Prednisone is a synthetic corticosteroid drug that is used to treat a variety of conditions including: asthma, adrenal insufficiency, Cron’s disease, inflammatory diseases, some types of cancer, hives, nephrotic syndrome, lupus, Meniere’s disease, and hives. It is also used to help with organ transplants by preventing bodily rejection to the new organ. This is a drug that is also used to help with severe migraine headaches, leukemia, lymphoma, and various types of tumors. It works by replacing steroids that are naturally produced by the body.
Essentially this is a drug that mimics your body’s natural hormones produced from the adrenal glands. When prescribed in significant doses, Prednisone works to help suppress inflammation. In the event that a person’s immune system is attacking its own tissues (as is the case with autoimmune diseases), this drug can help reduce activity by suppressing immune system functioning. It affects the “HPA” or hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis when taken longer than 7 days.
Although Prednisone can be a life saving drug when used to treat certain conditions, others that are on it for a less-significant condition may be extremely unhappy with the drug’s side effects. If you can no longer cope with the side effects as a result of Prednisone use, it may be time to withdraw. Once you have spoken with your doctor about withdrawal and have made up your mind, you will want to educate yourself on the potential symptoms that you may experience upon discontinuation.
Factors that influence Prednisone withdrawal include:
When it comes to any medication, there are factors that influence the severity of withdrawal. Various factors that will play a role in determining how difficult the withdrawal process is include: time span, dosage, individual physiology, and whether you quit cold turkey or tapered. If you experience a very severe withdrawal, it is likely due to one or more of these factors.
1. Time Span
How long have you taken Prednisone? In general the longer you are on this particular steroid, the longer it’s going to take your body to readjust to functioning without it. If you are on it for longer than 2 weeks, it can affect your adrenal glands’ ability to produce cortisol. Therefore your body and brain become dependent on the Prednisone for everyday functioning when taken for an extended period. If you are only on this drug for a couple weeks, you should have a much easier time coping with the withdrawal compared to someone on it for months and/or years.
2. Dosage (2 mg to 80 mg)
Since this drug is used to treat a variety of conditions, the dose that you are taking will depend on the condition that you are treating. The maximum recommended dose per day is 80 mg. Most people are taking somewhere between 2 mg and 30 mg per day. In any event, the greater the dosage you take for an extended period of time, the more severe your withdrawal symptoms will likely be. Someone that is on a very low maintenance dose of Prednisone should have a much easier (and quicker) time withdrawing compared to someone who is on the maximum recommended daily dose.
3. Individual Factors
Since this is a powerful corticosteroid, it likely will result in withdrawal symptoms in nearly everyone that took it for an extended period of time. However, the severity of those symptoms can vary depending on the individual. People that were on very high doses for a long term may have a very severe physiological response upon discontinuation, while others may have less of a reaction.
Just know that what you experience may be more or less severe than someone else – as everyone’s situation is different. One person may recover from their withdrawal within a few weeks, while another may experience aches and pains for months following their last dose of Prednisone. The recovery time varies among different individuals.
4. Cold Turkey vs. Tapering
It is never recommended to quit taking Prednisone “cold turkey.” It is thought that if you quit taking this drug cold turkey from a relatively high dose, it could result in potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms. If you were on Prednisone for an extended period of time, your body likely has become fully dependent on this drug for functioning and providing cortisol.
Since your body has stopped naturally producing cortisol, stopping Prednisone cold turkey can be a recipe for disaster. Why? Because your adrenal glands may not be able to kick back in and produce cortisol. Therefore it is important to gradually “wean” off of this drug to give your adrenal glands some time to pick back up with natural production.
In order to prevent doing damage and or experiencing a nasty cold turkey withdrawal, some have recommended reducing the dosage of your medication by 5 mg every 7 days. If you are unsure about how to taper, be sure to talk with your doctor and voice any concerns you have. If you were on Prednisone for a very short term (i.e. 7 days or less), it is alright to quit cold turkey.
Prednisone Withdrawal Symptoms: List of Possibilities
Below are some common withdrawal symptoms associated with taking Prednisone. Recognize that these are some symptoms that you may experience upon discontinuation from this particular drug. Also understand that you may not experience every symptom listed below and that the intensity of withdrawal will likely differ based on individual circumstances.
- Abdominal pain: Many people notice intense abdominal pain when they first stop taking Prednisone. This may be in the form of intense stomach aches and/or burning sensations throughout the stomach.
- Anxiety: Many people report depression, but a lesser reported symptom is that of anxiety. You may feel somewhat nervous and/or have relatively intense anxiety during withdrawal. It is thought that this is a result of hormonal changes and HPA functioning.
- Body aches: Many people report severe body aches when they stop taking this drug. These aches may last for weeks following your last dose of the drug. If they become too intense, you should consider tapering more gradually.
- Decreased appetite: Since Prednisone is associated with significant increases in appetite, when you stop taking it, you will likely notice a major decrease in appetite. You may have constantly felt hungry while on it, but when you quit taking it, your appetite will significantly drop off.
- Depression: Another common symptom to experience upon discontinuation is that of depression. You may feel very depressed in conjunction with significantly low levels of energy. This is in part due to lack of stimulation. Your adrenal stores need to build themselves back up for you to feel normal. Just know that your brain and body will eventually fully heal as time passes.
- Diarrhea: Some people report diarrhea when they first come off of this drug. If you are experiencing this, be sure to pick up some Imodium (available over the counter) – it should help ease this particular symptom.
- Dizziness: This is a common withdrawal symptom from any drug. If you feel dizzy, just know that it should go away within a few weeks. The most intense dizziness should subside after the drug has been out of your system for a week.
- Fatigue: Most people end up having to deal with extreme levels of fatigue and low energy when they quit this drug. If you feel fatigued, just know that it is a result of your body withdrawing from a drug that it has depended on for functioning for a long period of time. Additionally you no longer have adequate amounts of cortisol to provide the body with energy. It will take some time before these homeostatic levels are reestablished.
- Fever: Some individuals report having a fever when they stop this drug. This is your body’s way of trying to readapt to functioning without Prednisone. The fever should not last more than a week or so after your last dose. If it persists, be sure to consult your doctor and/or another medical professional and consider a more gradual taper.
- Headaches: Since this drug actually helps many people with severe headaches, coming off of it may result in even more extreme headaches than initially experienced. Some individuals report constant headaches, while others report full-blown migraines during withdrawal.
- HPA Changes: Anyone who has taken this drug for an extended period of time will exhibit changes in their HPA (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis). In other words, the adrenals are no longer producing sufficient levels of cortisol because they have become accustomed to receiving the Prednisone. Therefore even if you gradually taper, it will take your body awhile to get its natural production of cortisol back up.
- Joint pain: It is extremely common to feel pretty intense joint pain when you stop this steroid. This joint pain is caused by lack of natural cortisol production. In some cases it could be due to inflammation during withdrawal. Avoid excess physical stress and activity until the pain subsides.
- Low blood pressure: Some individuals experience blood pressure drops when they discontinue this drug. Although it increases blood pressure while taking it, many people experience rapid reductions if they discontinue too quickly. In some cases if blood pressure gets too low, it can lead to dizziness and fainting. Be sure to monitor your blood pressure when you quit this drug.
- Low blood sugar: Many people experience low blood sugar when they come off of a corticosteroid like Prednisone. You may want to monitor your blood sugars when you discontinue and keep some sweets around in the event that it dips out of the ordinary.
- Mood swings: People feel fatigued, low energy, and have depression as a result of their withdrawal. It is no wonder that some individuals experience mood swings and/or changes when they quit taking this drug. Just know that these should stabilize when the body heals.
- Muscle soreness: Some people notice muscle soreness and/or pain that does not go away for an extended period of time. The best thing you can do for yourself is to take some sort of over-the-counter pain relief to help yourself cope with this symptom.
- Nausea: You may feel extremely nauseated when you originally stop taking this drug. The intense nausea should only last for a few days and then gradually improve. Assuming your doctor conducted a gradual taper off of Prednisone, the nausea should not be long-lasting.
