HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Steroid Psychosis?

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
12
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 4/5/2010 6:03 PM (GMT 0)
Has anyone experienced "steroid psychosis" on Prednisone? I really cracked up this weekend. I am taking Xanax and that seems to take the edge off but I am doing some seriously nutty things. I'm not suicidal but I keep obsessively counting pills, pacing, I feel panicy, can't concentrate, really depressed, etc. MY GP can't see me until Friday. I was reading up on "steroid psychosis" and it seems people taking what I have been on 60mg are pretty susceptible to this. I'm going to try and get in touch with my GI doctor today but I know he's not equiped to handle this and I don't really want to spend another 10 hours in an ER. If you had this who handled it for you? And how did you get it handled quickly. According to a couple of articles I read if it IS steroid psychosis I need an anti-psychotic...

Do I go check into a psychiatric ward?
Posted 4/5/2010 6:08 PM (GMT 0)
Call BOTH your GI and your GP, leaving a detailed message about what's going on, and that you feel you need to do something to help right now. Hopefully, one of them will get back with you immediately. If you don't hear back by the time their office closes, I'd probably head to the ER again and ask about being admitted. At least you realize what you're doing...it'd be worse if you didn't.
Posted 4/5/2010 6:08 PM (GMT 0)
I would say you need to start tapering and maybe find some alternate treatment for your UC if yuo respond like that to steroids. IT is very possible. Pple are low doses often have mental reactions ..so i cant imagine 60mg being any better. Call your doc and discuss.
Posted 4/5/2010 6:50 PM (GMT 0)
I totally hear you! I am on steroids and was on 60mg IV now I'm down to 30mg as they have tappered them off.

They do make you feel totally wired and like a fruitcake!

Luckily I see the humour in the situation and know it will pass and have to laugh at the madness that is not me that is happening to me.

I was in a shop and got the idea to steal some underwear, it was so strong it totally freaked me out.

Don't worry, it will get better as they taper them off.

Do you get the nightsweats and the rumbling feeling inside your body like a train is under your bed?

That really freaks me out, but luckily I see the funny side and just think 'oh my, you are in a pickle! ha ha'

Don't worry everything changes, try to do something creative, I've been on the biggest spring cleaning spree I've ever known, all steroid-induced, but at least it has been positive.

All the best
Posted 4/5/2010 6:57 PM (GMT 0)
I have started tapering already, this is day 3 of 40mg. But I just can't stop crying! My GP is out of town today and I called my GI doctor's assistant at the office I go to. She said she was going to get message to my GI doctor asap so hopefully he will know what I can do to get some help today or tomorrow. The ER visit Saturday was 10 hours!!! Maybe I can check into a psychiatric facility... I have never had a chemical mood imbalance like this before. I am so scared!
Posted 4/5/2010 6:59 PM (GMT 0)
That's great your GI will get a message quickly! I sensed that you are very scared, but like I said, I think it's good that you realize how off you are. ((hugs)) and hang in there! Post as much as you need to, ok? And let us know what your GI says too, OK?
Posted 4/5/2010 7:06 PM (GMT 0)
Oh I'm so sorry to hear that you are suffering so awfully, I didn't read through thoroughly (steroid brain)

Like fruitgirl says it is good that you are aware how 'off' you are and 40mg is still a high dose.

Go gently on yourself and cry cry cry, try to eat well and rest and be nice to yourself in between.

I always think of how I would treat a little child who was upset when I'm feeling upset and give myself some of that tenderness.

Thinking of you x
Posted 4/5/2010 7:07 PM (GMT 0)
Jennifer,

Can you see a psychiatrist to get meds?

I experienced tremendous anxiety on the prednisone taper and up to six weeks after I tapered off.

At 40mg, I've had tremendous success with low doses of the anti-psychotic (anti-psychosis) Zyprexa (FYI weight gainer). (now I'm at 20 mg.) There is also Geodon (non-weight gainer) and Seroquel (weight gainer, but not as much as Zyprexa)). These are MOOD STABILIZERS. It cannot help your UC getting all stressed out. I'm glad you are taking ambien. You must get sleep.

