To all those who've taken Prednisone

I am currently on a prednisone taper (my 2nd time having been on them) and have been experiencing 'cloudy head' syndrome, if such a thing exists. I also feel like I'm getting less intelligent, and that my mental acuity is being softened somehow.

I'm a straight A* student but for the past few months my memory has been fuzzy and I find it harder to articulate sentences with the grace and ease I was able to before, and spelling mistakes are becoming more frequent amongst other things. Has this ever happened to you while you were on prednisone? And did it go away after you finished the taper?

I'm also on 6MP and asacol and take Remicade infusions, if that helps.

Thanks in advance.

Same for me. I feel a little slow most days. Slow as in slow motion. I don't think my taper is making it worse though. It is getting better a I taper

i've noticed that focusing on ANYTHING when i was on prednisone was very difficult. i couldn't read a book or watch a full episode of show. i was just anxious and very shaky all the time.

but i have noticed that, in general, i find it difficult to concentrate when i am flaring. i just can't think about other things because my cramping is usually so relentless.

are your symptoms being controlled right now with the meds you are on?

     Hmmm...do you have insomnia?  Prednisone gave me terrible insomnia...maybe that is causing your brain fog.

Hello Gavin,
Hang in there - UC definitely impacts the whole being, including the Psycho-Neuro-Endocrine feedback loops.

Pointed out so eloquently by SoyStud, and I emphasize it by quoting it here;
[... "as you probably know, the best and worst parts of uc is prednisone !"]

May I suggest that you investigate "Adrenal Insufficiency" and "Prednisone Withdrawal." To start, there is a SEARCH function at the top of this forum. On the web, MedicineNet.com had the best info when I initially searched for answers, (see exerpts quoted below).

Most prednisone prescribers fail to explain the risk of developing Adrenal Insufficiency; and they also aren't on the lookout for it after tapering. Being that you are in school, and there is clear impact on your cognitive function - it's imperative that YOU bring it up with your GI specialist.

Request that your adrenal function be evaluated (blood testing for Cortisol and ACTH), in addition to a comprehensive screening of chemistry & blood cells. If necessary - consult with an endocrinologist; S/he can get your 'feedback loops' back in tune


The following exerpts are copied & pasted from a web article:
"Steroid Drug Withdrawal Symptoms and Management", on MedicineNet.com

[What are steroid withdrawal symptoms?
Steroid withdrawal symptoms can mimic many other medical problems.
Weakness, fatigue, decreased appetite, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain are common. Blood pressure can become too low, leading to dizziness or fainting. Blood sugar levels may drop. Women also may note menstrual changes. Less often, joint pain, muscle aches, fever, mental changes, or elevations of calcium may be noted. Decrease in gastrointestinal contractions can occur, leading to dilation of the intestine (ileus).]

["Discontinuing steroids:
Over the years, researchers began to learn why some patients develop
symptoms of decreased adrenal function, while others never do. The production of corticosteroids is controlled by a "feedback mechanism," involving the adrenal glands, the pituitary gland, and brain - the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis" (HPAA). The continuous administration of corticosteroids inhibits this mechanism, causing the HPAA to "hibernate."
We now know that the amount of the drug needed to suppress the HPAA varies from person to person. As a general rule, using large doses for a few days, or smaller doses for more than two weeks, leads to a prolonged decrease in HPAA function. Thus, steroid use cannot be stopped abruptly.

Tapering the drug gives the adrenal glands time to return to their normal patterns of secretion. How quickly steroids can be tapered depends on continued control of the underlying disease with decreasing doses, and on how quickly our body adjusts to the need to produce its own hormones. If things go well, four to six weeks (or longer) is a reasonable period.

Unfortunately, tapering may not always completely prevent withdrawal symptoms. Present thinking suggests that steroid withdrawal may involve many factors, including a true physiological dependence on corticosteroids. Further, tests of HPAA function do not always correlate with a patient's symptoms, and these tests are of no value while taking steroids. Therefore, it can be difficult to determine the true cause of a patient's symptoms or how he/she may react to stress (for example, from a disease flare-up, procedure, or surgery). Restarting or increasing dosage may be the only solution. "]

Hope this helps,
Ciao - DennyRae

Yes I am at 35mg right now and I am wound up like a top. Not always but on some days it really has me bouncing off the wall. hard to concentrate but I can really tear through work that does not require me to sit down. That and I seem to babel on like an idiot sometimes. They guys at work are probably a little freaked out lol.

Funny on the hair. i have always kept my hair as short as a pair of clippers will cut it. Since I came down with UC I am letting it grow out. My wife is not a fan. That said I had to explain to her that I just needed to do somithing to make me feel more in control. I hope it does not now thin out! I have always had aome really think hair when it grows out.

Hey Escum1,

Wishing you a pleasant Virgo season.

While on Prednisone - I loved the Chi/Ki/Prana CHARGE. The worst of being in overdrive was gardening at night with a lantern in January! But for others, it was the aggressive get-it-done interactions that reeked of hostility.

Without seeking it, two doctors in the same week recommended XANAX to cool my jets. It turned out to be a really helpful tool in my home pharmacy. It works quickly to divert anxiety from escalating without feeling drugged. Insane itching is nipped in the bud. When I've used a larger dose to get sleep there is no hangover.

Check it out & ask your doc for an RX. You're welcome. DennyRae

Mate, I'm in the same situation as you, because of this horrible disease (I'm normally straight A* too) but recently I got my GCSE results, and luckily I had my results from previous tests to fall back on. I had A*s in a lot of subjects but dropped to A's overall because of B's in my tests. This disease is a pain and was a serious battle for 1 and a half years I have been in this flare and 1 year of it being without a proper diagnosis

     OH WOW...the last post just made me remember what happened to me after being discharged from the hospital after my first bout with UC.  It was the very first time I was ever prescribed steroids.  I was 52 yrs old.  I thought I was losing my mind.  For instance, I would come in the house, put my keys down and then a few minutes later forget where I placed the keys.  This started happening quite often, so I made an appointment with my family doctor and was tested for Alzheimer's.  I was sooo distraught.  I never attributed it to steroid use and neither did my doctor!  He thought the stress of being hospitalized for eight days and the diagnosis of IBD was taking its toll.  I was overly concerned because I had an aunt who suffered with Alzheimers.

Drar Denny Rae. I read some of your posts on prednisone. You seem to have a lot of knowledge. I was on a high dose of pred for 8 days at the end of april. I was storting to feel fatigued and got servere brain cloud along with pins and needles feeling in my skin. Stopped cold turky and went to the ER. I was told it was ok to just stop without tapering because of the short duration. Little did i know.. I developed servere anxiety and fatigue. After a couple of weeks howewer, I was doing much better and for 6-7 weeks I was close to normal. Then I was hit by a stomack flu in the beginning of july and BAM, the sympthoms came back. I had severe nausea this time. Got better again but came down with another flu virus last week and crashed again. Back In july i went to see an endocrinologist. He was pretty sure I had withdrawal sympthoms, but the serumet cortisol was actually a little elevated. I anxiety at the time. Magne that could have clouded things? Bloodsugar very low thoug. The doc therefor did not think I was going to withdrawal. I am seeking another doc now and new bloodtests have been taken. I Wonder if you could tell me some more about your experience. How long were you on prednisone? What did your ACTHtests tell/ initial bloodwork tell? Excuse the errors. English is not my native language