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Side effects of Prednisone

Posted , 9 users are following.

phyllis10549
phyllis10549

I'm wondering if any peopke have had really bad side effects from preds over a period if time as in their blood work and the fuctions,of kidneys, liver mental issue, skin issues. Just,wondering ....my blood work is not good at all.

0 likes, 30 replies

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  • gillian_25383
    gillian_25383 phyllis10549

    Posted

    First time on had to come off because of excessive blood bruises.This time it was excessive weight gain plus bruising(including steroid hump). Can't comment on kidneys as they are nothing to write home about anyway
  • EileenH
    EileenH phyllis10549

    Posted

    What is wrong with your blood work?

    My cholesterol went up - and it came back down when I drastically reduced carbs. Other than that it has been fine over 6 years of pred. The lack of carbs also helps avoid the problem with raised blood sugars which can progress to full diabetes and has helped quite a few people either avoid weight gain or even lose weight.

    I was on Medrol for about 9 months - I found it awful: weight gain, hair and skin went mad and a nice black beard! I'd had no trouble with prednisolone previously and when I was switched to a different formulation I lost the weight and the beard and my hair and skin are back to normal - I'm still on pred though.

    I do know one lady with probable GCA who was on a high dose and had quite severe mental problems but they improved dramatically as soon as the dose was reduced. Others find sleeping difficult but not everyone.

    Pred isn't usually considered to have side effects that affect the heart, liver or kidneys - but the age of people with PMR/GCA means they may have other existing problems that mean an adjustment in dose may be needed. The unmanaged inflammation found in the body in PMR and GCA can cause damage to any organs if they are involved, especially the cardiovascular system.

    • phyllis10549
      phyllis10549 EileenH

      Posted

      My creatine level is way to high my ferratin high sodium too low. Etc.
    • EileenH
      EileenH phyllis10549

      Posted

      I'd want my doctor to be investigating if the results are repeated and confirmed - but I don't think you can just say that the pred has done this.

      Ferritin is often raised in chronic inflammatory states - PMR/GCA come under that heading - and in some forms of high ferritin disorders pred is the drug used to manage it.

      High creatine and low sodium suggest there may be a kidney problem.

      Don't allow your doctor to blame pred - you need proper investigations.

  • Guest
    Guest phyllis10549

    Posted

    Eileen is so correct. I am GCA and started on high doses of pred. At the 5 month, I had to begin extra treatment for my bones...osteoporosis can become a problem. I was on extra calcium from the beginning. My only other factor has been extreme fatigue and weird sleep patterns. But this should improve with lower doses. Bones are a huge concern for the future. Take care, Ann11195
  • iellen32
    iellen32 phyllis10549

    Posted

    Hi Phyllis having GCA since early 2013 and immediately taking Pred 60 MG which has been tapered not always wisely by the rheumy, as now with my 'experience' I realize, I may tell you I did not have a big problem with the steroid besides insomnia. No mental problem! I teach languages at home.

    I followed a strict diet - I cook without salt, avoiding carbs , sweets. I have salad for breakfast, fruit , an egg and yes, a little bit of pita bread slightly tosted , a thin slice of fresh mozzarella, green tea.Salmon when it is season and when it is not, the canned pink one- skinless. Fish, or chicken are broiled as the bell peppers, zucchini, squash, etc. as dessert: blueberries ( a quart of s cup) with some yogurt, strawberries and other berries.

    Started taking 1/2 mg of a relaxing pill to sleep.

    As carbs and the heart don't agree if we avoid them there will be no problem with a racing heart...

    Three times had flare ups and now I am back again on Pred 12 MG hoping someday on my own pace I will take s lower dose..... lol

    I have a good treadmill at home , lift weights, drink lots of water...

    Now and then I take a 'day off ' the diet!

    Oh, yeah, I do!!!

    Let's exchange our experiences some other day if it is fine with you.

    Take care.

    xxx

    • Silver49
      Silver49 iellen32

      Posted

      I didn't realise carbs could be contributing to my racing heart. Thank you for this information. I notice it is worse after some foods. I shall take more note and eliminate the carbs to see if that helps. I need to do it anyway because of the weight gain which can fluctuate by 3 kilos within days! I find my carb intake varies depending on what I am doing.
    • EileenH
      EileenH Silver49

      Posted

      Eating excess carbs when you aren't usually doing so can lead to fluid retention - and that would be the most common reason for such fluctuations in weight.

