Steroid support

[Mkemble]

Hi all Im a 23 year old female diagnosed with severe asthma since I was 16. I’ve been steroid dependent for the past two years on 40mg daily. I’ve tried reducing a couple of times with no luck and it’s really getting me down. I’m highly allergic and under the Brompton who due to my allergies and asthma type currently have no other options other then steroids.

Is anyone else on long time pred? How do you deal with the side effects? Any advice is appreciated.

[Erin001]

Hi I'm 17 and been on and off pred for a while but I've only just been prescribed 40mg pred as a med to take alternate days

What side effects have you had ??

[Mkemble in reply to Erin001]

My biggest have been weight gain, mood swings and pain in my hips and legs all confirmed as side effects by doctors!

[Erin001 in reply to Mkemble]

Ah k the weight gain is my worst side effect however due to a stomach bug I've had means that hasn't been possible

I have tremors which I know is to do with meds but I also get pain in my right hand at random times could that be related to pred ?

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador]

Hi and welcome 👋

I’m 26 and on low dose maintenance steroids (10mg), however I’ve rarely been at that level due to years of constant flare ups and yoyo-ing the dose to cope. I’m also under Brompton but luckily I’m eligible for Xolair which seems to be helping, and they reckon I’ll be able to come off the pred completely soon 🤞. I’m sorry to hear that there’s nothing more available to help you too 😔.

For me the main side effects have been muscle/joint aches and pains and muscle spasms, weight gain and mood swings (I get irritable when on higher doses 😅, or get a general low mood I can’t get out of 😒 or I can just get really emotional about stupid things 😭😅). Luckily the more serious, long term issues with the drug have so far bypassed me (touch wood).

Muscle/joint pain wise I’ll either use heat/ice/painkillers when it’s bad or get some treatment for it (osteopathy/massage just to relax and muscles which have tightened due to the pain etc). Weight wise I do my best to control what I eat but accept it as a side effect so don’t feel too down when my weight fluctuates too much the wrong way.

Mood is difficult... I either force myself to ignore my mood and put on my fake American cheerful attitude or I have ‘woe is me’ time consisting of a few hours of crappy movies/tv shows, or I have a ‘bitch-fest’ with my friends where we can all vent about any issues irritating us (from life to people!) which usually coincides with a junk food take-away.

I’ve also found coming on here when particularly frustrated or down helps too, as whilst there’s a range of asthmatics on here, there’s usually at least one who understands, and many that will offer their support even if they’re not as bad off as you are. (So feel free to use it as a venting site - I know I have in the past!!!)

I hope you start to feel more cheerful soon, and🤞that either your asthma starts to calm slightly or that they discover a new drug which would work with you’re asthma

Emma x

[Kashwi1]

I am 22 and been on preds for a few years now. My maintenance is 20mg.

I am a strange on and seem to be losing weight on pred but am sure feeling form the joint/ muscle pains and the insomnia is unreal!