 year old.

I was wondering if any could tell me when this hell will end - my job and well-being depends on it!

I am 16 years old and i have an orbital inflamatory psedotumor myositis, which causes me to see double. It is a condition the doctors are kind of just playing a gussing game in how long i will have to take the steroids. Everyone is different., i have been to many doctors and they have described it to me as an autoimmune disease within my eye and not my whole body. I was put on 60mg of prednisone. I have been taking it for over 3 weeks now. I was sapost to be symptom free within 2 days, but it took me 9 days before i noticed a difference in my vision. I am going on my fourth week now and still see double but not as bad. The prednisone has been absolutely awful. i handled it farley well the first 2 weeks and since then it has been pure hell. I do get bad mood swings,and i really don't mean to act the way i do. People i was once really close to don;t want to be around me anymore. Mostly i think i am frustrated with the acne it has given me. I am completely plastered now all over my face neck and chest. It is really embarrassing. I just wish other people realized how frustrating it is. Its like i wake up every morning and take an UGLY pill. I am really self conscious to begin with and was actually feeling pretty good about the way i looked until i had to start this medication. It really does suck. I can't even imagine what some of you are going through right now after reading everyones stories. My heart really does go out to everyone who has to deal with this, and i will pray for all of you. If any one has the same diagnosis as i do or knows anything about it and how long it takes to be treated please let me know. I am begging to worry because i don't think the prednisone is going to work for me. the doctors are thinking about putting me on methotrexate which i am also concerned about but it is not sapost to make you break out which is really all i am worried about right now. I have already back down from prom after working my but off to pay for my dress,and i really don't want my summer to be ruined. i wake up every day and want to hide in a whole were no one can see me. going to school is really hard to. The girls love to make fun of me and the guys are just kind of turned off from how i look.
How long does it take for the acne to go away after getting off the prednisone.and does it go away as you taper the drug down? also how long does it take before most people develop a moon face? i have a range of being on prednisone anywhere form 2 months to a year. There is a possibility that i will never be able to be off of it.

Hi...Am 33 years and had been on prednisone for 4 months till about a month ago. It was in June last year that I was down with Viral hepatitis along with pyelonephritis. I was eventually diagnosed with Autoimmune hepatitis and therefore administered this drug with an high of 40mg for two and gradually tapered subsequently.
Two months of medicines and I had this pain in my thighs especially when I had to get up after lying sedentary. After 1.5 months subsequently the pain worsened to now include all my joints including the leg muscles. Things have really become more painful now. The gastroentorologist who put me on this drug has advised me to see a rheumatologist. Now I am torn between trying to understand whether this is a part of my treatment or my ailment (rheumatoid arthritis is also an auto immune disorder) and only praying that it is a part of the treatment.
The Doctor's have not been clear on how long this pain will persist. Regular walking, getting up, getting out of the car, turning the cap of a bottle is painful and getting worse with my ankles and knees swelling.
The moon face, the hump, the acne are all ebbing. However this pain is killing. Anybody has any idea how long the pain will last?
Thank you and best wishes to you.

I was recently diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and was hospitalized in March 2008 for pancreatitis - a reaction I had to Asacol. A week later I was discharged then went back to the hospital a day later for a severe flare-up. There, they started me on antibiotics and prednisone through an IV. When I left the hospital I started taking 40mg. The initial side affects were severe sweaty palms, racing heartbeat and dizziness. Within 2 weeks I started experiencing insomnia, acne, hair loss, extreme mood swings, depression, anxiety, and was OCD on top of the sweating to where the skin on my palms was starting to peel. It suddenly got out of control fast. I became suicidal - nearly attempted suicide twice. I was paranoid, had severe lack of concentration to the point that I felt cognitively delayed, couldn't do anything on my own, lacked emotion, and felt that I WAS crazy. Luckily my family was very supportive. During the second suicidal attempt they begged me to stay at a psychiatric hospital. I did and was there for about three days. A week later I was finally completely tapered off prednisone. Within 2 weeks I was completely normal and back to myself. My three months of hell was finally over. I tell myself I will never take prednisone ever again but the truth is it might be the only thing down the line that can save my life. I hate this drug and I don't recommend anyone take it unless it's the last option you have.

