1. < Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR)

Prednisone Side Effects and Withdrawal Symptoms

Posted by hopeinal @hopeinal, Jul 6 3:55pm

Since it's been a couple of years since the last discussion I found about one of my problems since going on Pred---red eyes that are red rimmed as well, sort of like a really bad case of pinkeye---I thought I'd ask again to see if anyone else has experienced this.

I was tapering last month and doing well, went from 15 mg down to about 6.5 when I crashed and burned with a huge flare and had to go all the way to 20 to get relief. But while I was tapering and got below 10 mg, my perpetually demon-red eyes cleared up and actually looked normal again. As soon as I had to increase my Prednisone dose, they went back to the pinkeye effect. Not being a big believer in coincidence, I feel sure the Pred is the problem with my eyes. I've seen three ophthamalogists and they couldn't diagnose it.

Anybody else had this happen? Also, as I mentioned on here recently, my forearms and tops of both hands are absolutely scary looking. So covered in deep purple bruises, skin tears everywhere because my skin is now tissue thin....it's awful. I've seen photos in other PMR groups of people on Pred whose arms look like mine. According to my research (thank you Google) thinning skin is a side effect of Prednisone. So, I'm now wondering if that's also the problem with my eyes, that the blood vessels are breaking because the membrane (skin) over my eyes has thinned.

What are your thoughts or experience with side effects of Prednisone?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) Support Group.

hopeinal | @hopeinal | Aug 1 9:31am

Well, just when I think I have every side effect of Prednisone, a new one pops up. The latest, though, is a happy one. Curious to see if any of y'all have experienced this: My hair, that has been straight as a stick since birth, is now curly. Not perm curly with tight curls, but curly. It was thinning rapidly a few months ago, which is another unfortunate side effect of the pred, and has mostly grown back now but no longer straight. I turned 72 Monday so I'm late getting the naturally curly hair I always wished for, but better late than never. lol Anybody else?

REPLY
4 replies
emo | @emo | Aug 1 10:18am
In reply to @hopeinal "Well, just when I think I have every side effect of Prednisone, a new one pops..." + (show)
@hopeinal

Well, just when I think I have every side effect of Prednisone, a new one pops up. The latest, though, is a happy one. Curious to see if any of y'all have experienced this: My hair, that has been straight as a stick since birth, is now curly. Not perm curly with tight curls, but curly. It was thinning rapidly a few months ago, which is another unfortunate side effect of the pred, and has mostly grown back now but no longer straight. I turned 72 Monday so I'm late getting the naturally curly hair I always wished for, but better late than never. lol Anybody else?

Jump to this post

Hmm, never heard of that! I’m glad it’s growing back though. I had a PT who was treated for lymphoma, and after it went in remission and started to grow back after chemo, her hair also came back much curlier.

REPLY
1 reply
Moderator
Justin McClanahan, Moderator | @JustinMcClanahan | Aug 1 12:27pm
In reply to @hopeinal "Well, just when I think I have every side effect of Prednisone, a new one pops..." + (show)
@hopeinal

Well, just when I think I have every side effect of Prednisone, a new one pops up. The latest, though, is a happy one. Curious to see if any of y'all have experienced this: My hair, that has been straight as a stick since birth, is now curly. Not perm curly with tight curls, but curly. It was thinning rapidly a few months ago, which is another unfortunate side effect of the pred, and has mostly grown back now but no longer straight. I turned 72 Monday so I'm late getting the naturally curly hair I always wished for, but better late than never. lol Anybody else?

Jump to this post

Hello @hopeinal, I combined your new discussion on prednisone side effects with your original discussion titled "Prednisone Side Effects and Withdrawal Symptoms" - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/prednisone-side-effects-withdrawal-symptoms/.

Here you met @jlo2252, @linda7 and @klmint who may be interested in seeing your newest symptom.

REPLY
hopeinal | @hopeinal | Aug 2 10:41am
In reply to @jlo2252 "I can certainly empathize with your thin skin issue!! I do have to be careful not..." + (show)
@jlo2252

I can certainly empathize with your thin skin issue!!
I do have to be careful not to scrape, cut or bang my arms on things! My skin is dry and if I don’t put lotion on it I will get the itchies and I’ll scratch it and then it looks like one of our cats scratched my arm! We do have to keep our kitties claws trimmed.
I have been on prednisone off and on short term doses for over 50 years. Long term use has only been in the last 2 years when I was diagnosed with PMR. I also was taking one low dose aspirin tablet a day as a preventative to possible heart issues or blood clots. I stopped taking the aspirin cause I was just getting awful bruises on my arms. So I’m wondering if the prednisone and the aspirin together was just too much blood thinning? Do you use any low dose aspirin or any other NSAIDS?
I never had your red eye issue, though it does sound like it might be tied in with your prednisone use.
Wishing you well on this health journey and that those red eyes will go away when you finally taper off your prednisone!!

