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Feeling horrible after been on the steroid prednisone

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tammi31
tammi31

Hi all , wonder if anyone can help .. I was put on prednisone steroid for 5 days after I went to my doctor last Thursday wif a cough and slightly tight chest .. I was on 8 tabs a day and I'm sure they were 5mg .. I finished them on Monday past .. Since Sunday tho I have been feeling quite weird like my whole body is aching and I just don't feel normal my legs r the worst wif really bad pains like I have ran a marathon and feel really hot and just like i have flu I'm usually fit and healthy so to be feeling like this is making me feel anxious .. I did read that this steroid can have these effects .wish I never started them now tho as hate feeling like this so glad there finished , just wondered if anyone else had any of these feelings wif it ? Thank u X

2 likes, 548 replies

548 Replies

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  • connie_49995
    connie_49995 tammi31

    Posted

    I have been on them for 8 years straight. This happens to me every time my dosages is dropped ,
    • inah721
      inah721 connie_49995

      Posted

      Connie, may I know what sickness you have for taking Prednisone for 8 straight years?  Its normal to get different side effects from this drug, so I feel it's actually better to ask the doctor to start in small tapering dosage and see if that works rather than the short bursts of higher dosage, so that it won't feel so worse when you wean from it.  I was given this med. more than 10 yrs. ago in small tapering doses for coughing incessantly in a day - and I didn't notice any side effects and it got rid of the coughing.  I wonder why they give much higher doses now.  Higher doses seem to come with more side effects.  As patients, we should learn much about out sickness and its medications, so that we will be able to discuss these things with the doctor.  We know our bodies better than they.  We are able to convey to the doctors what we want when we have educated ourselves with our sickness and not just take whatever the doctor prescribes, especially if its a new drug.  There are many side effects taking this drug online - happens in different intensities with patients.  In my case now, its dizziness and insomnia. 

    • dan74401
      dan74401 inah721

      Posted

      I have lost all faith in doctors. They don’t listen to you. I have read several posts here where the patients doctor says no way your symptoms are from prednisone ! That infuriated me to no end. How the hell can they dispute the facts. They  just want to run more tests, send you a huge bill, and tell you it’s something else causing your problem. My god, where did they go to school.  Nobody knows their own body better then yourself. And you know when something is wrong. 
  • inah721
    inah721 tammi31

    Posted

    I read online that the normal dosage of this drug is 5mg up to 80mg a day.  I have experienced two types of taking it:  1) in tapering dosage and 2) in short burst therapy.  I have tried the 1st one (10 yrs. ago) in smaller dosage for an incessant coughing everyday.  It worked and I didn't feel much or any side effects.  This 2nd one (for the same sickness except that I had minor asthma), had a higher dose of 60mg/day for 5 days.  This was to be taken 3 pills in the morning at one time because it won't make you sleep.  First take, It gave me a headache/dizziness that I had to sleep off.  I may have to taper it myself since its a weekend.  There are many side effects of Prednisone listed online (search) and happens in different intensities with everyone.  So, I believe it would be better to take in small tapering dosage (that works) than a burst therapy one, because it should have lesser side effects.

  • kristine43380
    kristine43380 tammi31

    Edited

    After only 3 days of 50 mg Prednisone.. I have chills, heavy muscle weakness, brain pressure, insomnia and very unwell feeling. Perhaps I should have tapered down. I had to quit because my heart was racing and couldn't take them for the full five days. I hope this goes away soon. I should have known that this drug could affect me, my CNS is so sensitive after 15 years of Clonazepam use. Thank you all for your input.

    • julie24710
      julie24710 kristine43380

      Posted

      Dear Kristine, 

      I’m sorry you’re feeling bad. I know it very well. All you can do is ride it out.  You’ll be better each day. Hang in there.  I didn’t taper. I wanted it gone! It was awful. Just hang on. You’ll be back to normal soon. Know that there are people like me who sympathize and care. 