I am so glad I'm not the only one that has the crazy symptoms. I am being treated for an inflammation in my optic nerve. I woke up over a month ago now with double-vision. I was on 100mg a day for seven days then went down to 60mg. I feel like I'm high all the time though. I have to take my pills at 7 in the morning and they are still effecting me until about 2 or 3 in the afternoon. I can't drive or do anything that would take a lot of concentration cause I just feel out of it around my eyes. Also I have tingling in my face and arm. Not sure if this is a side effect or if its the possibility that I may have Multiple Sclerosis. (getting an M.R.I. done for further testing) Does anyone else have those tingling sensations?
My vision has almost come back to normal now. The Prednisone has done wonders for that, but I really hate taking it.

So far i am a 14 year old boy facing prednisone and have been on this drug over 4+ month periods at 10 mg first time and 100 second time. I have chrons's disease and it is hard to treat when it has a flare, so they have to put me on prednisone. I have experienced some of the worst side effects imaginable along with many other suffering victims of this drug, and they include: Headache, Severe Acne, Flu-Like Symptoms, High Blood Pressure, 50+ Pounds Gained, Moon face, Stomach Pains, and Much More. After i have been weened completely off i have notice these: SCARY Heart Palpitations, Out of Breathe, Feels like something is beating in my stomach, and feels like my heart drops to my stomach like pacing.

I have asthma and have been prescribed prednisone several times for it. Every time i take it i break out in an awful acne looking rash all over my arms and my chest and sometimes even my face. it doesn't start until about 3 days after i have started the medicine and it doesn't go away for about 2 weeks and it itches the whole time. I told my doctors that every time they would try to prescribe it and they did not believe me they said no one could be allergic to prednisone but it has happened to me 6 times now and it has never happened before i had prednisone or on many other medicine since then.i finally got them to switch the steroid to a different kind but every kind seems to do it. i had to refuse steroids the last time i was in the hospital for my asthma they just would not accept that i could not take the medicine.

I am 49 yr old male and was diagnosed with a severe upper respiratory infection. Was put on Prednisone for 20 days. I never did experience depression, but I did experience the hyper state and was full of energy big time. It was actually nice ...had felt better than I had in a long time. Two of the side effects that I have been experiencing is sweating a lot more than normal ... I mean just the littlest of exercise and my shirt is soaked. Also my back and the back of my neck has broken out with acne ... that really hurts. I am using Desoximetasone which is a prescription cream and it has almost cleared all my acne up. I was about 250lbs and lost to 235lbs in the twenty days I was on it. I never changed my eating habits ...weight just fell off ...... man I wish they could put that it another pill without all the side effects. Now that I have been off for a couple of weeks ...I have gained some of the weight back ... but I'm really trying to change my eating habits and get back to 235 and go lower.
I wonder if everyone posting would also put their blood type on their comments. There are so many different opinions of Prednisone ...there has to be a reason why you have so many effects for some and very little for others. I did research this drug while I ws taking it and read that if you take it for longer than 30 days that your body will stop making the natural prednisone that it makes. Thats why you hear when people take it for long periods of time ...you are destined to take for the rest of your life.
As far as lung condition, I can breathe again and I think I'm totally cured ... I have a follow up with my lung doctor next week.
My prayers are with you guys .... I agree .. I don't think I want to take Prednisone ever again. My blood type is AB+

I took prednisone for 6 days ( the pack). Six the first day and five the next till day six I had one pill left. I have never experienced hair loss like this. I have a patch of hair that fell out in a circle the size of a 50 cent piece. I didn't notice it really falling out but noticed a bald spot and I freak out. I came on line to get info about this medication. This drug was ordered for me because I have severe pain in my back due to osteoarthritis, sciatica and back surgery. I was told taking this would help with the inflammation and might relieve some of the pain symptoms. Well, I think the pain would be better then the side effects that I suffer. I had loss of appetite and acne on my face. I feel dizzy and bloated. I pee all the time and seems like i visit the bathroom much more often for other reasons too. I have felt like a crazy lady and have less patience than normal. I hope that this does not last for ever. This is a small amount of the medication. I am sorry for those of you that have experienced a long period of time on this medication. I pray for you that they will find another alternative with less effects to your bodys.

Hi everyone,

i need to tell you about what just happened to me, because it seems most people are definitely not informed of all the possible side effects of prednisone - not only just relating to the dose of prednisone you take but also for how long.

