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Escape pred side effects?

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Posted 7/31/2015 3:24 AM (GMT 0)
I'm doing steroid infusions at the hospital right now for a few days then gonna go on oral for a couple weeks and taper. Is it possible to skip the major side effects including the moon face and acne by Using prednisone in this shorter time cycle? I can't remember how long before the vicious sides kick in
Posted 7/31/2015 3:31 AM (GMT 0)
You aren't gonna get a free pass on side effects unless you are really lucky! IV steroids are the strongest type with the highest possibility for side effects. If you are doing an oral taper, then it is not short. A short course is typically a week or less. I am assuming you are starting at 40 mg or somewhere around there? That will take you at least two months to taper off of.

I notice side effects immediately after my first dose and I have them until months after I am done- besides the osteoporosis. I have that side effect forever now.
Posted 7/31/2015 4:40 AM (GMT 0)
ask them to give you medrol instead of prednisone
my side effects werent as bad with the iv steroids
although i dont remember much from almost the first two weeks of them
i had oral prednisone i got crazy side effects -anxiety was really bad
my flare got worse so they started me on iv solu medrol again and than i asked that they give me the oral version solu medrol because the side effects werent as bad as the prednisone
good luck
Posted 7/31/2015 6:53 AM (GMT 0)
BTW, moon face and acne are not "major" side effects, but minor ones. Major side effects are loss of bone density, glaucoma, elevated blood glucose and a host of others. Good luck.
Posted 7/31/2015 9:10 AM (GMT 0)
You-See - I think for most people the moon face takes some time to develop. In the past, I only got it after 2 months of pred. Make sure you are taking calcium while on prednisone. My docs also insisted I take Prilosec while on the IV because of pred causing ulcers. That one was a new one for me.

Btw, they put me on a 6 week taper after my IV and I think a 4-6 week taper is standard?

Dikid - I had no idea there was an oral version of solu medrol? I wish I had asked for that because oral pred seems to also cause me way more side effects than solu medrol IV.
Posted 7/31/2015 1:43 PM (GMT 0)
The brand name of it is medrol and I think the generic is methylprednisolone- it might be methylprednisone
I can't remember
You can switch it's just a bit stronger than pred so they make adjustments
Posted 7/31/2015 2:15 PM (GMT 0)
I start getting the moon face almost immediately. You may not get all the side effects some people get but I'm sure you will get some.
Posted 7/31/2015 3:25 PM (GMT 0)
Two things are certain in life: paying taxes and prednisone side effects. Most side effects are a nuisance (acne, moon face, racing heart, insomnia, bursts of energy, night sweats, increased appetite) but pretty minor compared to the agonizing symptoms of a severe uc flare.

Prednisone side effects can be immediate or delayed, varies person-to-person. I believe mine kicked in after a couple weeks time.
Posted 7/31/2015 3:36 PM (GMT 0)
Avoiding sodium might help a bit with swelling in your face. I remember having sensations in my cheeks a few minutes after eating some salty food.
Posted 7/31/2015 3:41 PM (GMT 0)
Two things are certain in life: paying taxes and prednisone side effects.

Somebody said...


lol! well said!

Posted 7/31/2015 3:49 PM (GMT 0)

ElpisUnbreakable said...
Two things are certain in life: paying taxes and prednisone side effects.

Somebody said...


lol! well said!

lol, too true!!!

People say reducing salt can help but i am just so hungry on pred, i can't reduce any type of eating.
Posted 7/31/2015 5:58 PM (GMT 0)
Lol glad you liked it :)

Reducing salt intake helps reduce the bloating/moonface. Increase your calcium and potassium intake while on prednisone, as it depletes those things. Bananas are good sourse of potassium. If you can tolerate milk, it has calcium. There's many alternates though.
Posted 7/31/2015 6:24 PM (GMT 0)
haha another +1 for ipoop. couldn't have said it better myself.

my moon face is present within the first day of starting pred. i have the full on chipmunk face with a concentration camp victim body. looks hilarious.
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