- Shaking: Many people have reported uncomfortable “shaking” in the limbs including the hands and feet. This is not as common of a symptom, but one that has been reported that can make life uncomfortable for awhile.
- Skin rash: In some cases a person may develop a skin rash when they first quit taking Prednisone. Some hypothesize that burning and/or itching skin could be a result of nerve irritation beneath the skin. If you are experiencing a skin rash or irritation, just know that it’s likely from the withdrawal.
- Suicidal thoughts: When you first quit taking this drug, you may notice that your depression becomes overwhelming to the point of triggering suicidal thoughts. If you feel suicidal at all during withdrawal, make sure you talk to a professional about it. Just know that as your adrenal stores build back up, your depression will gradually subside and your thinking will return to normal.
- Vomiting: Some people report vomiting when they stop Prednisone. This vomiting is usually a result of tapering too quickly and not giving your body a chance to gradually adapt to functioning without the drug. If you are vomiting, it could just be that you are hypersensitive to withdrawal and/or are withdrawing too quickly.
- Weakness: It is common to feel muscle weakness and an overall sense of malaise when you first come off of this drug. It should take your body a few weeks and/or months to fully recover from feeling very week and achy. This is just your body’s way of reacting to functioning without a drug that it has received constantly over an extended term.
- Weight loss: Individuals that are on Prednisone for the long term tend to pack on a pretty good amount of weight. Obviously the amount of weight you gain will be based on your individual circumstances. Most people notice that they begin to lose weight a few weeks after they have fully discontinued this drug.
Note: It is thought that Prednisone stays in your system for less than 24 hours after your last dose – meaning it has a short half-life. Discontinuation symptoms are thought to be a result of the body attempting to recalibrate itself to functioning without the Prednisone.
How long do Prednisone withdrawal symptoms last?
The time it takes you to fully withdraw from Prednisone will depend on individual circumstances. In most cases, the withdrawal symptoms should clear up within 3 to 4 weeks after your last dose. The half life of Prednisone is only 1 hour, but most people report post-acute withdrawal symptoms lasting well after the drug is cleared from the body. A full recovery can take anywhere from a week or two (lower doses) to several months.
If you are experiencing pretty extreme pain as a result of the withdrawal, be sure to take some over-the-counter pain relief. In addition to OTC pain relief, most people recommend increasing the amount of salt and sugar that you eat. This is because when you stop taking Prednisone, your body usually has low blood sugar and low blood pressure. If your withdrawal symptoms persist for an extended period of time and/or are so severe that you cannot function, it is likely that you withdrew too quickly.
Anytime a person is on 5+ mg of Prednisone for 7 to 14 days, sudden discontinuation can result in an adrenal crisis. Work closely with your doctor, follow guidelines, get plenty of rest, and lay low as your body and mind recover. Eventually you will return to normal functioning once your body and brain readjust to functioning without steroids. It should be noted that some people report “Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency” as a result of taking corticosteroids like Prednisone.
In this event, it has taken people 12 to 24 months before they experience full “recovery” back to homeostasis. As was mentioned, the longer you are on the drug, the more gradual the tapering process should be and the longer you should expect withdrawal symptoms to persist following your last dose. As long as you work with your doctor and withdraw VERY gradually, you should be able to experience a full recovery. If you have experienced withdrawal from Prednisone or are currently going through withdrawal, feel free to share your experience in the comments section below.
Good and bad of Prednisone! I wish I had a $ for every time I had someone tell me I shouldn’t take Prednisone: “that drug”, “it is so bad for you”, “it will kill you”, “side effects are not worth the benefits”. I would be a Billionaire without winning the lottery. The bottom line is if you really need it it is worth taking. If I didn’t take it I would be dead.
Would I take it for Poison Ivy? Absolutely NOT. That being said, that is only because I know and have lived though the side effects and they sucks and last a lot longer the Poison Ivy. I have a 25 year history of very high dose Prednisone use for my Asthma, Lupus and 6 years ago diagnosed RA. I mean high level… 160mg a day. YES 160MG A DAY- 40MG 4 TIMES A DAY! It took me years about 4 years to ween off, with help of Gamma Globin Transfusions once a month for 12 years.
I gained over 175lbs on it(which I get off and than gain back the next time I go on it), fractured thoracic vertebrae, stretch marks and loose skin all over my body. I hear what you all are saying, believe me.I had to go on it again right after Thanksgiving because my Asthma and a lung infection lowered my lungs to 48% of total lung capacity and 17%of small airways. I am coming off a short 60mg a day for 2 week wean and it is sucking.
I am so miserable. I am suffering from every and all of the withdrawal symptoms right now. The pain, fatigue and anxiety are killing me. Right now I am on 10mg every other day. All I can say is I am happy to still be alive (I think – withdrawal sucks)! If I didn’t go on it I know I won’t have made it this time. For those of you going through withdrawal know it will get better. It is worth all the pain your going through to get off it.
And just know it is worth doing anything and everything to not go back on it. I went 6 years without a dose. I had swore I would never go on it again…but when it came to it I knew I didn’t have a choice. I have always said “If I ever go on it againI would never go off of it ” due to weening side effects. But I am and I will get through it just like you will too! I have to go to every other day in order for my adrenal glands to start up again.
Prednisone is a very strong powerful drug it takes time for all organs, systems and glands to start working together again. But it will happen, that is the bright side – the dark side it doesn’t happen over night! Look on the positive side ad soon as you taper weight starts to go down and so does the rosy puffy checks! Happy HEALTHY New Year to All!
Hi! I’m currently taking 40 mg of prednisone daily to treat Ulcerative Colitis. Nearly all of the comments on this thread are pretty negative – I just wanted to leave some positive feedback for anyone who may be looking for insights on prednisone for UC. While all of the side effects listed above are pretty common and have resonated with me as well, prednisone in combination with apriso has relieved me heavily in just two months of treatment.
In November, I was diagnosed with Pan UC (affecting entire colon) and had 26 deep ulcers. I was bleeding and losing chunks of tissue every time I went to the bathroom, with extreme abdominal pain and cramping. Over the next month, I was in and out of the ER for dehydration and eventually a severe ovarian cyst which set my treatment back by about a month. Many of the ER doctors prescribed medications that proved to be toxic to mix with the condition and prednisone/apriso.
One in particular, that I will STRONGLY caution against, is Levsin (Hyoscyamine) tablets for cramping. My primary care doctor as well as two ER doctors all tried to put me on this despite the fact that it causes internal bleeding and worsens UC/Crohn’s symptoms. I finally agreed to try it and this, in addition to countless pain killers and anti-nausea meds, sent my UC out of control.
After two weeks of hellish withdrawing and detoxing from two anti-nauseas, three pain killers, and Levsin, my cyst was gone and my treatment was back on track. Now it has been two weeks of taking 40 mg of prednisone and 4 apriso daily, and my UC is almost into remission. I wanted to share my story because from my research, it’s common for lots of miscellaneous meds to be prescribed and in the end, they do more harm than good. Despite the muscle weakness and insomnia (the worst of my prednisone side effects), prednisone and apriso have been complete lifesavers for me.
I would definitely recommend that anyone suffering from UC talk to a GI specialist about this combination. Asacol is another option, similar to apriso. Today will be the first day of my tapering off of prednisone. I am doing 10 mg down per week until a final dose. After that, my treatment plan is to use prednisone during any future flare ups. Due to the extreme success of my treatment, I am hopeful that I won’t have any flare ups.
I am also hopeful that anyone with UC may see this post and remain positive that it will get better. While this disease has caused me very much pain and suffering, finding an excellent GI (Dr. Rana Sokhi in Sheboygan, WI) and a treatment plan that works has nearly cured me. I am returning to my job as a chef next week Monday and can eat almost anything I want with no pain – I had pizza last night, something I thought I’d never eat again!
Keep your chin up and work through the pain. Stay away from excess medications, especially any pain killers! While UC is not fatal, kidney and liver failure are! I will also recommend to anyone experiencing muscle pain to take magnesium supplements and do some leg lifts and light exercise. Epsom salts (magnesium salts) are excellent for baths, which help with the muscle pain greatly, too!
