I have been taking prednisone for almost 3 months. I started on 30 mg. and am now down to 20. Aside from getting a horrible fat face and the oh so pleasant weight gain, I feel like I am going to jump out of my skin. Does anyone else have this feeling while taking prednisone and if so, do you have any suggestions to help with it?
I had a stroke in Feb. and am still using a quad cane so I can't go out and take a walk - I just don't know what to do with myself. I just hate this feeling. this could be me ...lol
Hey Bern,
I'm so sorry to hear you're having unpleasantries w/ prednisone & also of your serious health problems. I took prednisone a year ago for two weeks only (thank heavens) I was on 80 mg for 1 week and 40 mg for 1 week. I too got "cushingoid" (fat face) and had an insatiable appetite. I also noticed a lot of water retention. I didn' t have what you're experiencing but just to empathize I do remember looking through the info from the pharmacy and I just couldn't believe at all the side effects this class of drugs can cause. It's crazy. My heart goes out to you and I hope you are able to go off or cut back soon. Have you asked your doctor? There might be something else that could help, it's worth a try. My best to you! Hang in there!
Shawnee
Hi Shawnee,
Thanks for your reply. I go back to the rheumy next week. I did talk to the neurologist about it last week but she said I needed to continue with it as prescribed by the rheumy. She said at the amt. I am taking and for the length of time, some people do experience this "wanting to jump out of your skin" feeling but she gave me no alternatives or ways to relieve it. I guess I am just hoping someone who has experienced this can offer a suggestion of something that helped them. I know my husband would be grateful I am hanging in there - although it is 93 here today so that is not too easy. Take care. Bern
i have been taking prednison for a year and a half- in between ten and twenty milligrams a day and have developed an insatiable appetite- gained about 40 pounds, and now my skin is getting bad and I have acne all over my chest- something that I have never had before...it is very upsetting/depressing.
I am sorry that you too are experiencing the down side of prednisone. I know it does so many good things but sometimes you wonder if it is worth all of the other stuff that it does. A year and a half is a very long time. Are you taking Fosamax or somthing similar for your bones? My rheumatologist had me start it because of the problems that can occur with your bones when you take prednisone long term at a higher amounts.
I know how bad the weight gain can be. My sister told me that I don't even look like the same person (which helped my self esteem so much). I have not had the problem with the acne, I am sorry you are experiencing this. Are you taking this for your lupus? Do you take any other meds? I pray that this unwelcome side effect goes away for you. Good luck to you . Bern
I was only on prednisone for two weeks but it was a huge dosage. And funny enough, I got the acne problem when I went off. I remember my face and cheeks used to ache and hurt too. It's too bad there's not a better something out there to accomplish what magical things prednisone does accomplish. Kind of like chemotherapy, the side effects almost seem worse than the cancer, but what else do you do? I'm really glad I only had mine for such a short time but I remember I felt really ugly for quite some time afterward, I had a free Mary Kay facial thing and I felt so embarrased about my face because it looked so different to me not to mention the eight pounds I put on in 2 weeks which really felt like 20 or more (I was shocked when I got on the scale afterwards because I was sure I had gained more, you just feel huge!) My love and best regards to both of you! I wish you well and hope your next dr appointment is positive!
Love,
Shawnee
Ah..prednisone.
I hated the weight gain but loved the energy.
My doctor dropped my dosage drastically where I was 40 to 20....I went through some major withdrawal. Its rough on the body, I hope they find something new to substitute. I wish ya luck.
Hope remission is a blink away for you.
My rheumy prescribed xanax to help with the "jump out of my skin" feeling from the pred. Pred winds me up so much I also take Trazodone to help me sleep - also rheumy prescribed
although you all may want to kill me after i say this, but i will..
i havent gotten any side effects at all.
no weight gain (still 115lbs), not moon face. i have been on it for one and a half years..
it will get better as you taper. i am so sorry though. but does it make you feel better??
Holy Moly - no side effects. That is wonderful. I think that it is rare to be on it for so long and not have any effects. Do you take a small amt? When I took 5 or 10 mg. my side effects weren't bad. It was this taking 30 for so long and then starting to taper down that did me in.
We have a Camaro that is convertible. My husband was just going to pick up my son and he said aren't you coming - I told him NO - I am too fat to go in that car. I think he thinks I have lost my mind - sometimes I feel like I have.
I feel like it was working but as I am cycling down my joint pain is increasing again so that does not make me happy. I see the rheumie on the 18th - we'll see what happens.
In the meantime I will dream of being 115 lbs
I hope everyone has a good 4th of July weekend. Bern
this could be me ...lol
I am hanging in there - although it is 93 here today so that is not too easy. Take care. Bern
(Lupus-n-Sjogren)
