Prednisolone some effects

[Samson08]

My partner has had cancer 3 times in 3 years and has been on prednisolone since September. She started on 55mg per day, down to 10mg per day. Last week she started behaving different to her normal personality. She was angry and irritable and accusing me of abuse. She asked me to move out and wants nothing to do with me ever again after 6 years. She's on a high dose of cyclosporine immunosuppressants. Does anyone have any experience of someone they care for having a change of personality and behaving irrationally? I'm beside myself and after 3 years of caring for her solely I feel so isolated and heartbroken

[SnazzyD]

Hello, I’m sorry to hear of your troubles. It must be difficult when partner just changes. Do they have PMR or GCA? This the forum for that rather than cancer. However, as Prednisolone takers, some of us in the higher dose range, we can say that it can cause emotional changes and even psychosis. However, it is usually when the dose is on the high side a reduces with dose and 10mg isn’t too high. Saying that, it can accumulate too. I do urge you to get medical advice though because they may need medication to even things out but also there is the possibility that it has something to do with the cancer. Don’t suffer alone thinking it’s par for the course.

[Samson08 in reply to SnazzyD]

Thank you. My head is all over the place. Trying to find out as much about prednisolone as I can, and how it effects people's mood. I have rang her consultant to tell him what has happened. He reassured me he would call her and ask to see her.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Sorry to hear this- can I ask what illness she has to be on Prednisolone.

High doses of the drug can have adverse effects as you describe, but your partner’s do seem more extreme than is usually discussed here - so just wondering if another forum may be more appropriate.

To be honest, I think you, and she, needs specialised medical advice on this -although I realise that may be difficult in present times, and your deteriorating relationship.

[Samson08 in reply to DorsetLady]

She is recovering from leukemia. I never realised how many adverse side effects there were from prednisolone. I'm ring to gather as much information as possible. Thank you

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Samson08]

There certainly are on higher doses and sometimes you really don’t have control of your normal personality.

I can remember letting rip a a staff member in the garden centre once… but once I’d sat down, had a coffee and calmed down I did apologise - it was so out of character…and fortunately a one-off.

Add in recovery from leukaemia and I imagine it’s extremely difficult for your partner.

Hope she gets the help she needs from her medical team.

Best wishes to you both

[Bluey-1]

How very sad. I feel for you and your partner in this situation Samson. I started on 60mg of prednisolone in June 22 and have tapered to 12.5mg. I can only say that I have felt very odd on these drugs, not myself. I have been at times highly irritable at the smallest thing. It’s as if I can’t stand the slightest amount of stress. I’ve been quite angry when people can’t seem to understand my situation but why would they? I am aware of what’s happening but don’t understand why. Meditation and reflexology has helped me to have some calm. As I taper the steroids things have got better. It’s difficult and heartbreaking for you when you only want to help. Not sure I can offer advice but wanted to share my experience.

[Samson08 in reply to Bluey-1]

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with me. Its interesting to hear from you how it made you feel and that you had no understanding at the time. Thank you very much

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It is a strange dose to experience this - high dose pred can cause all sorts of mental effects but usually they improve as the dose falls. However, as you get into the adrenal insufficiency range mood changes can manifest again but that is usually after a lot longer on pred and at well below 10mg.

However - rarely cyclosporine has been known to cause psychosis so maybe you need to get in touch with her oncology team - if no-one tells them, they won't know and she won't be likely to.

Although all of us here have been or are on pred and often at similar high doses, we're not experts on this sort of aspect. But we are very aware we get very ratty and unpleasant at times. Cancer 3 times in 3 years is also a very challenging history so her mental health is likely to be very fragile.

I do hope you can resolve this positively. Hugs

[piglette]

A side effect of steroids is a change personality. My sister said no one notice in my case!!

[SheffieldJane]

you do need support through this. I have been horrible and aggressive in the past. I felt low self esteem and guilt and thought it would be better to be away from my partner. A therapist can give you a way through. It is so hard coping with chronic illness. The help you are given is not want you crave sometimes. I’d rather be cuddled and understood than cooked for. He is better at the practical stuff. But he’s trying and I do feel loved these days.x

[Lenore58]

Hi Samson, this sounds terribly sad, on so many levels. I’m so sorry for the emotional pain and confusion you are experiencing. I have 3 main things to share for your consideration:

1. I had a friend whose husband had a sudden and stark personality change. He started acting mean and violent, where he never had before. He was in the care of a psychiatrist, but things were not improving. My friend was forced to file for divorce to protect herself and her children. Months later, this man was diagnosed with terminal bran cancer. It was the tumor that had caused the personality changes. I’m wondering about the possibility of your partner’s leukemia having spread to the brain?

2. I’m sorry to raise this painful possibility: I have another friend who was married to a very difficult man. He was rigid, controlling, angry and depressed. My friend had a bout of Hodgkin’s Disease years previous, but it had gone into remission for years. Then it came back, and she had to start the chemo etc, all over again to fight for her life. She told her husband. “I am fighting for my life, and I need positivity and love surrounding me. Therefore, you are out. I need you to leave this house. I have shared the ways you have about you that are oppressive and unacceptable to me, yet you continue on in those ways. I’m done; please leave now.” I am wondering if there have been things about your relationship that have deeply disturbed your partner? (Harshness, rigidness, anger, negativity, disrespect, disregard? ) If so, she may have an instinctive desire to get away from any negative influences in order to promote positivity and healing. I truly hope this in no way applies.

2. Personality changes/mood swings are a known side effect of prednisone, so it could simply be that.

Again, so very sorry for the emotional pain.