It’s easy to want to stay in bed when you feel weak, but force yourself to go out and do at least one thing daily. I have been making small trips to the grocery store, Target just to look around, or a thrift store, etc. This is helping to restrengthen my legs and curing my anxiety and depression. Don’t let your autoimmune disorder beat you – stay active! Additionally, to anyone who may be experiencing anxiety or insomnia, my GI recommended that I take Benadryl once in a while to calm me down.
This has been really helpful, and has helped me get rid of that “crawling out of my skin” feeling that prednisone can sometimes cause. That’s about all I’ve got for now – just wanted to add some positive feedback about prednisone! I’ll check back soon and update with my tapering process, although I’m hopeful that it will go well. To anyone who may have questions about UC or needs support or someone to talk to, I am available! Good luck to everyone out there, stay positive and things will get better!
I was on prednisone for 2 months to treat Bells Palsy related to my sarcoidosis (or, more likely, neurosarcoidosis). I took 60 mg for over 3 weeks, and was instructed to then taper by 10 mg per week until I hit 0. I never experienced negative side effects, even on the 60 mg, other than the occasional sense of hyperactivity or overstimulation (sensory overload). In fact, I think I felt almost euphoric on the medicine.
At the time, I attributed those “good” feelings to healing, thinking that I must be feeling great because my internal inflammation was finally under control. In hindsight, I realize that it couldn’t have been only that. I had pretty severe withdrawal symptoms that my doctors definitely didn’t prepare me for or warn me about. I felt fine tapering down (all the way down to the 10 mg on the last week), but almost immediately hit withdrawal when I stopped taking it entirely.
In reading this article, I wish my doctors had instructed me to taper more slowly, or brought me down from the 10 mg more gradually. I immediately felt nauseous, incredibly achy, irritable, very depressed, and anxious. I also immediately started packing on even more weight than I had gained while on the steroids, which I attribute to a hormonal imbalance. I’ve been off the steroids for 3 months now, and I continue to gain weight despite by best efforts to work out 3-4 times per week and eat consciously.
In total, I have gained 15 pounds on my small 5’3″ frame, 10 of which came on during steroid withdrawal. I’m hopeful that my body will eventually reach homeostasis and the weight will start to come off. I still experience intense mood swings and anxiety, but those symptoms have certainly improved over the last 3 months. Have been using mindfulness meditation and regular exercise to try to combat the “blues.”
Good luck out there to all who must endure long-term use and side effects associated with prednisone. Be patient with yourself (and your body), and try to keep in mind that in many cases it is the lesser of two evils.
I took 20 mg daily for 3 months – I have colitis. I tapered off over 11 weeks (down .5 weekly). About 9 weeks in I noticed hair loss, dry skin and itching. Are these a part of tapering off prednisone? I have not seen it mentioned in any post. How long does this last?!
I look at all these people talking about withdrawal symptoms after being on prednisone two weeks. I was eight years, everything talked about withdrawing I have it times ten.
Hi, I was on Prednisone for 7 days due to an Anaphylactic shock incident. I’ve decided to cut myself off cold turkey because I’m having a lot of side effects and truthfully I don’t need it anymore because my allergy reaction is over. I was just curious if anyone else has done this and knows if I’m making a huge mistake because I feel.. well I feel like I’m going through the withdrawals and I’m also worried about my adrenal glands not functioning properly due to all the research! How long will this last and should I have just stopped taking them? I’m more curious if I’ll be ok cutting myself off after 7 days of this poison! Thanks for your support!
Wish someone had answered you. I’m in the same situation. Except, on the day my ENT started me on a 12 day trial (I’m on day 6) of this evil drug, he cut out my Nexium. I’m in such severe pain, I’m curled up in the fetal position. I want to just stop the prednisone, but am afraid.
It is now 5 weeks since I stopped Prednisone. May 2015 I had an aortic valve replacement followed by post operative pericarditis which required Prednisone to regulate my heart rate. From June to Dec. I had several courses of the medication with careful tapering each time. Finally I am off the Prednisone and relieved to hear my symtoms are common to many, with severe body aches, joint aches and fatigue. How much longer will this last?
I was on prednisone for 7 days. I have been off for 7 days. I have been extremely fatigued, shortness of breath, flu like symptoms, depression the past 2 days, crying, tightness in chest, and anxiety big time. I was an athlete in excellent health, working out 6 days a week before being diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection an put on prednisone. Thanks for this blog, I feel better knowing that it’s side effects. I have been extremely worried about my health. My question is how long will this madness last?
I am steroid dependent and have been on high dose prednisone for 15 years for severe asthma. For me, prednisone has worked wonders for my breathing although I definitely have developed severe side effects (steroid-induced cataracts for one). Due to all of the insurance changes I had to find a new doctor mid 2015, and he flat out refused to prescribe me Prednisone. Before I began taking Prednisone on a daily basis I would get prescribed 7 day to two week courses of steroids and never did I experience ANY withdrawal symptoms of any kind after I was finished, never had any problems of any kind.
Now, after 15 years of being on daily doses ranging from 40mg-80 mg, this new doctor – out of concern about the side effects of prednisone – abruptly ripped me off of them, knowing full well I had been on them for years and have already suffered almost every side effect there is. At this point, being able to breathe freely outweighed these side effects now, and 6 weeks after the abrupt cessation my breathing is horrible. I can’t walk up a flight of stairs without having to stop for several minutes to do my inhalers and catch my breath.
I have ZERO energy, both my hair and skin has dried out HORRIBLY. I cannot sleep and when I DO, it’s insanely hard to wake up, and I’m hardly able to drag myself out of bed to even go to the bathroom. I’ve been so lifeless that it’s not unusual for me to lay in bed for 3-4 days without eating or drinking a drop of water. I just sleep this intense, hard sleep and have extremely intense dreams. In the past couple weeks now I have developed brutal full body pain, and my legs, neck, shoulders and arms are so stiff and painful, I can hardly walk, lift my arms, or bend.
Pretty much ANY kind of movement brings excruciating pain. I am finally going to give up this fight and go to the hospital tomorrow. For me, I NEED steroids more than I don’t need them. I want to be able to breathe normally again, move without intense pain and agony, and function normally again. I cannot live like this. I have to be able to work in order to survive and now I am literally one step away from complete homelessness.
I rarely eat because I am unable to work and make enough money to buy food. I’ve dropped 40 lbs in the 6 weeks I’ve been off the steroids, yet this does not seem to concern this doctor whatsoever! He firmly believes being on a steroid inhaler is more than enough and will keep any withdrawal symptoms at bay, which it clearly does NOT. Also since I have been off Prednisone, my carpal tunnel syndrome has all of a sudden so rapidly progressed that I no longer have a fully functioning hand.
I’ve lost complete use of two of my fingers (they just hang on my hand) and my arm has started to atrophy. The pain from severe back injuries suffered YEARS ago has resurfaced with a vengeance, and when I am able to stand I can’t for very long because the pain is agonizing. My legs and shoulders are literally screaming in pain. There is no comfortable position to sit or lay in and that relieves it just a little; 1000 mg of Ibuprofen doesn’t touch it.
So my complaint I guess is completely opposite of everybody else’s here. I WANT to go back on Prednisone… hopefully not on as high of doses I previously had been taking, but at least enough to restore my breathing halfway back to normal, and overall, get my life back. This has been a brutal 6 weeks. It’s like there is a full assault on my entire body and I have no control. My hopes at the hospital tomorrow is to get put back on steroids, and get a referral to another doctor who knows what they’re doing!!
I too have been living the nightmare. I have been on prednisone now for over a year I’m down to 10 milligrams but am trying to taper by taking one pill every other day then I will go down to 7 or 5 milligrams. However, I am starting to feel the effects of missing a day. My joints are hurting extremely bad I’m very tired & weak. This is a terrible drug. I have pleaded with the doctor to take me off, but they want to put me on something else and I refuse because I am NOT going to go through this again. I have polymyositis, but I believe the effects of prednisone are worse than the muscle disease.
