PredniSONE and allergic reaction

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.

I was prescribed a 6 day pack of 4mg Methylprednisolone (Medrol) at the ER for an allergic reaction I was having to a gel that I used on my sking. The Medrol worked great at stopping the allergic reaction. My swelling, pain, and rash began to rapidly clear up. Unfortunately I began to have many side effects. On day 5 I was unable to get out of bed I was so tired and dizzy. I had a headache and mental confusion and unclear thinking. I called my primary care provider on a Sunday to ask if it is okay to stop taking the steroid. She said it was and that it was unlikely the medrol was causing my symptoms. She told me I had a virus. I told her the symptoms I was having were listed as side effects on the drug info sheet but she did not believe me. IA few days later I made an appointment to see a doctor, not the same one who took my phone call. This doctor said all of my symptoms were from the Medrol. She knew because of personal experience she saw in her mother who was also taking steroids. She told me medrol can cause a manic response or a depressive, the latter is what I was having. As part of my exam she wanted me to have blood work but said I should wait at least 2 weeks to allow the drug to get out of my system. It is now 19 days since my appointment and I am still having side effects: nausea, complete lack of appetite, dizzy, and tired all the time. I put a call in to my doctor today and am waiting to hear back. I am sorry that I took this medication, will never take again. How long will it take for this med to get completely out of my system so that I feel normal again?
A friend told me her mother had a manic episode on steroids. When I was younger I took steroids for a brief period and had much milder side effects.

My boyfriend was put on prednisone for an allergic reaction to an antibiotic. He did fine while taking the medicine for three weeks. They did taper the meds. He has been done taking it for a little over a week now. He is irrational and moody. He is easy to irritate. I am scared of him and I left him this morning. He was so out of control last night I could not get him to calm down. Luckily I did not get hurt but there is no way I will go back to that house. There is such a thing as roids rage and it's awful!!!! DO NOT TAKE THIS MEDICINE!!! EVER!!!!

Sunday May 25, we brought home a new dog. Wed May 28 I started to break out in hives. I had hives for days, bad hives covering large parts of my body. Friday the 30 I woke up and both my lips were swollen to about 3 times the size they were supposed to be. I went to my doctor very concerned and she prescribed me Prednisone and Benadryl as needed. The hives continued - never completely going away. On June 3rd it was the last day of the prednisone, I was only on it for 5 days, but shortly after I took the last dose, I all of a sudden was having a hard time breathing and I broke out the worst so far. I ended up going to the E.R. because I couldn't breathe. The doctor at the er prescribed me another dose of the prednisone but also put me on zyrtec and pepcid. She was claiming that it was an allergic reaction to the dog. I had just hives again on the 4th, and then on the 5th I had hives again and then the back for my throat, my tongue, and my upper right gum went numb and I woke up at 12 am to my tongue being so swollen I couldn't shut my mouth. The next morning on the 6th I woke up to my face and lips swollen again and in the afternoon my tongue and gums went numb again. At this time the doctor wanted me to get the dog out of the house so I sent him to my mothers. I continued to wake up each passing morning with hives.Monday the 9th, my bottom lip swelled up around 4 in the afternoon and then spread to my upper lip and right side of my face before the end of the evening. Tuesday the 10th, woke up to both my lips and the right side still swollen. By the afternoon the swelling went down by on my bottom lip and large white spot appeared with 4 tiny brown spots in it. This made me nervous so I went back to the doctor and he said that being on the prednisone things can occur in abnormal ways and he thinks that the spot was just a cold sore so he gave me yet another script to take care of that. I woke up the next morning (the 11th) with hives on my arms and knees. Thursday I didn't have any hives but I started to get severely sick to my stomach and had a killer headache. This continued into Friday morning so I went back to the doctor, got a shot for the nausea. The sickness subsided for the remaining of the day but came back Saturday. Sunday I woke up with hives yet again on my arms and legs. And again on Monday. Back at one of my visits to the doctor he gave me a script to hang on to for another dose of the prednisone in case i was still breaking out at the end of this dose, so Monday the 16th I had to get this script filled. No symptoms on the 17th, and I brought my dog home on the 18th. I have absolutely no symptoms of hives or swelling of the face since the 16th, and the dog has been by my side since. I have although blown up. I am the puffiest I think I have ever been in my life. I am so uncomfortable in my own skin it makes me sick. I am VERY moody. and can cry at the drop of a pin.

