PredniSONE and joints

Prescribed Prednisol & Predsol June 2007 for acute ulcerative colitis. Three months, oral and rectal, got it under control.September 07 got large fluid appearances both knees which took two weeks to subside completely.
Soon after & whilst playing golf got stabbing pain left Achilles. Repaired by op. Thereafter commenced getting aches in muscles and joints and generally across entire body structure. Extreme pain in rt hip, imaged and shown as necrosis of femur joint. April 08 rt hip joint replaced. Continual muscular pain overnight which abates with movement during day causes sleep deprivation and consequential lethargy.
Most interested in proven supplements and/or prescription antidote!

Hello, I will appreciate if someone help me get rid of my MOON FACE and the pain in all my joints

My mother was put on Prednisone 3 weeks ago because of severe muscle pain (15 mg at first and increased to 60 mg). After she starting taking it she began to have weakness in her muscles/joints and was unable to walk by the end of the week. She also had severe water retention and could not catch her breath. Most of all she was very weak all the time and could not seem to sleep at all. She wound up in the hospital and was classified with a type of Congestive Heart Failure due to the excessive dosage given by a pain doctor. She had to be admitted to a Rehabilitation Center where they have now cut her down to 10 mg a day and she is trying to take Physical Therapy to walk again. She is fighting with depression and overwhelming feelings of anxiety. She still cannot sleep and wonders if she will ever by back to normal again. Just a month ago she was living a normal life and because of the pain, was given this medication. I wonder if the benefits outweigh the horrible side effects she has experienced. After reading some of the responses above I see others are having similar side effects.
Any encouragement from someone with a positive long term outcome would be beneficial at this time to her. She feels very helpless in her situation.

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 have taken Prednisone 10 mg about two times now and now I think it has effect my joints in my shoulder , hands and hips joints

Hello,

about a week ago I admitted myself to ER because of terrible breakout of hives (never had them before) but was covered from head to toe.

Doctor prescribed PREDNISONE 80mg for 4 days, and gave me an IV with the drug a week ago Saturday night (don't know how much was there), 12/29/07, I took my daily dose 80mg Sunday noon. I only slept about an hour or two. By new years eve 12/31, I have started getting cold chills, feeling unbearably cold, then the next day 1/1, I felt like I was 100 years old, all my joints were stiff, I couldn't get up from bed, couldn't sleep much but there is still more.

By Wednesday I have felt even more stiff and hives were not going away, I went to the doctor (my stiffness went away after couple hours in the morning) he prescribed more PREDNISONe for another week, luckily I have stopped taking the medication after 5 days of 80mg, plus whatever they gave in in an IV but I still have what I think are side effects from taking it.

Ankles are still sore, I cannot sleep because an extreme numbness sets in my left hand middle to index finger, it is no numb it hurts like an elephant is sitting on it, that is why I am still up at 4:30 in the morning. When I am up it just tingles. Not sure what to do but can't sleep at all for last 3 days and getting really tired.

If I knew what Prednisone does I would never take any of it, I'd rather deal with hives oh and they still didn't go away, I have had them for about 10 days now, they did stop itching. Honestly I felt very very sick a day after taking it, I didn't associate this with Prednisone, until I found this website. Please if you can stop taking it or see for yourself how much you should take 80mg is definitely too much, for me at least.

Did anyone have to deal with joint stiffness, and numbness how long does it take for it to go away. My wife says to to ER again because I can't sleep I am just very uncomfortable with the numbness and rattle in bed, but guess what they could shoot me up with more Prednisone.

I am 22, I have Lupus and RA. I am on other meds too but I am more than positive that Prednisone has brought about my moon face and maybe my sleepless nights. I workout everyday and in the best shape I have been in my whole life but it sucks because I am only able to be this healthy because I am on all these meds including Prednisone. I probably would be using a walker. So basically its a choice of vanity(huge head) or good health.But I have asked my doctor to lower my doses. Was at 30mg, I am now at 20....hopefully I can get down to just 5mg and still be able to move my joints as freely as I do now

I was just wondering...I've been weened off Prednisone the last month or so and today is my last pill. YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
However, I've noticed that my joints hurt and my feet oh the pain. Is this normal. I feel like my muscles are weak. walking up a flight of stairs is painful. Anyone know how long this will last or if this is something I will have to live with.

