PredniSONE and dang

Hello everyone and let me say I am SO GLAD I found this site. It is good to read what people who've gotten off the Pred. have to say and that hopefully someday I will maybe be somewhat the person I once was. It's been really hard feeling like I will never be the same again and even forgetting what I was like before! I've been on Pred. since July, started at 40 for a month then had to go up to 60 for like 5-6 weeks during which time I totally had my worst effects. This has been for a pseudo-tumor in the apex of my right eye which causes double-vision due to interfering with the movement of the eye. At my worst I had terrible insomnia, moon face, dowagers hump, extremely swollen legs feet and joints, constant pain, and general paranoia and anger and frustration. I've been decreasing since then and am now down to 5mg/day, but even though the feet/leg swelling is better and the dowagers hump is not as bad, it is still there plus moon face and acne continue, plus psychological effects just seem to get worse and worse even though the dose is down. Another thing which just started is I AM LOSING MY HAIR. It is coming out in clumps every day and my Dr. says I won't be all the way off Pred. till the end of January and I am afraid I won't have any hair at all left by then! (Except the dang hair on my face which is extra thick and dark compared to "before.") I have to say it is just the worst when you are already ill and then the "medicine" you have to take makes you feel like a joke of yourself in such a very public way!!! Anyways, just wanted to add the thing about the hair loss since I can't find it mentioned anywhere. Thanks again for your words of encouragement, looks like I won't be all the way better till next fall but at least that's something to hang onto in having some belief that these things are not permanent!

Emily