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Any suggestions on how to decrease psychological side effects of prednisone?

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Posted 11/13/2009 2:15 AM (GMT 0)
Can anybody advise on how to manage the psychological side effects of prednisone? I understand that some people take antidepressants. Any information on that? Thanks!
Posted 11/13/2009 2:28 AM (GMT 0)
Anti-depressants are pretty hard-core (in my books) the side effects are just as bad or even worse than having depression itself, , I was severely depressed at one point but I was too scared to go on anti-depressants so I just started working out and found regular daily exercise was a benefit for my anxiety, depression and over-all health in general (it's important for bowel health as well).

Don't forget, those mood-swings, depression and such that pred can cause for some people will decrease as you taper down and stop once it's completely out of your system.

Hang in there, feel better soon :)

Post Edited By Moderator (Lonie) : 11/14/2009 9:29:57 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 11/13/2009 2:36 AM (GMT 0)
I tried ativan, which was anti-anxiety but not anti-depressant. It helped tremendously with just making me calm down when I would get super jittery. Have you tried it?
Posted 11/13/2009 2:59 AM (GMT 0)
I"m gonna second what PB4 has to say. Exercise is an incredibly effective stress reliever and has a domino effect in terms of making you feel good. If your U.C. is severe , then maybe an exercise bike in the house would be a good idea as you wouldn't have to leave the house and go to a gym. Also, an exercise bike is good for you if you have bad knees as some people with U.C. have knee/joint problems. The side effects from depression meds are bad enough on their own, not to mention the other meds side effects that you may be taking. I know it's tough but try to ride this out as PB4 had stated, it will get better the longer you are off of prednisone. I have only been off of it myself for about a week but honestly was able to avoid the psychological side effects by regularly exercising and reminding myself that I was on a powerful medication and to not allow it to take control of my mind. I hope you feel better fast. Good luck and God bless.
Posted 11/13/2009 3:52 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks a lot for the suggestions. Yes, I am scared of antidepressants too...
Posted 11/13/2009 4:11 AM (GMT 0)
I've had awful bouts of roid rage and manic depression when I was on higher doses. What helped me was recognizing that it wasn't me but the roids that were making me behave that way. Once I knew it was chemical and temporary, I seemed to get over it and feel better. Also having a journal and writing things down helped ease the anxiety. Don't take more drugs to cover up the effects of these drugs. That's how dependency all starts and it's all downhill from there...
Posted 11/13/2009 5:57 AM (GMT 0)
I just wanted to add a supportive voice. When they put me on Pred, I had AWFUL psychological side-effects, including anxiety, suicidal thoughts, etc. I did end up taking antidepressants at that time (I requested them), but what really helped was getting that darn pred out of my system.

I agree with the other posts that say it is really important to remember that any odd or unpleasant feelings you have are (1) only the chemicals acting on you and (2) a temporary thing that will go away pretty fast. Just keep it together and stay positive. I made it through some pretty crapty psych. side-effects for weeks, so I am sure you can manage it.

Good luck and make sure to reach out to your support network. You do not have to suffer alone.
Posted 11/13/2009 11:45 AM (GMT 0)
Exercise and meditation helped me get through the crazy mood swings. But even then, you still have some off days. And as someone wrote earlier, just realize that this is the the nature of the pred beast , and not you. So make a conscious effort to try to calm yourself down if you're getting upset or on edge.
Posted 11/13/2009 2:35 PM (GMT 0)
OMG!! The suicidal feelings of patients on AD are in a very small group of individuals! I had fantastic success taking Celexa for depression after my last god-awful flare. I had ZERO side effects from it. I never treated the depression when I was taking prednisone because I thought it was the prednisone that made me depressed. However, almost a year off of it I was still depressed and learned it was the chronic illness that caused my depression, not the prednisone. It wasn't until after my surgery that I realized how much damage chronic illness had done to me both mentally and physically. Within a few days of starting Celexa the cloud lifted. I am an exercise fanatic and all the exercise in the world was not curing my depression. There's a difference between getting the blues and using exercise for that, and being diagnosed clinically depressed. I have known hundreds of people who have taken short courses of AD, like me, and not one of them had the thoughts of suicide. If you are severely depressed you need treatment whether it be counseling, drug therapy, or a combination of the two.

Sue
Posted 11/13/2009 8:36 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with Sue on this one. I don't think the decision to take anti-depressants should be taken lightly, but if you need them, you need them. Talk it over with your doctor and figure out what's best for you. I had to go on Zoloft after my son was born due to problems with post-partum anxiety. I think my issues with PPA were exacerbated by my (undiagnosed at the time) UC flare. Once I got in remission, I was able to taper off quite easily, but Zoloft helped tremendously when I needed it. I'm not sure if I'd have amde it through my diagnosis while caring for a newborn without it.
Posted 11/13/2009 9:24 PM (GMT 0)
Just so I am not misunderstood: I did NOT mean to suggest that guila should not take anti-depressants. They can definitely help. I have taken them on more than one occasion and they have worked well for me.
Do what you have to do to feel better: drug therapy, therapy, meditation, support network. I would suggest all of them!

Post Edited By Moderator (Lonie) : 11/14/2009 9:31:50 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 11/13/2009 9:34 PM (GMT 0)
Exactly, on the do all of them, LD. I was able to see a counselor for FREE (though an awesome county program that has since been cut due to crap budgets) a couple of times, and just talking to someone, and knowing that what I was thinking and feeling was ok. Mine wasn't pred related, but it sure was hormone-related!!!
Posted 11/14/2009 12:45 PM (GMT 0)
I pop a very low dose of xanax or valium as needed; I always have them on hand. I rarely use them but when on high doses of prednisone in the past they really helped when I had anxiety. I don't have a tendancy to become adicted to things though. My doctor wanted to put me on something continuous but I prefer to self medicate as needed. Most of the time I enjoy having a clear head knowing I'm not on some mind altering medication. If you need something for depression then you should probably take what your doctor recommends; I know many that are much better as a result. Don't be afraid of what your doctor prescribes but do your own research to make certain you agree.

UC 25 yrs, epilespy 30 yrs
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