PredniSONE and pills

I am so relieved to have found this site... i have been miserable for almost 2 weeks, i broke out with hives last week and never found the cause but with that and some breathing problems they put me on prednisone. I have been miserable since, i couldn't eat drink sleep or do anything else at all pretty much and i have had diarrhea, and a ton of other symptoms... i feel bloated acid reflex muscle aches headaches dizziness chest pain & pressure very weak feeling mood swings and depression the jitters and heart racing and from what i read and researched this is all from the steroid prednisone.... thankfully the doctor ended my dosage sooner than it was prescribed and last night i took my last pill... i now am just wondering when or how long will it be till i feel myself again and can have a good nights rest?? I will never use this medicine again!! I am just soo relieved to have found some answers on here.

I have been on prednisone for 8 weeks, the first two at 40 mg., then 30. I have sarcoidosis and had a cough for several years, then shortness of breath, a fever for three weeks, very low energy, headaches every day, vision problems, mental fuzziness, fatigue, leg cramps, weight loss, a host of symptoms that were impacting my life. With the prednisone, I have had some jitteriness and occasional insomnia, though not bad. I have had increased energy, clearer mind, no cough, the sarcoid symptoms have almost disappeared. I do have increased appetite and have gained maybe 5 pounds. I occasionally have a day when I have low energy and am depressed, but most often, my energy is a lot better since taking the prednisone. So, for me, prednisone is most definitely NOT a devil drug. In fact, I believe that thinking of it this way is very harmful both to the person thinking that way and to others who come to this site looking for help. It is helpful to know that there are other people having similar problems to yours. But focusing on all the negatives without acknowleging the vast array of positives can only hurt. When I take the pills, I remind myself to be grateful that there is something that can help me fight the sarcoid. When I start being fearful of the side effects (from reading these internet sites), I remind myself of all the many people who have taken prednisone and gotten better and lived a long, good life as a result. My sister-in-law took it years ago for Crohns and loved it. My friend's daughter took it and had a few side effects, primarily the moon face, but it helped her and she now is as thin as ever and doing well. Focus on the positives, people! Where your mind goes, your body will follow. Be aware of the possible effects and work to offset them. Exercise, eat less, find reasons to laugh and be with people. It sucks to have any disease that would cause you to have to be on prednisone, but we are lucky to have medicine and people to help us. Be thankful for what is good in your lives.

I have had asthma since i was 10. I am 44 years old now. I have never in my life been on prednisone this long (since Feb 2009). It is now July 11,2009. I was admitted to the hospital for IV steriods (prednisone) because for the first time in my life the general 10 course with the pills wasn't working. so there i was on 165mg of pred every 6hrs. After eight days in the hospital i was released and was to take 40mg for five days and decrease by 5mg until done. I didn't do to well and had severe exhaustion where i couldn't even walk 2 steps the next day. so I went to my pulmonary dr. who said he noticed a severe anxiety side affect in me from the drug and said i needed to get off it as soon as possible, he had me drop my dose every day by 5mg. TO FAST! I had breathing problems again, started over going slower, got down to 10mg and had to jump to 40mg again! side effects for me are severe anxiety (which i have to take ativan for) and especially massive painful foot cramps. My hands will cramp to while trying to write, but the foot cramps and the feeling of being wired are the worst. I am still trying to wean off....sometimes i wonder if i will ever finally be off this stuff. I just want to cry sometimes. It feels like being pregnant and going thru post partum at the same time

Hi I am 31, have been put on prednisone for a pinched nerve in my shoulder blade. Iv taken two pills of 10 mil. For two days. one pill a day for two days. I'm stopping now. I feel so tired weak and unable to exercise. My chest is so heavy and heart flutters. I'm a smoker so it seems worse after a cigarette. I also have a few glasses of wine a day. I'm so frightened at these feelings. My tummy is now bigger in just that short of time. I really wish I knew all this first. Can any one tell me how long before I'm normal from the short usage. Please this really sucks and very scary. Also the smoking and alcohol how does it effect this? Please

Was on Prednisone for 11 days for an injury to my neck. I knew nothing about the drug except what my doctor told me that it would reduce inflammation in my neck and help with pain.