Thanks to all who have shared. My Turn. I went to urgent care on a Sunday. Had a bad case of Poison Ivy/Oak was not reacting to any normal medication. Was prescribed 50MG Pred, one each for 5 days. So I though, how bad could it be. 5 days ended ended a week ago. No discussion about tapering off I thought only 5 days (short time) guess don’t need it?
Well day 2 after I stopped taking the 50MG I started to get itchy day 3 was all over my back day 4 and 5 after stopped had itchy rash all over back and on my chest. day 6 starts to feel less intense, day 7 almost bearable. So I am hoping in a few more days my itchy body will quiet down. The prednisone worked on the poison Ivy/oak, but for a few days after the script I was wondering what was worse.
Sorry to hear about the long term side effects, and really do appreciate the comments here, because I had no idea what was happening as I went through withdrawal. I’m hoping that I start to feel less itchy body each day – another week at the current rate may put me back to normal. Wishing all of you much success in backing out with the lease side effects. Again thank you for sharing, and all have a happier and Healthier 2016.
I took this drug 30 mg (10 mg three times a day) for 3 days to clear a severe skin allergy after an insect bite. To be fair it worked and cleared the red raw skin rashes within days. However I wasn’t warned by the doctor of the side affects and although I did read up on Google I wasn’t fully prepared for the feelings of anxiety and being dizzy and spaced out after the course finished.
It’s been 8 days for me now since I stopped and have had several near panic attacks and my head feels foggy and heavy constantly. I have read these symptoms are normal and I have great sympathy with everyone on here who is suffering as a result of the side affects. It’s a quick fix for healthcare professionals without fully realizing the misery this drug gives as a side effect.
I will never touch this drug again and be very careful about taking steroids again in the future. I have read it can be a few weeks to months before full recovery to feeling normal even after short doses like I had so no doubt I am not through the woods yet. It helps to know I am not alone and my heart goes out to everyone affected on this thread and be strong and you will get through it.
The way I cope is with deep breathing and meditation for anxiety on you tube and this helps when I am feeling really jittery – which for some reason is worse in the mornings. To say this drug is poison is a bit strong, but I do feel people should be fully aware that it does more harm than good for many users. Take care.
I am a Nigerian and have been on prednisone for over 1 year now. I started out on 20mg and been on 5mg for the past 4 months+. Right now I am having my reactions including lightening of my skin and random sounds in my ears. Really wish to stop this drug, but wondering the best way to go about it.
I was diagnosed a 3 day course of 30 mg for severe skin reaction to insect allergic reaction and had red raw rash all over my arms and lower legs. I read about some of the side effects of taking it and while it scared me, it also said that it works. It did. It cleared my skin up in days and for that it did the job, however, I also experienced many of the horrible shaky panic feelings described by almost everyone in this thread… It’s been 5 days since I stopped and just starting to feel a bit better now.
If the reaction can be that severe and makes one feel panic induced attacks after a short dose, I feel for those on long-term doses of the drug as it really is not easy to deal with. Wish you all the best in coping. I managed to get through the worst with meditation and deep breathing exercises and just about avoided full-on panic attacks. I am amazed that Doctors prescribe this drug knowing the widespread negative effects reported here.
I would not ever take it again under any circumstances as it’s unpleasant. Be strong – those of you that are worried about recovering. It will get better and positive thinking and being active help too. God bless.
Been on prednisone for a year off and on for herniated c4 disc and arm and hand numbness. Would work then after tapering off symptoms would come back in a few weeks. Now have done 2 epidural steroid injections which have had great results for the hand issue but what must be withdrawal is horrible. My entire body hurts. Feel like I am dying. It’s been 5 weeks since last injection. How long will this last?
I started taking 60 mg per day 3 days ago, I’m 53 and my breasts are swelling and my testicles are shrinking :(. The doctor told me to take 60 mg for 7 days for poison oak. I plan to drop to 40 for the weekend and then 20 for a couple of days hopefully o will survive the side effects. When I was 17 I was on prednisone for months for ulcerative colitis and it literally killed me putting me in a coma for a few days. I can’t wait to get of of this hopefully my tits will return to normal size and my balls will feel a bit lower in the sack again in a few months. I’m also worried about all of the talk about anxiety and depression.
I have to say this was quite an experience. I developed a serious nerve condition in my right shoulder and lost use of my hand. I balked at taking the drug, but my doctor said I had no choice as I could have had permanent damage. I was on 60mg for 5 days then 40mg for three days and 20mg for three days. After day 3 I was whacky.
I was barking at my family and coworkers. The pain in the arm was gone but so was my already limited sanity. I was also eating like I was going to the electric chair! I stopped three days ago and I feel like I could sleep for days. Wow what a whack!!
Mike, I know your story isn’t one to laugh about, but your comment about “eating like I was going to the electric chair” made me laugh. I can totally relate. My cravings and the way I was eating while on prednisone was much much worse than when I was pregnant. I think your description nails it. I hope you are feeling better.
I went to rheum Dr. for pinched nerve due to RA. She started me on 3 prednisone for 2 days, then 2 prednisone for 2 days, then down to 1 pill for 2 days. Wow! The pinched nerve completely went away and the pain in my hands was gone as well. But, on the 3rd day of treatment, I began to break out in a rash that moved up my arm and on my face & forehead.
I went to a pharmacy (we were out of town) and she said it was rare to have a rash from a drug that actually helped rashes but told me not to take the 4th day dose. She encouraged me to take Benadryl for the adverse rash/allergic reaction and after that, life has been difficult to say the least. I have had extreme pressure in my chest, palpitations, higher anxiety level than usual, blurred vision and the RA symptoms have returned to my hands at this time.
I am surprised to find that I am having withdrawal from this drug and I was only on it for 3 days. It must be poison! Having anxiety/panic disorder any way didn’t help things and when I called the Dr. office to report this, all the nurse would say is go to an Urgent/Express Care or the ER. Oh well, did not go because I am praying that I will not have any more side effects from it. I would rather hurt than to feel this way!
This blog has helped me to read that what I am experiencing is fairly normal. This is so difficult to deal with any time but especially hard during the holiday season. I just want to feel normal again. Hope this helps someone out there. God bless, Bonnie
I am a 60 year old Grandma who has been on and off prednisone since 2000 after experiencing my first bout of PMR… then being diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome… trigeminal neuralgia… and repeated bouts of Giant Cell Arteritis. I experienced many symptoms whilst tapering from all my past treatments with prednisone – but this time has been excruciating to say the least.
This last episode, I have been on prednisone since May this year – starting at 60mg – once again for Giant Cell and PMR which had re-flared. I did the recommended reduction which went okay until I got down to 15 mg and then the pain hit me hard… also panic attacks… dizziness… muscle pain through my body… headaches… stomach problems… and really high blood pressure which has been untreatable as seem to be allergic to all the high blood pressure drugs I have been trialled on so far.
Have tried all the natural things available, but I never know what is safe to take along with the prednisone… Does anybody have any tips for what I can safely take in conjunction with prednisone which will help these withdrawal symptoms and high blood pressure (which is really stressing me) along with all the other symptoms…. So good to read all your reports and stories and thank you so much for sharing these so that I know I am not alone in this adverse situation. I wish all the very best for all of you… :-)
G’day. I was on 50mg every second day for over 2 years. After having heaps of chemo and stem cell transplant and then taking thalidomide and the prednisolone for 12 months I asked my doctor if I could have a break before continuing on indefinitely with the 50mg prednisolone. He said yes ‘but I might get a bit tired’. Wow what an understatement, I was on my own and just managed to get out of the chair to take the pills, that was after 5 days of cold turkey.
Then at around the 27 month period I finally said enough. Doc told me to the schedule I should use is 2 weeks at 10mg, 2 weeks at 5mg and stop. Well that didn’t work for me, I had to drag it out for another month or so then stop. That was about 4 months ago. Now I am very week, every muscle hurts and gets injured easily (did my shoulder yesterday getting a jar of jam out of the cupboard), most of my joints hurt and everything I do hurts, even typing.