If you are taking an anti-depressant, you probably shouldn't because of adverse drug reactions to prednisone. Here is an article.
http://www.drrichardhall.com/steroid.htm

Psych meds for me are permanent, but you can take them for situational things and just taper off
Posted 4/5/2010 7:37 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you s much for that break down Ellen! I did read that Steroid Psychosis needs and anti-psychotic versus and anti-depressant so I will be asking about that. I'm not sure where/how to get in to see a psychiatrist quickly. Do I go to the ER for that? I think you are right that that's what I need. A psychiatrist and probably an anti-psychotic mood stabilizer and of course to wean off the pred as quickly as I can...

Thank you so much everyone else for the kind words!
Posted 4/5/2010 8:06 PM (GMT 0)
Ugh just Ugh:

I don't want to upset you or anything by disagreeing with you and your forum friends but I would invite some friends of yours to spend some time with you if you can't have family do it.  What you're describing is quite common with high doses of Prednisone.  40 to 60 mg is considered pretty high.  Most docs when you giving that amount will tell you to be in for a roller coaster of a ride which will go from crying to laughing to anger to crying, etc... 

I don't believe going to the ER will help you unless you're going to hurt yourself.  Other than for that one situation I would get some loved ones or some good company to hang out with you knowing what your going through.  I agree with some previous posts that as you come down in dosage in regards to the pred you will feel more and more stable.

Just hold on and calm down.  This forum is with you for the ride.  Stay strong.

MyUC

Posted 4/5/2010 8:07 PM (GMT 0)
I thought I was going to jump out of my skin when I was on 40mg of pred. I asked my GI if I should go to the hospital and he said all they would give me was ativan (but to definitely go if I thought I was going to harm myself or others - I wasn't). What worked for me was weaning off the pred (per my GI) as quickly and safely as I could. I started taking Effexor XR and felt better within a week.
Posted 4/5/2010 9:47 PM (GMT 0)
It sounds like your health insurance doesn't cover a psychiatrist. A psychiatrist is a psych med doc. ER will just give you some band aid drug and tell you to see a psychiatrist. Find out if you can see a psychiatrist on an urgent basis. You'll be assessed for meds. Sometimes an internist can help with this, but I think they are better for garden variety depression

As long as you taper off those psych meds you'll be okay. I'm on them for life because I believe that unbelievable stress over UC tripped off my second flare. I don't want to take any chances in the future.

If the psychiatrist doesn't know about mixing certain antidepressants with prednisone, they are very uninformed.

After you get situated with a psychiatrist, you just see them for 15 minute med checks.

I'm not big on counseling because this imbalance induced by pred is very neurological.

