prednisone side effects- how long do they last

[21 yo female]

I took Prednisone for 12 days for a severe allergic reaction to something (I still have no idea what). for the first three days, I loved it cause it took away whatever it is that I had on my face. Then the insomnia started.....then the restlessness started....then the panic attacks started.....by the end of the dosage my anxiety levels were through the roof and i was convinced that family members were going to die in car crashes, that i would die on the next plane i took, etc. etc. also, at the end of my dosage i started having severe food cravings. i also had my mind racing, elevated heart rate, and mood swings (we're talking every 5 minutes type of mood swings), inability to concentrate. or to sleep, which was sad. but since my dosage ended, none of my regular hunger cues have returned. i just havent been hungry for more than a week. thirsty yes but hungry no. WAHHH!! at this point I can't tell if that's becuase of personal anxiety issues or something from the drug. luckily i think i have avoided the weight gain.....

[46 yr old mom]

I had a pain everyday in my hip since April. It was muscles related. Every time I got up and started walking and walking and rolling over in bed. I was getting very concerned that something was seriously wrong. My dr gave me a 10 day dose of Prednisone. The side effects I felt were the red flushing face, sweating, sleeping less, and my skin feels waxy and smooth. I think I have accouple pounds out of it too. Sometimes I feel like someone is chocking me when I lay down. BUT after 4 days of taking the meds, the pain has subsided. I walk and have NO PAIN!!!I pray that is the end of the pain. I took my last dose yest. I can deal with the side affects. I hope they will be gone soon enough. I hope the best for anyone else too.

[26 year old]

I have been on prednisone on and off since I was a young child, I have both asthma and eczema, and I have learned a few things that help with the crazy weight gain, joint pain and nausea. I actually got off a 6 days does 2 weeks ago and this is the first time I have lost weight. First of all, over drink water, carry tums and pretzels/saltines on you at all times and try to eat as healthy as possible, in my case I always over eat/binge when I am on the drug. Make sure you take Vitamin D and Calcium Supplements because prednisone does affect your bone density.

[concerned]

I started taking methlpredinisolone 20mg,started with this dose first day and grardually decreased dose all for 6 days. I finish medication and i feel tired and fatigue some insomnia is horrible, is been 1 day only but hopefully it will get better.

[Jess with the ankle rash]

I would just like to share my experience with Prednisone. I have a disgusting rash on my ankle that formed after being cut from a metal cart at work. I was prescribed Prednisone for 12 days. I have now been off that pill pack for 18 days and I am just now suffering from horrible panic attacks, high blood pressure, and body tremors when I awake during the night. I also have crazy and sometimes scary dreams. The doctors have all told me my blood is find and my urine samples, but through a cat scan told me my "pineal gland" is enlarged with is associated with sleep. I've never had health problems and I see to have a whole lot since I took Prenisone. My rash on my ankle has returned. While on the medication, I attacked my boyfriend psychotically scratching his body up and down causing him to bleed and felt outraged at the smallest arguments. My hand did and still are puffing up when I work out, your Potassiium is lowered while on this medication so be sure to eat lots of veggies, bananas, fruts, etc. I've been to the emergency room now three times b/c of panic attacks and they just gave me zanex. I know it is because of the prednisone and I know its still in my blood b/c my muscles are still weak and I feel the same as I did taking the pills. I also saw things in my room at night, such as trolls, and a demon standing by my bed. This horrible medicine causes people to become psychotic. My dose was low only 5mg for 12 days and this has all happened to me. I"m only 24 yrs old and just finsihed college last year. I feel horrible right now and I cannot wait until this horrible shit is out of my blood once and for all. I tried to go out partying with my friend I drank vodka & light beers & the next day it sent me into hungover panic attacks with horrible tremors all over my body. I am still suffering from these a week later I'm so scared I will never NEVER take prednisone again as long as I live!

[46 yr old mom]

Its been 2 weeks since I ended my Prednisone. The last day that I took my 1/2 pill I had water weight just show up almost over night. It was very very uncomfortable. I still feel better ie. no more hip pain, than when I started taking the meds and I have no more side effects.