Does anyone have comment or suggestion as to how to end this torture? After all the toxic crap I’ve had pumped in to me I have come to understand that this is the dark ages in cancer treatment. Cheers. -Rod (61 yo, multiple myeloma)
Kristen, I can totally relate to your symptoms of fatigue and loss of movement! After two years on mega doses of Prednisone, I am down to 2.5mg and holding. Most days, my lower body just refuses to move. It hurts so bad to stand up from a chair or the bed in the morning! I started to thin something else was really wrong with me…now that I know it is Prednisone withdrawal, I have joined a gym and am going three days a week!
Once I get up and moving, it is ok…taking it slow and light to start! I am refusing to let this damned Prednisone get the best of me! I wish you, and all of you dealing with this crazy Prednisone withdrawal, all the best! God bless!
I started out on 80mg of Prednisone in January 2014 to address an autoimmune disease, VKH, which had attacked my retinas and left me blind. The Prednisone was like a miracle and brought back some of my vision. Long story short, I was up and down on the Prednisone in response to this crazy illness but now am finally down to 2.5mg and holding, with the help of two other immunosuppressant drugs.
When I hit 5mg, the body aches kicked in like a freight train! The pain is CRAZY bad and doesn’t seem to be getting any better! I am also quite unsteady on my feet at times. I have been on Prednisone for nearly 2 years and from what I have read, it may take up to two years for my body to adjust and get back to normal! UGGGGHHHH!! Hang in there, everyone! I will do the same!
I was in the hospital for nine days with a severe flare up of my ulcerative colitis. I was on up to 60 mg of prednisone which did nothing for me. I am now on remicade and in remission with many of the side effects of the prednisone discussed here. My worst problem is severe swelling from my waist to my feet most days especially towards evening. My GI Doctor says this is due to the prednisone, but I am beginning to wonder if it could be from the remicade. I have been done with the prednisone for three weeks. Can anyone help with this matter?
My 90 year old mother was put on Prednisone two different times for Sciatica. I noticed her ankles and feet were starting to swell when she starting taking it. She is no longer taking it but, she is still having ankle and feet swelling. Has anyone else had this problem?
Was put on medrol for an allergic reaction to over the counter meds. After the 2nd day I had to get off of it. Shaking, very nausea, dizzy – still to this day, two weeks later, hot/cold flashes, very fatigue, anxiety, heart racing, eye pressure and head still feels weird. Anyone else experiencing dizziness after weeks?
Tammy, How are you feeling now? If you are feeling better, how long did it take? What treatments, if any, did you try for it? I am two weeks off 60 mg. for 5 days with no taper for a supposed sinus infection and TMJ. My heart races and I have anxiety, panic and my thoughts have become negative a lot of the time. Also jittery, shaky, foggy headed and slightly dizzy at moments. The racing heart and panic are the worst! Hopefully I will feel more human soon and I hope you are, too!
Gosh I was feeling sorry for myself until I read these comments! I was put on 10 days 90 mgs 10 days 60 mgs 10 days 30 mgs. I already had withdrawal symptoms from 90 to 60 ( extremely high blood pressure, anxiety etc. I went to emergency, they just passed it off as a hypertensive crisis. So when I got down to 30 mgs I tapered 20, 10, 0 on the last few days. If I had read these comments I would have gone more slowly.
Now 1 month later I still have panic attacks with high BP, generally feeling lousy etc and vow never to take it again. On the upside I was prescribed Pantoprazol 40 mgs taken at least half an hour before the prednisone to protect my stomach and that worked. I am 70 years old and live in Spain. It seems Spanish doctors have the same attitude and don’t warn about side effects. I had asked for the injections as I believe they cause less side effects, but was told they had to be saved for a more serious flare up.
I have hyperthyroidism with eye inflammation. The prednisone did arrest the eye inflammation, but I am stuck with one eye protruding out and lower than the other and double vision and praying the inflammation doesn’t start up again. I have no idea what I will do if it does, I have been told I could go blind if the optic nerve gets affected.
Today is my last day of methylprednisolone. Still feeling nausea and anxiety. Hopefully this is normal and will feel better in a few days. I pray for me and those that know what I’m referring too. It’s horrible.
I have been on this for nearly three years due to inflammatory arthritis. Ten mg a day. I have now come off it in September after a slow reduction. I found I suffer from a bad temper and lack of patience. Since stopping it. I also suffer from a lung problem which means I regularly need antibiotics and steroids. Last week this happened and when I started the steroids my temper was a lot better however as I have reduced the dose my bad temper has come back I am on two mg a day then after two days one for two days then stop. Has anyone had this and can anyone advise what I can do please.
I have been on prednisone now for 16 years, and my GP wants me to withdraw due to osteoarthritis setting in. My experience so far with withdrawal symptoms are headaches, low energy and slight depression. I am suffering mentally, but I am determined to still keep going. It is going to take a least another 3 months before I am completely off them. Forgot to say, they were to treat polymyalgia.
I have been on prednisone for 8 months now tapering off from 40mg to 2mg today. Its was a wonder drug when I needed it most. With the tapering I do have moderate pain in the shoulders and hands which OTC ibuprofen helps with. Boy, I cannot wait to be off it altogether and be back to normal. This was to treat polymyalgia. The comments have helped me understand what the finish line will feel like!
I have been on 20-30 mg a day for months to deal with ulcerative colitis. While on it I shook and stuttered and felt weak and hungry a lot. Gained weight and had mood swings, depression, and anxiety. It did seem to help keep the constant diarrhea in check and for a little while I was not bed-bound and actually could be out in the real world. I am losing my hair and I get small blood spots that appear to be between layers of skin.
They start small and can grow to the size of a penny. They are fragile but if left alone they go away. If scratched or bumped they bleed and then heal like any other wound. They only appear on my arms. The doctor has me tapering. At first we tried 5 mg per week. This resulted in terrible headaches, eye aches, and tooth aches, along with body and joint aches that felt like someone worked me over with a 2×4.
Terrible fatigue, along with even more depression, anxiety, and mood swings. In addition, the diarrhea came back and now I have to run at least 15 times a day to the john – urgent and uncontrollable. The doctor dropped to 2.5 mg per week reduction and some of the pain is lower and the number of days it lasts seems to be a little shorter. So now I am enduring the best I can and trying to cope with all this.
I am very worn out and the side affects are bad enough that I may have to slow the taper even more. There is just so much I can take for just so long. I know I will pay for using this stuff and plan to get through it, but it is NOT easy and you can expect a lot of side affects and suffering. Right now the symptoms it was prescribed for are the ones that are coming back and then some. I do not know how this is going to play out.
I do not shake very much now. I have trouble staying awake with the increased fatigue and weakness. The taper business is a long term deal, make no mistake, and going slow seems to be the best idea. Or not using it at all if you do not have to. I can only wonder how bad it will get when the adrenals try to start up again as I am told that’s going to be the worst part. So far the doctor has been anything but helpful and they appear not to know what to do. Not exactly encouraging.
I am a 22 year old woman taking prednisone for a recent UC diagnosis. Sorry to hear that it’s not working for your symptoms! My GI specialist is amazing and very well versed in IBD. I am taking 40 mg of prednisone daily, and my tapering process is starting tonight by 10 mg dropped every week. In addition to the prednisone, I am taking 4 apriso daily. This combination has been extremely effective for me – I am going into remission after just weeks of treatment.
I would recommend asking your doctor about this combination! As for prednisone side effects, the tapering process has me a little worried! I’m already experiencing muscle aches and pretty bad muscle weakness in my legs specifically – I cannot stand up from a kneeling position without help. I’ve also lost 45 lbs in 1 month, despite eating a high fat diet. Additionally, I’m having issues with depression, anxiety, insomnia, and a facial rash that’s pretty persistent.
