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Prednisone side effects

Posted , 18 users are following.

kkmcclendon
kkmcclendon

I have been on 60mg of prednisone for two weeks now. I keep having trouble with a rapid heart beat often times over 120bpm and my blood pressure is running high. When your heart beats so fast, it's scarey and hard to breathe. I feel like I am literally going to die. Has anyone else experienced this when on prednisone?

0 likes, 87 replies

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  • Guest
    Guest kkmcclendon

    Posted

    Have you reported these symptoms to your doctor? Do you have GCA? Do not wait to see your doctor. Yes, I have to take deep breaths and my breathing is different but no serious issues like you describe. Best of luck, Ann11195
  • ptolemy
    ptolemy kkmcclendon

    Posted

    Raised blood pressure is quite a common side effect of pred and I know some people have said they get tachycardia. I would give your doctor a ring to check though if you feel so bad. Your pharmacist will be knowledgable about steroid side effects too and if what you have is a side effect.
  • elizabeth20640
    elizabeth20640 kkmcclendon

    Posted

    Hi kkmcclendon ye it's something that worries me high blood pressure. I had this since I was diagnosed in jan this year and was on 80mg pred, but down to 15mg pred so thought my blood pressure would be down, but yesterday it was 158 over 87 they are going to fit me with blood pressure monitor I don't know how serious this is (like high blood pressure when on pred ) maybe someone with more knowledge about this will come on good luck
    • constance.de
      constance.de elizabeth20640

      Posted

      Years ago, in England, they used to say your age less the 1 in front was perfectly acceptable (i.e. if 70 170 was ok).  If lower one was 85 that was ok, too.  They seem to be much more critical now, but 158 over 87 doesn't sound so bad to me (that is if you are an oldie).  However, the experts will probably skin me alive for saying that.😏😏
    • tina-uk_cwall
      tina-uk_cwall constance.de

      Posted

      Hi kkmcclendon, I had palpitations a while back for no good reason, and I was only on 9mgs, but nevertheless it did frighten me. I was told to keep off the tea and coffee, I did and the palpitations have cleared up. However, like you I was terrified and I think this made the situation worse. I know that I struggled to take a deep breath. I would definitely go back to the dr even if it is a side effect from such a high dose of preds.

      as for 158/87 blood pressure, I'm only 54 and my Dr seemed to think that that reading was just a tad high. I was fitted with a meter after I told my Dr that the reading from my blood pressure monitor was often in excess of 195/100. The moniter confirmed this reading was the average with one reading even higher! I am now on 3.75 of ramipril and feel great. All the best, christina 

    • elizabeth20640
      elizabeth20640 constance.de

      Posted

      Thanks for that Constance. Since. I've been on pred, since January I have had high blood pressure, so confused as doctors don't seem to pass any comment, or is it ok when your on steriods ( which. Don't think it is ) and why does pred cause high blood pressure) does everyone suffer from high blood pressure that are on pred. Thanks for getting back to me, and best wishes to you😄😄😄
    • constance.de
      constance.de elizabeth20640

      Posted

      Elizabeth, some people are affected with bp when on steroids but, believe it or not, my blood pressure went DOWN!  I have had high bp for 35 years (starting at 230 over 160) and I'm still alive, so don't worry. Worrying is bad for PMR, just take it easy.
    • elizabeth20640
      elizabeth20640 constance.de

      Posted

      That's a relieve I'm 65 and started with PMR and then GCA had temporary sight loss but came back so lucky , but so scary
    • MrsO-UK_Surrey
      MrsO-UK_Surrey constance.de

      Posted

      Constance, that's interesting!  Very high blood pressure was among my symptoms leading to the GCA diagnosis.  Unusually, it then went DOWN during the years on steroids, only to increase post-steroids and has remained a real problem ever since with readings off the screen.  Now on my 7th different pill! 
    • EileenH
      EileenH elizabeth20640

      Posted

      Depends how high it is but really if it is above their "range" they should consider something. It's the same as with diabetes - they may be due to pred but the effects they have are the same and longterm raised BP can lead to other problems.
    • elizabeth20640
      elizabeth20640 EileenH

      Posted

      Thanks Eileen blood pressure 158 over 87. Went for a blood test on Tuesday morn, usually take my pred early in morn ( down to 15mg was taken 16 up to 8 days ago )about 7.30, blood test was for 10 but could feel symptoms come back, like pain in my neck while sitting in doctors surgery, this has never happened before, had blood test before and was late taking pred but didn't have any effects, but pain disappeared as day went on, but woke up with pain this morning and again disparate as day went on, is this normal, I suppose be interesting blood results tomorrow thanks Eileen
    • ptolemy
      ptolemy elizabeth20640

      Posted

      For some people the pred dose "runs out" in less than twenty four hours so they find splitting the dose morning and evening helps.

