PredniSONE and experiences

I am on my last of 10 days on prednisone and all I can say is Thank God! I am taking it for asthma and I feel worse than I did before! My chest feels like I am having a heart attack, I have labored breathing, I am confused and weak, terrible pain in my neck and shoulders, horrible metallic taste in my mouth that even Dentyne Ice can't take away, I feel exhausted all the time, I am starving myself only to gain a pound a day and I can't concentrate at all. There was no warning not to mix this drug with alcohol, and after a couple of drinks I black out. The thing that really sucks is that I am a professional flutist and it is affecting my breathing and ability to play! Someone please tell me these "side effects" will eventually go away as I am scared to death after reading about your experiences.

I went on Prednisone for only 3 days as treatment to a bad allergic reaction to antibiotics. I ended up in the ER for treatment of the allergic reaction and they gave me a pred IV. They put me on 80 mg tablets, which I was supposed to take for 5 days, but there was no tapering off called for by the doc. I only took it for 3 days and started bad abdominal cramps and a bad taste in my mouth. Everything tasted extremely salty--and still does almost a week later. After I was off the drug for a day or two I started bad cramping in my chest, trouble breathing even though they said my lungs were clear, and really bad anxiety, which I've never had before. I freaked out while I was driving and had to pull into a parking lot for over an hour, and still had bad anxiety trying to drive home. I felt like I was drowning and had labored breathing. It's been almost a week and I still have muscle cramping in my chest, but it's starting to subside if I stay calm. I now have headaches and am weak generally, but am starting to come out of it, I think. I don't think the docs wanted to admit that lot of this was due to the pred; it is a serious drug that should not be taken lightly. I never knew there could be such extreme side effects to a drug. I am sorry to hear that many of you have had similar experiences, but it does give me some comfort to know that these effects were real and not due to some psychosomatic problem.

I have been on 50 mg. of prednisone for about 6 weeks. After 2 weeks, I became very dizzy, weak and have blurred vision. I am now tapering off by 5 mg. every 3 days. I am still experiencing dizziness, weakness and blurred vision. My doctor said by the time I'm down to 15mg. per day, I should start to feel better - not soon enough for me. It is one of the worst experiences I have every had. I have IBD and the prednisone did not help one bit.

My Mother was diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis 30 years ago. She has been on prednisone at low doses since then. About 3 years ago she started imagining things, and hallusinations. About 2 years ago her prednisone dose went up to 60mg a day due to a stroke of the optic eye nerve. She has since been tapering down, now at 15mg a day. But tapering down makes her arthritis more painful. She has developed diabetes, loss of sleep, loss of apetite, loss of muscle tone. When she gets bumped, it's a big opened gash, rather than just a bruise. With the higher dose she was more moody & would get angry easier. The hallucinations & paranoia continue & are making me more & more concerned. I haven't read about this in any of the stories. Has anyone else experienced this side effect? I spoke with her Rheumatologist who suggest a psychiatrist to prescribe anti-psychotic drugs. She's already on 11 pills a day, does she need another?
Please let me know if anyone has experienced this as well.
Thank you.

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 recently hospitalized for an acute episode of polymyalgia rheumatica and discharged on 60mg of prednisone/day. I have taken smaller doses in the past but this amount has really affected me negatively. For the first 2 weeks, I felt an inability to think clearly. The dose has been reduced to 50mg/day and the thinking has improved. After 1 month, I have the moon face and severe bruising. However, my biggest concern is that I am now experiencing extreme muscle weakness. I feel like my muscles are detiorating. My dose is being reduced to 45mg/day now. Has anyone experiences a similar side effect?

I was on prednisone for 3 days. Took my first pill in the evening and another the next day. Took another that night. I was up all night discussing thing with my wife. I WAS WIRED. I crashed the next day, almost quit my job (I was heavily under stress at work). I went home, STILL WIRED, and shuttled my kids around all day. I started to think about my experiences as a kid. I was under severe stress. That night, I collapsed on my laundry room floor. I hallucinated all night. My wife and children were extremely frightened. They called the paramedics. I went to the emergency room. I litterly thought I had died. At the emergency room, I was disruptive and they admitted me. I spent 4 nights in a psychiatric ward, sedated with drugs but unable to differentiated my flashbacks from the past from the prednisone. It has taken nearly a week, to finally come to grips with the fact that I am not crazy. It was this drug and some stress (albeit, more than usual) that sent me into a life-changing experience. BE VERY CAREFUL if you are taking Prednisone, can't sleep, and are under stress. Your life may change forever. Mine did.