My GI recommended taking Benadryl to help with the anxiety and insomnia every once in a while, to avoid the need for anti-anxiety meds. This has actually worked, maybe this can be helpful for you too if you are having similar issues. Another option for UC if the prednisone is not working is to begin Humira or Remicade injections. Maybe your doctor will recommend this! In any case, I wish you luck in getting your UC into remission.
This disease was a complete nightmare for me – it shook my entire life. The combination of prednisone and apriso for about 2 months has allowed me to eat pretty much whatever I want with no cramping, bleeding, or other intestinal side effects. Aside from the prednisone side effects, things are finally getting better! Research Apriso or Asacol – many UC patients agree that this is what worked best for them and got them into remission quickly. Good luck!
My 15 year old daughter went to the ER clinic on Sunday for an upper respiratory viral infection and possible pneumonia. She has mild asthma and was wheezing. The doctor prescribed a med pack (Methylprednisone). I should have known better because my other daughter has used it for her asthma and was hearing voices after a few days. She was told to take 6- 4mg pills the first day and then taper every day for the 6 day pac. After 4 pills she went psychotic.
I called the doctor who prescribed it and her pediatrician and the pharmacy and they have “never” heard of this before? What is going on with the medical field? I took her to the Childrens Hospital ER and they gave her viserol (an antihistamine) to calm her down but she is still a complete mess. She can’t function and is in high school missing her work. She only had 16 mg total and then we took her off of it. They said it needs to “burn” off but do not know how long?
Evette, how is your daughter now? Everyone’s stories make me sad, but to hear that a child has to deal with this breaks my heart. I pray she is ok.
I was on a cyclical dose of prednisone every month for ten months and then daily for three months to treat an extreme case of hives. In the last month I tapered down to 1 mg a day and then stopped three months ago. I am still having withdrawal symptoms. Most of my symptoms have to do with muscle weakness, fatigue, pain and depression.
Despite an active exercise schedule I am unable to build muscle tone and my walking has been affected. My doctors have told me that I could expect to have one month of withdrawal for each month that I was on prednisone. Has anyone else had withdrawal last this long?
Yes. Longer even. I have read it takes 2 months for each month it. That is my experience too. I was on it 4 months and an in moth 7 of withdrawals. I am definitively improving, but very slowly. I work on rebuilding the muscles in my legs, butt, and hips every week. Walking was a painful nightmare for so long. You will recover eventually. I know it is so hard and you feel defeated, panicked, and even embarrassed. Do not give up.
Although I have not read all 260 comments, I think I may have the record for being on Prednisone for the longest duration—23 years! I have had Chronic Kidney Disease since I was very young. Problems since childhood and total renal failure at age 19. I am now 53. I have had two kidney transplants, years of dialysis, and a number of complications as the result of my disease, as well as the medications. It’s funny, but when I used to tell people that I have a kidney transplant, their reaction is like “good, now everything is fine now.” NOT!
The problems is, one.., transplants are never permanent. And two…, the immunosuppressive drugs have caused numerous problems including; susceptibility to infection, emotional disturbances which I developed Social Anxiety Disorder. The Prednisone caused damage to my left hip (femoral head), which causes joint pain and limits my ability to perform certain activities. The meds have caused severe hyperplasia on my face, which has led to skin cancers (both Basil Cell and Squamous). I have had a least ten skin cancer surgeries to remove.
My point being, that a kidney transplant is better than dialysis, but it is far from perfect. Getting back to the subject of Prednisone…, my second transplant lasted about 22 years. If you know anything about transplants and how long they last, that 22 years for a Cadaver kidney, is practically a record! However, that also means that I have been on Prednisone for all those years also. About a year ago that transplant started to fail. Since I still had some function in that kidney, my doctor kept me on the Immunosuppressive drugs (Cyclosporine and Prednisone).
However, you can’t continue for more than a year on the immunosuppressive drugs while you are also doing dialysis because of high susceptibility to infection. About a month ago he took me off Cyclosporine. I had a few withdraw side effects, but not much. However, when he began to take me off Prednisone, it was a completely different story. I was taking 10mg’s, and so he told me to alternate taking my dosage every other day for two weeks and then stop completely.
The first day that I did not take the Prednisone, as the day wore on; it started to hit me hard. All the symptoms that most of you have mentioned, I got. Fatigue, weakness, joint pain, body aches, fever, blood pressure changes, nausea, lack of appetite; just about everything on this articles list. At the time I told my wife I wasn’t sure if these were withdrawal effects, or maybe I was coming down with the flu. However, the next day when I took my dosage of Prednisone, I started to feel better again. I then went on-line and read different articles about withdrawal symptoms from Prednisone, including this one.
Based on what I read, it seemed to me like the way my doctor was having me wean off the Prednisone was too aggressive. I then modified it to 10mg’s one day, and then 5mg’s the next day for a week. Then I lowered it to 5mg’s every day for a week. Then 5mg’s one day and 2.5mg’s the next. Now I am on 2.5mg’s alternating every other day for another week until I cut it out completely. I am still feeling the withdrawn side effects, but they are getting better.
Some of the articles I’ve read, including this one, mentioned that depending on how long you have taken Prednisone, it can take up to 12 to 24 months to fully get back to normal. Given the fact that most people only take Prednisone for weeks, or some for months, I’m wondering how long it will take me to get back to normal considering I’ve been taking Prednisone for 23 years! God help me!
I was diagnosed with PMR on July 8th of 2015, but had plenty of symptoms starting in Jan. of 2015 worsening gradually all winter and spring of 2015 (pain in both shoulders, later both hips, some in lower back, pain in upper arms, difficulty walking as if I was drunk, could hardly drive a car (pillow on seat helped a little), really hard getting out of car and had to wait a few seconds before walking, no headaches, couldn’t get out of a chair or from bed without help, could not turn over in bed, couldn’t lift my arms beyond my waist, sore for 1-2 hours in the morning – a hot shower helped).
My Rheumatologist started me on 15 mg Prednisone (10 mg in AM and 5 mg in PM). Pain went away within 24 hours and I felt like a new person. I have had no trouble sleeping at all. In early August, dosage was reduced to 12.5 mg (7.5 mg in AM and 2.5 mg in PM). After about 3 weeks dosage was reduced to 11.25 mg daily on 8/23/15, then to 10.0 mg on 8/30/15. So far, so good and no side effects as yet. Saw my doctor for 2-month checkup and he changed dosage to 9.5 mg on 10/3/15, then dropping to 9 mg on 10/13 and to 8.5 mg on 10/24. At 8.5 mg I was starting to feel some pain, especially in lower back plus fatigue, but continued.
On 11/4/15 I went to 8 mg a day (6 mg in AM and 2 mg in PM). Pain started coming on fast, so called my Dr. on 11/6/15 and he asked that I go back to 10 mg.daily and once I started to feel OK, drop the dosage to 9 mg per day until my next checkup on 12/2/15. Not wanting to go too fast, upped the dosage to 9 mg the first day and then to 9.5 mg the second day (7.5 mg in AM and 2 mg in PM). I am feeling better already, so may stay at 9.5 mg per day for awhile, but if pain returns, will go to 10 mg per doctor. If the 9.5 mg daily works, I will then drop back to 9 mg per day until my next checkup on Dec. 2, 2015.
About Prednisone – Until taking my initial dose, I was a semi-invalid and felt I probably had bone cancer all over my body. Hearing about all the side-effects of Prednisone, realized that I had no options, but without it, would probably be bed-ridden by n0w. So even with such side-effects from the withdrawal, it has done wonders for me and I am glad that I was finally correctly diagnosed with PMR and prescribed the medication. Many of us might have forgotten the extreme pain that was relieved with Prednisone.
I am hoping that withdrawal pain that is coming will be minimal. It could take another year or more on the medication, but am hoping for a remission. I have a feeling that my PMR is still with me, so a reduction below 10 mg probably is not possible as yet. What is tricky is that the symptoms of PMR are about the same as withdrawal symptoms of Prednisone. I plan to ask my Rheumatologist more about how this works in December. In my case, once the dosage drops below 9 mg per day, noticed the increasing return of pain, but nothing at all like the extreme pain of PMR.