[mullbrook]

I was put on prednisone 4 years ago when I was diagnosed with polymyalsia and just now realize that I had been trying to wean myself off of it for the last 2 years. I started with about 50mg and every time I got to less than 5mg I started to feel joint and mussel pain so I would up the dose to 5 mg until I could manage the pain. I did get a moon face but that stops when you get to low doses and I have not had any of the side effects except wanting to eat all the time and fatigue. I now control the weight. I have been off this medication for 5 days and the joint pain in my shoulders and hips and the a tightnerss around the whole shoulder area front and back is almost unbearable. At a low dose it was bearable but it is just awful now.Some days I just feel like I am falling apart. I am going to continue to fight this pain because I will never go back onto this med again. I do yoga daily just to keep my mussels and joints stretched and although it is painful and I have to move slowly, I think it is benefiting me in the long run. I just wish I knew how long this withdrawal will last. Prednisone works, there is no doublt of that but the costs to one's body is so hard to fatham.

[Henry]

I have Crohn's disease. I have been taking prednisone for the last 6 months, and one other time when I was in about fourth grade. I am now in 7th grade, 13 years old, and I am 5 ft. 1 inches. That's not too bad.. Except I have been about that height since 4th grade. Right now, I am on 2.5mg of pred. and my face is starting to come back to its normal non-watermelon shape. Also, I didn't start pueberty until I was about 11 and a half. which is the same time I stopped growing. I have been looking all over the internet for information about growing with this but have found little. After I get off prednisone, should I recover most of my lost growth (height and pueberty)? I am completely depressed and losing hope very quickly. If anyone can give me advice I would deeply appriciate it. If you know ANYTHING about this type of situation please post something.

[Beth]

I was on prednisone for 11 months for a kidney problem. I started at 60mg every other day. After 3 weeks the doctor had to reduce it because i was crazy. i was hyper, couldn't sit still, agitated and mean and my heart raced at 140 beats a minute. I was reduced to 40mg every other day and put on beta blocker for my heart rate. Beta blockers can slow you down and make you tired so it helped balance out the side effects of the prednisone. I stayed at that dose for 6 months and than was gradually weaned off. A bonus was i had no back pain and no joint pain from my lupus. Down side i gained 15 pounds, my shape is different and I had horrible hot flashes and no sex drive. I am off now and some things have improved but I still feel tired. Sometimes I think it's just because I was so used to the energy boost from the prednisone. i hope i never have to go on it again but if the kidney problem comes back I will have no choice but to take it again.

[PRDENISONE IS HRRIBLE]

hello all. this is a touchy topic, and most prednisone users are reading this wondering how or if it will ever leave their system. i was prescribed prednisone for a lung infection that was causing me alot of grief. i also have asthma on top of it. so after taking for 3 days, yah i could breathe, but i could not , for the life of me get to bed. My heart is pounding like never before. This is the most common side effect. It has been 9 days since i took my last prednisone pill (yes i tapered off like the doctors said to) yet i am still experiencing a horrible and very strong, rapid heartbeat. When i lay in bed at nite i wonder if i will be able to get to bed, because of this discomformting rapid heartbeat. I also have been experiencing alot of muscle twitches in various spots on my body. Think twice bout taking this. Yes, for life threatening instances take it because it does work. But consider this, the doctor who created this drug comitted suicide. There hasn't been alot of research into this drug, and yes everyone reacts different, but for every positive comment i have ever read about it, there are 100 bad comments. Good luck.

[Danny]

I have been on prednisone for a little over 2 years (30 years old). I started off fine with the drug for a few months taking 5mg once a day for lung inflammation. Then I started to develop side effects just taking 5mg. I think I devloped high blood pressure, anxiety, heart palpitations ALL from this drug. I came down to 2.5mg a few months ago.. then down to 1.25mg recently. I feel worse now then I did on the drug! My adernal function was checked and it showed fine, doesn't mean I feel that way. I am now VERY SOB just walking around, my blood pressure is very high, pulse all over the place, brain fog, feel honeslty feel like I have Alzheimers but I don't. Anyone else feel like this coming off JUST 2.5mg ?????????