I have heard absolutely nothing good about prednisone. I told the dr this, but he felt the perks off set the downs. I am not happy being on this med. I have 4 days left on this med. When I am done taking it, if i have no more symptoms I am going back to the doctor and asking them to give me something to get rid of this water weight. I have an appointment on July 10th to be tested for allergies. Wish me luck that it doesn't come back I am allergic to my puppy. I have become very fond of him. I would be devastated.

I would really take into consideration not taking this med. I know that when I am done taking it, I wont ever take it again. A lot of the side effects that this med can give you was the reason they were giving it to me. So I guess I just done understand why they would give me something that can make me have what they are trying to get rid of.

I trust my doctor I know he wouldn't do anything to harm me. I am just not comfortable with the side effect of this med.

Good luck to everyone out there has to be on this. I wish the best for you!

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.

My 15 months old was given prednisone for 5 days for an allergic reaction to either aints bites or Bactrim (doctors don't know). Anyhow he had like 10-15 BMs a day, maybe more, actually diarrhea. Went back to the doctor, she said that prednisone doesn't cause diarrhea. Well, let me tell you (cause I couldn't tell her), she needs to go back to school...prednisone caused severe diarrhea in my son!!!

I started prednisone last week because of an allergic reaction I had to I dunno what (yet). I started with a solumedrol shot, followed 12 hrs later by a kenalog shot, followed 12 hrs after that by oral prednisone q 24 hrs. The 'fog' is fucking horrible; I can't think straight. I'm at the end of a medic class and have finals this weekend - and I'm scared that I'll be in the middle of a fog during the exams and will fail miserably.

It's unlike anything else I've experienced. It's not a drunk or stoned feeling, it's literally like I've lost cognitive ability and cannot process information. For instance: I wanted to make some tea and forgot how to turn on the kettle.

Does anyone else experience wild mood swings? I'm not normally a tearful person, but the past few days have seen me crying uncontrollably for no reason whatsoever - and this morning, I started laughing whilst I was crying and just couldn't stop. My family think I'm losing my mind, and were I not taking prednisone, monteluklast and fexofenadine I'd agree with them. As it is, I feel somewhat reassured that it's the medications that are causing these symptoms, but holy cats, is it ever weird to feel this way.

I feel so bad for you folks who are faced with the prospect of long-term cortico-steroid therapy. If any of you would like to talk, please contact me at ****** .

Good luck, y'all!

I was on Prednisone for just over two weeks for a bad skin rash (allergic reaction). I went to the ER they gave me an injection on Prednisone. The next day my Doctor puts me on 40mg a day for 10 days then down to 20mg, and then 10mg. The side effects were (and are) crazy. Blood sugar and Blood pressure are through the roof. My heart pounds,races, skips beats. Hands shaking, nervous, and panic attacks. Yeah, sure, the rash is gone, but I feel like a train wreck. I took my last dose 2 days ago, and have been told it can take 2 to 4 weeks for this to get completely out of my system and end the side effects. Can anybody else verify this?? Good god, what a mess!!

I was on prednisone for four months. 40mg a day most of the time. i was taking it for an allergic reaction to a cosmetic tattoo that i had done. i miscarried a child while on prednisone. grew hair all over my body,which still almost two months later hasnt stopped. had trouble sleeping and chills. also have weird purple lines on my legs and severe muscle pain. Does the hair growth eventually stop?