Well, it did nothing for the injury and pain in my neck. BUT.... I had HORRIBLE menstrual cramps and got my period 8 days early. I've had my period for 9 days now AND terrible pain in my upper left leg. I thought the pain was related to my leg and as the days went by I realized it was in my left hip! It's so bad I can't lift my leg without extreme pain. I KNOW IT'S FROM this awful drug.

I've been off of it for 4 days and the pain is still with me. I called my family dr. and was told Prednisone doesn't do that. BULL!! The paperwork I got with it from the pharmacy show "Changes in menstrual periods" "muscle/joint pain" "bone pain".

I wish I knew this BEFORE I ever took it.

Does anyone know if these symptoms and problems will go away after stopping it? I called the pharmacy and was told it will take 2-3 weeks for it to get out of my system!!

Has anyone had problems that eventually went away after stopping the drug?

Thanks and I hope everyone else is okay soon! This drug should be off the market. I received no help for my neck pain at all!!

I am on a 6 day treatment of PredniSONE 4mg for a foot injury that caused massive swelling. The swelling was gone after the first day of the treatment, but the side effects started the second day for me. I freaked out yesterday thinking that I was having a heart attack. I even asked the doctor if there were any weird side effects and told him that I have anxiety about taking medicine. He said it's harmless, and not to worry. I felt safe taking it the first day but now I've been experiencing increased heart rate, flushed face, pain in my muscles, left arm, and chest, tingling and itching, I can't sleep, when I do sleep in the morning I wake up tense and frustrated, I've lost my appetite, it's hard to go to the bathroom and I can't seem to get my thoughts together. I had an anxiety disorder before and had I known the side effects of this medicine I would not have taken it. Today I decided to skip a day by only taking three pills today and two tomorrow. I just want OFF THIS STUFF!!! and I never want to take it again. I can't believe its on the market and doctors are soo shady about it! And all this from the lowest dose... 4mg.

STARTED TAKING PREDNISONE ON SAT. 3 PILLS A DAY FOR COUGH, SWEAT ALL DAY AND NIGHT. WILL THIS EVER GO AWAY.

I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis at the end of 2007 and have been on prednisone since then. I started on about 105mg a week and am currently trying to reduce it but it is really hard as the moment the dosage goes down I lose all mobility and cannot even get out of bed. I am only 23 years old and really feeling the disease to the extent that I cannot even cope with my life. The prednisone has really taken its toll on me and the side effects are crazy! I just want to go back to my old self as I am finding it sooo hard to get through a single day. My side effects include:

Insomnia, tooth sensitivity, depression, anxiety, mood swings, moon face (my face is so swollen that I cant stand looking in the mirror anymore, dizziness, temper, feelings of uselessness, nightmares, night sweats, water retention, and to top it all off the arthritis is getting worse and I am in constant pain. Is there anything anyone can suggest then please help me!

The purpose of prednisone for sinus sufferers is to open up the sinuses. Now, I have found that 40-50mg a day is usually QUITE sufficient to do that. (For me – everybody is different) And, as I get better, I taper off each day to 30mg, then 20 as needed. What doctors forget is that people react very differently to medications. Why take more when all it does is make the side effects worse? The doctor doesn't know how you feel, YOU know how you feel. Don't blindly take this dangerous medication, LISTEN to your body.

If you have taken 40 mg, your sinuses are completely open, and your heart is starting to race, do NOT take any more that day! Or, at the very least, wait till it stops and then take 10 mg or even 5 to see how you do. I advise never taking all your prednisone in one dose - try to space them out over the day so you can see how you react. Never take any later than dinner so you can give the side effects time to wind down if you experience them.

In summary: I have found that taking unneeded prednisone after you have achieved the needed relief will not do much good, if any. However, the lack of sleep will be very detrimental.

One final tip: I have found that after I start to get better, 20mg prednisone taken with a couple Sudafed is about as affective as 40mg prednisone. However, be VERY careful combining medications if you get fast heartbeat! Two examples are cough medicines and (especially) Sudafed! I advise trying a half dose of Sudafed (1 pill or half a 12hr pill - 12hr pills are great for nighttime) first if you are on prednisone. You can always take more, but you can't un-take a pill.