I have been using prednisone for almost 14 years now, the doctors all tell me i'm unlikely to ever get off prednisone now because i've been on it too long. I know all about it's usual side effects (water retention, mood swings, thinning of all tissues including blood, acne, anemia, etc etc).

One side effect i was not advised of, not even in any educational material about prednisone either, was that long-term dependence can lead to Acute Adrenal Crisis. Which is deadly if not diagnosed and treated promptly. Thus i nearly died two weeks ago. I became rapidly ill with vague symptoms that i now know are symptoms of acute adrenal crisis. *THE ONLY REASON THE ACUTE ADRENAL CRISIS OCCURRED WAS BECAUSE OF LONG-TERM USE OF PREDNISONE*. Not many doctors will warn patients in advance of this. It is however, very very important that people are aware that long-term use of prednisone needs to be very carefully weighed with the benefits of using prednisone (i was started on prednisone in 1995 to treat severe Crohn's Disease).

Acute adrenal crisis can happen over weeks, months or years - in other words, it can come on so slowly that by the time you know there's something wrong you're already very very ill and in great danger.

I am very glad to have found this website and i hope you will all refer anyone who has any experience with prednisone to this site - education and knowledge is power - the power to stay alive.

(by the way, the treatment for acute adrenal crisis is to load up on prednisone - seems i'll probably never be free of this drug unless i can get my adrenal glands to begin working again (as prednisone "takes over" for the adrenal glands and they effectively go to sleep, and this is especially true for long-term use)).

My sympathies to everyone who has to go through the many nasty experiences with prednisone, especially the young children (I had to start it when i was 16). It really does mess with your body and mind, and in my case, became lethal.

Please pass on all your information relating to use of prednisone to everyone you can - it really is that important and seems to be the only way to avoid most of the disasters related to prednisone use.

take care everyone,
Linda
(Australia)

Several years ago I saw a doctor at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics in Iowa City, IA and was diagnosed with a chronic disease. Although most researchers and scientists will tell you lifestyle and dietary changes are essential when diagnosed with a chronic disease, my doctor, Dr. Anne L., told me they don't matter. In the spirit of "Do no harm," dietary and lifestyle changes are often the first things doctors recommend their patients change.

Instead of harmless lifestyle changes, I was put me on a lot of dangerous prescription drugs. One of those dangerous drugs was prednisone.

It didn't help my disease, but its side effects have been devastating and debilitating. And these side effects are particularly annoying because I was told this was a drug that didn't have side effects. (And when I learned about the side effects, I wanted to stop using it, but my doctor told me I'd die if I did. So I had to keep using it. Once you're on prednisone, you can't stop taking it abruptly. It really can kill you. So before you take it, you need to be informed. If you later found out its a drug you don't want to take, you can't just stop.)

But this is what I really wanted to say.

Look, prednisone's a bad drug, and most doctors don't prescribe it so casually anymore, but under the care of a good MD, its effects can be managed. Most docs will tell you right away when you go on prednisone about the side effects that most people are concerned about, like weight gain and acne. The fact is, those things actually matter not just superficially, not just for self-esteem, but in terms of people's overall health and even for managing the chronic disease for which prednisone is likely prescribed. If one becomes depressed, this not only affects one's overall general health, but for many chronic diseases, it can cause the disease itself to relapse. And because prednisone itself carries a risk of depression, managing such side effects, side effects that are likely to make a patient become depressed, is paramount.

Certainly most doctors will readily prescribe either topical acne treatments oral antibiotics for cystic acne which prednisone often induces. For the weight gain itself, ignoring the chronic disease for which prednisone is probably being prescribed, doctors often recommend a different diet to the patient.

My point is just that prednisone isn't as evil when you have an average or mediocre doctor.

Now, on the other hand, prednisone really is a bad drug to begin with. So under the care of a bad doctor, it's almost inevitable that you're going to experience permanent side effects and yes, under such incompetent care, this drug could easily ruin your life. That's what happened with me.

So make sure you have a good or at least mediocre doctor if you're using this drug.

And as far as dietary and lifestyle changes, I've been able to manage my disease solely with dietary and lifestyle changes. So I didn't need prednisone in the first place. Regardless, I would never take this drug again and I would not recommend anyone else take it unless you have exhausted every other possible option, unless you know you're doctor is competent, unless you know about the risks and side effects and what to do when they occur.