I was given prednisone for the second time this year having never taken it.
1st time was for an allergic reaction to sulfa,
thought I was having a heart attack a couple of hours after it kicked in.
(I am 28)
Lost so much strength, used to go out & do 10-15 chin-ups, couldn't get to 1.
Grouchy, weepy.
That was in August.
I November (1 week before thanksgiving) I got sick with upper respiratory, same cold as rest of my family, but it knocked me out. Doctor figured it was cause of the 5-8 cigarettes i smoked at the time,
prescribed antibiotic.
Flash to 2 weeks before Christmas:
Laying on couch, unable to breath, went to doc, given antibiotic, inhaler, and Prednisone:
2 pills 2x's a day for 1st three days, then 2 pills 1x a day next three days.
I think they where 20 mg?
I was in very bad shape,
But NOW
I had tried to give up those last few cigarettes I had held on to, since I had gotten so sick.
I had insomnia, nausia, insatiable appetite, sweating, fuzzy upper lip ( i am female)
gained 15 pounds, depression, couldn't even shower unless I dragged myself through it, quit quitting smoking to try to alleviate the depression, but this is unlike anything I have ever felt.
Oh, and the reason I am up so late,
my right thigh feels like it is dying from the inside out.
It started the day after starting the meds, that was December 21st. It is now January 3, and it won't stop. I am so worn out from it.
I can't sleep.
It's like a cramp that never ever ends, but it's down in the bone.
My 3 yr old daughter put her weight against it and I screamed.
It seems like it is walnut sized, with pain radiating out from it.
I thought I might have a blood clot, my husband brought me Aspirin tonight in bed, and now I just cannot sleep,
it doesn't just hurt, it is hurting to distraction.
I feel out of my mind,
and so old.
My stomach had been solid abs a few months ago, I worked so hard on them, now, I do not have the strength to lift a jug of milk, and my tummy looks more like pizza dough.
I am 5'6" and went from 118 lbs to 135, right now back down to 127 as I cannot eat even though I am starving, I just can't.
But I am really scared about this leg pain.
I swear there is something in there, and at night I fear it coming loose in my sleep and killing me. Mind you, I am not sitting here imagining it, i am feeling this pain in what little sleep I am getting, and the dreams start.
I was on it a short time, but it was 2 times this year, within 6 months, do you guys think it is the reason?
any thing you think would help. Thanks

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

I'm no doctor....But I am glad you haven't had those silly side affects that can go away. From what I have researched,
those side affects are most likely an allergic reaction. But check with your doctor about that.
You might also want to ask your doctor about the adverse affects.
Those can happen only after seven days.
Geez, considering the list of side affects I'd complain too.

I took Prednisone for an allergic reaction to a Bee bite that turned into cellulites after a few days. My arm and leg swelled up to the point where I had to go into the emergency room. They put me on a prednisone drip and then prescribed prednisone for 10 days tapering down from 60 mg a day to 10 mg a day.
I felt horrible on it! Could not think straight, massive headaches everyday to the point where I could not go to work! Then once I went down from 30mg to 20mg a day, the with drawl that your body gets is the worst!
Nassau, more headaches and forget about thinking straight! and yes your face does look like a moon after a few days... Try drinking a lot of water
Now I am on my 2nd day with out it and I still feel the side affects but I hope they will go away soon :(
This drug works but I hope I never take it again.

Hi! I am a 34 y/o woman that was diagnosed with "Allergic Reaction of Unknown Etiology". I had a red rash that travelled from my legs to my face and back down. The lymph nodes at the base of my hairline on the back of my head were extremely swollen & very painful.
The doc prescribed Prednisone Dose Pack (I have has dose packs in the past, so I didn't think anything of it).

After day 2, I started to see a slight decrease in the rash, but then it started itching.
On day 3, my hands & feet began to swell...and my joints were extremely swollen & PAINFUL!! The cramps started in my feet and hands...thought I was going to die! Oh, and eating everything in sight is the understatement of the year!
Day 4 saw Abdominal Edema and the hands of a Lobster!
Day 5-7: Same ole same ole! Called to see my regular doctor...appointment tomorrow! BUT, after seeing this website, I think I know what is wrong...PREDNISONE!
I will be adding Prednisone to my Allergy List!!!

Hope I never ever see this drug again! I wish all that are on this a SAFE trip!!!

I have been taking prednisone for over two weeks for a severe photo-allergic reaction caused by another medication. Today was my very last pill and I am thrilled to be off the medication. At first, I was really happy and relieved that the prednisone worked so well on my allergic reaction, but now I am more worried about the side effects of the prednisone. I have experienced severe sleep loss, edema and weight gain. I am hot all the time and sweat like there is no tomorrow. I am worried sick that the medication has further thrashed my immune system too.