Disclaimer: I've taken prednisone many times, but I'm not a doctor, yada yada...

I had ankle surgery in March 2009. After several weeks of pain and inflammation, my doctor prescribed a Prednisone dose-pak to "settle everything down." Yesterday, day 1, I took 2 pills before breakfast, 1 after lunch, and 1 after supper. About 4 - 4 1/2 hours after taking my supper dose, I developed SEVERE abdominal pain (akin to labor pains) and diarrhea that lasted for several hours. The pain abated during the night and today I have had very sore abdominal muscles and a little bit of an upset stomach. I never took the bedtime dose

I don't care how much pain I have had in my ankle...nothing compares to the pain I experienced last night. I will never take this medicine again. According to all the information I have read about side effects, nothing indicated I would experience pain like this.

I am hopeful that now the stomach/abdominal pain "settles down."

I was just put on prednisone due to a very strong sinus infection. I took 4 pills today of 10 mg each,and so far I have been feeling good,except of course of the normal discomfort of the sinuses dripping in my ears and shortness of breath. The Dr. also prescribed Amoxicillin, and so far so good. However I get really nervous when I hear what other people post about what has happened to them because I suffer from anxieties and don't wanna have another one of those EVER! I am 50 years old and have always been very healthy but as soon as I turn 50 booom! the next morning,aches and pains and irrational thoughts and fears and you name it! It is really awful:)

A doctor gave me prednisone (just 5 pills, 50mg ones) to cure my hands dehidrosis, but after taking the first one, I could never ever sleep again, and my heart palpitations are terrible, luckily this is my last day on prednisone, and I hope there are no post effects, and I also hope not having to use this drug ever again. It made me realize how important is to sleep.

A few years back I severely injured my back. As part of my treatment my doctor gave me prednisone. My joints, especially my knees hurt beyond belief. I even had go to my parents house because I couldn't move, it hurt too much. I called my doctor and you know what he told me?!?! it was all in my head.He accused me of trying to get pain pills from him. The joint pain got so bad that I had to be hospitalized. You know what they told me at the hospital. I was having a allergic reaction to prednisone. No S***t!??! anyway, since that time I have not taken prednisone. My concern now is that my doctor wants me to get a cortisone injection. . . I am scared I would get the same reaction. from the research I have done so far, it looks like it is from the same family. Does anybody know?

Thanks
B.

My Doctor put me on prednisone 10mg for inflammation in my neck. I did 5 first day 5 second day 4 fourth day and when it was time for day 3 he took me off my upper body from waist to neck hurt so bad if anyone would touch me, blotchy to touch no visible rash stomach cramping nausea and I described sitting down as if I had a very bad sunburn, hunched over. I called his office and they said doesn't sound like a sided effect to stop taking well that night Thurs. I was in the ER for a what they are calling an "allergic reaction" gave me benadryl and sent me home next day very groggy, body still hurt not stomach and slept all day. Saturday night back at the ER bad headache and neck and face felt tingly very weird after a million test sent home. Sunday felt the same. Monday went to doctor's office with abdominal cramping nausea and tingling face/headache had an scan of head and more test gave me anxiety pills (I think they think I'm nuts now). Tuesday back at his office feeling worse more test everything so far is normal gave me something for headache (it worked!) and sent me to see a specialist to make sure it was not my appendix which it's not. I'm Still having stomach cramps upper stomach above belly button no more headache occasional tingly of face and no appetite having a stomach ultra sound today. I'm just wondering now if anyone has had the same symptoms? Starting to think maybe I am crazy. I wasn't on it very long so I'm sooo confused. I was also told at my 2nd ER trip that they didn't believe I could have an allergic reaction very impossible.

I started Prednisone Feb 7,2009 because I Have inflammation in my ear and other problems because of the disease. He started me on a high dosage. I take 3 pills a day. My doctor warn me that I would gain weight but Im not concern with the weight gain because prednisone helps me feel better and I know it's working. I'm always hungry,my face is Moon shape, and I feel fat but what have me scare3 is I can't sleep(insomnia) any more and I have severe join pain.My muscles feel weak, My leg and knee aches and I can barely walk sometimes! Im scared I might get avascular necrosis!and my blood pressure go up and down! I never had high blood pressure but the last time I went to the Doctor my pressure was high! Also I get abdominal pain, and feel very sick to my stomach!

