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Posted 12/11/2006 12:42 AM (GMT 0)

I have been suffering from an allergy induced form of eczema (gyrate erythema) for the past 3 months, and it does not look at all like a rash, it looks like hives and they didnt figure out that it was eczema until I was given a punch biopsy a few weeks ago. I was given prednisone when they thought they were hives the and I took it for 17 days...first at 40mg for 3 days but it wasnt working very effectively then it was upped to 60mg and I was on that for 8 days and was told by my allergist to taper the last 5 days from 60 mg to 50, 40, 30, 20, down to 10mg. I'm short (4'10") and weighed 90pds before I was given the medication, and in one week I gained over 15+ pds. My allergist did not warn me at all to watch my diet and about the side effects, I got them all within such a short period of time (I don't know if it has to do anything with my size and the dosage)...weight gain, couldn't sleep, high blood sugar (blurry vision and constantly peeing), moon face, fat pockets on my collarbone, upset stomach, moodiness, couldn't stop eating, retaining water, swollen ankles and wrists, excess hair growth, buffalo hump. I have been off prednisone for almost 2 months now and I'm still trying to drop the last 4pds and my face is still very puffy from the moonface. Shouldn't my moon face be completely gone by now? Has anyone ever had this problem?

Posted 12/11/2006 1:11 AM (GMT 0)
Dear Therese: I have something called periventricular leukomalacia and was given prednisone. Since I'm a resp therapist, I knew the possible side effects, especially the wt gain. I'm 5'4" & weighed 127 lbs. I went up to 138 w/o eating much. It's a usual side effect of prednisone and I'm sorry that someone didn't warn you. I've never seen anyone suffer as many side effects as you have ... you must be very sensitive to the med. Mine was 3 days of IV Solumedrol (corticosteroid) followed by 6 wks of prednisone. Did you have the same? It takes time, but you will return to normal. Hope you're better soon. (Most people do not have as many side effects as you experienced.)
Posted 12/11/2006 2:30 AM (GMT 0)
pegleg said... Dear Therese: I have something called periventricular leukomalacia and was given prednisone. Since I'm a resp therapist, I knew the possible side effects, especially the wt gain. I'm 5'4" & weighed 127 lbs. I went up to 138 w/o eating much. It's a usual side effect of prednisone and I'm sorry that someone didn't warn you. I've never seen anyone suffer as many side effects as you have ... you must be very sensitive to the med. Mine was 3 days of IV Solumedrol (corticosteroid) followed by 6 wks of prednisone. Did you have the same? It takes time, but you will return to normal. Hope you're better soon. (Most people do not have as many side effects as you experienced.) Hi Pegleg, Those weren't even all the side effects I experienced, I also would sweat excessively, had a fast heart beat, and acne. Basically, I was miserable on this medication. I was given every anti histamine possible (Benadryl, Claritin, Zyrtec, Zantac, Atarax, Allegra), but when my "hives" (It's hard not to call them hives, since it doesn't at all look like eczema/rash) got extremely swollen, itchy and red to the point i would bruise or looked like I had an extra joint, for example I would get a "hive" on my ankle and it was so swollen that my shoe would leave a bruise because of the amount of pressure or it would look like I have an extra elbow, my doctor told me to take prednisone. He still tells me to take it when the swelling gets bad, but I refuse to take prednisone ever again. It just ended up giving me more problems. Right now I'm on Zyrtec and Zantac to help the itching but nothing for the swelling and was given a corticosteroid cream and Atarax to help me sleep at night.   I'm feeling very discouraged about my moonface because I only took it for short period, so I'm a little confused to why it's still present.   Thanks, Therese
Posted 12/11/2006 2:33 AM (GMT 0)
Miserable Failure said... Prednisone should not be prescribed long-term. There is a wide array of side effects with some of them permanent. Have you been allergy tested for food as well with the IGG blood tests? If not, you need to do this ASAP. Yes, I have had allergy tests and blood tests done.   I was found to be allergic to tree pollens, molds, weed pollen, and dust mites. My allergy doctor told me tree pollen were causing my "hives" but there have not been any tree pollen in my area since early September so it was concluded that it was not the cause.   Everything came back normal from my blood tests, but my IgA, I was told was a little "off" and one of the nurse practioners at my dermatologist's office told me I should have another one done to look into it to see if it effected my condition, but after my biopsy came back and was told it was an allergy form of eczema and since it did not look like eczema, the leading doctor in the practice insisted on seeing me, and brushed off my condition as bed bugs when I know it is not bed bugs, since my apartment has been checked for them, I get them in the middle of the day even when I'm not in my apartment, and they did not start in my apartment. So, I have not gone for another follow up blood test then because my dermatologist feels it is not necessary.
Posted 12/11/2006 1:22 PM (GMT 0)
Therese,