I have been on pred for 6 days after takin solu medrol dose pack for 6 days for an allergic reaction. The med helped the rash and itch immediatly but as soon as i taper down the rash is back full force. I dont know what to do I cant take the steroids anymore, I am a rotten crabby person on these, i have heart palpitations and sever muscle spasms, it has to be from the steroids. If anyone knows how i can feel better please let me know. I also urinate constantly and only sleep in broke up cycles with wacky dreams..........

extreme sweating at night all night. Using the bathroom all night, the opposite of most it seems to push fluids out of me, also I am mellow not irritated , I was given this for a severe allergic reaction to a laundry detergent, I have only used drug once before years ago, Ialso learned of its fatal effects on the bone system years ago when I worked with a chiropractor and we took x rays of someone who had been on it a while, the patient was a female and her bones were paper thin. What is an alternative to this medication????

Hi - I have been on prednisone now for 4 weeks due to a rash from an allergic reaction to sulfa. I started on the paks of 6/5/4/3/2/1 which I was on twice. That didn't work so my dr increased me to 60 mg for 2 days/50 mg for days etc. That didn't work so now I'm on 40 mg for 4 days/ 30 mg for 4 days etc. I'm not feeling confident that this will work either. The only side effects I had until this last dosage was the excessive sweating, increased thirst and urinating. However since I started taking this last dosage of 40 mg for 4 days I have developed the "moon face" which is horrible and insomnia. I haven't slept in 4 days. When I do fall asleep I wake up with the sweats. Also my vision has started getting blurry at times too. This stuff is scary. My dr didn't tell me about any of this - I have learned it from reading the drug effects and this website. I appreciate knowing I'm not alone. I hate being on this drug but it when I'm on the higher dose it does stop my itching which is driving me crazy too. I have been having mood swings too but I'm not sure if that is the drug or just from the stress of all of this. If this dosage doesn't work I don't know what else they can do but I don't want to have to go back on Prednisone again. I'm afraid what side effects will happen next and I worry about the long-term effects too. And please tell me the moon face will go away after I stop Prednisone... Thanks for listening.

Hi,

Last week I was cleaning, and I sprayed my sink area with bleach, I accidentally leaned into the bleach soaking my pants causing an awful rash from an allergic reaction. I had Prednisone already prescribed from an earlier date for my athsma, so I followed the directions on the bottle and took 4 pills which was 40 mg last night at 3am. I slept through the night, but when I got up and started moving around, I felt very hot in my face, flushed, confused and irritable. I took it upon myself to take 40 mg and now I don't have any more to take for today to ween myself slowly. Is this dangerous? should I call my Dr. tonight or will it be ok until monday? Please help...thanks

Massive, massive hyperactivity that has not gone away in 12 hours. Even after a Benadryl and bottle of wine. Am very concerned, and will go back to ER tomorrow to evaluate. Was treated for a severe allergic reaction to shrimp. Any help here would be great. I want to make sure I'm fully treated for my reaction, but I do not want to take ANY more Prednisone.

I noticed some definite puffiness in my face and soreness in my breasts, as well as a bit of an acne outbreak on my face. My breast size actually increased a whole cup size...and I'm past the age at which you hit puberty.

The puffiness in my face started a day AFTER I finished the prednisone. (I was on it to control poison ivy...I then had an allergic reaction to the topical medicine given to me and was put on prednisone again to counteract the allergic reaction. I had the 6 day dosage pack (4mg?) 3 times and finished the pack this past Sunday.

The breast stuff occured after my 2nd pack. I'm assuming that may be the "fat redistribution" I've read about.... My stomach had a little bit of fat added to it...nothing major, however the weird thing is that my weight has been about the same.

The thing I'm majorly stressing about is the "moon face" thing and I want to know how long this will last and/or what I can do to counteract it!

Any help/information would be greatly appreciated.

I have been on Prednisone for 6 days and have had severe heartburn everyday. I will be off it tomorrow and hopefully the heartburn will go away. I was on it due to an allergic reaction and it did clear up my rash but the heartburn has been terrible.

I've been on it for 3 weeks now for an allergic reaction to an antibiotic. It increased my appetite big time and now I've noticed what seems to be abdominal bloating, although according to the scale I haven't gained any weight. Tell that to my pants which no longer fit. I'm on my 4th day off and am hoping this goes away. Has this happened to anyone else?