      "As carbs and the heart don't agree if we avoid them there will be no problem with a racing heart" - I would be interested to see references. Eating refined carbs can make POTS (postural tachycardia syndrome) worse or trigger it but that is a specific medical condition and even then, it isn't the case for all patients. As with PMR, everyone is different in their trigger. Elimination of carbs won't cure tachycardia due to neurological problems,

    • Silver49
      Silver49 EileenH

      Posted

      Thank you, Eileen. I had realised that it is fluid retention and have made up my mind that despite the awful weather I need to cut the carbs and stop buying bigger clothes. Lovely open fire on again today and a banana for potassium. I know it's carbs but a better type. Had a couple of glasses of wine with dinner last night and slept like a log!
    • EileenH
      EileenH Silver49

      Posted

      I had the other problem - I couldn't face buying any more larger clothes! Then it was my daughter's wedding and the thought of finding clothes made feel ill! I finally bought something about a month before the wedding - and on the day discovered that the waist was already loose! The reserve smart trousers I had with me fell down! Then I managed to lose 18kg - the tailoress neighbour did the needful so I can still wear them. But the associations are hard...
    • Silver49
      Silver49 EileenH

      Posted

      You are an inspiration. Fortunately, my daughter's wedding was well before PMR. I hate clothes shopping. I hate shopping. I now use on line and return most of the clothes to my nearest well known store. I think a bin liner would be just as effective with no belt!😳😳
    • EileenH
      EileenH Silver49

      Posted

      Told you - twins separated at birth! I detest shopping - of any sort! I can't do internet shopping - it's difficult to find things that fit anyway and I have clothes that fit whose labels are 4 different sizes. I bought 3 pairs of trousers in Laura Ashley once, on the same day. Three different sizes. 

      One daughter is just like me - the other is a reincarnation of her paternal grandmother. 

    • Silver49
      Silver49 EileenH

      Posted

      That's the reason I keep returning the clothes! I have the same problem. I found a coat in the wardrobe which I reckon is at least 20 years old.....3 sizes smaller than what I have to buy now and it fits!!!!! I thought I'd have to go and buy something so it was a relief to find this.
  • maid_mariane
    maid_mariane phyllis10549

    Posted

    Hi Phyllis

    I was put on 20mg of prednisone Sept 2015 now on 17.5mg. I suffer from a lot of symptoms, thought process or brain fog or psychosis. Meaning I have problems formulating sentences , writing of words etc. My jobs pre pmr were marketing, editing of PhD papers and psychiatric social work so not good.

    I fight depression and mood swings daily and what keeps this at bay is that I swim and thank god I love water so this not only helps clear my head but has drastically improved my mobility.

    I suffered pre pmr from sleeping problems but once on prednisone even with the old sleeping pill I was up all night. I am now on one that is addictive they say but it still only gives me sometimes 4 hours straight. However without it I wake up in more pain. Sleep truly does help the body heal.

    I'm on a extremely low carb diet which of course includes no sugar. My sps is also on it and his cholesterol has dropped and blood pressure. Our GPS recommend it. We eat lots and I mean lots of cheese, eggs daily etc. We love schnitzel because we make awesome ones so we do eat carbs in the crumbs but otherwise I don't eat bread rice or pasta but use spaghetti squash as a substitute. We both needed to loose weight and he is much quicker than I but this will help my bones with the calcium intake and hopefully stave off diabetes. I'm a size 10 so not huge but was much smaller.

    I suffer from other symptoms but these are the ones you were looking at.

    Mariane Toronto

    • iellen32
      iellen32 maid_mariane

      Posted

      Hi, having GCA I am following the required diet - salads- even baby kale blend with frisées and different kinds of lettuce. Baked sweet potato only sometimes, eggs, black beans, yogurt, salmon during the season, or canned- pink skinless and boneless , avocado, blueberries .

      You are doing great regarding your weight- me too using size XS, or S.

      Yes, difficult to sleep because the Pred so I take 1/2 MG of a relaxing pill . As I had three flare ups since 2013 up to today I am now back on Pred 12 mg- following my own pace not the rheumy one, who likes to jump too fast on tapering, I will get again the plateau of a lower dose.

      We keep alive our Hope!!!

      The very important is to keep our positive attitude and to keep firm our ways of thinking.

      Take care.

      xxxxx

    • maid_mariane
      maid_mariane iellen32

      Posted

      Hi iellen,

      My first tapper as you can see was 10% from 20 to 17.5 over a 7 week period and it was tough, all my mood swings and depression came back. My next reduction will be much slower, slower than the dead slow method.

      What this has taught me is that when I do get to 10mg and less I will be extremely slow with very small amounts and substantial breaks inbetween to level off.

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