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.

I can hardly function on this stuff. I am a 28 year old mother of four. I tend kids, and am very involved in the PTA. I was put on prednisone 3 weeks ago after being put in the hospital for pneumonia and asthma. After 1 1/2 weeks I was 23 pounds heavier and my entire body is so sore it feels like needles stabing me all over. My face is soo fat I my chin touches my neck...UGH I want to scream... I was walking six miles a day just 2 days before my hospital stay..Now it hurts my knees just to walk down the hall...The ance covering my entire body is disgusting and I am soo agitated all the time, which is not good I have six kids to tend to. I am down to 2 pills right now and will be off within 4 days.. I sure hope the side effects will go away I can't live like this another week....

I am being treated for ulcertive colitis. I have been on prednisone since Sept of 08. I started out on 40 mg. In late Oct. my doctor started tapering me off 5mg per month. Each month following the tapering date, I would get sick. As I look back, all the signs of withdrawal were there. This Jan. I tapered once again, but the window was only 3 weeks. I hit rock bottom. If there was a symptom, I have it. Nausea, burning in my digestive tract, diarrhea every time I eat, muscle ache, numbness in my legs, swollen feet, sore bones and joints. ( The worst was in my feet. I ended up seeing a podiatrist. He thought plantar faciaitis until I told him about being on prednisone. The small bones in my foot were swelling, The muscles in my calf were buning they were so sore. That was last week. Today my other foot started. I can hardly walk. In addition to that, I am lightheaded, have elevated blood pressure, and fatigue. I also had some vision problems that sent me to the doctor. I went through a ton of testing which all were negative. It seems that pseudotumor is another symptom of withdrawal. I have a history of that. It would have been nice to know that. As I look back each month, I had different muscle and joint pain that lasted about a week. I was put on an acid reducer in Dec. to help my stomach, but in all of this time, I was not told that these all may be withdrawal symptoms. I have been off work for two weeks now in addition to the days I missed each month. My physician is now controlling the tapering procedure. They up the dose to 10 mg again. They plan on weaning me by 1mg doses. This has been a terrible experience for me. I have only been severely sick one other time in my life. This pain is awful. It is chronic. This drug may be beneficial, but it is like poison too. Anyone who takes this should really ask a lot of questions, and be careful..

hey everyone...reading every post makes me even more scared now. I was diagnosed with Bells Palsy on Jan. 13th. My doctor prescribed me prednisone and valtrex. 5 days, twice a day, 20 mgs. On the 18th i was finished with the pills. Very happy because the bells palsy went away. On my birthday, January 23rd. I washed my faced with Biore skin cleanser (which ive used for years) and it felt like as if my face was peeling off as i was washing it! I got so scared when i rinsed my face i actually felt my skin turning to leather. I got out of the shower and my face was round and beet red and my eyes were puffy and face was very very dry...The next day i woke up and my face was worse. I called my doctor and he told me go straight to the emergency room that i was having an allergic reaction to a skin chemical and get treated for an allergic reaction. I did just that. The hospital gave me another dose of prednisone. 60mgs the first day then again the same dosage that my other doctor prescribed me. Im scared to death now to take this pill. Yeah, my face went down and is not beet red anymore but what's going to happen next week once i come off??? i don't want to go against what the hospital gave me, but as im reading these posts, im up at 2:55 am and not sleeping..! help!

I would just like to say that I was prescribed Prednisone for inflammation. I know that some medications are used for different conditions but felt the need to comment due to the instructions I was given while on this medication. I had a total of 15 20mg pills and was to take 3 per day for 5 days. The doctor stated that it was very important not to take more then the above dose for my condition because it would be possible to shut down the " the steroid making system" thats already in our body. So be careful with this one all. This medication made me extremely sick to my stomach as well.

