Not looking for medical advice just wondering if anyone has experienced similar
I have had history of ill mental health However have been coping fairly well
I started on prednisolone around 5 days ago and am noticing a dip I feel anxious to the point where my breathing is difficult to get under control tearful and am fixating on things I have no control over
I feel tearful and am not sleeping as well
Is this the norm or something that should be expected? Hard to think a drug could cause this ? X
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cpr02
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Dont want to worry you but yes it can. Do call your doctor in the morning, it is a side effect that could make you feel poorly. Let us know what they says
Unfortunately, Pred can indeed cause insomnia, anxiety, depression, and mood swings, including mania, as well as some other disturbances in mood and behaviour like tearfulness and irritability. It’s a very useful, very potent medication for suppressing inflammation and associated pain, but the decision to use it has to be weighed up against the potential side effects, of which there are many. You don’t mention what dose you’re on, but psychiatric effects can sometimes be dose dependent (more likely to occur at higher doses); regardless of whether or not it effects you poorly, the advice generally is that pred should be used at the lowest dose possible to get relief, for the shortest period of time. It’s also worth mentioning that studies have shown that prior mental health issues don’t automatically lead to these types of side effects, it just seems to effect some people this way and not others on a whim. I have significant past mental health history, but the only issue I ever have with pred is the munchies if on more than 15mg for any length of time. Conversely, my 12 year old takes 40mg a day when her respiratory disease is bad, and it tends to not only make her insatiably hungry, but also quite volatile and irritable.
I would speak with the GP to let them know how you’re feeling, and they should hopefully then keep an eye and check in with you to make sure that you’re coping and it’s not getting any worse, but there aren’t a huge number of alternatives whilst waiting for other medication to kick in. Making sure you take the pred as early as you possibly can in the morning may help with the insomnia (and pred should generally always be taken in the morning anyway), but otherwise it’s going to be about weighing up which is more intolerable, but please remember you should *never* stop steroids suddenly, and certainly not stop without first seeking medical advice.
That’s actually a significant dose, tbh, and certainly more than enough to trigger the emotional side effects if you’re prone to those. The absolute max is 80, but 40 or above is considered a very high dose, generally. Many people dealing with flares or pre diagnosis might only take doses around 15mg and then quite quickly taper down. The good news there, though, is that if you talk to your doctor (and/or possibly whoever prescribed the pred in the first place) there might be room to lower the dose and still get the desired effect without as many of the side effects you’re currently having.
You really need to contact the prescribing physician asap, there are other meds that you could be prescribed that will not have the side effects that you describe.Why experience unnecessary symptoms that make you tearful & disturb your sleep......go on, call your doctor.
I was told basically there wasn't at my last appointment when I questioned it as was concerned about weight gain (which I would happily swap this for 🤣🤣🤣) I was told it was the o ly way to treat wide spread inflammation xx
Well as you can see from the replies here....for some of us Prednisolone is the drug from hell......it nearly sent me round the bend 20 years ago...I .haven,t touched it since It is fast effective & cheap...but as far as I’m concerned.....not at any price
Hi,
Unfortunately they do the same to me only if I take a dosage of 10mg or more. I’ve been taking 5-2mg for over a year now and I’m fine.
At least I know I'm not going crazy couldn't understand why suddenly I felt so bad its only a 4 week course and as of Friday the dose will reduce just suddenly wondered if it could be linked to the meds x
Probably the meds but I urge you not to leave it lie!! Do check with the gp. I know from my brothers experience it's important as steroids can affect people in a non helpful way x
You are not alone it absolutely can, I have only taken it once 15mg and I was so anxious and upset, when I went down to the 7.5mg dose I was much better xx
The first few times I was prescribed pred it was all good, I felt so much better and apart from a little insomnia it was great. This last time, a few weeks ago, it was only a short tapered course starting at 10mg and it didn't agree with me at all. Irritable would be really understating things. Maybe time to have a talk to your prescriber because you shouldn't feel that bad.
Put it this way...my OH has said that if I ever have to take oral pred again he’s moving out! Devil’s tic tacs....your joints may feel brilliant but as for the rest - ugh.
I have had nearly two weeks of 30mg and growls and high fatigue for me. Snapping a lot too so I hear you thank goodness for tapering from Friday no matter what!
When my GP put me on a short, low dose course she warned me that emotional side effects were common - either positive or negative. I found that it made me quite upbeat and when I mentioned that to my rheumy consultant she pointed out that I might well find the opposite when I came off it...I agree with the others - talk to your doctor about it as soon as you can.
I had exactly the same reaction after 4 days. It’s not you it’s the drug. I came off it immediately on advice from the doctor. All the symptoms went away.
I think 30mg would be way to high for me. I was on 10mg about 5 years ago and pred is well known to cause intercranial pressure, which I suffered with something awful, couldn't even hold my head up as soon as it was reduced to 7.5mg it stopped and it was as if someone had lifted a weight off my head! I am now on 5mg which I can cope with, but it has taken time.
Prednisolone definitely affects my mood at higher doses (e.g., 15 or 20mg). My temper is a lot shorter! I have to watch myself or I can get very snappy with the kids. The first ever time I took it I got a really strong feeling of euphoria, but sadly that never happened again.
I have only taken one course of a months tapering dose of pred. Like Smelliot I experienced euphoria for a short time. Added to this I wanted to do as much as possible while I felt so much better. When I got down to between 10mg and 5mg I crashed, but would do anything to have that two weeks again. I was so glad to know my arms, legs, hands and feet will be able to work properly again when I finally get on the correct meds.
I react really badly even on a relatively low dose - I get what my daughter and I call Roid Rage and the feeling that a trap door has given way underneath me and my mental health can plunge into terrible depression.Bizarrely I get none of these side effects if I have a steroid shot in my bum - if anything I get the opposite and feel like superwoman.
You are not alone, and Helix’s description of them as the devil’s tic tacs is spot on 😂
I would class myself as a thoroughly sensible woman but RA has been tough and Prednisolone my saviour. However it has made changes this past 12 months. Sleeplessness and anxiety, added to the fear or going out and lack of exercise - I’m not myself. But the Covid crisis hasn’t left anyone untouched. You’d have to have a heart of stone not to have been crushed a little by the daily drama and terror on our screens. All I can say is hang in there. Avoid TV News when you can and find humour and beauty wherever it exists. Onward and upward!
I haven't really been watching the news anyway and generally feel slightly more positive regarding covid I and my parent's have had a vaccine which reassures me and ensure I get out for exercise
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