I have been on prednisone for 3 weeks to get rid of a severe allergic reaction to an adhesive and then an antibiotic. I have been having a lot of trouble getting to sleep and then waking up in the morning. Additionally, I have just begun to develop several areas of pimples around my chin and by my hairline...it is very abnormal for me to have acne.

I was put on prednisone for 10 days due to an allergic reaction to a medication. While looking into my car mirror on a sunny day almost a month later, I noticed hair on and under my chin and on the side of my face. This was just a few days ago, and I'll hav to see the dr, but I'm so depressed by this. Esp. since I read these adverse reactions can be permanent. I'm already dealing with a seperation, being a single mom to 3 yr old twins, and alot of other problems. I'm 26, and thinking this might be permanent makes me suicidal.

A younger less drug skeptical me took prednisone for poison oak (talk about the remedy worse than the disease!). I had a major allergic reaction (hives, difficulty breathing, etc) and was given a big shot of benadryl at the ER.

This may sound crazy, but this was four years ago, and I am not sure my body ever got over it. My immune system is no good, and I (a person who takes great care of myself-happy, love my life, organic foos, exercise, etc) was SO sick the winter after the prednisone.

I still catch everything that seems to come by, adn I think its related to that vile drug.

I researched and did learn that according to studies, pred can depress the immune system for up to a year. If that is what the studies say, i am willing to bet its a hell of a lot longer than that.....

Was put on Intravenious prednisone for a severe allergic reaction on June 12th. Was in the hospital for five days. dosage was 20mg twice a day. Been on that for three weeks. Now weaning off 10mg twice a day for 7 days, then 10mg once a day for 7days and 5 mg a day for 7 days. Side effects have been moon face, puffy eyes, bloated stomach, leg cramps, tingling legs ,arms and hands. Headache and neck pain.insomina. I look in the mirror and don't know the person I'm looking at. The medicine worked to stop the severe reaction I had , a rash the entire body, face neck etc. Throat closed up due to drug allergy to zocor. The side effects are terrible, it totally changes your body functions and after reading these post , It is scary to think the negative side effects it poses. I hope out there , they may be an alternative drug available with less side effects in the future for eveyone who needs this for whatever disease they have. I wish all of you the best and hope that your symptons will get better in time as you wean off .

Was given prednisone for an allergic reaction (to Wellbutrin, we think) -- 5 mg 2X daily. Didn't seem to work, so they put on 20mg 3X daily for several days, and gradually decreasing. It's been since Christmas eve with a rash on my arms and legs and it's better, but not completely gone yet. I still wake up scratching. I've been finished with the treatment for 2 days.

The side effects I've experienced are sweating profusely, anxiety (rapid heart rate, etc), night sweats, strange dreams, insomnia and CRAZY APPETITE. I just keep eating and eating and nothing tastes right. It took me two weeks to figure out that it was the drug making me eat. I've also experience pretty severe gas that disrupts my work day and home life (my poor husband had to leave the room!)

I'll be so glad when this is over!

IMPORTANT!! Someone, please reply back to this, and fast. I had some sort of allergic reaction to a new face wash I used, and my face became swollen and red. The next day (today) I went to the doctors office and she gave me prednisone (30 mg today, 20 tomorrow, and 10 for the next day). I was really happy because she said that this drug is anti-inflammitory, and the point of it is to get rid of the swelling on my face. After reading all of these horror stories, I'm pretty scared. I'm wondering if I should even take the next two doses...tomorrow's Saturday, and the doctor's office is closed, so I don't know what's a good idea... please help! She only gave me a little bit, for the course of three days **does anyone out there believe that I'll be fine, concidering that it's such a small dose? I just want my facial swelling gone, that's the point.

Chest pain, perhaps heartburn (or gas?) so bad that I can barely breathe...this only happens when I attempt to stop taking prednisone altogether. This time I tapered down from 50 mg to 25 mg (for a week) to 0 as of Sunday.

I had been taking prednisone to combat an allergic reaction to poison sumac. I began taking 50 mg/day for a week, doubled it for another week, cut back to 50 for a third week, quit cold turkey and the rash "caught fire," so I started up again. This time I'm determined to stay off, but I wonder how long I have to put up with this horrible chest pain!