I went to 3 docs before I was finally sent to a neurologist. After 10mins of listening to me he diagnosed me with Polymyalgia Rheumatica. I took 20mg of prednisone for one month. Then dropped to 10mg for another month. I am now on a regimen of 5mg plus four mg (9mg/week); then 5mg plus three mg (8mg/wk), etc., by dropping 1mg a week until I’m off altogether. I’ve had many of the same symptoms as many others but have tolerated them.
Fatigue has been the worst as I’m a very active 77-year old. I give in to it and take a short nap then feel much better. Still have 7 weeks to go. I take meds for anxiety and depression which I have been doing for years. Think they may have helped keep me sane during this. I feel that I am blessed to have a wonderful doctor to help me through. I’m exercising by increasing my walking little by little. My main concern has been weight gain as I’ve got a huge belly.
The thing that I’ve noticed is that my abdomen is hard as a brick! All the Spanx in the world won’t work on that! Has anybody noticed that the extra weight in the abdomen is hard not fatty?? I can only hope that when I’m off the Prednisone, with good nutrition and exercise I can feel like I did before this. I am very blessed and have tried not to let this get the best of me. I pray that God will be with all of you who read this and help you get the help you need. Don’t give up!
You are right about the stomach being hard as a brick. I have noticed this for the past few weeks, but thought nothing about it until I read your post. So far I have gained about 5 pounds in the past 4 months and holding, but it isn’t easy.
I am semi-retired, but still stop in at work every afternoon to help son run our family business (small manufacturer). I am very active and seldom stop working and lately have been doing a complete revamp of our inventory control system, installing metal plates to hold inventory control stickers and making maps of each area of our plant for future reference. I am on a ladder, using a drill and power screwdriver.
I like to work so this is not a problem, but at the end of the day am not as chipper as I was before PMR (fatigue sets in early). Today is a Sunday and I am taking it easy, still at 9.5 mg of Prednisone. I plan to see how I feel later in the week, hoping that I can get back to 9 mg soon. I will advise what my doctor says at my next appointment on Dec. 2nd.
Been on prednisone for two years now. The last two months coming down from 7.5mg to 1.25mg every 3 days now but have muscle & joint pain everywhere. Have resorted to taking zefo 8 anti-inflams but a bit worried about being on them. Can I just stop the prednisone now? It’s such a low dose I am on. It’s for pericarditis & my symptoms have not returned. Thanks, Leigh
I am 75 years old and a few months ago was diagnosed as having polymyalgia and put on prednisone by my doc. One week of absolute euphoria was great and then started bringing down the dose from 20mg to 17.5 and then 15mg. Rheumatologist advised further tapering every two weeks and the results have been awful. I have stomach pain, headaches, muscle cramps, joint pain and am now walking with a stick.
Tears come easily and exhaustion is constant. Give me back my old life!! It has been an eye-opener reading all the posts here. I really think that this medication has a lot to answer for.
I was prescribed prednisone at doses of 40 mg. tapering down to 10, over and over from May to October, to where I was never off them more than 2 – 3 days all summer, due to severe allergies and COPD and the need to breathe! I think they were necessary, but NO ONE MENTIONED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WHEN I STOPPED!!! IT’s BEEN TWO WEEKS and I JUST NOW got the willpower to come over 5 feet from my couch to google symptoms. I had surgery 2 weeks ago, and didn’t know if something went wrong with breathing there, because my ability to breathe has also worsened horribly. Can’t wait to talk to my doc on Tuesday.
I developed PMR a year ago. The doctor started me on 10 mg of prednisone a day and slowly tapered me off. I took my last pill 3 weeks ago. My stomach feels like it’s been scraped raw. I’ve lost 10 lbs. because eating is no longer an enjoyable experience. I’m so tired all the time. When I told my rheumatologist about these symptom she told me it was all in my head, that there was no withdrawal from prednisone! This is why I hate to go to doctors. My primary care doctor now wants me to have a scope to check on the condition of my stomach. More fun. I will never take this drug again. Trying curcumin, I have read good things about it.
I was on 30mg of this drug for 8 wks. Within 2wks I was breathless and felt ill but couldn’t reduce as the consultant rheumatologist wanted me on it. After 8 weeks I was to reduce I dropped 10mg on the advice of a doc then couldn’t see within 24hrs as though a migraine was starting. Then, even though I was tapering I had a cold turkey weekend, severe vomiting, the worst chest pain I have ever had and aching in every joint.
I thought I was dying. I was eventually given morphine then anti sickness drugs thank god. I’m now off it as of today. Have sore lungs and am exhausted, have the shakes and hot flush like symptoms. I’m sleepy and am off work. The drug is awful. I never want to have it again.
Dawn, is someone looking after you? – you need to have a doctor make sure your body is producing natural cortisol in the adrenal glands or you may become even more ill. You really can’t come suddenly off prednisone if you’ve been taking it for more than a couple of weeks. And even if you were tapering your body may still need a tiny dose for a while longer while the adrenal glands wake up.
Everything I read on this website explains the situation of my husband. He was diagnosed with Sarcoidosis, he almost went blind. He was on 80mg of Prednisone. Then after a long time of lowering and lowering he went down to 7,5mg. Now since a week or a little longer he is down to 5mg and since then he is having the same symptoms like everybody is describing here. On the 7,5mg he felt great, he thought he is getting better, the disease is gone, he had like new energy, he was excited.
No sweating, no mood swings, nothing. He was really excited. Now on the 5mg he feel very sick again. He could sleep the whole day, a lot of times he is saying his stomach hurt, he feel like he has to throw up, he is sweating when he just goes outside for 5 minutes (with the humidity in Florida) and just simple tasks like cleaning make his joints hurt. We were really hoping that he is getting better but I see it is still a very long way and that makes me sad.
He even mentioned like other people in here that he felt like he is dying. Or he is wondering if that’s how it feels like when you’re dying. This makes me really afraid about how everything will be going forward from now. I hope his symptoms will go away in a few weeks and his body will get used to not taking this drug anymore some day.
I was given prednisolone for viral headaches [initially 50 mg a day for three days then 25mg a day for 3 days]. Headaches returned – so then 2 more weeks – 50mg 5 days, 25mg 5 days and 12.5mg for 5 days then stop. I could tolerate the side effects from being on the tables -sleeplessness, irritability, heart palpatations, anxiety etc as I knew I was only on them [hopefully] short term. My heart goes out to those of you who are on prednisolone for months on end and repeatedly.
It was the horrendous side effects from withdrawing afterwards from the drug -everything that was mentioned above in the article – every symptom – including the rebound headaches, that devastated me. If I had known before that the headaches afterwards were as bad as the ones I was being treated for I would never have commenced the treatment. I was fine for about 5 days after I finished the last tablet, then the nausea and dizziness hit me.
The fatigue and body aches were unbearable – I was back to lying on the sofa again [just dragging myself off to get my children to and from school] and hating that I couldn’t live my life normally anymore. I couldn’t work during this time as just felt so dizzy and sick. I read in the article above it can take 3-4 weeks to recover and for the symptoms to go away. It took 7 weeks altogether.
I had a low grade temperate for most of this time. I am now feeling good again and have started to take long walks in the day [a far cry from the exercise I used to do, but glad to be able to walk further than the end of the street again] I still have weird aching in my joints, but don’t have to take pain relief for those or headaches anymore. The effects of prednisolone leaving your system [and your adrenal glands inability to make cortisol] last a long time, but hope to those out there that eventually you will start to feel better like I do today.
On October 14th I was given a prescription for a really bad allergic reaction from something I must have came into contacts at a weekend at the lake (woods). I weigh around 115 pounds and was given a starting dose of 80mg for the first 3 days then 60 for the next 3, then 40 and so on. I stopped taking them after 6 days, I was actually going mental. I could not figure out why I couldn’t sleep, be calm, I was anxious, depressed, didn’t feel like myself, acted like a completely different person.