I got a large dose. I think 120 mg. in a shot. I had strep throat and had severe tonsil swelling and the uvula was enlarged at least three times the normal size. I'm concerned now as to what to do next. I have a prescription for a week where I wean down the dose to I believe, 80 mg for three days, then to 40 for three or two days (I'm not sure cause I didn't get the prescription picked up yet. I just am remembering what the doctor said. ) I'm so concerned that it'll mess me up! The dosage continues to one pill for so many days and then to a half. The swelling has subsided substantially, and it really helped. I don't have any other symptoms as yet. Maybe a sour stomach. I'm afraid of the symptoms and any weight gain.

Hello everyone, I just started taking Prednisone today for severe Sciatica. I have read all your stories and now im so weary of taking another pill. Some of the side effects that y'all have experienced are awful. I think i would go crazy if i got all of that. I am on the Medrol Dose Pack and i started 2 pills before breakfast and now i have some stomach pains. Its sad that you have to take this for pain and inflammation and then end up with all other kinds of problems. Thanks for sharing your stories. I think im gonna stop taking it all together. Stacey

Hi

I just started taking 20mg of Prednisone for a shoulder injury. So far I have all but loss my appetite, which sounds strange to me since my doctor told me to expect to gain weight very quickly. I have also loss my need to sleep. I was up from Saturday 11:15 am morning the first day I began Prednisone and wasn't able to get to sleep until Sunday night around 10:00pm. I'm sweating like I'm constantly being rained on, it is so darn annoying. I also started to lose my voice last night and then again today, is that normal with is drug? I'm so full of energy all I do is clean our house, work out in my flower beds, etc. I'm kinda of scare of this drug and I'm glad I will be off of it next Tuesday unless my shoulder isn't better when I start physical therapy tomorrow. I wish you all the best while you are taking this drug.

Keep us posted on how you are doing.

Marlene

My son is suffering from psychosis because of prednisone. He had severe poison ivy and was given 10 day course of pills that tapered and a shot. Since then he has been in the psych ward for a week , released given respirdal and lithium. After 3 weeks we tried to wean him from the respidal but the psychosis came right back. ;He is 17 and never had any symptoms of psychosis or mania before. He has every symptom now. BTW his psychosis did not appear until he was finished with the prednisone for several days. Will he ever recover?????

My husband was stung by a wasp. He had a major reaction of hives and fainting spells. Naturally we went to emergency where the doctor prescribed.. you guessed it.. PREDNISONE !! sigh. He was told to take it only the next morning of his attack as the prednisone would make him too irritable to sleep. He woke up the next morning and all his rash was gone and he was feeling like a million bucks. NO more side effects from the wasp sting. We were always wondering WHY he needed to take prednisone for a wasp sting but wanting to listen to our knowledgeable and GOOD doctors, my husband took the prednisone. He was told to take 10 5mg pills in one shot, therefore, 50 mg. per day and then eventually wean himself off. Well, he took but the first 10 and within the 1/2 hour he developed an even greater reaction to hives than the day before. He became very agitated and moody... We drove back to the hosp. only to see the same doctor who'd tell us that he didn't HAVE to take the prednison if he didn't want to and that he was SURE that the prednisone had not caused this latest and worse reaction !!
For crying out loud. This is the year 2008. Couldn't the doctor have told us ahead of time that if the symptoms disappeared before even filling in the prescription ( which is what happened in this case ), THAT He should never have taken any drug? Prednisone is a killer. I know.. My mom DIED because of this darn drug only to find out that they were treating her for a disease that she probably didn't have after years of using PREDNISONE. These poor older people think that the doctors are GOD and that they have to listen to their every word. My husband, on the other hand, has thrown the drug away after just ONE USE. PLEASE, people, find other doctors and solutions and get second opinions.