Prednisone is one of those wonder drugs that can help you in so many ways but do sooooo much harm while doing good. I was on pred for a very long time and on a pretty high maintence dose. I had the profuse sweating, moonface, VERY EMOTIONAL, lack of sleep, the only thing I didn't do was gain weight. I think I was so sick at the time that pred helped me maintain what I had.

It took my body a long time to get over the effects of the "wonder drug". Be patient, it may take a while, give your body time to readjust. Pred takes over for your adrenal gland, now your adrenal has to work for itself since you're no longer taking it.

I went snow skiing one weekend with my daughters girl scout troop and all that sun bouncing off the snow caused my body to turn on itself. I was suddenly allergic to the sun. My joints hurt so bad they felt like shattered glass when I walked and I had a rash on my face that just wouldn't stop for over two years unless I was on pred. Finally they were able to wean me off pred and put me on another drug. I don't regret one second of taking pred, it saved my sanity!
Posted 12/11/2006 1:33 PM (GMT 0)
On the Ulcerative Colitis forum, we deal with the Prednisone issues quite frequently. I personally have never been on an oral steroid but I have used a steroid enema and even though the side effects aren't nearly as bad, it still got to me. Prednisone is so easily prescribed by many docs and some just whip this out before trying anything else. If you have eczema, why didn't they prescribe you a cream instead of an oral? I'm just curious which is why I'm asking. The moon face can take up to a year to disappear but every day you should notice it going down more and more as well as the other side effects of the Pred. I agree that this is a miracle drug but as with all miracles, they sometimes require a price.
Posted 12/11/2006 7:14 PM (GMT 0)
cool  I have been on predisone a few times for my sinuses and asthma. I didn't really notice  any huge side affects. Except increase appetite that was about it. I only was on it for 7 days twice in my life. I don't let them give that to me. Only when extremely necessary. Sorry, you are going through those terrible side effects. The doctor or pharmacist should have gone over all that about predisone. Brandi.
Posted 12/11/2006 8:05 PM (GMT 0)

Red_34 said...
On the Ulcerative Colitis forum, we deal with the Prednisone issues quite frequently. I personally have never been on an oral steroid but I have used a steroid enema and even though the side effects aren't nearly as bad, it still got to me. Prednisone is so easily prescribed by many docs and some just whip this out before trying anything else. If you have eczema, why didn't they prescribe you a cream instead of an oral? I'm just curious which is why I'm asking. The moon face can take up to a year to disappear but every day you should notice it going down more and more as well as the other side effects of the Pred. I agree that this is a miracle drug but as with all miracles, they sometimes require a price.

They thought they were hives for a few months until just a few weeks ago after a biopsy was done. My case is so different because it doesn't look like eczema at all but hives. After they figured it out, I was given a cream but it doesn't do much at all. I was on all types of other H1 antihistamines before prednisone. Right now a combo of H1 and H2 antihistamines help with the itching, I use the corticosteroid cream, and I take Atarax an H1 antihistamine to sleep the days I can sleep in, the itching is so bad that for the past month and a half when I don't take it, I haven't slept before 6am.

Posted 12/11/2006 8:18 PM (GMT 0)

younglady94 said...
cool  I have been on predisone a few times for my sinuses and asthma. I didn't really notice  any huge side affects. Except increase appetite that was about it. I only was on it for 7 days twice in my life. I don't let them give that to me. Only when extremely necessary. Sorry, you are going through those terrible side effects. The doctor or pharmacist should have gone over all that about predisone. Brandi.

I agree that the doctors and pharmacist should have spoken to me. After all this was happening to me, I got so angry at my doctor, all he did and has done was try to medicate me and not try to figure out what is causing my condition. But now, everytime they give me a new prescription, I look up the medication for its side effects and decide whether or not to get it filled.
Posted 12/11/2006 10:56 PM (GMT 0)
I was on predisone last month. It is not a nice drug! It helped me get my asthma simi under control. But it tore up my stomach, made me sick, moody,vision changes, Full face ect..... I am just now getting back to normal frm this drug. Hang in there, It takes alot of time to get it out of your system. Kris
Posted 12/12/2006 12:37 AM (GMT 0)

zoegirl said...
I was on predisone last month. It is not a nice drug! It helped me get my asthma simi under control. But it tore up my stomach, made me sick, moody,vision changes, Full face ect..... I am just now getting back to normal frm this drug. Hang in there, It takes alot of time to get it out of your system. Kris

Hi,

How long were you on prednisone? Is your moonface completely gone?

