prednisone mania - 10 months later...

So ive been on Prednisone for almost 10 months.
it does not help my symptoms (ive tried 60, 40, 30, etc) never really got side effects (though im starting to think the pred is def adding to my potassium deficiency. ) (when I bumped to 60 I did experience a manic state, but only once.)
I had a DEXA scan done and my bones are good.

So the reason im posting is... ive been on 40mg again since getting out of the hospital last Monday.
and the last few days have been odd for me. I take my Prednisone when I wake up around 8am for a poo. Sometimes I dont take it until I actually get up at 11am.

The last few nights between 9pm (I work evenings, 2-7) and 11pm i am first hit with a wave of anxiety and then quickly am in a manic state.
last night I was not feeling well so I started getting ready for bed at 11pm... and next thing I knew I was off on a cleaning tangent... I didnt even realize I forgot to go to bed until my husband got home at 130 from work.
I deep cleaned the entire (finished) basement.

Tonight the mania hit around 830pm and was not really preceded by any anxiety.
But I was talking a mile a minute and knew it. I knew I was off. And my shakes were extra bad... real fidgety. And kind of overly nice to people at the store, lol.


So... mania with Prednisone: normal.
im just worried the increased energy ive been having since leaving the hospital is not due to my Remicade treatment and rest... but maybe the prednisone is finally messing with me.
I dont mind the anxiety... ive dealt with that before. And I recognize im anxious because im not used to NOT being bed ridden. I dont go straight to bed after work anymore. And its a strange feeling.
but this is mania. I work in mental health and I know the signs of a manic state.

Its really very odd and uncomfortable and I do not like it.

Monday I get dose 2 of Remicade. And taper to 30 pred. I am thinking maybe I should do a quicker taper than the two week taper he has me set up for?
Maybe a week taper from here on out. I just want off this drug!
it doesn't help and now im getting side effects. Ugh.

Any comments or opinions greatly appreciated.

Definitely the pred. I hate that drug.

Sue

Yes, I'd agree it's the prednisolone. I think you should follow the taper instructions you've been given because you've been on pred for so long. Don't change it without speaking to your GI.

I also wonder why I am always put on prednisone again despite telling my doctors IT DOESN'T WORK.

Its been very stupid.

I quick tapered in December... the only time I was off pred and didn't have any withdrawal issues. I did a 4 day, 10mg drop and 5mg at the end.

I think ill week taper 30 and 20 and then go with how im feeling for time and amount.

I am def going to try splitting the doses. I really like that idea.

Very annoyed having been on this drug for so darn long without it helping. My first GI blamed me having a reaction to lialda and took me off meds except Pred to see if it would help alone. Which I thought was STUPID.
but then I had c.diff so it didnt even matter.

I wont taper too fast... Im not too dumb :D

Just wondering if others had this VERY late response to prednisone. Though most people arent on it this long.... especially if its not helping symptoms.

As Judy2 said, DO NOT taper prednisone fast without your doctor's supervision! Not trying to scold you... it just isn't good!!!

I bet the prednisone is affecting you more because the Remicade is leaving you a bit more able-bodied.

Prednisone has highs where everything seems great... and you get A LOT done. But, I wasn't prepared for the down times. I get edgy, mean, and very depressed.

Also as Judy2 says, your game plan should not be prednisone as a constant backup. My doctor had gotten to the point that he knew it's side effects on me and didn't want to use it except as a stop-gap between a bad flare and a new drug like Remicade.

Hope you're doing okay, Katie. :)

I love prednisone. I get a LOT of cleaning and painting and yard work done while on it. My neighbors complain though as I start cutting the grass at like 7am though and just go, go go all day/night long. It's honestly my favourite drug for these reasons. I get a lot accomplished.

But there was a 2 year period a while ago where I was on Remicade, Methotrexate and pred... Remicade and Pred combo = angry me, emotional me, and well general irrational me. It was a brutal experience.

Eventually I failed remicade and had to go on pred again about 3 or 4 , more times again, but this time it was just an energy boost and all the good stuff I love. So it's probably the combo of stuff... you are on a lot of things as well.

Anyway - Good luck with the taper. I'm sure you feel better soon.

The only good thing about the "body mania" is that if you choose you can use it to exercise off some of the pounds Pred may have put on.

Mike, I'll bet I hate steroids more than you love them! I was on Prednisone and then Entocort (not systemic -- yeah, right) for a couple of years. I had AVN in my shoulder which required two surgeries and I still don't have full use of the shoulder. I have type II diabetes induced by the steroids. I had a stress fracture of my left leg requiring major surgery. I have a rapidly developing cataract on my right eye. So yeah, I hate steroids.

hey it's totally the prednisone. i get manic at 30mg, was talking to the forest, ugh, very irritable while driving, and yeah bursts of energy around bed time. i take attivan when i'm on prednisone, 0.5 or 1mg around 8pm for it to hit around 9pm.

when i reduced my sugar intake i noticed the prednisone bursts would calm down. but now i'm on the vegan healing diet by david klein and he believes all drugs are toxic. now that i'm on his diet, and i'm tapering, my uc symptoms are actually improving with every 5mg drop.