Prednisone Side Effects/Withdrawal Symptoms?

I have had chronic pericarditis for the past 15 years. I have been in deflazacort 6 mg. (= to 5 mg. pred) for all of this time. Deflazacort is a similar steroid to prednisone but is more bone-sparing as pred causes osteoporosis. The action on the adrenal gland, however, is the same. With a bad attack (that feels like a heart attack), I have to zoom up to 75 mg. My goal has always been to make the decrease so that by the time 14 days has gone by, I am back down to 6 mg. That means with the higher dosage, I take the largest number for 2 days, then decrease by 15 mg./day to 60 for another 2 days; then decrease to 45 mg. for 1 day. Then 6 mg. decrease each day thereafter until I get to 15 mg. at which time I reduce by 3 mg./day to reach my 14 day goal of 5 mg./day. By doing this over 2 weeks, I have never had further pain. (By reducing the dosage quickly, this resulted in the pain returning and having to up the steroids again.)

Such a varied reaction to Prednisone. I have to say that I have experienced none of which the several below and above me report. I take 15MG daily have since October 2020. Prior to that I have taken Pred in various dosages self described about 100 Mg for several days and taper but 50 mg for a few weeks then taper. I have spinal issues that since my bad days fusions has mostly repaired.
but still some pain and inflammation, I have tried many other drugs, docs don't want me on Pred for ever but that seems to be my direction. I don't know what I would do without 15mg daily.
I have none of the issue the others report and don't fear it. i'm 64 and its better then pain and has improved my life. Until something better comes along I'm on 15mg. Good Luck everyone

I've been prescribed Prednisone on several different occasions for SLE starting in 2010. I went from feeling a little sick to extremely sick. I started experiencing extreme joint pain in my knees, headaches, forgetfulness, anxiety, and aggressive behaviors. Each time I would tell the doctors about my symptoms, they would tell me that they never heard this before as a side effect and would just prescribe more medicines. This recent prescription was a result of me experiencing a flare of some sort following a flu shot. I swear the ingredients in Prednisone must have changed because I experienced some of the worst side effects (I've developed a heart murmur, uncontrolled high blood pressure, weird breathing, pain in ankles/elbows/knees,). Basically, I feel worse than before I start taking medication. Tapering off prednisone was harder this time... every time I tapered below 10 mg, I started feeling extremely sick. Needless to say, I managed to taper because I was to scared to stay on this stuff. It hasn't been easy..but I'm not going back on this stuff.

Thanks for your post. I wonder how you are now? I’m desperately trying to taper off prednisone. I was started on it about nine moths ago for severe lower leg pain and tingling from nerve impingement due to vertebrae issues. Was on max dose of 25 mg per day for a week early on and then tapered gradually down to 8 mg. I’ve been trying to taper off but have had to go quite slowly, .5 mg every two weeks. Just tapered from 4.5 mg to 4 mg and after the third day had the worst withdrawal symptoms I’ve had. I’m hoping to have a better day tomorrow as this is just awful. Has anyone else had to take so long to taper off?

It is an evil drug. I was prescribed it once and couldn't take it from all the side effects you're describing, plus it made me super emotional. My husband was sick and pretty much bed bound for almost ten years (after chemo) with chronic pain, fibromyalgia which is related to Crohns as they are both considered TH1 inflammatory diseases that are immune system related. He got off all of the Neuro meds they prescribed and did something called the Marshall protocol. Not an easy treatment and kinda out of the box, comes with its own set of symptoms but after a couple years on it, he is doing great and off all his meds, including the Narcof they had him on and off the Marshall protocol as well. Works for Crohns, rheumatoid arthritis, fibro, Lyme, lupus. It was originally created for sarcoidosis. You might want to take a look.

I was on it for about a day for 20 mg and I had bad body weakness and pain and headaches and also nausea. I was told to take it for five days but was never told to be weaned off of it. I did my research about it after the first day and after I felt all the affects. I took 10 mg the next day and then went to the er and was told to stop taking it. I'm now taking vitamin D to help avoid bone problems, vitamin c to help support my body with antioxidants, and immune system vitamin, and a muscle and joint vitamin to avoid arthritis.