I never would've taken if I knew about the side effects. It's really quite stupid to use this drug as a first-line treatment, which is how it was used in my case. It should only be used as a last resort, if at all.

If I had never taken prednisone, I would be perfectly healthy today. My chronic disease itself doesn't influence my daily life at all anymore. But every single day the side effects of prednisone are evident and debilitating and will be for the rest of my life.

I was prescribed Prednisone along with an H2 Blocker and an Antihistamine for a severe chemical reaction to using old lotion in a tanning bed. I only laid 2x, but I am severely paying for it now. I was only prescribed Prednisone for a 9 day treatment. By the 3rd day I had the acne. I suffered with Acne all of my life until I was 18 (I am 27 now) ... and haven't looked back at that terrible part of my life since... well, now I am faced to stare right back at it. Literally. I have only been off of the prednisone for 2 days, but I can not WAIT to get my life back. If I could take back the last 2 weeks over something so stupid and cosmetic as tanning, I certainly would. I have never had any previous problems with any of this, and this is the first time I have really had an allergic reaction to anything.... typically, Benadryl would have cured me. Although this time incurable with Benadryl and Cortisone, I regret the Prednisone. Severely. I hope this goes away within at least three weeks.. as my husband is coming home from Iraq and that is not the welcome home I want him to have (even if he is much less superficial about it then I am). Sigh.

hi all. thanks for writing your comments here. it has helped me today, another HORRIBLE day of prednisone hell. i have been seriously ill for 8 months been told ever other week I'm likely going to die from lung disease (i'm 35) and after a painful lung biopsy have been told my lung problems are almost all reversible... after a year on high dose prednisone. i was on 40mg a day for a month a while back and was so out of control from rage and crying and insomnia and panic/suicidality, ravenous appetite, that they lowered me to 30. then after biopsy they said i should be on 100mg to cure me, we settled at 60mg. it's been 24 days. The moon face started about one week in. i've gained 8 lbs. i am an emotional wreck. i have at least one rage filled attack per day where i am screaming and want to kill somebody or destroy something. some days i am so filled with hopelessness and worry i just want to die. my body changes (after just losing 30 lbs and being a work out fanatic my shortness of breath makes it impossible to walk up 2 flights of stairs without resting) face changes, acne, excess body hair (oh my god please make it stop i'm like a chia pet and i'm so afraid it is going to get worse) double chin, puffy eyes and cheeks, absolutely uncontrollable emotions and mood swings, inability to be logical or reasonable. i don't want to leave the house, i'm panicked and scared all the time. i never sleep. ambian gives me minimal relief (just started taking it) i feel like i'm losing everything, except my lung functioning is returning and i'm not going to die from this illness (they assure me THIS week) i understand light at the end of the tunnel, but living like this is unbearable most days, almost impossible the rest of the time. am i alone with the severity of this? or are all the others like me too busy hiding the sharps and crying in a corner to write on this board? thanks for listening :)

figures, forgot to mention what HELPS. no eating after 8 (7pm is better) no salt, no sugar, exercise, even just a walk every day, anything physical, i walk like a grandma on the treadmill but i still do it, sometimes it is the only thing that stops my crying. no alcohol, support and understanding from loved ones, it's not you, its the drugs. good luck.
figures, forgot to mention what HELPS. no eating after 8 (7pm is better) no salt, no sugar, exercise, even just a walk every day, anything physical, i walk like a grandma on the treadmill but i still do it, sometimes it is the only thing that stops my crying. no alcohol, support and understanding from loved ones, it's not you, its the drugs. good luck.

Following a deadly allergic reaction to Celebrex, I was given an injection of prednizone, and prescribed 60 mgs. of Prednizone per day for a week. By the third day, my anxiety and what they call "steroid psychosis" was so bad I thought I was going mad. I suffered horrible insomnia, crying attacks, paranoia, fear...you name it. On the fourth day, my knee swelled up horribly and walking was nearly impossible. I stopped taking Prednizone cold turkey on the fourth day (which you are NOT supposed to do, but my doctor didn't tell me that). It has been over 6 weeks since the episode and I am still suffering knee and joint pain, gained 26 pounds and have a red face and horrible acne. My knee has a horrific bulge still. I had an MRI on the knee, and they say that I have fluid buildup on the joint. I have no idea how long it will take to get this drug out of my system, but I would caution anyone to seriously reconsider taking it unless it is life threatening. I believe my allergic reaction could have been treated with just benadryl alone.

im 22. was diagnosed with dermatologist in November. its an auto immune disease...inflammation of the skin and muscles..been dealing with this for like 8 months now. been on prednisone through all of this the whole time. seems like it might have made my muscles better but does nothing for my rash really. i hate being on steroids. i never know how im gonna feel everyday. major mood mood swings. i was on 60mg ive moved down to 20mg a day now. i still have all the stupid side effects. hair on side of face, arms and back..swollen face..acne..and i now have stretch marks..i hate it and cant wait to get off of it. wish i was never on it.