      I was reading an article recently in a medical magazine regarding blood pressure which was saying GPs should not worry about blood pressure too much when the systolic is under 160 and the diastolic under 90. The authors were saying that GPs can overdo the BP tablets. They seem to be very much into over prescribing in UK at the moment. 

    • tina-uk_cwall
      tina-uk_cwall ptolemy

      Posted

      Hello Ptolemy, yes you are right about the over prescribing of blood pressure tablets. My Dr simply monitored my blood pressure and even when it was 157/87 (I'm 54 ) wasn't overly worried although she did say that if it got worse she would consider medication. Well, it did worsen quite considerably so I'm now on medication. But even then she wants to keep monitoring me and if especially when the preds are reduced my blood pressure reduces she will consider lowering and then hopefully getting me off them completely.

      regards, tina 

    • ptolemy
      ptolemy tina-uk_cwall

      Posted

      I heard that twenty per cent of the population of Blackpool are on anti depressants. In fact whoever makes Amitryptiline must be making a fortune. 
    • tina-uk_cwall
      tina-uk_cwall ptolemy

      Posted

      Hi Ptolemy, what about simvastatin then. The least said about that the better! Regards, tina
    • ptolemy
      ptolemy tina-uk_cwall

      Posted

      I was at my rheumy and his secretary had been on simvastatin and she told me the most horrific story about when she took it, she had bleeding and reckoned she nearly died, although she may have been exagerating a bit. She only took it for two weeks.
    • lodgerUK_NE
      lodgerUK_NE ptolemy

      Posted

      Simvastatin - one of the major side effects of this statin is Muscle Aches and pains, just like PMR.

      Simvastatin is prescribed first as it is cheaper than other statins.

      Avorstatin is a good alternative, but check out all side effects.

    • lodgerUK_NE
      lodgerUK_NE ptolemy

      Posted

      Amitrypline is not only used for its main purpose, it is also used to help people with sleep problems.  Quite a few PMR and/or GCA patients are prescribed it - so I don't thin 20% of the population in Blackpool is depressed.
    • ptolemy
      ptolemy lodgerUK_NE

      Posted

      I am not sure what medication the twenty per cent of Blackpool are taking, it was just reported that twenty per cent were being treated for depression. I think a lot of people are treated for depression that possibly should not be on the other hand. 
    • EileenH
      EileenH ptolemy

      Posted

      My paramedic daughter went to Blackpool for a weekend for some course or other - from what she said it is no wonder the residents are depressed...
    • Juno-Irl-Dub
      Juno-Irl-Dub EileenH

      Posted

      Mmmmmm . . , not much pleasure on the Pleasure Beach then.  And later I suppose there's the dential  bills after all the Blackpool rock - to say nothing about the weather . . . . 
    • margaret22251
      margaret22251 Juno-Irl-Dub

      Posted

      and food poisoning, last time i went there we got it from chicken, could not work for 3 months till it had cleared up and that was 20 years ago, see not much has changed, never went back after that
    • ptolemy
      ptolemy EileenH

      Posted

      The programme on TV gave the impression Blackpool was pretty depressing. I have only been there once and have never returned.
    • Juno-Irl-Dub
      Juno-Irl-Dub margaret22251

      Posted

      Now, having implied some unpleasant things about Blackpool, I have to add something else. My grandparents lived just outside it in a little town called Cleveleys. My brother and I as young children would fly over to them a few times a year - and I've never forgotton the magic of the Pleasure Beach at night . .  And the Lancashire  people were wonderful. 

      (Guilt is an awful thing...!)   J

    • lodgerUK_NE
      lodgerUK_NE Juno-Irl-Dub

      Posted

      Just to let you all know, I love Blackpool, warts and all and have many happy memories of the lights, conferences, dancing in the Tower Ballroom and visiting my all first gay show in the days when gays were not talked or heard about.  lol

      I also liked Fleetwood and St Anne's and I don't live on the West Coast.

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