Help

I have just been prescribed Predisolone for the first time in my life and am worried! _ The word steroid scares me alot. What should I expect from them? I have had a chest infection, shaking on Salbutomol and it wont clear. Finished antibiotics and got these! Answers anyone? Just need to reassure myself!!!

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Kat, I assume you have been prescribed a short course (5 days?), don't worry. One off short courses don't tend to pose a problem. I know someone who gets the what we call the pred munchies - a need to eat well graze on things that tend to be in the red bit of the traffic light system - even on short courses but it is only if you are on long term steriods that the side effects start to kick in.

I am sure one of the Drs on here will be along shortly with the proper facts etc but I thought I would get something reassuring in now. Don't panic!

Bex

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Hi Kat,

I'm sorry to hear that you've been struggling and that you've had to be prescribed prednisolone. I can very much understand your fear - any new drug is intimidating, at first, and steroids especially so, due to their reputation.

The first thing to say is that there are many types of steroid - a steroid is just a particular type of fatty hormone. Corticosteroids such as prednisolone are very similar to a naturally produced hormone, cortisol, which is made in the body by the adrenal gland. They are completely different from anabolic steroids, which are the steroids abused by body-builders, sometimes with severe side effects.

Corticosteroids are powerful drugs, when used at the sort of anti-inflammatory doses that we give in asthma (typically prednisolone 30 - 40mg). They do have some significant side effects, and are always used with caution by doctors. They are very useful drugs, though, in asthma and in many other conditions, and indeed can be life-saving. In prescribing prednisolone for you, your doctor will have considered the risks of a short course of steroids, and weighed that up against the significant discomfort and risk of having uncontrolled asthma.

Bex is right to say that significant side effects from corticosteroids are very uncommon with a short course. The most common side effects you might experience are usually gastrointestinal. Increased appetite and weight gain are quite common - this usually goes back to normal when you stop taking the steroid. Indigestion and acid reflux are also common side effects - these can be treated with an over the counter indigestion remedy (ask your pharmacist which one would be most suitable for you) or go back to your doctor if it is severe.

Occasionally people can have mood disturbances and difficulty sleeping with short courses of steroids. The mood changes can vary from feelings of elation to feeling quite low and miserable. This is totally normal and should all resolve when you finish the course, but again, do go back to your doctor if it is severe. The sleeping difficulties can be improved by taking the tablets first thing in the morning.

If you suffer with high blood pressure or diabetes, steroids may make these a little more difficult to control. In the short term, this is not usually a problem, but if you are diabetic your doctor may want you to temporarily increase your medication.

Most people, with a short course of prednisolone, will find that they will get minimal or no side effects. I remember the first course of prednislone I had (about fifteen years ago, now!) - I would not have known that I was on it, if it wasn't for the great improvement in my chest symptoms! You may read a lot of scary things about steroids, on this and other websites, but remember that most of the people on here who are dealing with severe side effects have been on prednisolone continuously for months or years. As always, if you have any problems or are worried about anything, do contact your doctor, but there's no reason to think that you will not be absolutely fine.

Good luck, and I hope that the pred helps with your chest

Take care

Em H

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Thanks for your replies

I have braved my first 6 tablets which I think is what made the whole thing worrying because I felt that six was alot but I understand they are low dosage per tablet! This is a great site - since being diagnosed as a child, I have tried to ignore the fact that I have asthma, hide my inhaler in my blazer pocket at school etc. I think it stems from being a sports and pony mad child (and adult!!!!!) My asthma is usually under control although in the winter I do tend to need a Beclazone preventor aswell as salbutomol as I get mnore chesty! I realise I am lucky as it does not interfere with my life too much, I can still play hockey, teach PE and have horses and dogs. It seems to be cold weather in the winter that triggers it (and pollen in the summer), aerosols and colds!! However, I still resent the fact I have asthma because of my sports and indeed my job as I am head of PE in a secondary school so I kind of need my lungs to run around like an idiot all day and I usually do not have any problems doing that. When this kind of thing happens ie a chest infection, it comes as a harsh reminder that I have asthma and I get frustrated and even a little scared! I have always been the same ever since being admitted onto the childrens ward with it at 15 and I was terrified! Emily H your explanation of how steroids work was really useful as it put my mind at rest - I thought I was going to drop dead like some of these weight lifter people do!!!! I am really worried at the moment that my 2 year old daughter has it too. She gets chesty all the time and I really dont want her to have to go through any of this! Anyway that is a separate worry, I wont worry myself with any more things today.