I've been on Prednisone after and allergic reaction to penicillin (Amoxicillin) (bullous pemphigold - large blister on my arms and legs, some on the back and very little on the stomach) I've been on the medication for three days (40mg/day) I cannot standup or move my hands, my entire leg hurts and the foot is swollen (it could be from the penicillin). I'm hoping it will go away after I come off prednisone but has anyone experienced long term pain from this drug?

I'm pretty sure my pain is from the allergic reaction. Has anyone had long term pain from any type of bullous reaction?

In June I found out I had actue renal failure. One of the many medications I was given was prednisone. After a few weeks I grew so weak, tired and in a lot of pain. I even had to take a medical leave from work(4 months).
I was told to expect the moon face, hunchback, the acne..However, my sypmptoms worsened to point I didn't want to eat(lost 30 lbs) could hardly move and had to be hospitalized(almost went on dialysis). They flushed me out for a week at the hospital and avoided dialysis.
Once out of the hospital I proceeded to keep the weight off, but the side effects just mounted. I had thrush in the mouth(the worst feeling), sleeplessness, I had every side effect listed and I mean all with the exception of hallucinations and depression. The miracle was that what I was expecting weight gain, moon face did not happen.
Around September my doctor started weaning me off prednisone b/c I told him I cant take it anymore. Wouldn't you know it the minute I started getting weaned off the medication I got the moon face and acne. I cant beleive how much acne I have and the moon face and extra chin that came along with it are not cute. In 3 days I gained 10lbs and feel like I'm gainiing everyday. This might bring on the depression that has yet to occur. Why is this happening now that I'm being weaned. I started at 80mg a day and now I'm down to 30mg and next week down to 20mg.
I know this drug did its job and I pray that I dont have to be on it at all once the weaning process is over, but this is hell. I really feel doctors should tell you everything that you can expect. I didnt know enough about this drug(I know there is the internet I should have used it) and had I known then what I know now I seriously might have asked for some alternatives. This drug may be a miracle in the medical community, but for those of us who have to take it, its hell. Does anyone know how long it will take for the moon face, acne, and weight gain to go away?

I am 19 years old and I recently was taken off of it 2 years ago when I switched doctors. Prior to the switch I had been on it for 16 years. I prob have some of the worse side effects. Because it causes an increase in appetite I ate but I didn't eat all the time, and I ended up gaining over 100lbs. I have a black-brown ring around my neck and for the longest time I thought it was dirt that wouldn't come off so sometimes I scrubed my neck sometimes to the point that it was raw.I have bad acne on my back and its just horrible.I cry every single night because of the side effects.I just want to know if anyone on here can help me.

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?

