Side effects?!?a

Last month went to the ER with rectal pain, they did a ct and said I was having a flare and put me on prednisone (60 mg for 10 days, 30 for 2, 10 for 2 then I was off) and told me to go see my GI. I went to see my GI who found a fissure, and looked at the CT and confirmed a flare and put me on pentasa. After 3 days on pentasa I didn't feel bad, it was really helping but I started itching all over and got a rash on my hands arms and face so they took me off it and put me on prednisone again (40mg tapper by 5 every week) and imuran (50mg). My first time on prednisone was when I was diagnosed in 2012, and I handled it okay for about two weeks then I went crazy until they gave me sleeping pills. But I mostly had tons of energy. The second time was from the ER and I had tons of energy. This time I am exhausted from the time I get out of bed until the time I get back in, I had to call into work yesterday because I was having sever anxiety and couldn't function. Is it the combo of the pred with imuran, or because I just got off of it? Has anyone else experienced the exhaustion on prednisone? And what do you do for the anxiety? I told my doctors nurse about it and she said she left him a voicemail asking if he wanted me to tapper quicker but he is out of town. She didn't suggest any anti-anxiety meds or anything to get by though, any advice?

Imuran won't be responsible for the anxiety but it could be causing the exhaustion. Only real way to find out is stop it for a few days - unlike steroids, it's safe to stop cold turkey at any time.

It's also possible that you have become steroid resistant, particularly after your rapid taper last time. If stopping Imuran makes no difference, then it must be either pred or some other coincidental factor. Unfortunately even if the side-effects from pred are crap, you still have to taper off it. No real advice about the anxiety, other than to ask the doctor for an anti-anxiety med to get you through the pred taper - if it's affecting your ability to go to work, then it's severe. Point this out to your doc.

Prednisone never made me tired. Always gave me energy, however, Imuran had me in bed with fatigue. You could also be exhausted from the flare.

With my past flare, I was totally exhausted. Flares can take a lot out of you, so it could be that. Prednisone usally brings me back to life in the energy department, so I don't know, maybe it has an opposite affect on you?
I'm on imuran again on a lower dose. The last time I was on it at a higher dose, it wiped me out, and kept me wiped out, I recall spending a lot of time in bed. Have you just started the imuran? Hard to say, but hope you find your answer soon. Best of luck.