    • nitin35782
      nitin35782 kristine43380

      Posted

      Hi, how long did you had the side effects, i had the medicine for 6 days only and its been 2 weeks now that m off the drug and i still face severe side effects, please reply, your reply will help a lot to relax.
  • nitin35782
    nitin35782 tammi31

    Posted

    Hi, do you remmember how long you faced the side effects??
  • monica45558
    monica45558 tammi31

    Posted

    Did the depersonalization feeling ever get better for you guys? and how long did it take the medicine to leave your system I haven't slept for 4 days and every time i try to go to sleep i cannot sleep. 

    • macd279
      macd279 monica45558

      Posted

      Hi Monica, any updates? Feeling any better? I am just off this stuff and feeling terrible. Did you find a sleep solution?
  • hopeless32
    hopeless32 tammi31

    Posted

    I stopped taking Prednisone on 3/5 due to an allergies reaction. Face was swelling, fluid build up and my lips were swollen. Since stopping I have been having extremely bad anxiety & panic attacks as well as chest pain and dizziness. I have never had this before taking this medication. The doctors keep telling me it’s not the medicine but how can it not be if I was fine before taking it. I am so scared and hope this goes away. I have been to the ER 3 times since stopping this medicine thinking I was dying of a heart attack. Rapid heartbeat and sweating. I didn’t sleep for a week while taking this stuff. Each time I go to the ER I have all kinds of tests run and my results are that my heart is fine but it doesn’t feel that way. My chest hurts and sometimes it’s hard to breathe. The anxiety has me afraid to be alone at times. I hope this all goes away soon. I will never in my life take this again. I feel like my life is over going through this it’s horrible :-( someone give me hope because the doctors aren’t doing anything but trying to put me on anxiety meds and I don’t want that.. 

    • nitin35782
      nitin35782 hopeless32

      Posted

      Hi, i was on a short dose of 15 days, but i had the medicine for 6 days only because it was becoming unbearable for me to continue. I faced the effects like blurred vision, dizziness, weakness, fear, anxiety and other problems, its been more than 3 weeks i am still facing the effects and sometimes the effects are very severe. As per my research on the internet the effects can last upto few weeks. Hope you get well soon and i pray the same for my self. Be strong.
    • julie24710
      julie24710 hopeless32

      Posted

      I hope after these few days you don’t feel so hopeless. I remember feeling like I was going to die. I will never take this med again either. Apparently it does work for some but for some it really is a nightmare. You will get better and better each day. Hang in there. I was on it for 5 days and it took about a week longer or a bit more to start feeling normal again. And what a relief that was.  Don’t worry. Ride it out. It’s almost over.  
    • alex1111
      alex1111 hopeless32

      Posted

      Don’t give up hope. I know what you are going through. On 2/7 I stopped my last dose of prednisone (5 days 5mg) for bronchitis. I have a history of being very sensitive to meds, but the last time I had prednisone I was fine. Boy, was I in for a real treat after my last dose on 2/7. I have had severe anxiety and panic attacks since. I don’t have any history of mental health issues before the predisone, which does makes this all very hard to understand bc it’s all new to me.  I’ve had to go on medical leave from work and stop school. The panic attacks cause tremors and which prevent me from driving. My doctors said that Predisone can cause steriod psychosis, it’s usually doesn’t last that long. I decided to take an anti anxiety med. Its been my second day on buspar and so far it’s helped.  I’ll say a prayer for you. God bless
    • tomm38004
      tomm38004 nitin35782

      Posted

      Hi i was just prescribed 50mg dose 7 days for a hives break out.. i had the same symtoms as you.. i stop taking them a week ago and still have no appetite and loosing weight did you or any of yall suffer loss of appetite did you regain it? Im hoping its just due to anxiety that the meds caused is why i lost apetite.. im barely starting to feel a little normal

    • alex1111
      alex1111 tomm38004

      Posted

      Hi Tom, 

      I didn’t have a great appetite for at least 2 weeks after finishing the predisone. I have since regained my appetite. I’ll say a prayer for you. God bless.

    • tomm38004
      tomm38004 alex1111

      Posted

      Godbless and thank you too.

      Im just so overwhelmed with this feeling. I miss my apetite and pray that everyone here gets a fast recovery. Ive been putting my self on a salad diet and trying to intorduce more veggies and fruit and when i total the amount of calories i consumed its still lower than 1500 which can explain some weight loss.. but i feel as i have to force my self to eat.

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