My self-esteem is so low right now, I'm 20 and my body has been completely been scarred and messed up. I'm dying to get back to normal, especially since my doctors said the side effects would have been gone after 2-3 weeks of taking the medication, and its been almost two months next week.

It's a comfort to hear from people who have had personal experience with prednisone, instead of just hearing it from doctors who I feel like don't really care.

Posted 12/12/2006 9:10 PM (GMT 0)
    I have been off and on the predslone since October! I have been off for about thee weeks? I am still ver emotional, face is still a little full, My stomach is still jacked, So instead of gaining weight I went from a healthy size 11 to a to thin size 5. I look kina like I am a crack chick. My breathing treatments make me shake and I have dark cicles under my eyes. So I feel yor pain. I went from being heathy athletic to being home bound pretty much. I also feel very frustrated. My mom has lupus and knows alot about steroids ect.... I will hopefuly talk at her in the next couple days and see what she says might help. In the mean time, hang in there. You are not alone.

                                        Kris :-)

Posted 12/13/2006 4:54 AM (GMT 0)
That drug can really help us but we have to pay the price for so long. Sorry, it has caused you so much trouble. Now that you guys we are talking about moon face I looked at my face and it kinda has a moon shape to it and I was on prednisone last month and never really though much about my ace at the time. I could be seing something that isn't there too. Good Luck. Best wishes we are always here for support. Brandi.
Posted 12/27/2006 5:39 AM (GMT 0)
I have found that when I get my rare allergic reactions to black flies that I MUST take a very high dose of prednisone for two straight days in order to stop the inflammation in it's tracks. I wonder, if you still have hives, whether a higher dose might help. With me they tried giving me 40 mg and then 60 mg. And neither did the trick.

BTW when I do have to take that very high dose for two days, I go off immediately. It's not a fun day when I do this but at other times I've gotten hooked on them and I won't let it happen again.

Post Edited (Ceres) : 12/26/2006 10:42:40 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 12/30/2006 2:29 PM (GMT 0)
Hi
Do you mean you can get addicted to the prednisone? I have been on it once in June, once in August and just getting off now again. They start me on 60 then work down every four days until 10 and off. Is there anything that works as good or nearly as good and not a steroid? My Internest doesn't like me on it but the pulmonary doc keeps giving it.
Posted 12/30/2006 3:38 PM (GMT 0)
Not so much "addicted" but your body can come to rely on the prednisone if taken for any length of time. I don't know of any alternative to steroids because even though it does have some nasty side effects and long term ramifications, it is still a good medication. Just remember if anyone that is on a steroid for any length of time, to have your eyes examined on a yearly basis.
Posted 12/30/2006 7:29 PM (GMT 0)
steroid is like cocain ..ITS THE BIG LIE..lol..well, i have been on steroids a lot and for many years,, untill i finally said enuf,, now i only take them in extreme times, they thew me into menapause, my hair fell out, they eventualy made me sick as a dog, oh,, i gain 47 pounds, they make u HUNGRY,, why don't they give steroids to people that have anerexia? ;-) anyway, after i stopped then (gradually) i slowly took teh weight off,, i took steroids for chronic hives, and really after awhile they didn't help that much..i wish u luck, and hope that u can find other meds to take steroids place,,maybe a corti-steroid? i don't know, i think you are doing the best thing to help urself, and that it to talk to people on here, they can help, maybe i wasn't much help, but i do have empathy for u,, i know u have to b hurting and itching like me,, god bless ya, and hope that u have a better heathier, 2007.. ;-)
Posted 12/30/2006 8:53 PM (GMT 0)
As someone who has been on and off pred many times for both asthma and crohn's disease I know all to well about the side effects. I gained 20 pounds last time I was on it you should watch your salt intake that will help greatly. once you get off the pred the food cravings can last about a week after you are off of it. Pred can stay in your system for up to a year.
Posted 1/2/2007 8:18 PM (GMT 0)
I have to get my teeth cleaned and they really dig deep. I was told to tell my dentist I was on prednisone. Why? Thanks:)
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