hello, i was on prednisone for 3 weeks to treat shingles. my face is so bloated like chipmunk cheeks! is this normal and will it go away??? how long will it take? i feel like i don't even look like myself anymore. also i sweat a lot at night and have a hard time sleeping soundly. when my dose started tapering off, i was so freakin' irritable and suffered from low self-esteem. i felt like a monster inside and out. kind of still do but i am realizing that it is drug-induced and not necessarily me. thanks to all of you for sharing your experiences.

Not too good with computers so apologies for the first effort! :o)

Right.......I have Antiphospholipid Syndrome (also known as sticky blood and closely related to Lupus), I have Primary Sjogrens Syndrome and Ankylosing Spondilitis (Lucky Me!). I have been taking 10mgs of Pred' for 3 years now and I go through periods of weeks when I suffer really bad dreams - my children dying, my wife, me. I am usually an extremely happy, out-going person who - although reasonably ill - sees the best in life etc etc. I am also in constant difficulty with stomach and bowel pain (nice :o/).

It would be great to hear from anyone who has also been on the drug for a prolonged period and also experiences these side effects? Thank you.

Well, the news is reporting that the placebo effect is not really worth it. Homeopathic ways are not really the way apparently. So, do some research about this and heed their warning. Still, you have to have gone through prednisone before anyone can tell us what is best for us. The "natural way" of healing may not be the best. Time will tell. As time passes by, so will the side effects diminish and so will the withdrawl. Maybe some natural ways might help. I,will listen to alot of things to determine about myself. When we post it benefits all of us to keep an open mind and take into consideration each of us are unique situations. All advice and experiences are needed here. This site has helped me alot. Thankyou...........How are all of you doing out there?

Yeah! Jules, it seems obvious that some of your posts don't come from your personal experience. It would appear as if you were clicking on a link to take you to a Website and then re-write what you read. Here, we like to share each other's experiences and if then someone knowledgeable can pitch in with some wise advise, we appreciate it but....you don't seem to come across that way, instead, you seem to provoke some of us....and yes, it would be wiser of you if you did a little more research before you post!

Came down with whooping cough 7 weeks ago.
Took antibiotic after antibiotic, nothing touched the shortness of breath or the wheezing tight whooping cough I had.
My dogs vet heard my cough and couldn't believe the 3 doctors I had been to see hadn't started prednisone yet.
Started on 5.0 mgs that same day. Cough is almost gone and I can actually breath again.
Thought I had a few side effects, blurry vision, sweats, etc. Told myself it was all in my head from reading articles and peoples experiences/side-effects from the stuff.
Just like that, side effects gone. Has anyone thought about the placebo effect? or Psychosomatic side-effects?
Personally, I think this stuff is a wonder drug. But then again, I value being able to breath! Bet the asthmatic community's would agree with me.

After having done a lot of reading on the possible reasons people develop many of these auto-immune conditions that lead to taking Prednisone, I am wondering if anyone here has had any results from taking anti-inflammatory supplements such as fish oil, ginger, turmeric, etc. Many sites say that diet is at the bottom of these diseases - in my case, iritis - and I want to stop taking Prednisone. I have been changing my diet in the last few weeks, upped the Fish Oil and am planning to take other supplements.

Any experiences out there????

Glad to read some of the experiences of others. Now I don't feel so worried. I have never experienced such nasty side effects. I am now off the Prednisone and feel the come-down is as bad as being on the drug. Most of the time I feel numb in my muscles. A drunk feeling without the booze. While on the drug, I experienced terrible sleeping troubles, emoitional highs and lows and extreme hunger, 24/7. Today, I a very sore in my neck and shoulder region. The shaking and tweeking were bad too. As well as the disconnected feeling of not being able to complete sentences or thoughts. I feel as if i have been losing my mind. One bit of advise, I wouldn't work out extrememly hard while on Prednisone. Walking is fine but anything highly aerobic, like kick boxing or jogging feels like you're in cardiac arrest.