Kat x

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Hi Kat..... hopefully you should start to notice the benefits within 24hours.

My son (9) regulary takes short high doses course for his brittle asthma, he is currently on a 14day plan, for which he takes 8 prednisolne tablets.

He does get aggresive on these, not really badly but they do certinaly affect his mood, he also gets a large appitite which is good in his case because he is under weight.

a note about your daugher, if i were you i'd take her to your gp and explain your concerns, they will give her a full examination and at least no matter what the outcome your mind will be at ease.

I hope you feel better soon! xxx

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Hi Kat, I had to start a short course of pred around 2 1/2 weeks ago now - I've had them before but each time it is scary - I question whether I could have done without them etc. As you say when we have these blips it does force you to confront the fact that we have asthma and need to care for it when it flares up. Hope you will feel better by tomorrow. I find I need around 2 days for it to kick in noticeably.

Emilys reply is brill I would print it off if I were you. I don't get the munchies on pred - cos my chest is tight I usually eat less. I have had trouble sleeping and see now from Emily's post it may be due to my taking the pred after lunch. Having started the course at that time I thought I had to stick to the same time.

I find that this time and last time around 3-4 years ago I had symptoms which were pmt like - I have been a bit headachy but that is about all and for the improvement in my chest I say it is well worth giving in to the pred. I am on my countdown now with 2 tabs for the next 2 days then 1 tab for the following 2 days.

Take care try and rest (difficult I know - esp with a young child). I always expect to be back to normal within a few days but be a bit patient.

SandiX

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They are working

Thanks everyone again for your replies. I have not had any sever side effects from the preds which finish on Friday - I am still alive and I CAN BREATHE now! In fact I can breathe in deeper now than I think I ever have before. I am back at work on Friday but am planning on taking it easy eg my year 10 classes can do a bleep test in the hall as opposed to cross country so I can just stand and watch them without having to run anywhere all being well but as I said in my earlier posts, I have not been this bad for ages. How much longer shall I stay off playing hockey? Is the worst that caould happen, I get weezy and need a salbutomol fix or does your body need longer to recover when you have been taking steroids. I was not planning on plaing this weekend as I do not think I am physically up to it just yet but just wondered whether there were any hard and fast rules from experience?

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Hi Kat,

I'm so glad that the steroids have worked and you're feeling better - it's a good feeling, to be able to breathe properly again after a bad period, isn't it?

There are no hard and fast rules about resuming normal activity levels, and everyone is different. It's really just a case of listening to your body and judging for yourself - I would guess that as a PE teacher and a sporty person you're probably better than most of us at knowing your body's limits. It does take longer than most people would imagine to get over a bad attack, so do go easy on yourself at first.

The fact that you've been on pred does not in itself mean that you need to take longer to recover - the pred itself won't particularly have put you at higher risk of problems in the recovery phase. However, the fact that you *needed* pred obviously means that this was a much worse bout than is usual for you, so I would take it easy at first. Can you ease yourself back into it gradually, perhaps with some lighter indoor activity before you subject yourself to hockey and cross-country? Bear in mind that if your airways are still a bit twitchy, cold air may be a trigger for you, even if it isn't usually.

Remember to take your salbutamol (Ventolin) with you whereever you go, and if you are having problems on exertion, you could try taking a puff of it before you start. As always, if in doubt, or if you think you are not recovering as fast as you should, consult your doctor.

Best of luck

Em H

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Hi Kat,

I'm so glad that the steroids have worked and you're feeling better - it's a good feeling, to be able to breathe properly again after a bad period, isn't it?

There are no hard and fast rules about resuming normal activity levels, and everyone is different. It's really just a case of listening to your body and judging for yourself - I would guess that as a PE teacher and a sporty person you're probably better than most of us at knowing your body's limits. It does take longer than most people would imagine to get over a bad attack, so do go easy on yourself at first.

The fact that you've been on pred does not in itself mean that you need to take longer to recover - the pred itself won't particularly have put you at higher risk of problems in the recovery phase. However, the fact that you *needed* pred obviously means that this was a much worse bout than is usual for you, so I would take it easy at first. Can you ease yourself back into it gradually, perhaps with some lighter indoor activity before you subject yourself to hockey and cross-country? Bear in mind that if your airways are still a bit twitchy, cold air may be a trigger for you, even if it isn't usually.

Remember to take your salbutamol (Ventolin) with you whereever you go, and if you are having problems on exertion, you could try taking a puff of it before you start. As always, if in doubt, or if you think you are not recovering as fast as you should, consult your doctor.

Best of luck

Em H