Skin sensitivity after stopping Prednisolone

[Animalover65]

Hi, I stopped Pred in November after approx 20months - starting dose was 20 mg.

I noticed last summer my arms were very sensitive to mild sunlight and I came up in a red rash after thinking I was sitting in the shade. And I recently was in the garden doing some pruning and my face and chest looked like I had been sunbathing on the mediteranean. Its even the slightest amount of very weak sun even in the shade that does it. I am going to cover up and use the suntan lotion going forwards.

Was just wondering have others had this and does this mean the skin will be this sensitive for the foreseeable future.

Thanks

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It is very common to burn easily when on pred even though doctors will tell you it isn't a side effect of pred - and in fact steroids may be used in skin sensitivity issues. However, they doo often warn patients to use extra sun protection when in the sun. And of course, even sitting in the shade, rays are being reflected off surrounding surfaces.

This article

singlecare.com/blog/prednis...

puts the blame on the effect of pred that thins the skin. I certainly don't go brown like I used to, I was brown all year round pre-PMR.

Whatever it is that causes it is unlikely to disapear immediately if it ever does. Some doctors say the skin effects of pred never recover I think it depends on the person - my skin is far tougher than it was at higher doses of pred and I am still on 7mg.

[Animalover65 in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you PMRpro I will read the article once I have finished decluttering the contents of the spare room. I think the sunshine here is giving me some motivation.!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Animalover65]

At least you are unlikely to get burnt in there!

[Animalover65 in reply to PMRpro]

Absolutely, a girl cant take too many chances,

[Hindags in reply to PMRpro]

I developed a mysterious itchy skin condition with hypersensitivity to any scratchy texture . It began about four months after coming off predators for PMR. Mine was a three year journey from 20 mg pretty much without a flare but lots of hair loss and skin so thin I kept bandaids in the car and purse etc. I ended pred in Dec 2019. Cortisone creams were useless. A very short course of low dose pred did help when one of the rashes got really bad.

It took two years for the itchy eruptions to mostly go away. I found Benadryl gel my only relief. Never got a diagnosis that made sense. Lots of biopsies without anything definitive . The pandemic was a blessing because being homebound meant not having to dress properly and I could conceal going braless under a wardrobe of scarves. I moved all work meetings to the computer.

Reading about thinning skin not healing makes me wonder if it was a thin skin problem that finally repaired itself over two years time.

Anyone here have anything like this?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hindags]

If you want to get an answer to that last question - post it again as a new thread! No-one except DL, me and the author of the thread will see it here because of the way HU works - few read all the way through a thread beside us!

In the early stages of PMR, during the 5 years I wasn't taking pred as it wasn't diagnosed, I had an itchy rash which was often in the creases in my groin and under my breasts where it tended to get infected. It would clear with a triple ingredient cream: cortisone with an antifungal and an antibiotic in it. If there is a fungal infection cortisone alone will just make it worse. It improved after I went on pred but I could also control it by diet and discovered that if I didn't eat highly commercialised wheat I was fine. It was serendipity - I went low carb to try and lose weight and while I was at home in the UK it always improved because I was strict about my diet. We spent a lot of time here in Italy with our caravan or here at our flat and it was always worse here - I was eating pizza and pasta! I eventually established it wasn't gluten but wheat starch - I could eat rye, barley and spelt and other wheats but in the UK I reacted to the Juvela gluten-free products that were made with washed wheat starch. Now I am on Actemra I can eat pretty much anything in moderation - on pred I could eat wheat occasionally.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Hindags]

Can’t help sorry. But as PMRpro says, please raise a new post…

[PMRCanada]

It is suspected I have PMLE (polymorphous light eruption) which first appeared on a winter holiday in Mexico 9 years ago, before my PMR diagnosis. The raised blisters appeared after exposure to the sun.

I’ve been a sunbather for years but now every winter holiday and in the spring here in Canada, I have the same reaction that lasts about a week. Then my skin “hardens” and seems to adjust to the sunlight and I’m fine for the rest of the summer.

I’m now more mindful about sun exposure, especially being on Methotrexate for which sun sensitivity is a side effect. Also still on pred but haven’t noticed changes in the PMLE regardless what medications I am on. I have wondered if my first outbreak all those years ago was a precursor to my autoimmune condition (PMR), later?

[Animalover65 in reply to PMRCanada]

That's good that you can still enjoy the sun safely,

[Animalover65]

Absolutely! A girl cannot take too many chances.

[SnazzyD]

Took months for my skin to improve after Pred. Can’t say it is back to normal but it isn’t as thin as it was, but already was on the thin side anyway, and I am 7 years older. I stopped getting a sun rash at a mere hint of sun on my skin but am definitely more prone to keratoses and liver spots.

[Animalover65 in reply to SnazzyD]

Thanks SnazzyD, at least I know I am not alone. Good that your skin has improved a little.

[agingfeminist]

just gone down to 0.5mg after 4.5 years (shhh! hope PMR doesn't notice....used DL v slow taper). This year noticed skin less vulnerable to tearing at the slightest scratch....also sudden inexplicable bruising seems to have stopped. Can't say anything about sunbathing...never done it. But skin sensitivity included reaction to certain creams...perhaps be careful with the sun cream you use...maybe try it on a small patch of skin overnight before slathering it on.

[Animalover65 in reply to agingfeminist]

Yes thank you I will take care with the sun cream. Great that you are down to 0.5mg without PMR noticing!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to agingfeminist]

We don’t vie for competition re slow tapering… they are much of a muchness.. one based on daily format, one based on weekly format.

Doesn’t matter which one works for you… the aim of both of us it’s to get you there - and in comfort as possible.😀

[Animalover65 in reply to DorsetLady]

I thought agingfeminist mean she was reducing well and hoped PolyMyalgia Rheumatica -the disease had not noticed! LOL

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Animalover65]

Sorry - yes see what mean… been having issues with broadband today so bit befuddled!

[Animalover65 in reply to DorsetLady]

I am a proper technophobe so permanently befuddled. I just need an 11 year old to help me out!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Animalover65]

I’m normally IT savvy -but it’s an external issues -which should have been remedied at lunch time but wasn’t! .

First world problems huh😂🤣

[Animalover65 in reply to DorsetLady]

IT systems are like cars they are good when they go .LOL

[Wizards]

Here is something no one has brought up and could be a possibility.

You could now be alergic to the sun. Out of the blue my mother went to Spain and became alergic to the sun.

Our family doesn't need to sunbath we just go brown. This lasted many years and then went away.

My daughter-in-law who is from Italy is also alergic to the sun. Same symptoms you described.

Just food for thought.

[Animalover65 in reply to Wizards]

Thank you Wizards, its helpful to consider that also as a possible option. I am so glad I found this on line family.

[Mgpa]

yes this is a known problem with steroids