Hi there... I have just found this site and I'm very grateful to everyone who has taken the time to sit down and tell us their story mine is very similar. BELIEAVE me I feel like I am pushing my family away and I'm losing my relationship with the one person who used to make me feel like I was the most beautiful woman in the world.
I'm a 40 yr female have or maybe had a great job that I loved... On April 12 I noticed a small red rash on my lower right leg no big deal went to the Dr. gave me some cream and sent me home well I went to work and by the afternoon things just seem to get bad my legs began to swell and little blisters started to pop up so I went to the E.R. they had no Idea what was wrong with me got me an appointment to see a skin DR. so I went home but the pain from the swelling was so bad I could not walk any longer went back to the E.R. they gave me some pain meds and called in some other DR. things had gone from bad to worse my feet had gotten to big I could not put on shoes and I had bruised completely across the bottoms of my feet they put me on 30mg of PRED. and it seem to be under control sent me home after 3 day in the hospital things were good for about a day or so I thought I would go back to work well that was not a very good idea.... My sister had to come and take me back to the ER where they did 2 biopsies and still have no idea what is wrong with me. so now they put me on 60mg of PRED the rash has gone, lots of scaring on my feet because of the blisters once they broke and dried out but I can live with that....
It's the side effects that they don’t tell you about,
MOON FACE I can't look at myself cause really that’s not me anymore,
WEIGHT GAIN I have always been thick but I can't handle the extra 30lbs I've gained,
MOOD SWINGS are unbearable,
PAINFUL JOINTS, CAMEL HUMP, BLOODY NOSE, BRUSING, SORE TEETH/GUMS, DRY EYES, FAITIGE, and worsted of all
I don’t have a support systems in my life so I'm fighting this by myself everyday, I have 3 kids that I have tried to explain all this to but they don't get it and well my boyfriend he tells me he understands that its the meds pushing him away but if I can't figure away to control this I will lose every thing including my job. I cant even get the energy together half the time to make it up and down the stairs which also comes with the pain of just trying to lift each leg up to climb the stairs, I also have the camel hump which I find very painful, The acne and the hair growth that I have to get wax off once a month cause I feel like a man I feel like a loser and as of the last couple of days I just want to give up I am now down to 20mg per day but I find that I am feeling so sick I cant think straight I hope and pray for each and every person out there that has to take this MED that you get better and I do hope that my symptoms wont come back. Thanks for being here and I’m glad I found this site. I know now that I’m not losing my mind completely. Elizabeth.

I am really hoping someone can help me with the side effect issues I am having after taking Prednisone to cure a tumor on my larynx.. I was on the drug for six months.. taking 60 mg a day. It saved my life and at the same time it was just about to kill me, I am not kidding. The horrible effects it had on my body was really worse than the tumor that was taking my life. It would have almost been easy to die.
But today I'm very grateful for the miracle it did on my throat. I did not have a voice for many years.. today I can sing and that makes it's a great gift.
I was wondering, after being on it for so long and coming off nice and slowly, should my joints be in this much pain? My body aches are horrible.. all the muscles hurt and that never seems to go aways. Is this normal?

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!!!

Was on Prednisone 2 years ago for respiratory problems 30mg. Gained 25 pounds, fat face, felt tired, etc.

However 2 years later, after weaning off Prednisone my muscles ache, joints are most always stiff, esp. hands plus my feet feel numb and my short term memory has not returned to normal----does any one else out there have similar problems. What can be done?

Hello: I am a 31 yr old male and I am now on Prednisone as well. I recently had surgery and was diagnosed with a rare auto immune disease called PAN.

They started me at 80mgs the first 9 days and now I am at 60mgs which I will take for 3 months before being reduced.

Side effects: I can't stop thinking of food. No matter how much I eat I can't get full. I also can't sleep however I don't feel tired so I am working and doing things late at night. The sleep thing doesn't bother me to bad.

Joints and muscles pop a lot as well.

Oh well I guess things could be much worse right!! :)
Ryan

I began a new dose of Prednisone yesterday. I was diagnosed w/ RA about 3 years ago. I have been on Embrel (didn't work) and am now on Humira and Methotrexate. I have been having extreme difficulty the last month and finally returned to my doctor for relief. (I have been on Prednisone before and had only the headaches) I was prescribed a higher dose this time (60 mgs 2 x daily) and have been battling with a racing heart that beats so hard it hurts. I have now taken my second dose and cannot walk more than 10 feet without feeling like I am having a heart attack! While it is helping the RA pain in my joints, I am so scared to move and so uncomfortable when I do, I am not sure what is better. The disease or the cure? Has anyone else battled with the racing heart? Oh and I also have high blood pressure and the Prednisone is making it higher even with my meds!
My only other instance with this effect was from a steroid injection about a month ago. That episode placed me in the ER receiving medication to lower my heart rate.

I was on Pred for about 9 months(FSG Kidney Disease) and came off about 3 weeks ago. The problem that I have been having for the past three weeks is moderate to servere pain in my joints and muscles? This includes area's like my feet, shoulders, knees and chest. How long should these problems persist? The only thing gettying me by now are pain killers.