Ellen
Posted 4/5/2010 10:20 PM (GMT 0)
I have a small Rx for a band-aid drug - Xanax. I am feeling much better this afternoon and realized a huge part of the problem I am having at this very moment is probably these narcotics I have been taking for pain. I think they are actually adding to my depression a great deal and probably making me overreact to pain and take more of them... vicious cycle! Anyhoo, I'm going to keep up with the xanax now to keep me calm, get off these narcotics now, continue with my pred taper and also get in to see a psychiatrist to see about an anti-dpressant or anti-psychotic (which ever is going to get me through the rest of this pred taper). You all are so helpful, I can't thank you all enough for all the advice and different stories...
Posted 4/5/2010 10:40 PM (GMT 0)
My GI was very concerned about me being on pred when he heard I was bi-polar. All a GI can do is try to get you off pred as soon as possible while still healing. I hope he/she is.
Posted 4/5/2010 11:50 PM (GMT 0)
I read where you are also taking Ambien CR....that could contribute to your problem too. I realize you need something for sleep, I have terrible insomnia (on 30 mgm of prednisone, tapering from 40) but maybe try some Tylenol PM?
Good luck to you!
Posted 4/6/2010 12:14 AM (GMT 0)
I'm on ambien and I don't see the problem with the Pred combo. Jennifer, there probably are some types of anti-depressants that will work if a mood stabilizer like Geodon, Zyprexa or Seroquel is inappropriate for you. Tricyclic anti-depressants are not good with pred, but my doc wouldn't let me touch any of them because I'm bi-polar. It's too bad the high doses of pred PLUS the taper cause mental problems.
Posted 4/6/2010 1:26 AM (GMT 0)
My GI doctor called. Yay! And he said that I need to stop the Percocet and Vicodin. They are not only major depressants for some people but they can actually cause you to become more sensitized to your pain. So, those are the narcotics I meant I got myself strung out on. I'm going to keep tapering pred, Ambien for sleep and Xanax until my GP can evaluate me for an anti-depressant Friday. Now, here's hoping my colitis doesn't reflare on my pred taper!
Posted 4/6/2010 1:56 AM (GMT 0)
If you've been taking the narcotics for a long time you should probably taper off those too. But if it hasn't been long you'll probably be okay just quitting. I don't know how long before you have to taper though. I never got narcotics for UC
Posted 4/6/2010 2:55 AM (GMT 0)
The vicodin use started 3/25 and the percocet just over the weekend so I will probably feel some withdrawl side effects but I don't think it'll be too bad, I hope.
Posted 4/6/2010 3:37 AM (GMT 0)
Jennifer,
Please see a psychiatrist for anti-depressants and the like if you can.
ellen
Posted 4/6/2010 3:53 AM (GMT 0)
Absolutely, I have an appointment with my GP for Friday and I will get advice and referral! I do understand the Xanax is a bandaid and I have a long road to get my head on straight! Thank you! Thank you!
Posted 4/6/2010 3:57 AM (GMT 0)
I've noticed that I find funny things a lot funnier and sad things a lot sadder. I laugh at the simplest jokes as if they are the funniest thing I've ever heard. Then anything slightly dramatic (i.e. sad/romantic/etc) I find myself almost tearing up. Never like this before prednisone.
Posted 4/6/2010 4:50 AM (GMT 0)
I'm glad that you heard back from your doc and have the wheels set in motion to feeling better!
Posted 4/6/2010 7:07 AM (GMT 0)
Hope you get better. Try not to take so many medications. The interactions can be debilitating.

Interesting that some people get mood changes with prednisone. That is one side effect I actually didn't get when I was taking it. Makes me feel a bit better, because I always wonder if I have any bi-polar genes. My mom is bi-polar.
Posted 8/26/2010 3:08 AM (GMT 0)
Jennifer
I had steroid psychosis on a dose pak. June 13 of this year
I am still reeling from the effects but slowly improving. Definitely get it tended to as I did not initially. I am a nurse (therein lies the problem :) and decided to ride it out on my own..Three nights of zero sleep and tremendous anxiety, rapid heart rate, etc. Unfortunately I wasted an entire summer with the inability to sleep. Horrific insomnia and bad "jitters" and finally I saw a psychiatrist who told me I had no gaba and must sleep! I have been on ambien for three weeks now and finally feel like a partial human being. I have to take klonopin as needed for the "jitters" Very low dose 0.25 however this has caused me to miss work and I am hopeful to go back in the next couple of weeks. I just started lexapro as the steroids are long gone, but I am still jittery and very frustrated that this has happened and that I cannot "speed up" the recovery process. It is so difficult to accept that one day you are fine and the next this happens from a pill. I will be trying to get off all of this at the proper time, but for now I am accepting it. I will pray for a rapid recovery for you as I know what you are dealing with. Take it one day at a time, but look at progress in terms of weeks to keep you positive. Some recover quickly others may take several months. I feel like maybe I'm 50% there which is huge for me. Never had an anxiety problem or depression in my life.
Godspeed

Finney
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
12