Hi my name is Jessica an I was diagnosed with Chrohn's on 3/4/08. I started with the Entcort for two weeks and that did nothing for all the pain and suffering that I had been going through since November. The put me on Prednisone at 40mg a day. I have been on it for about 3 weeks. After 3 day I noticed the moon face because I had lost so much weight because of being so sick for so long. I still hardly eat and am still losing weight. I can't sleep more then 3 hours at a time unless I take something to strong enough to help me fall asleep and if I sleep for more then 5 hours I will be up for the next 20 before I can even try to lay down. I have OCD which I have never had and cant stop cleaning when I feel up to it (kinda like this side affect). I have been haveing awful leg cramps and walking into stuff all the time. I forget what Im doing or were Im going. BUT the WORST PART is the ACNE... I am an Esthetician and I never had anything like this. I mean I have breakouts during the normal times ect... But this is bad an everyday there are more of them. I use really good stuff on my face to begin with an the things I would use on a client are not the same for treating acne that is caused from this drug so those things are not helping either. Right now my makeup covers it ok, but Im going to be on Prednisone for 3 more months before they will start weening me off and then going on 6-MP drug. I cant go 3 more months if this is going to get worst. PLEASE IS THERE ANYONE WHO KNOWS WHAT TO USE TO CONTROL THIS ACNE ????

Been on Prednisone for 3 years now for ulcerative colitis. At first tolerated the drug quite well. But after a few months started to gain weight, acne. After 3 years of yo-yoing between large and low doses, each increase in dose made me feel worse. I am now at a state of osteopenia and of extreme tiredness and brain fog. I see 80yo with more energy than I. I cant walk up 10 sets of stairs without feeling tired out. I need to sleep 3-5 hours a day just in order to function. As mentioned before brain fog is amazingly bad. I'm a scientific researcher which can no longer work.

Prednisone has introduced to me what panic attacks are, mood swings, joint pain and swelling, extreme muscle fatigue and wasting, blurry vision, in habitual eating habits, depression.

This drug has ruined my life. I would have preferred having surgery to remove the colon and going to the toilet 10 times a day rather than not living as brain fog and tiredness that makes my life a dream-state nightmare.

Hello everyone,

My name is Tina and I am a mother of 5 children and I was diagnosed with a very rare disorder called "VKH" It is a rare eye disorder that only strikes like 1 in 1,000,000,000 people. I was put on Prednisone to help with this condition and to reduce the swelling in my eyes. I was put on 70mg initially and was tapered down to 40mg. then things did not go as well as to be expected and I was bumped back up to 60mg. I am so happy to read these stories but also saddened at the same time. I have been on Prednisone for 5 months and have gained 20 pounds and have the moon face, the acne, the hair growth and the horrible mood swings. My husband and I had our 10 year anniversary last week and I spent it all alone because of my moods.......
It has destroyed my relationships and my self esteem. I don't like leaving the house barely because I hate how I look and I am so depressed I am not the same person as before. I cry all the time because sometimes I wonder if taking this drug is worth it!!! What makes things worse is I wonder if things will ever go back to normal for me or my family again.................

I started taking 60mg of Prednisone two months ago and one week ago it was lowered to 40mg a day. I have gained 10lbs in that time, have the moon face, acne on face and chest. My face has grown black fur on it. My mood swings are terrible. I feel like a time bomb waiting to go off. I feel like I am always angry. My anxiety level feels like I am about to jump out of my skin. My doctor has agreed to start tapering me off of the Prednisone as now I am also on Imuran, Cytoxan and Methotrexate. Does anyone know how long does it take for these side effects to go away after you are off the Prednisone??? Do any of them lessen with a lower dose???

moon face,acne,redness on the face

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?