I was put on prednisone for a month now only been off for about a month i have had joint point for about a month but i think its mostly gone i also managed to gain 20 lbs now i'm going to get an mri no one ever said anything about these kind of side effect honestly thinking of a major law suit i'm a martial artist and if my joints callapse someones in very very big trouble bottom line i'll stand in traffic before i take it again

I have been on the "pak" for four days of the seven now. My joints & asthma are MUCH better, but at a cost. I went balistic in the license branch today! It was scary for even me. The only reason the cops were'nt called was that thank God my adult daughter was with me, and got me out of there. I was shaking and my face was blood red. This can't happen again. I have NEVER done anything remotely like that in the past. Either my doc writes me some tranqilizers, or I am off this crap! We had discussed making preg a routine drug for me {low doses of course}, but I am having second thoughts now. True, the joint pain was pretty bad, but I'll just load up on NASIDs instead, and use my inhaler religously from now on. This is the only negitive side effect I have had, BUT IT IS ENOUGH FOR ME!

I have a condition called Myositis and for the past two years the specialists put me on Prednisone, my condition of myositis is an Autoimmune problem that degenerates the muscles and causes artherites throughout the joints in the body.
I am 58 years of age and survive the chronic pain by taking 5 Mg of prednisone each day along with different types of anti inflaminetery pain killers.
Some days are good and other days require a wheel chair to get around but the side effects of this have caused Cateracts in both eyes, fatty liver tissues and other side effects like mood swings and so on.....

I have been on 10mg eoday prednisone for years to counter my psoriatic arthritis. I guess I'm the lucky one because I've had no side effects. Psoriatic arthritis is like rheumatoid, but has skin problems associated. A round of arava kicked the arthritis into remission and the pred kept it there, and I've been pretty happy. I decided to try to get off of it, but now all of my joints ache again, so I'm deciding to go back on--although, you-all are scaring me! Maybe I'll rethink this!

I am a an active, healthy 42 yr old female who was taking 60mg every day for 5 days. Medicine was prescribed to me by my doctor to help with the pain from an injury that aggravated back surgery that I had in January. I am done with the medication but am feeling flu symptons (i.e. sensitive skin, achey joints, spinning sensation, general fatigue). Is this normal? My appetite has tripled! Whats up? This medicine is awful! Just say no!
Jennifer

Whoa, folks, Prednisone for 10 days? I thought the maximum was 7 days, else dire consequences beset you. I have Lupus and take only 20mg a day. The side effects, when I get off are severe joint pain, muscle tenderness and headaches but then Lupus does eat your joints and skin... Anyone out there knows anything about interval between treatments?

hello, have been on prednisone for about 7 weeks, 30 mg a day, due to a weird rash on my leg following a very bad burn....started on leg, moved to face (badly), splotchy, itchy and crusty. Leg still isn't healed due to scratching etc, face problem stays away as long as I don't alter my intake. Getting all the usual side effects, swelling face, terrible aches in joints, sleeplessness, bad indigestion, thing is I've been to several doctors, had blood tests done for lupus,/swab/skin tissue taken from burn area, nobody knows what I may have. Please, if anyone knows anything about this condition, write here. Thank you

I have been on prednisone for twelve days, due to my Inflammatory Arthritis. I started on 15 mg of pred for 4 days, then 10 mg, and down to 5 mg. Today is my last day of prednisone, although my doctor told me that I could continue to take 5 mg, if I'd like. I have had mild anxiety and diarrhea, which I think is caused by the anxiety. My joints have felt great and the inflammation has gone down. The only drawback that I am had has been the anxiety and headaches. I'd take it again, but I do not like the anxious feeling that I am experiencing.

I have been diagnosed with Autoimmune Hapatitis and put on a low dosage of Prednizone. 20mg a day for 2 weeks, 15mg a day for 2 weeks and then 10mg a day for an unspecified asmount of time. I have been on the drug for 2 weeks and have just begun to feel side affects mentioned by others. Primarily night sweats accompanied by uncontrolable shaking, pain in lower joints and pain at the base of the neck. Has anyone else with Autoimmune Hepatitis been put on prednizone and what side affects have been experienced. I am alos on Azathioprine (generic ofr Imuran). Apparently even low doses of prednizonee can produce the symptome others have described.

