Friday, March 14, 2014

Prednisone: Some Answers

Having received conflicting information about the type and extent of side-effects of Prednisone, I decided to do some serious hunting around. Turns out there is a lot of conflicting information on the Web, as well. 

Eventually, I found this site: MedlinePlus - The U.S. Library of Medicine of the NIH (National Institutes of Health) which seems to cover just about all of the important ones.  Many could also be caused by other medications, IF one was taking them as well. It's good to check out how Prednisone interacts with other prescribed medications, and herbal supplements. Yes, they can cause problems, too.

**My current symptoms highlighted in red.**

What side effects can this medication cause?Prednisone may cause these side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

headache
dizziness
difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
inappropriate happiness
extreme changes in mood
changes in personality
acne
bulging eyes
thin, fragile skin
red or purple blotches or lines under the skin
slowed healing of cuts and bruises
increased hair growth
changes in the way fat is spread around the body
extreme tiredness
weak muscles
irregular or absent menstrual periods
decreased sexual desire
heartburn
increased sweating

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:

vision problems: eye pain, redness, or tearing
sore throat, fever, chills, cough, or other signs of infection
seizures
depression
loss of contact with reality
confusion
muscle twitching or tightening
shaking of the hands that you cannot control
numbness, burning, or tingling in the face, arms, legs, feet, or hands
upset stomach
vomiting
lightheadedness
irregular heartbeat
sudden weight gain
shortness of breath, especially during the night
dry, hacking cough
swelling or pain in the stomach
swelling of the eyes, face, lips, tongue, throat, arms, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
difficulty breathing or swallowing
rash
hives
itching
Had enough?  

This is my second go-round with this lethal little drug and it is mystifying that such an inexpensive little pill can wreak such havoc on the body and mind. 

So far, any positive results of taking this drug over these last 4 weeks have been minimal at best. 

I hate to miss attending the Bloggerpalooza going on here this weekend, but I think it best that I not be involved. 

And so it goes.
*

3 comments:

  1. Too bad about your many symptoms keeping you away from the Bloggerpalooza. It would be nice if you could make a brief appearance on Saturday night. Eat some eastern Maryland crab and crusty bread for me. Just a few minutes would make your blogger friends happy, and perhaps lift your mood as well, as those Dos Locos visits have done in the past! Of course, if you get hypnotized, you probably won't care one way or the other!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've seen a lot of side effects from this Rx; I've seen many patients go bezerk taking the stuff. Funny how 'antidepressants' are villianized in the press but no one has raised a ruckus about steroids.

    ReplyDelete

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