Hi all. I would just like to agree that PredniSone sucks but it is the best out there for these diseases especially the auto-immune diseases. Drug companies do not make any money on prednisone because it is generic and there is no patent. I know I picked up 98 10mg prednisones yesterday for $5.00. Believe me when there is a better steroid that works as well and has less side effects it will be available to us all. It will cost tons but it will be sold. Researchers have been working for so many years trying to find an alternative, some have been found but do not work well enough. As bad as the prednisone makes us feel it does work on the diseases. You always have the choice to say no - that is why we should all have a health care power of attorney - just remember that when you decide not to take the prednisone you are agreeing that the disease may worsen and may be life threatening. I hate to sound so morbid but patients must be informed. When you are at the physician ask about the side effects, ask if they can give you something to counteract any mood swings, ask what lotion is best for the itchy skin (AmLactin works well for me and is over the counter). Also, my physician advised me yesterday that the side effects are worse on women due to our precarious hormones. I have told my husband to just stay out of the way and don't piss me off because I am not sure how this next 7-8 weeks is going to fare for him. I am 4ft 10in 110lbs and he is 6ft 1in 200lbs and believe me he is scared for his life. I am using prednisone for my ulcerative colitis so now that I am feeling better physicially I can return to exercise and that has definitely helped. So has turning up the music really loud and dancing and singing poorly. Yelling at the tv helps me whether it be politicians, soap operas or idiots on game shows who get the wrong answers. I also have been keeping a journal of all the rage I have and what kinds of things I could do to people who keep getting in my way at the store, on the road, in line at the pharmacy - I guess I need to put that in a safe place so it can't be used for evidence :}

I've been on in a little over one day. The 6 day treatment. 5mg pills-6 the first, 5 the second, and so on and so forth. I have been SO HOT! I didn't sleep for very long, and woke up a couple times in the middle of night burning up. For me, the mental side effects have been HORRIBLE. I'm a 20 yr old fairly healthy female. 5'3'' 110 lbs. I have had unbelievable depression.... really really irritable and angry. I've just felt like hitting someone 24/7. I don't want to talk to anyone, I just want to sleep, I can barely keep my eyes open. I don't know how I'm going to take 5 more days of this. I also experienced the extra sensitivity to heat that others described. I read online that photo therapy... or sun exposure will help speed up healing and can be used alongside prednisone. I just really want this all to be over with. I look like I have the plague, and I feel worse than I look on the outside. Every little stress or worry just makes me want to end it, though I know that that isn't the answer. I'm a Christian, and I'm just going to pray about it. God will take care of me. I'm BURNING UP AS WE SPEAK! I've also been extra thirsty and my skin feels so dry!

my sister was put on Prednisone for a inflamed heart and fluid around the heart, she started with 6 pills a day at 5mg for 7days, then 5 pills for 7days then 4 all the way down to 1 a day. When she got to 1 a day the EXTREME chest pains came back she was in and out of the hospital so many times it was crazy, she was then put back up to 6 a day and slowing get weaned off, however her side effects are insane, major swelling, moon face, weakness, INSOMNIA bad, rashes and bruzes are appearing everywhere, coughing a LOT, sore throat, foggy vision, shortness of breath, thats put it this way she is a MESS and to top it off her husband of 24 years passed away on April 30th, 2008 with a massive heart attack at 47 years old, she feels like she is going to go CRAZY, if anyone has any suggestions it would be so appreciated. Thank you SAD SISTER!!

You people are freaking me out. I just started today with my first dose of prednisone for my first bronchitis diagnosis. I've been sick for 3 months and thought this would be a good med for me to rid the coughing. I'm starting to reconsider taking any more if all I can expect is long term adverse effects. I took this once before years ago for a severe skin allergy. I got the psychosis initially but then adjusted the dose. Then, I would get euphoric and full of energy, like being on a stimulant. I had no idea the round face thing was due to this, I thought I just ate too much while I was home sick for 2 months. I think I'll try the herbal alternative route. If it works, I'll write again and let y'all know. Thanks for all the comments.

First time taking Prednisone, I was prescribed for an injured rotator cuff. All it took for me was one 20mg pill before bed. I only slept for about an hour and a half in that time i experienced extremely vivid nightmares i then woke up for the rest of the night with bouts of paranoia. for some reason i thought i needed to have my gun under my pillow, i kept thinking someone was going to break in my house.(this is not typical behavior for me) Stoped use of the pills immediately.

