Prednisone side effect duration?

Question

About seven weeks ago, I was given a 4 mg Medrol Dosepak (6 days) for costochondritis. The week I took it, I had no issues at all. It didn't help my inflammation, but didn't seem to hurt either. HOWEVER! A few days after the last dose, my face started feeling very flush and I even registered a low grade fever. I didn't think much of it and figured it was a summer cold or sinus infection. Well, skip ahead a few more days and BAM! The worst fatigue I've ever had. Even worse than chemo. It literally takes everything I can to just get to work and make it through the day. That is not an overstatement. Then, insomnia set in. I can go to sleep, but wake up every morning around 4:30 and can't go back to sleep. And the most horrible anxiety you can imagine. Seriously. I almost had to call an ambulance it has gotten so bad. Other symptoms are heavy sinus drainage down my throat (thin, not thick), hand tremors, nausea, weight loss, no appetite, sleepiness, ringing in ears, stiff legs, and loss of concentration. It is pure Hell. I'm in my sixth week since stopping this horrible poison and still feel like I can barely function. I fully realize that was a low dose and short duration, but these symptoms appeared after taking it and coincide with dozens, if not hundreds, of reviews I've read online.

I'm doing all the things I know to do, such as regular bedtime routine, meditating, hot bath with Epsom salt, no caffeine at all, eating more protein, and light exercise regularly (elliptical) but nothing seems to help. The doc who prescribed it knew I have issues with anxiety, but did not mention the possible side effects. When I asked if the steroid could be causing it, I was only told "Steroids can cause anxiety" and that was it. A psychiatrist has me on .5 mg of Xanax twice a day and Zoloft 50 mg. With the Xanax I'm able to get about 6-7 hours of sleep at best, but I'm one of those people that needs closer to nine and the little sleep I do get is not restful at all. I believe the steroids have massively upset my hormones and circadian rhythm and I can't get them regulated again. Particularly cortisol levels. I'm going to an endocrinologist in a week to get my levels checked.

I wrote all that to ask this. I know many have experienced similar experiences after taking a corticosteroid. How long did it take you to recover? Like I said, it's been six weeks so far and I'm miserable. I'm afraid I'll lose my job if I can't get some relief from the fatigue, insomnia and anxiety.

Answer

I had pretty much the EXACT same thing happen to me! Back in February of this year, just about six months ago, I was prescribed a 4mg dose pack for sinus issues. This was my first time ever taking this medication. I took the medication as prescribed for six days. While I was on it I felt fine and it did get rid of the inflammation. However, about 7 days after my last dose I had a panic attack and ended up in the ER thinking I was having a heart attack. That was my first ever panic attack and I had several others after that one. I became very scared and didn't want to be alone, I had just started a new job I had to quit bc I couldn't function normally. I had ZERO appetite. I had to force myself to drink ensure shakes bc I just couldn't eat anything but knew I needed something. I could no longer workout or go hiking which was incredibly disappointing bc prior to this I was very active.

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I made an appointment with my counselor who I had seen on and off for help with relationships and learning to establish better boundaries, just regular life stuff. Well, I go to her and after a little over a year of seeing her she didn't understand what was going on bc she knew I wasn't acting myself. I was so upset all the time and dealing with this new constant overwhelming anxiety. I didn't even think that it could be prednisone, it wasn't even on my radar. The only thing my counselor knew to recommend was benzos and/or antidepressants but I knew right away I did not want to go that direction after I read about some of the possible side effects of those drugs. So basically at this point I still didn't know my behavior was due to lingering negative side effects of pred. I just thought that overnight I became a defective human being.

Fast forward to April of this year and I was having some more inflammation and went to an urgent care. They prescribed me antibiotics and a prednisone shot. Within hours of taking the shot I became super hyper, couldn't get enough food and I didn't sleep but maybe two hours that evening. By the time morning came I was a mess. I was terrified, crying uncontrollably, I thought I was dying, I was scared to be alone, I couldn't remember things that were happening. It was terrifying. My roommate knew this wasn't at all like me and looked up the side effects of prednisone bc he knew I just had the shot the day before. That's the first time I learned the prednisone even had any bad mental side effects. The nurse that prescribed me the pills in February did not warn me and neither did the nurse that administered the shot.

It's now late August and I still have some lingering side effects but they are going away. I've read other peoples experiences and for some it can take upwards of a year to get back to normal. I feel like I've lost so much time in my life bc of this medications side effects. Whenever I confronted a doctor or nurse about how I thought prednisone was the cause for all of this they pretty much roll their eyes and become defensive saying those types of side effects are "rare" and I didn't take a high enough dose for long enough. I call bs on that, everyone is different and since when did rare mean impossible?

Could you let me know the brand you were taking? Mine came in a yellow/brown package and the brand was qualitest. I've done a lot of research and I do know the brand qualitest actually had one of their prednisone products recalled in May of 2017 bc it was "Superpotent Drug: above specification for the assay". I'm wondering if maybe some of these tablets are accidentally manufactured at a higher dose sometimes...

Also, how are you feeling? I hope you are feeling at least a little bit better.

Votes: +1

Answer

I was sure, after reading most of your post, that your side effects from prednisone should be subsiding by now after such a short duration of being on it.
Then I saw that you are also on Zoloft. Even at the low dose you are on anxiety is a common side effect. So your anxiety could be from this. Sleep problems too. Xanax does help, but it only covers up the side effects. You might want to talk to your doctor about switching to something else. Good luck!

Answer

4mg for 6 days probably take you a few weeks to recover. One of my clients take 5mg for 2 days and already ended up with breathing difficulty and had an ER visit. He weaned it off right away, and recovered in a week. Some people have no issues for prolonged usage of this Rx though. Anyway, my opinion is you won't lose your job as long as you drink more water to flush it out and take more rest. I think you should be fine.

Prednisone side effect duration?

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