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2nd prednisone question: side effects

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Posted 11/16/2007 4:33 PM (GMT 0)

I have been on 20 mg of pred for 3 weeks now with no real side effects.  I bumped up this morning to 40mg. I know everyone is different but, have your experiences been this jump from 20-40 will cause the real side effects like moon face?  I hear people talk about it, but it seems like the higher dosages do it.  Am I now at the level that I will see a big change?

 

Thanks

Bluechipguy

 

40pred

3/daily Lialda

roawasa1 /day

Posted 11/16/2007 4:45 PM (GMT 0)
No matter what does I've been on, and for how long, I've never gotten moon face or put on more than a few pounds.  The higher doses does cause more insomnia, hunger, and irritability though.  Also have pretty bad joint pain the first few days of going to a higher does, especially with my lower back. 
Posted 11/16/2007 6:01 PM (GMT 0)
been on pred for 2.5 mos,
first month 60 mg a day side effects, moodiness, leg/feet/hand cramps, night sweats, hot flashes
second month 60/40mg alt days, all side effects above are better but moodiness may be due to my handling it better and getting my flare under better control and taking potassium for the cramps.

I just got moonface about a week ago, I was bad with salt for about a week and it came on right after. For salt Doc told me to not go over 1500mg a day.
Posted 11/16/2007 6:29 PM (GMT 0)
I have been on Prednisone three times and have started at 40 mg every time. I've never had moonface. I generally tolerate Prednisone quite well... usually only get a bit of brain fog and lack of focus on the 40 mg dose... maybe a day or two of insomnia.
Posted 11/16/2007 6:41 PM (GMT 0)
In the past, I've developed moonface with a dose of 60mg or higher. This time around, I was started at 40 and began to taper after one week. I haven't experienced any noticeable physical side effects.
Posted 11/16/2007 7:28 PM (GMT 0)

good to know that a few of you were ok at 40 mg.  I know it affects each one differerently.

Hopefully since I tolerated the 20mg pretty well, the 40m won't make a huge change (except for gettng me out of this flare of course!)

thanks

bluechipguy

Posted 11/16/2007 10:55 PM (GMT 0)
At the risk of getting attacked by the anti-pred folks here - and I used to be one of them - I felt great on 40mg of pred. It was like a switch was flipped and I went into instant remission. Had lots of energy, bounced out of bed in the morning. It was all good this time around. I'm down to 5mg now and will be off it totally in two weeks if all goes well.
Posted 11/16/2007 10:58 PM (GMT 0)

princesa said...
At the risk of getting attacked by the anti-pred folks here - and I used to be one of them - I felt great on 40mg of pred. It was like a switch was flipped and I went into instant remission. Had lots of energy, bounced out of bed in the morning. It was all good this time around. I'm down to 5mg now and will be off it totally in two weeks if all goes well.


same here.
No moon face here. Been on it close to a couple of months and tapering. Was at 40 now at 25. Going down 5 every 7 days.
Posted 11/16/2007 11:10 PM (GMT 0)

I get moon-face at 40mg, and it seems to happen overnight after taking it for a week or two. As soon as I get the moon-face, my colitis symptoms seem to start improving. 

Also, instead of insomnia, I get fatigued. I know that I am in the minority on this one, but I have no issues with falling asleep while on Pred, and while I wake up feeling completely refreshed, righit around noon, I crash hard. I used to go out to my car on my lunch hour and take a power-nap, which helped.

The worst symptom for me is headaches. Terrible headaches, which again is odd because cotizone is sometimes prescribed for people with headaches! But I had issues last summer while on 20mg-40mg of pred until I stepped down to about 15.

Posted 11/16/2007 11:24 PM (GMT 0)
For me it's not the dosage of prednisone but the length of time I'm on it that causes the moon face. The longer I'm on it the more of a chance I have of developing the moon face. And I get it every time! I think for people who have round faces to start with - like myself - it is much more obvious.
Posted 11/17/2007 2:11 AM (GMT 0)
been on 50mg of prednisolone for 4 weeks now and 2 to go before i taper down.

lots of side effects for me. NO moonface...
but..
i have insomnia
im moody and quick to anger, quick to sadness, quick to all over the place with my emotions
i feel like crap all day
tummy aches
munchies
night sweats
i get shaky in the hands
brain fog sometimes.. like im in a bubble
my tastebuds are just plain OFF... nothing tastes right. everything is just that little bit not right. its weird...
no weight gain
my skin is all cleared up and looks good (i used to have psoriasis, but not at the moment - it went away)
my fingernails have thinned out and break and bend easy
my joints are starting to hurt a bit
general feeling of unwell during day

its like im writing a book.. i know. but i hate this prednisone and i can't wait to get off of it.
but i do feel like its doing its job for my colitis, so i am just dealing with it the best i can!
and hopefully not being too much of a snapping turtle to my husband!
Posted 11/17/2007 1:24 PM (GMT 0)

I am on pred right now and yup, I do have moonface.  Well, if that's what my ridiculously round puffy face is. eyes

I was on a high does by IV in the hospital, and then came home to take 40mg, tapering by 5mg a week until I am off it.  Right now I am at 10mg and will be off in two weeks.

I still have all of the symptoms that I did at 40mg, except the insomnia is slightly better.

The moonface showed up basically *overnight* for me when I had gone down to 35mg.  I don't know if it was the dosage, or the length of time being on it which caused it.

Posted 11/17/2007 4:13 PM (GMT 0)
hi
i only get the 'moonface' with 40mg plus (i personally ALWAYS get the moonface)....anything under 40mg seems to give me some of the other side effects such as: facial hair (yum), moodiness, increased energy, leg cramps etc.

i'm currently taking 5 mg of pred. for one more week and already notice that the above side effects are going away....which is good b/c no 30 y-o girl needs a moustache for her Christmas Pictures.
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