It has now been a couple days since I have been off of them, and I’m still having major anxiety attacks and going completely manic. I took some gaba and lorazepam tonight to try and calm myself down, and I really hope I can sleep tonight. I may take a sleeping pill just to make sure. I would never recommend this medication to anyone, and urge people not to use! I would take a full body painful, itchy rash over feeling this way any day any time. I wish the Dr. would have warned me about what could happen, it took awhile for me to realize the medication was making me bat sh*t crazy!
I have CIDP and Bipolar Type 2. I had an allergic reaction to IVIG so the neurologist put me on 500mg Prednisolone once a week. I experienced insomnia, terrible moodiness, anxiety and eventually realised it was the Pred causing it. I contacted my Psych nurse and she said I should never have been given the Pred without the Neuro discussing it with my Psychiatrist.
I was told by the Neuro to stop taking the Pred which I have – no tapering. Thank goodness for this site I don’t feel like I am in this on my own – can’t wait for the anxiety to go away – and the old ‘me’ to come back. If the Dr had sat me down and told me exactly what the side effects could be – I would never have touched the stuff.
I guess I have learned the hard way to not assume that Dr’s know it all – because unfortunately they don’t – and we have to live with the consequences. I hope we all feel better soon. Take care everybody.
Reading these posts of prednisone I feel somewhat comforted that I am not losing my mind. This drug is dangerous. I have taken it twice for chest infection asthma and it was hell on and worse coming off with taper. I am so weak I can hardly get out of bed and the panic attacks with near fainting and hot/cold sweats. Cannot work. I am an active person and athlete and down for the count. I am self employed and cannot work. If anything my chest is just as sore. How can doctors prescribe this and not follow up? I agree with one post. Xanax has not helped. I feel like another person. Help! Does this get better???
I was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis in Dec 2012, and started with prednisone, gradually increasing from 15mg to 35mg over 5 weeks. Stayed on that for 4 months, then tapered of by 5mg per week to get off it. Stayed off it for 6 months, then on it for the next 6 months. Off for 6, on for 6, and so on. Until the last session 2 Jan – 2 March 2015, each time tapering off slowly. Each time I went on it, it fixed the extreme muscle weakness and fatigue, but never the ptosis.
Each time I went off it, after a few months I once again struggled to get up out of a chair and walk around not looking and feeling like an 80 year-old person. Anyway, now my cortisol was tested for the first time, and it is <11 nmol/l, while it should be between 185 – 625 nmol/l. So low, the pathologist doing the blood tests SMS'ed me from the lab asking if I were alright because my test results showed I am in adrenal failure. I am just now wondering if it is still the prednisone causing this low cortisol, even 8 months after I weaned myself off of it.
I am also fighting unexplained weight gain, even though I am (and have been) on a strict diabetic eating plan since diagnosed in 2012. I now started taking natural supplements to support adrenal glands in order to get them producing their own cortisol again – ashwaganda and licorice root. Still trying to find holy basil somewhere. I am hoping my body can still restart producing its own cortisol. If not, I am in trouble.
I’ve been taking prednisone to treat polymyalgia rheumatica. There is no other treatment for this disease. What I can’t understand, reading through the comments, is why so many people appear to have been given prednisone when another treatment might have worked as well, or nearly as well, without the risk of horrendous side effects. The most important thing I’ve learned is that the taper has to be VERY slow once you get down to about 10 mg dosage, and have been on the drug for more than two weeks. So slow that you will likely only drop 1 mg per month, but below 7 or 5 mg the side effects, so I am told, diminish to practically nothing. I’m just reducing to 8 form 9 so I hope these people are right!
I have read most of the comments left on this site, and I have to say that I can’t believe how many people out there have been negatively affected by this drug. I, too have taken Prednisone to help treat my Rheumatoid Arthritis; however, I will say more positive than negative about this drug. I agree, it is not a good idea to quit “cold turkey.” Prednisone must be tapered off, aggressively under the direction of a specialist or experienced Rheumatologist, which I had.
I’ve experienced pretty much everything with this drug from tapering off appropriately to quitting “cold turkey”. Overall, it has done wonders for my inflammation. Unfortunately, I gained a lot of weight on Prednisone. I went from weighing 117 pounds to 145 pounds, and with my small frame, that is huge for me. Since I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis in 2004, over ten years ago, I have been placed on Prednisone off and on. Never did I take it more than 2 months in all those years.
In my case, Prednisone was only used to give my body a quick jumpstart while taking other treatment medication for my condition, such as Hydroxychloroquine, Folic Acid, and Methotrexate. Since Methotrexate takes approximately a month to set in, Prednisone acts as a substitute. As the Methotrexate sets in, the Prednisone becomes less and less needed which explains the reason for tapering off.
Anytime I have had to resume Prednisone, it has been during a time when I’ve had a lapse in my Methotrexate as well as the Hydroxychloroquine and Folic Acid, which unfortunately, I have had to do at no fault of my own; a change in my health insurance coverage caused a lack of coverage of my medications. Now that I have had continued and consistent health coverage for the past 10 months and don’t anticipate any lapses to occur, I have been placed on Prednisone along with my other medications (back on the treatment) again as of September 2, 2015.
Yesterday, October 15, 2015 was the last day I had to take prednisone. I start out with 30mg a day, reducing the amount by increments of 5mg after a week or week and a half until I got down to 2.5 mg a day. Now that Methotrexate has been in my system for a month now, I foresee no more problems of flair ups. In fact, I have on two occasions during the duration of my Rheumatoid Arthritis been able to go without any medication at all lasting for about an entire year each time.
In other words, I have gone into remission twice with this mixed connective tissue disorder. Prior to this disorder, I had Myasthenia Gravis from 1996 – 2000 and went into full remission November 2000. I am extremely optimistic that I will go into full remission from this mixed connective tissue disorder again and for the last time. Another thing I make sure is that I am staying fully active and eating healthy as well as staying spiritually healthy. All of these factors contribute to my success.
So hang in there and be sure to always check with your specialist as to how to taper off. Keep your body in motion. For example, I attend an intense boot camp three times a week, 1/2 hour at a time and I punch my punching bag at home in my garage, lift free weights, and complete my cardio by walking up and down four flight of stairs at my work rather than using the elevator.
Most importantly, stay stress free and remove the negativities in your life. Surround yourself with positive people and think POSITIVE! Good luck!
I broke out with hives and was given 20mg of prednisone for a week and the hives never went away so I was then prescribed 30 mg for 2 weeks with no tapering. Well the night after I stopped using the prednisone I was woke up at 2 in the morning with excruciating joint pains in my legs, I ended up going to the ER because the pain was so bad!! I will never take that prednisone again that stuff is awful!!! They don’t warn you of these terrible withdrawal symptoms when they prescribe you and neither does the paper that comes in the prescription.
And also when I went to the ER I felt like they thought I was making up that I was in terrible pain and I told them that I thought it was from taking prednisone and they acted like nobody has ever complained about withdrawal symptoms from that crap!!! I’m glad there are others out there that know exactly what I’ve been going through. I’m hoping the pains go away soon because I’m almost out of my prescription muscle relaxers which are the only thing which seems to help full the pain.
I took my last pill on Wednesday. I was taking 20 MG twice a day for 7 days… I’m going crazy now. I have dry mouth, nothing taste right, I too have lost weight while on this med. I’m not sleeping right have blurred vision, feel lightheaded. All in all just feel like crap. Nauseous. I don’t know how long this is going to last but I’m so over it already. Never taking this med again. This sucks.
My husband got diagnosed with lymphoma, and part of his chemo treatment is prednisone. Starting on the first day of a chemo treatment for five days, he is supposed to take five prednisone pills each of them 20 mg. So 100 mgs per day for five days. Then after the five days are up, he’s supposed to stop taking it cold turkey. His first treatment was a week ago and his five days of prednisone stopped two days ago.
He clearly feels awful in many ways and I feel so bad for him. Yesterday, his first day off of it, he and I were joking about it and he told me it feels like I beat him with a bar of soap wrapped in a towel in the night. I hate to think of what he’s going to feel like tomorrow or even after the next round of chemo. All of the many, many side effects of these drugs and the prednisone has ended up being -so far- the worst of them.