Hi all,

Well since my last post on April 23rd at 5:24, so far I have been coughing a lot. My throat is so sore just from coughing, I've been coughing up thick yellow mucous. Going into the 3rd day being on Prednisone, I couldn't take it anymore. The doctor originally requested me to take 3 pills a day for 4 days, then 2 pills for 4 days and then 1 pill for 4 days, I decided to change it. I took 3 pills for 2 days, then 2 pills for 2 days and 1 pill for 2 days, I couldn't take the side effects of severe insomnia, coughing, very dry mouth and shortness of breath going into the 3rd day. Since being prescribed Prednisone on Monday, I found myself today to be miserable. Whenever I cough my head feels like it's expanding, soon to explode and my brain hurts, I fear coughing because my throat hurts as does my body. I don't ever want to take this drug again, it's toxic. As for me now, I plan on going and laying down and sleeping like Rip Van Winkle and make up for lost sleep I didn't get during the week. Only being on this stuff for one week definitely made me sympathize with many of you who used it for years, one week was a rude awakening I don't ever want to experience again. Now I am going to go grab my stuffed bunny and crawl in bed for restful sleep.

I was put on Prednisonsone for Uveitis, inflammation of the eye. He started me on 20mg at 9 pills a day, then each week it was lowered to 6 pills then now i'm on 3 pills and then next week it will be 1 1/2 pill and i'll be off. I got the puffy face, my feet swelled, everytime i hate my stomach bloated and hurt, my face and neck turns red, i stayed hungry although i fought the temptation of eating for not wanting to gain a lot of weight, which I don't think I've gained any. But now I wake up in the middle of the night and severe knee pain, it feels like my knees they are in some kind of device that is crushing my bones they hurt so bad. i caught a bad cough and it's been around now for about 2 weeks and won't go away, i told the nurse about it and she says, i probably just got what everyone else has gotten, just a bad cough, well what's if it's some kind of infection? I look like a chipmunk, my face is so puffy. When i get off these prednisone in another week I WON'T BE going back on them, no matter what the case. I'm in more pain being on them and have more side effects while on them than the problem i was having with uveitis. I think some co workers thank I'm over reacting, but they're not here they don't see all the pain and frustration i'm going through while on this drug. The leg pain just started this weekend and i Know i can't deal with waking up everynight like this in severe pain. Everyone just makes me feel like i'm over reactin and it's nice to know that somebody out there is going through the same thing. Any comments will be great.

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 started Prednisone 2 weeks ago and gradually started having leg cramps. They have gotten worse over the last couple of days. They are in my ankles and feet and I have to get up several times a night just to sit until they relax. We plan to decrease the dosage in two weeks, but this is most annoying. Of course, it's far better than what I was experiencing with pain and sleepless nights and had gotten so I could barely move. My hands were swollen and tight, my arms ached with every move and movements were very limited. My bones in my feet felt (and sounded) as though they were shifting around when I got up to walk. My knees were weak. I was just diagnosed with polymyalgia rheumatica. I feel 70-80% improved. Just wondered if anyone else has had these symptoms on Prednisone. It didn't do this with the dosepaks.

I have read some of the board and would like to know if anyone else has had prolonged side effects after being off Prednisone for almost a year. I think Prednisone caused all my current health problems. Was on the higher dose 5 day plan for a severe inner ear infection. I stopped taking it after the third day cold turkey, which I know was wrong because of blurred vision and stomach distention so bad I thought I was going to burst (almost the same as when I was pregnant). The first 4-6 weeks of stopping it were pure _ ell. So many withdrawal symptoms. I went to my doctor and he said I couldn't possibly be having all those symptoms from the Prednisone since I was only on it three days (but it is the regimen where you take the higher doses/multiple pills in the beginning and then it lowers the dose each day). Every few days it seemed I was having something new happen - heartburn, sweating, headaches. Then my thyroid function began acting up (hypothyroidism) and glands seem to swell with my monthly cycle. I started having a daily dry throat. All my symptoms seem to be on my right side: blurred vision, dry throat, swollen lymph glands, ear pain, groin swelling. It is one month shy of a year when I originally took the Prednisone and nothing has decreased, only new symptoms appear. My doctor keeps treating each symptom individually and won't look at the whole picture. I tried acupuncture and it didn't help. Any suggestions/comments?

