Prednisone: How Can Such A Little Pill Make Me So....AHHH!!!

After my IV steroid treatments of 750mg x3 days I tapered down to 60mg Prednisone daily. (Prednisone is the name for the oral form of steroids where Solumedrol is the name for the IV form)

I knew some of the side effects of steroids. I had seen the effects first hand, and had also heard of some of the side effects from patients and friends who had been on high doses. 

Right after my IV doses, the only thing that I started experiencing was lots of energy early in the morning. I would wake up around 4am every morning, ready to get moving! This started to get very frustrating because by the time Elin woke up I was getting pretty exhausted.

My mom had received an email from a friend of ours at church who had undergone a kidney transplant due to kidney failure. I wrote about him a little here. He had been on high doses of steroids as well and wrote my mom, giving her a heads up on what I may experience on the steroids. My mom so kindly sent it to Jared to "warn" him! Haha. I'm glad my family was a little prepared as to what they were going to be experiencing! See below...this sums it up.

 

http://prednisonesupport.tumblr.com/

Here is a chart describing the side effects of steroids. The intensity of side effects will vary from person to person and size of dose. I will explain below a little how each has affected me, or not affected me. 

Emotional Disturbances: Where to start? Feeling on edge 24/7. Anxiety every moment of the day. Excitability. Shaky. Wanting to snap at the littlest things that would bother me. (I am currently on 10mg daily and still have my days when this affects me but definitely not as bad now!)

Enlarged Sella Turcica: A depression in the base of the skull where the pituitary gland is situated.http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=9683

Moon Facies: This is a moon face. Your face going from nice cheek bone definition to a very round "puffy" face! I noticed my face getting "puffy" one day when I was putting on my makeup. My cheeks felt like I had them puffed. When I looked closer in the mirror I realized I looked like it too! I don't really have any good picture of me with my moon face. Now that my face is "normal" again, I wish I would have taken one! Here is the best one I could find. It's hard to tell. You can also see my large abdomen if you look closely. If anything, this picture shows off some pretty special people! :)

Osteoporosis:Osteoporosis, or thinning bones, is a serious condition that can result in tremendous pain with fractures. http://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/default.htm
This possible side effect is one of the reasons why I get to "indulge" in at least 2-Tums Extra Strength tabs each day. They give me the added calcium I need to keep my bones strong. They also are much needed for the abdominal pain caused by the prednisone! 

Cardiac Hypertrophy (Hypertension, high blood pressure): I remember one night, the week right after my IV treatments and just a couple days before seeing my nephrologist, I was in bed and woke up at about 12am with the WORST headache! I had taken Tylenol just before bed (which I had been doing for the kidney pain). This concerned me that a headache woke me up! As I sat up in bed, my heart felt like it was going to explode, I was sweating and hot and did not feel right. Because my BP had been high at previous appointments and in the hospital, I thought I better check it to make sure I didn't need to go to the ER. (not that I would have anyway, and I didn't when I maybe should have) I stumbled down stairs to get my BP cuff and stethoscope, brought it up to bed and tried my best to put it on myself. (that was funny) I told Jared what I was doing, but, he is a great sleeper and didn't wake up enough to know what was going on! :) My BP was 158/100 I believe. Luckily my doctors appointment was soon so I knew it would get taken care of then!

Buffalo Hump: Oh yes. A buffalo hump is extra fat that develops at the back of the neck and upper back. Mine developed pretty much at the base of my neck. 

Obesity: So...I had just finished loosing 20lbs doing Prism (I talked a bit about Prism here) I was already gaining weight quickly due to water weight from the swelling, add the prednisone and the abdominal weight gain began.

As you see in the picture below, one of these photos is of me carrying my sweet Elin in my belly and the other is a picture of me on 60mg of prednisone and ascites (accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity) due to the kidney damage. Can you tell? ;)

 The photo on the right is me pregnant

Adrenal Tumor or Hyperplasia: The adrenal gland producing too much cortisol. Cortisol is the bodies natural steroid.

Thin, wrinkled skin: I really haven't experienced this. 

Abdominal Striae: Oh stretch marks! My stomach was already "blessed" by you while I was cookin' my sweet baby girl! ;) With the abdominal obesity caused by the prednisone, I now have added stretch marks.  

Amenorrhea: Or, absent menstruation. This is, I believe, the ONLY positive thing about prednisone!! Unfortunately, due to my crazy mood swings, abdominal bloating and acne, you would have thought I was PMSing every day! ;) 

Muscle Weakness: Just to give a little example. Back in June we had our vacation bible school program at church and I held my 18 month old nephew (who weighs a bit more than Elin) during most of the program (only about 20 min). I woke up the next day and my arms were soo sore! They were tender for about 2 days after that! Haha.

Purpura: Bruising. I Bruise pretty easily now. Not as much now compared to when I was on a high dose of prednisone. I have one reoccurring bruise on my right forearm, right below my antecub. It's weird. It just likes to "show up" every now and then. 

Skin Ulcers (poor wound healing): I was lucky enough not to get any ulcers. And when I went on the prednisone I didn't have any sores or cuts that required healing. Since I'm pretty prone to injury, I have had to be VERY careful not to injure myself. I'm pretty amazed at how well I am doing!

A few other side effects this chart does not mention that I also have experienced while on prednisone: acne, insomnia, hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), hot flashes, increased hunger, excess stomach acid secretion (not so much heartburn but severe stomach pain/burning, like my insides were eating themselves), and abnormal heart rhythm (which I currently deal with on a daily basis, it's really annoying!)  

 

http://complicatedfabulous.wordpress.com/

I have tapered down from 60mg to 10mg (my current dose) over the course of a couple months. I must say, this drug is NOT fun, but it DID do the trick as far as healing my kidneys up. I am so grateful it has worked so I would not have to go through; chemotherapy, dialysis and/or a kidney transplant. Thank you Jesus!