Prednisone

Hi all -

I found this forum searching for information on prednisone - and I don't know that I'm posting this in the right place because I really don't know what, or if, anything is wrong for me.

A few weeks ago I got into some poison ivy and had a normal bad reaction to it. Bad enough that a friend recommended I go to the doctor and get a steroid shot - which I did.

The doctor also prescribed a "prednisone pack".

Now let me say, first, that I don't like taking medication, period.

But, if you've seen the movie Limitless - that's how I felt on prednisone. Aches and pains went away. I had an abundance of energy. I felt clear and focused - very clear, very focused. I had drive and I was accomplishing more in a day than I normally accomplish in 3. It was as if I had discovered the greatest performance enhancing drug ever invented.

This experience has caused two things -

1. The realization that how I've been feeling for years probably isn't how I should feel. I struggle with focus, motivation and internal drive - which has never been a problem before about 5 years ago. I simply have the pervasive feeling that goes between panic and complete apathy.

2. I've started taking an adrenal supplement which has helped *some* with my energy, however, I don't have the focus or drive aspect. I have energy but still feel rather lethargic, and certainly not clear or focused.

So I've come here because I have yet to read anyone claiming prednisone has had any performance enhancing effect on them. In fact, most people here seem to feel it's a bane on humanity!

I've read about the side effects of prednisone and almost the opposite was true for me - aside from trouble sleeping, I've never felt better (I'm no longer taking it - the effect lasted while I was taking 3 or more pills per day).

And one last thing - after much research and insight from friends in the medical profession I'm pretty well certain that adrenal fatigue is at least an issue - so that's why I'm posting this under chronic fatigue.

Thanks for any input or insight you might have to offer.

John

Thanks for your reply Madisun.

BTW, I have found a few posts online with people sharing that "I felt amazing" experience. Many others absolutely feel terrible. It still leaves me puzzled.

I'm still taking the adrenal support supplement - it's simply "Adrenal" by Pure Encapsulation. Here's a link on Amazon (where I buy it) - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0058HX3NQ/?tag=exampleid-20

It does give me an energy boost but I can't say that I feel anything close to amazing - the prednisone gave me a major energy boost along with feeling very driven, mentally clear and focused. I'm very much opposed to taking medication, *however* to feel that way all the time . . . tempting!

All the best to you - John

Post Edited (John321) : 3/22/2012 5:38:46 AM (GMT-6)

I have to add a couple more things re: the supplement.

I've taken plenty of supplements and often feel little to no effect. So as a supplement the Adrenal supps certainly make an impression. I had tried another brand, first, and they seemed to give less of an energy boost while leaving me a little foggy in the mind.

Aside from the energy boost I've learned that a number of other symptoms tend to accompany adrenal fatigue (other than low energy). I've had some nagging aches and pains for years. Those completely went away on prednisone - and they are greatly reduced on the supplement - not gone, maybe 50%.

I think of this as I've stopped taking the supplement, regularly, this week and I've noticed those aches and pains increasing.

Since doctors don't acknowledge adrenal fatigue as *real* problem good luck getting help with it! I agree Madisun - doctors tend to lump too many things into one category while excluding other symptoms as "something else".

All the best to you -

John check to see you are using any products with aspartame and eliminate it from your diet.. you have to check closely because they hide it the most unlikely places. Some of the symptoms may drop off. Worth a try.

 I was prescribed prednisolone in april 2012, for a rash, which ha now been diagnosed (eczema) and treated, but.....even though I tapered the drug,having been on it for so long...I suffer now from adrenal fatigue. I've found that coffee, sugar and white bread etc make it much worse. I also found that vit B5 helped greatly, although I personally can't tolerate B5! 

Was just reading about adrenal extracts and will ask my doctor when I see her next week, as I'm taking quite a while to recover fully.

Best of luck to everyone! Wendy from Oz.

!!!!WARNING!!!!
I crashed the hell out on steroids (prednisone) I get poison ivy every year and many times.
last spring I came back from a hiking trip to the mountains with the usual rash and called in my usual dose of steroids, when it caused what I now know is lyme disease to go through the roof!
its now been almost a year of walking death and I'm just starting to feel better.
if you are starting to not respond well to it, STOP! STOP! STOP!

