Low dose of 5mg Predisone per day for how long?

[porche296]

I have been taking predisalone for numerous years,and regulary have bone density tests.I advise everyone on long term pred to make sure they have these tests done.I have severe emphysema and i know i would of died without these drugs!once i get a chest infection it takes weeks before i can get back on my feet and go completely off my food . I get weak and depressed and feel like giving up, but after a few days on pred i pick up eat and feel stronger than ever. they do make me put on a lot of weight but this benefits me when i lose it due to infections.There are a lot of side affects of this drug and every individual is different.As for me i seem to gain a lot more confidence and it gives me the energy to do things even though my quality of life is severely impaired.It seems my brain is on overdrive at times and i get so tired and want to sleep,but i know pred causes insomnia.My appetite goes through the roof on pred,so diet has to be monitored.

[Rosemarie]

Jason,your so right the prednisone doe's wonders for my wife,she has had three operations for sinus polups and when she takes it she can breath and does not have any gaging spells or loaded with mucus,with out it she goes two weeks and it starts all over,she is doing good with ten mil per day,I wish I knew of an over the counter med that would work.sometimes she gets so bad I have to give her a nebulizer treatment

[porche296]

Mary Agnes wrote:

Has anyone experienced unusual bruising while taking pred. Trying to find out which drug I'm taking could be causing these spots that look like bruises all over my body; particularly the arms. I also have had an itchy spot on my abdomen; there is no rash or nothing visible, but at times it can be very severe. Both symptoms have appeared after taking pred.

Hi mary, I too have experienced bruising on my body since I have been on predisalone. I was scratching my arm in my sleep, and was petrified to find that I had big spots of blood under my skin. As you can imagine I was distraught and went to my g.p who thought I may have a low blood count, but that was satisfactory.He told me that this can be a side effect of steroids, and even though I depend on these drugs because I have emphysema I only take a high dose for infections and try to get by with steroid inhalers on better days.

[porche296]

Lynne _London KY wrote:

I have COPD and have to take prednisone a lot. I am not sure if some of my problems may be cause by the side effect. Such as hair lost? Is this a problem for a nyone else?

Hi Lynne, regarding hairloss I have noticed my hair falls out a lot more when I am on steroids.I am lucky to say I have,or should I say had very thick hair,a few years ago, but I notice I lose a lot down the plughole now.The hairs on my legs are less noticable which is a bonus.I too have copd and only take steroids every couple of months to give me strength when I go off my food and on really bad days when I cant breathe at all.take carex

[jenny]

I am offended by your remark. Most of us who are taking prednisone are not able to will the pain away, will away the appetite increase or suddenly become able to exercise. I don't know why you are being treated but you must have some sort of condition that is not severe at all. Please be considerate of those of us who are severely limited by our illnesses. This is truly an insult.

Sheila wrote:

This prednisone is not as bad as everyone is making it out to be. First off IT HELPS!! so stop your whining every one of you about the side effects. If you're fat, eat less, more nutritious foods (you know to do that anyway!!) and freaking exercise, 20-30 minutes a day of anything! Just start moving!!! The wt gain and moodiness will cease or go away for good. This is a good drug and we are on it for a reason. The only way it gets the best of us is if we let it by not doing for ourselves!! I personally feel great, like a kid again. More energy and motivated. Thanks Prednisone!!

[jenny]

I am offended by your remark. Those of us life altering illnesses such as SLE, MS and other autoimmune illness are not able to will away the weight gain (it is fluid build up), and suddenly get up and exercise when we can barely move. Perhaps you should join a running club or become a weight watcher spokes person. Your remark does not belong her.

[marilyn mulloy]

Whitney wrote:

Ive been on it b/c I was diagnosed w/ SLE lupus- i've been on it for 3 months now- i went from 60mg a day to 20mg a day now, i have noticed a lot of hair lose, and every now and then my right armm shoulder and chest go numb! So it might be the prednisone!

I have been on Predisone for 9mo from 80 now at 10mg Yes I notice my hair loss and uncontrollable hair frizz and doesn't grow the same or when I color it. It won't take color anymore the same as usual. Skin is very dry and wrinkled. left arm during the day goes numb also.

[SusieBuddy]

Hello... I'm currently on 50mg of prednisone to control a bad Ulcerative Colitis flare (been on it for 1 month). I am going to start tapering down at 5mg every 2 weeks, so hopefully I won' have too many bad problems from the taper. Right now I feel great and haven't had this much energy in almost a year.

[Feeling Good]

I have been on a 5mg maintenance dose of Prednisone for just over a year. I am taking it in combination with Singulair and a low-fat diet supplemented with fish oil for chronic sinus polyps. The Prednisone males me feel much, much better and has had no obvious side effects. I am very thankful that it exists.

[mama49]

you're full of it! You gain weight on this wether you eat a bite or not.

Sheila wrote:

This prednisone is not as bad as everyone is making it out to be. First off IT HELPS!! so stop your whining every one of you about the side effects. If you're fat, eat less, more nutritious foods (you know to do that anyway!!) and freaking exercise, 20-30 minutes a day of anything! Just start moving!!! The wt gain and moodiness will cease or go away for good. This is a good drug and we are on it for a reason. The only way it gets the best of us is if we let it by not doing for ourselves!! I personally feel great, like a kid again. More energy and motivated. Thanks Prednisone!!

[Irma]

sharon wrote:

I have been on prednisone for about four weeks and I am haveing really bad mood swings, and bouts of depression, also I am having numbing of my face on the right side, has anyone gotton off of this drug with out any side affects.

I've been on 5mg of prednisone for over thirty days to treat inflamation on the heels of my feet. I too am having numbness on the left side of my face.

[Dee]

I have been on prednisone therapy for over 3 years, currently taking 5 mg daily. All of the above side effects have occurred, some more severe than others. I am told that it would be very difficult if not impossible to get off of it, so I probably will take it for the rest of my life. If there is another therapy that you can try do it. I wasn't really made aware of what I was in for and in fact was told that some side effects were not related to it ( example: rashes ). Everytime my prednisone was adjusted I would get terrible rashes. This happened over the course of years so I know. Do your reseach and question your doctors. If you must take it you must, but make sure as you can that it is necessary. It is a wonder drug but a dangerous one...

[Debbie Love]

I have been on prednisone for about 2 years for RA. It has been wonderful. My dosage has vascillated between 2.5 and5 mg a day. I have not gained weight on that dose. I did on 20 a day but not a lot. I just got my diet under control. I do not sleep well but I do not think it is the prednisone. It does the best of any drug for inflammation. I can wake up very stiff and after I take my medication it is a lot better. You must weigh the facts and see if the good outweighs the bad and in my case it definitely does. I would not trade it in for anything else.

[SusieBuddy]

I'm posting again... my last post was July 26th... I am now on 40mg of Prednisone. Tried to taper down but my Ulcerative Colitis flared right back up so now I'm considered steroid dependant.. The side effect I have most are weight gain..(moonface, moon neck, moon back, and moon BELLY).. I have just started Remicade, which I HOPE will get me into remission so I can finally get off PRednisone and get my body back!!

[Claudio]

I have been on 5mg for for 28 years
i do not take it in the morning but at night
it is a powerfull medication, i do not abuse the dose, i only take extra dose when i am ill
i found over the years APO prednisone works the best for me, the other brands do make me nervous
it is true that our body makes hormones during the nite but i found it difficult to wake up when i take the prednisone in the morning,
hope this info will help