I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease in July. I had my colonoscopy/endoscopy the day before 4th of July. Got sick with what I thought was the flu on June 26th. That's when I first landed in the hospital (dehydrated & sick). After the diagnosis I was first put on Entocort and Pentasa (Pentasa is supposed to be a remission drug - keep you from having flare-ups). Entocort didn't work so they switched me to Prednisone. I've been on Prednisone for about 6 months now. Going from 20 mg to 40 mg and then I'm finally weaned down to 5 mg. I get to go completely off of it Jan. 13th. Scared of what other side effects might occur from coming off the drug. While on it I've had emotional problems, acne(never had a problem with it before), moon face, gained 30 pounds, joint pain (I was in therapy for as long as insurance covered. - I recommend water therapy, it helps for some people as it did me), trouble sleeping (haven't slept a full night since I got sick), certain days I'm really really thirsty, I've had sort of what I'd call restless leg (I had this before I was on this medicine but it has gotten significantly worse - mostly at night or when lying down), and dry skin.I have to say though that the WORST side effect is the FOG. It's horrible. I enjoy learning and using my brain and when I'm on this I can't think, I mix up words, and it feels like my brain is covered in cobwebs.I had to drop a calc 2 class and that got me off the track I'd set with my academics. My inflammation rate is down where it's supposed to be as of the last blood test a couple weeks ago. So I guess the Prednisone and Remicade are doing what they are supposed to - but I still don't feel as if the pain (not associated with Prednisone - caused by the disease) has gone completely away even if the inflammation has gone down. And Prednisone's effects are just horrible. Some nights I feel depressed and just want to cry and cry. The past months have been trying because of several hospital stays, switching to many different doctors (gastrointernologists, nephrologist, urologist (kidney stones), primary doctor - and they think maybe I should see a rheumatologist), and Pentasa (it began shutting my kidneys down). I just hope that when I come off the Prednisone the side effects will fade (hopefully quickly but lets be realistic - ill just be happy if they go away sometime in the next few months) and I won't flare up again. Anyone know the best way to get rid of the weight? I'm already drinking lots of water and I go walking and do exercises everyday.

QUESTION: When tapering Prednisone does anyone have a place(s) on their stomach that are sunken in and feels dry compared to the skin around it?

Anyways, I hope that everyone overcomes their difficulties, whatever they might be or concern. It's hard to have a life when you are constantly fighting your own body to stay healthy.There are plenty of situations in life that are already hard enough to deal with without medical issues of your own. Best of luck to all!

I had a kidney transplant a year and half ago, and had to take Prednisone as one of my post-transplant med's. I was on it for about 2 months and I went through a lot of the same side effects mentioned by other people, increased appetite and weight gain in odd places, sleeplessness, and acne. Then recently I had an allergic reaction to an antibiotic and was again prescribed prednisone for three weeks, but this time the acne is so bad it looks like a rash, and it's all over my back, chest, neck especially, and on my face. I can deal with it because I realize it's what I need to do, and I am grateful that there is a drug that can treat the symptoms from the allergy, but I am wondering how long it will take for the acne to clear up once I finish the 3 weeks? Does anyone know how long it takes when you've been on it for that amount of time? Any thoughts would be helpful. Thanks.
Megan

My 12-year old son has been high dose prednisone for his asthma flare ups. I know that the "moon face" is common. However, since using this prednisone, he has bad acne breakouts on his forehead, cheeks, chin and even in his head. He also has broken out in a rash on his neck. Common or uncommon? There seems to be nothing to help with the acne, either.

I've been on Predisone for about 5 months for severe allergies. I now have excessive acne on my cheeks. I never had a single acne outbreak in my entire life. I stopped the meds for 3 weeks and my face cleared up. As soon as I started the meds again the acne came back. I also, have experienced swollen ankles but that was very temporary.

I am a 34 year old male. I have been on 80mg of Prednisone 7 days a week for 2 months now. I will be getting my dosage lowered to 60mg tomorrow but am having a difficult time dealing with the Moon face, eye bags, acne, and sleepless nights. I go to the gym 4 times a week and am in shape other than this freak fake head it looks like I have now. Has anyone been able to find a way to make the effects not so noticable..as in diurex or diet pills. I would like to try anything but want to be safe at the same time. Thanks for any help and god bless. David

Hi, I was on Prednisone for a little over a month for Crohn's disease. I had minor side effects while taking it: couldn't sleep, no patience, dehydrated, dry eyes. It is the side effects from AFTER stopping prednisone that concern me. I''ve been off Prednisone for 3 weeks and I think I am losing my hair and getting acne-that I didn't have before or during taking Prednisone. Anyone experience side effects that started after stopping the med?