I started taking Prednisone in late November for inflammation of my lungs, a complication of influenza A. I started at 50 mg daily, then went to 75, then was hospitalized and went to 160 intravenously. After about a week, I was reduced to 120 then 75 by mouth a few days later. After 15 days in the hospital, I was released only to come back two days later with internal bleeding. I was released two days later and my doctor knocked several days off my withdrawal plan. About midway through all this, I started having a constant mild headache. After my second release, the headache started to get worse. The headache became debilitating and I spent some time in the ER where codeine helped. (I'm allergic to morphine which would have been their choice). The codeine helped for a day or two, but when I got to 60mg of codeine with no effect I gave up on the pills. My doctor gave me some sort of anti-inflammatory shot which helped.

I've been off Prednisone now for over a week and still have a constant headache, but most of the time it's not bad and only moderate at times. On average I see a gradual improvement.

I have had increased appetite and energy (in the beginning) followed by face and neck swelling, headache, nausea, blurred vision, internal bleeding and large muscle weakness.

I know that I needed something to stop my lung inflammation, but the cure has been worse than the disease at this point.

Hi!
I have ulcerative Colitis. I had a bad flare up since Thanksgiving 07.I have been on Prednisone since the beginning of Dec.07. The first 3 days it was giving to me by IV every 6 hrs.I was hospitalized due to tremendous blood lost. After this my doctor put me on 60 MG a day. 6 pills of Asacol and I also was on ennama with Cortisone which totally almost killed me. The side effects were sooooooooooooo bad,let say I had them all.Right now I'm dealing with the side effects of the evil Pill " Prednisone" Moon face and this awful bloating in my upper abdomen, tiredness, no energies, heavy legs. It makes it really hard for me to get out & around.I hope my doctor will get me off this Prednisone. Not only messes it up your normal living no it also makes you look like a ugly bulldog! I hate it!

I agree, for me this is a horrible drug! This is the 2nd time my allergist prescribed it to me (last time was this past summer and I had severe panic attacks and thought I was losing my mind) this resulted in me returning back to my GP and him putting me back on Paxil (which I had been off of for a year). I was extremely reluctant to use this again but thought i might be able to manage it this time (with the help of Paxil).

My allergist prescribed Prednisone to me 2 weeks ago (5mg 3x's day for 3 days then, 2 2x's day then 1 for 5 days) I made up until the last 3 pills. I had severe brain fog and felt like I was floating through space. I couldn't even remember driving to work and parking my car! Extremely fatigued (I have diabetes (which is under control, but I had to keep checking my bg because I thought my sugar was dropping to low). Now, within the last week of taking the Prednisone I have experienced aching in my kidneys and I think I have a kidney infection.

Can Prednisone do this to you??

I am calling the doctor tomorrow. Today is the first day without Prednisone and I feel like I am totally out of it - really spaced out, dizzy, panicky and a bit nausea.

How long does it take for you to get Prednisone out of your system?

I was prescribed Prednisone for sinusitis and bronchitis. By day three I noticed I was taking 6 pills versus the 3 prescribed. I called the pharmacist and they recommended I take 1 for each remaining day. I declined, because by then I was experiencing a lot of leg pain. I thought I had a blood clot. Now that it's day 6 I've experienced muscle and bone pain throughout my body. Last night while lying down I felt lightheaded and like I was going to blackout. My legs are weak, I feel like I'm having an outer-body experience, and I'm restless. I've gained a little weight and have a dark red/purple rash on my chest. My stomach is still bloated, but does not hurt. I hope this ends soon. God Bless you All!

Along with Prednisone, I am on Methotrexate and now a slightly enlarged spleen that has reduced my red platelets to only 75,000

If my Doc takes me off of these pills for my RA, what kind of pain will I be in and is there any alternatives to Prednisone and Methotrexate. I've been on these for 5 years now.

I was prescribed 42 pills (20 days) of 10 mg Prednisone which I am to take beginning with 4 pills for four days and steadily decreasing every four days down to four 1/2 pill the last four days. I took my first dose yesterday and was told to drink lots of water. I do not wish to gain weight nor have a moon face. My doctor does not feel this will affect me in that way, but may have water retention (swelling). I am 73, and this regiment of Prednisone was prescribed to decrease inflammation due to a possible siatic nerve problem, which is causing extreme pain in my left leg. The pain is excruciating when I get up in the morning but eases down by mid morning with some pain all day and some nights if I move just the wrong way.Does anyone have a suggestion for the best foods to eat and what to avoid? I read that grapefruit juice may be beneficial.