I'm 15 right now, and have been having really bad issues with being fatigued easily along with rapid heart beating for about 2 years and back when it started my asthma was acting up, and I had bronchitis and ammonia wheezing lungs and was getting sick all the time.. Taking like 12 pills a day including prednisone and breathing treatments a few times a day, also I am not over weight and before this happened I was skateboarding everyday and running a mile everyday in my pe class, but I had to stop going to school and be home sick even into the summer and the next school year, but around when all this was beginning possibly after I got off the prednisone I began suspecting I had heart problems due to the fatigue and none of the doctors could really tell me what was wrong, my heart rate was going up to 140 and 160 while I was sitting still and was normally beating a bit over 100 and finally a doctor said I had tachichardia but I was never prescribed anything for it, I've gone back now but the doctors don't think I have it now, but I still easily get fatigued with a rapid heart rate as energy drinks supplements or coffee doesn't help at all it just makes me tired, I'm always tired now and I think now after reading this it could be from the prednisone I don't know. I wish I could get actual help to fix it though,

Post Edited (Rd_123) : 8/10/2013 4:12:09 AM (GMT-6)

As a person living with inflammatory bowel disease, I've taken my share of Prednisone and Entocort. Except for the inability to sleep more than two hours a night, I feel wonderful on steroids. Energetic, well, pain-free. I can become a nightmare for those around me, though, because I turn into a screaming, weeping shrew.

Fast forward a couple of years after the steroids, and I'm not so grateful for them. I have a shoulder that had avascular necrosis and will forever have limited motion and pain, as well as diabetes. Both from the 'roids. I have a titanium plate in one leg after a pathological fracture from osteoporosis. I'm happy that, so far at least, I haven't developed glaucoma or other long-term irreversible effects.

I guess it's true that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Hi John:

I had the exact same reaction to Prednisone as you did.  And as you said, it was very much an experience like in the movie Limitless.  It was the best 5 days I've had in the past 12 years.  I was put on the Prednisone because my ear canal was blocked and the doctor thought it might be due to seasonal allergies resulting in inflammation.  I was hesitant to take it, especially for my ear, but I thought, hey, its for inflammation, I wanted to see if I would feel better all over...and boy did I!  Joint and muscle pain disappeared, energy level soared, clear mind.  When I described this situation to my family physician and asked him about taking Prednisone regularly for my joint pain, he would not prescribe it for me.  I had to take a series of adrenal function tests, all which came back in normal range.  His only advice was that I see a holistic doctor.  I'm considering finding a new family doctor.  The thing is, I realize the side effects.  But I don't think doctors understand how much pain one can be in.  My doc was concerned about my high blood pressure.  Hello-whenever you are in pain your blood pressure will be high.  I can't sleep through the night because of the pain, but ok for my doc to prescribe sleep medicine for that-it's just a band aid.  He also suggested DHEA, another HELLO-I have high BP and thyroid condition, for which DHEA is not recommended.  What is he thinking? 

I hope you have found a solution.

 

My allergist recommended a book called Safe Uses of Cortisol by William Jefferies. I haven't been able to buy it because it is kind of expensive but he said the book documents how low doses of hydrocortisone can be actually be helpful--similar to someone supplementing with thyroid hormone for low thyroid. Hydrocortisone is the natural form of cortisol so it doesn't have the degree of side affects that the pred does. My mom has COPD and he has no problem with prescribing that for her and her taking 1/4 to 1 pill a day as needed. Mostly she just takes two quarters a day and it helps tremendously. She cannot do the inhalers for asthma and COPD, they make her swallowing reflex stop working, but she can take the pills. There are some websites that have excerpts from the book so you may want to look at those before buying.

I've been taking prednisone for 7 years for polymyalgia rheumatica, PMR for short. This is an inflammatory condition of the muscles and an autoimmune disease. I started with 60mg and slowly weaned down to 2mg daily. Sadly, I was unable to keep the pain away without it. In October I was diagnosed with Giant Cell Arteritis, inflammation of the temporal arteries, an offshoot of PMR, which can lead to stroke and blindness. I was immediately put on 80mg prednisone. There were immediate side affects; insomnia for which I was prescribed Xanax, high blood pressure, increased heart rate, increased appetite and resulting weight gain, moon face, low stamina, inability to concentrate, blurry vision. I developed thrush and an infection in my colon due to the lowered immune response. I have slowly weaned down and am currently taking 15mg. My body's reaction to prednisone this time around was not the same as it was 7 years ago. I don't have the increased energy or clearness of mind. It was 2 months before I could walk around the block. As the dosage goes down my stamina goes up.
I have been studying autoimmune disorders in hopes of preventing a relapse or developing another disease. Diet is a huge factor and I highly recommend a book called The Immune System Recovery Plan by Susan Blum. This book explains in laymans language what is going on in your body when you develop an autoimmune disorder and what you can do to help yourself. It explains the function of the adrenal glands, a huge player in the immune response.

It's hard to change old habits and quit eating certain foods but it's a matter of realizing this isn't going away and that it will come back if I don't. Prednisone saved my life this time without any lasting side effects(so far) but next time I may not be so lucky.