I have cusining's disease. I was on Kenalog for arthritis in nec and shoulders for almost two years. The doctor stopped the shots abruptly and put me on VIIOX till it was taken foo the market. I have been on predisone for a year now and continue to decrease my dose. I have every symptom of Cushing's from Moon face, buffalo back and neck. And weak muscles, joints and so much pain. My wuestion is my teeth. I have lost 3 molars and have 4 more indanger. Can you give me some documented information on steroids and my teeth after prolong use. I need my dentist to receive this info so the insurance company will help with the expense. Any web sites, written documents would be appreciated

Regards,
P.J.

Acute asthmatic, have been on life support 4 x,the last two years taking prednisone non stop and still very short of breath,weight gain of 15 pounds, from 135 to 145,frequent urination, depression,pain in joints specially on shoulders, bruising, swelling and puffiness, heart burn, blurry vision.Help I want to get of this drug!

To the person just diagnosed with Sarcoidosis. I myself have been living with it for 20 + years. I was diagnosed when I was 4 and it has affected my eyes, skin, kidneys, joints, and tendons. I would like to make a recommendation, as I have to agree the Prednisone is a HORRIBLE drug. I was on it for many many years and know what you're going through. However, they tried a new drug on me called METHOTREXATE. i recommend asking your physician about it. It's not without its side effects as well, but believe me compared to the prednisone, the *1* side effect i get is nothing. this drug has done wonders for my sarcoid and yeah, recommend it over prednisone any day. If you want more info on the sarcoidosis or the methotrexate, feel free to email me at ******--just put sarcoidosis in the subject line so i know its not junk. Hope this helps somewhat.

NEED ADVICE PLEASE! Has anyone had sore tendons, muscles, joints, etc. in hands caused or exacerbated by prednisone? If so, please email me at bgoodric@comcast.net. I'm a professional harpist, and my hands are my living. I was diagnosed with RA last spring, and I've been on pred for something like 6-7 months now, waiting for the Plaquenil to take effect. I was only at 10 mgs (now tapering, went down to 1 mg this morning), but I got bad moonface and fat belly, acne, feeling sweltering all the time, hair falling out, and sore gums. Eeew.

Recently my hands, wrists, and forearms are really hurting again, in muscles and tendons this time, as well as joints. (It's really impacting my playing; anyone who thinks that harp music can't sound ugly hasn't heard me playing in bad pain.) My hands aren't swollen much though, when before, with the untreated RA, they looked and felt like they'd each been stung by a whole beehive. Now, I was writing off all this new pain as caused by my getting off the prednisone TOO soon, before the Plaquenil works fully, and/or from serious overwork. (Amazing to have too many gigs, a lovely fluke that can't be turned down even if the timing is lousy.) But I've just found this website and seen a few people noting muscle cramps and such.

Could the hand problems be CAUSED or exacerbated by the prednisone, either by just having taken it at all or by tapering off it too quickly? Getting my hands working again immediately was the whole reason I was willing to get on the darn pred to begin with!

Let's see; I've also got muscle pains in shoulders, neck, lower legs, and feet, but all these could be due to music overwork too, or walking in bad shoes. I'm 43 and not terribly athletic, so the non-hand muscle stuff isn't all that shocking.

Another question, one that other people have mentioned earlier: How long after we stop the pred does it take for the dreaded moonface and belly (and acne) to go away? Is there any way to speed it up, along with exercise and sensible diet? (My sister's getting married in a month, so I've got the prospect of photos looming. I haven't gained weight, just had it redistributed, but I'm getting real chipmunk cheeks. Incidentally, approaching veganism seems to help me with the appetite. I've been trying to avoid dairy products to lessen the RA and when I manage that, after a few days I find that I'm no longer daydreaming about Haagen Dazs and Fettucini Alfredo. Don't know if that'd work for other people? I daydream about non-dairy dark chocolate instead, I'm afraid.)

I'd be grateful for any info and any advice! Good luck to you all out there. I knew prednisone could be problematic, but not as bad as what most of you have had to endure.