Jump to this post

Thanks! No, I don't take any NSAIDs because of my CKD and no blood thinners. I so hope my horrible looking arms & hands along with my red glowing demon eyes go away. lol

REPLY
begonia77 | @begonia77 | Aug 3 10:34am
In reply to @hopeinal "Well, just when I think I have every side effect of Prednisone, a new one pops..." + (show)
@hopeinal

Well, just when I think I have every side effect of Prednisone, a new one pops up. The latest, though, is a happy one. Curious to see if any of y'all have experienced this: My hair, that has been straight as a stick since birth, is now curly. Not perm curly with tight curls, but curly. It was thinning rapidly a few months ago, which is another unfortunate side effect of the pred, and has mostly grown back now but no longer straight. I turned 72 Monday so I'm late getting the naturally curly hair I always wished for, but better late than never. lol Anybody else?

Jump to this post

Yes same thing happened to me, although I understand it is not a common side effect. My hair started falling out at an alarming rate after the first couple of months on 20/mg day prednisone, but then when I tapered enough it started growing back. And yes curly/wavy. The effect is odd--as I still have a lot of longer, straight hair, along with 3 inch curly hair growing in. Haircuts help! My hairdresser thinks that over time it will all grow straighter again.

REPLY
janetorcas | @janetorcas | Aug 3 12:34pm

Hi! I am one of those with the purple bruises and skin tears. One (small) tear on my hand came very close to an exposed vein! I was very worried that the wound wouldn't heal because the flap of skin fell off and I couldn't get the edges of the wound to meet. But using non-stick pads and paper tape to hold it in place did the trick. It took about 10 days to heal. Amazingly, there is no scar.

I have not had the red rimmed eyes, but have had several burst blood vessels - definitely demon-like, scary looking. My rheumatologist didn't seem concerned.

I am tapering and am at 9mg/day. My skin isn't bruising quite as easily and I have had fewer eye issues - although I noticed a newly red eye just yesterday. It isn't as bad as previous issues, so maybe the lower dose is making me less susceptible?

I have read here that skin does make some recovery over time. Crossing my fingers! Wishing you the best!

REPLY
1 reply
sandysomers | @sandysomers | Aug 4 12:24pm
In reply to @hopeinal "Well, just when I think I have every side effect of Prednisone, a new one pops..." + (show)
@hopeinal

Well, just when I think I have every side effect of Prednisone, a new one pops up. The latest, though, is a happy one. Curious to see if any of y'all have experienced this: My hair, that has been straight as a stick since birth, is now curly. Not perm curly with tight curls, but curly. It was thinning rapidly a few months ago, which is another unfortunate side effect of the pred, and has mostly grown back now but no longer straight. I turned 72 Monday so I'm late getting the naturally curly hair I always wished for, but better late than never. lol Anybody else?

Jump to this post

Interesting.... I hear that often from women who lose their hair from chemo. My hair's been curly since birth and has been falling out like crazy from Medrol. Hoping for hair regrowth and straight would be amazing. As a child of the 70's I used to iron it and chemically straighten it. The grass is always greener!

REPLY
cazwell50 | @cazwell50 | Aug 4 11:40pm
In reply to @hopeinal "Well, just when I think I have every side effect of Prednisone, a new one pops..." + (show)
@hopeinal

Well, just when I think I have every side effect of Prednisone, a new one pops up. The latest, though, is a happy one. Curious to see if any of y'all have experienced this: My hair, that has been straight as a stick since birth, is now curly. Not perm curly with tight curls, but curly. It was thinning rapidly a few months ago, which is another unfortunate side effect of the pred, and has mostly grown back now but no longer straight. I turned 72 Monday so I'm late getting the naturally curly hair I always wished for, but better late than never. lol Anybody else?

Jump to this post

My hair became very thin before I started prednisone due to undiagnosed PMR. Once on prednisone it started to grow back so I have thicker hair on the top half of my head! I’m slowly getting it cut so it will all be level in a few months.

REPLY
cazwell50 | @cazwell50 | Aug 4 11:45pm

Thin skin that tore and bruised easily, red -rimmed eyes and extra hair growing. 10 months off prednisone and all of that has stopped finally. Can I say, to give hope, that 10 months after stopping prednisone, only this week, I am no longer stiff anywhere. I never thought I’d see the day. I thought I’d be stiff forever.

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.