Hello everyone. Thank you for sharing your stories. I no longer feel so confused as to what I am experiencing while on Prednisone. I was prescribed this medication for my back (I have a ruptured disc). I am 24 years old. I took a short five day treatment of prednisone about three weeks ago. I was very foggy and forgetful. I was tired and bloated. The worst side effect I have noticed is ACNE! Oh my gosh, I haven't ever experienced a breakout like this before. This breakout is a continuous side effect long after I stopped taking the drug. I went to the doctor again yesterday for a check up on the status of my back injury. He has prescribed a THIRTY day treatment and even more aggressive approach with prednisone!!!! I am so scared to start this treatment because of what I have already experienced. HELP! Does anyone know if the acne will clear up? Will it scar? Does anyone have any tips on this?
Thanks.

I am currently on Prednisone for Minimal Change Kidney Disease. I started at 60mg a day and my symptoms from the Kidney issues (swelling in my ankles and legs) went away within about two weeks. I had a lot of energy at first on Prednisone and trouble sleeping. I actually enjoyed the added energy. I also got headaches those first couple weeks and jaw pain. I wasn't really upset about the drugs until my face started getting puffy at about 4 weeks. I was reduced to 40mg at that time. I definitely noticed an increase in appetite and have just recently started counting calories to avoid potential weight gain. My weight so far has only fluxated about 5lbs. I am currently on 30mgs of Prednisone and can not wait to be off. I do have some slight acne on my upper back and notice a little extra weight there (maybe that camel hump thing someone mentioned). I am nervous these things will only get worse so I'm hoping my doctor will reduce the meds more rapidly after my next appointment. Overall it seems the Prednisone has done its job, but I'd still like to be off. I have been on a total of about 2 months now.

While coming off I have noticed heartburn (severe at times), mild depression, loss of energy, and I've been very bloated throughout the process.

I would only take Prednisone if absolutely necessary and get off it as fast as possible. Good luck to you all.

For optic neuritis, and arm and shoulder pain: I had a combo of 3 days of Solu-Medrol infusion (steroid via IV) and then went on the following regimen of Prednisone: 5 days 60 mg; 3 days 40 mg; 2 days 20 mg.
Side effects have been terrible with the WORSE CASE OF FACIAL ACNE I have ever had. I'm 28 - I have my 10th high school reunion, weddings, and more -- and it may sound vain, but if you saw this acne (hundreds of tiny pimples all over my cheeks; sides; chin; and upper neck) you'd feel my pain. Also, got shoulder, arm, back, and chest acne -- which I can take b/c I can find ways to cover that up. But face! It's terrible. I'm using Pro-Activ and see minimal improvement. The #2 problem has been SEVERE heartburn during the tapering off phase. I have never felt that much pain and it only went away after I completely went off the drug - I treated this with ginger drink (a hot tea sold in international food stores) and Pepcid AC. Also, due to my original symptoms I can do virtually no exercise when I used to exercise 6 days/week. I'm really worried about weight gain which I already see in my arms and face. My appetite has been through the roof. Irritability was the worst but I forewarned my family. My original symptoms have greatly improved, but I'd honestly rather fight through that original pain than endure the craziness that is prednisone.

Hello- I was Dx with Sarcoidosis in February, 2007. My lung specialist put me on 20mg Prednisone, increasing to 40mg within two weeks. My Sarcoid symptoms were from enlarged lymph- extreme trouble breathing, middle and lower back pain, kidney pain. Within a week of being at the 40mg level my heart rate and BP became so erratic that he had to start weaning me down. Initially I had extreme energy which felt good after suffering from fatigue but was short lived due to the cardiac problems.

The Prednisone has resolved much of my inflammation for the Sarcoid but I will not go on this again. I have been weaning now for over three weeks. Down under 5mg of Prednisone and it is almost unbearable. Each time I took a drop my mental symptoms became intolerable. Anxiety, extreme fatigue with extreme weakness, irrational thoughts, blurred vision. Within the last couple of days I could hardly get myself out of bed. My weight has increased steadily, bloating stomach, stiff joints, skin rash.

My biggest complaint is that doctors are not giving us enough information as to how this will affect from a negative side. Yes, it takes care of the inflammation but no one prepared me for these awful side effects and withdrawal symptoms. I feel like a nut case most of the time with no coping skills.

I took Prednisone for a cough (yes, just a normal virus!) for two weeks. I have been off of it for 5 days now, but I'm still having effects such as rapid heart rate (I'm seeing a cardiologist next week), acne, moodswings, and restlessness. I weighed 100 pounds when I started the pills and now I'm 106- that's a big gain for someone as small as me. I will never take this medication again.

Hi, I'm taking prednisone for 2 months already. I am not sure anymore if this pred is doing me more good than harm. I gained 20 pounds with a moon face filled with acne... It is so depressing because I never had problems with my skin and with my weight until I start taking pred for allergies. If I stop or wean down the dosage, then my allergies (hives) breaks out .Now, I feel so miserable and just want to stay home specially now that my students are noticing these horrible changes. I don't know how will I ever get back to normal again.

I have been on Prednisone since May 2005 starting at 60mg. In the beginning my appetite was out of control and I was going 100 mph. I find that I cut myself easily, experienced significant weight gain, even though i work out 5 days a week. The acne on my back is also making me crazy, and like others I have noticed mood swings and I lose it easily. I am by nature a very quiet calm person. I am now down to 10mg, hoping to drop to 5mg. I can only hope that the acne and the weight gain start to diminish.

I've been on prednisone for a few months now for severe ulcerative colitis, I'm 18 years old now, and the disease started when I was fourteen. So far, it's the only thing that seems to work. I've experinced increased acne, and occasional soreness in my shoulders in back. But the worst thing is that lately I've been just explosively angry. I raise my voice to the point that I am screaming my lungs out (which I rarely did before). I feel like I'm losing the ability to see what's going on when I get angry. I hate depending on other people to know when I'm out of control, but I'm beginning to think I can no longer tell. Does anyone else feel this way? Thanks.

I was in for poison ivy and was given prednisone. I was to start with 60 mg a day and taper off to 10 mg after 11 days. Well, I'm only five days into it and I have extreme acne all over my face and neck. My heart races at times and I've been moody. I'm not sure what "moon face" is. I'm just glad to know that I haven't gone nuts. Will I go back to normal after the meds are gone?

I have MS and was put on this medication for an episode I was having, severe vertigo. The veritgo would hit while driving on the freeway or at any other time of the day or night; therefore, the doctor felt the best action would be to take massive doses of Prednisone in hopes it would stop the vertigo. With all the side-effects I had from taking this drug it may have been better dealing with the vertigo!

I was NOT informed to check my blood sugars, I am a Type-2 diabetic, but was instructed to eat every 4 hours with each dose I took. I ended up in the emergency room with blood sugars over 600. My vision was effected to the point I didn't need my prescription lenses to see. I had insomnia. Couldn't stop drinking water, nor going to the bathroom (not sure if that was blood suger related, the drug, or both). I was delusional (and not normally so). I had the acid/reflux so bad that it was difficult to swallow food every 4 hours which lead to early tappering off the drug. I developed acne over my face and chest. I ached everywhere and felt like I would die.

The positive experiences I got from my Prednisone was the bond I developed through sharing my side-effects with another person who had also had bad experiences with the drug. I could see the leaves on the trees yards away without my glasses. My sight returned to "normal" about 2 weeks to a month after the treatment ended. The vertigo stopped and the loss of the use in my right hand and arm (MS related) came back 100%. I appreciate the life I have been given and am greatful for my health.

I was prescribed prednisone for a severe case of poison ivy. 60mg for 10 days, then tapering over 2 more weeks. Side effects were dizziness, sleeplessness, hunger, thirst, slow healing, pent up energy, acne, etc. My doctor also prescribed Ranitidine 300mg 2x day because it's a histamine blocker, and that helped with the all-over itching. Ranitidine is normally prescribed as a stomach aid (for ulcers/acid reflux I think), so that may have helped prevent any of the stomach/digestive side effects. I also tried to follow the recommended dietary suggestions that I learned about. I focused on potassium, calcium, protein, zinc rich foods, lots of healthy vegetables, vitamin E, etc. Try searching the internet for "prednisone diet" or "prednisone nutrition". I think all that helped! Good luck.