Prednisolone (Corticosteroid): Long term side effects

Posted by mmr1984 @mmr1984, Dec 5, 2020

I have been on prednisolone >= 10 mg for years now. I now have steroid induced diabetes and possibly weak bones. I do not want it to get worse. How do you cope with these?

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sunshine67 | @sunshine67 | Oct 9, 2025

In reply to @vjm0223 "@sunshine67 any side effects from Forteo?" + (show)

@vjm0223
Sorry for the delay answering, no internet service.
No….did not experience any side effects from Forteo, the drug over 15 months restored by bones so I am no longer osteoporosis.

nitab | @nitab | Oct 12, 2025

In reply to @becsbuddy "@lucyvt Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! You’ve been on prednisone for 30 years?! That is hard..." + (show)

@becsbuddy
Hi Becky, I too have been on prednisone for at least 30 yrs. I've had Rheumatoid Arthritis for 40 yrs, diagnosed in my early 30s. Steroids were a Godsend for me and I believe if it helps then use it. As you can imagine, through 40 yrs I've been on many drugs, to include gold injections. Now that I'm in my 70s my body has all the side effects of steroids, but I would not go back and change my medical treatment. Steroids allowed me to lead a successful, productive life and not be crippled early like some of my ancestors. So life for me is not the best now, but I have no regrets.

Becky, Volunteer Mentor | @becsbuddy | Oct 12, 2025

In reply to @nitab "@becsbuddy Hi Becky, I too have been on prednisone for at least 30 yrs. I've had..." + (show)

@nitab Thank you for a wonderful report! When you said gold injections, it reminded me of a neighbor we had once. She mention gold injections just once and never again so I didn’t get a chance to ask her questions. So I’ll ask you! What was the gold supposed to do? Curious minds wish to know!
Again, thank you for your note!

nitab | @nitab | Oct 14, 2025

In reply to @becsbuddy "@nitab Thank you for a wonderful report! When you said gold injections, it reminded me of..." + (show)

@becsbuddy
Hello Becky, gold injections (Solganal) worked for me for 12 years, it basically put me in remission. Gold reduces the activity of pro-inflammatory cytokines, it dampens the hyperactive immune response, gold compounds can potentially provide relief from the disease’s more severe manifestations and gold compounds contribute to maintaining cartilage health and reducing degeneration in arthritic joints. Thank you for your interests.

1944jeanv | @1944jeanv | May 1 4:10pm

I have Giant Cell temporal arteritis. I am on 50 mg of prednisone. Side effects are horrible!

loriach | @loriach | May 2 6:54am

In reply to @1944jeanv "I have Giant Cell temporal arteritis. I am on 50 mg of prednisone. Side effects are..." + (show)

@1944jeanv

I’ve been on and off prednisone for about six years with higher doses for the past two. Blasts and tapers from 60 down to 10. In Jan to March this year I did a slow taper off after starting rituximab in Dec. I have severe interstitial lung disease related to my Sjogrens and RA. Unfortunately I’m a couple weeks into a flare and am starting on pred again to calm down the inflammation. We’re starting w low slow taper and I hope it work.
My suggestion to you based on my experience is to see if you are able to taper down to a lower dose as it may help a lot with side effects. And watch your bones as the pred can push one into osteopenia and osteoporosis category within a short few years. My rheumatologist is very helpful with managing all this so I hope you also have that support.

Best to you as you journey on with your autoimmune disease!

Alta Net | @altabiznet | May 2 9:49am

In reply to @nitab "@becsbuddy Hello Becky, gold injections (Solganal) worked for me for 12 years, it basically put me..." + (show)

@nitab

What was your indication that Solganal was prescribed for? Was it Rheumatoid Arthritis?

paulakl | @paulakl | May 2 11:39am

I have been on Prednisone since 1986....mostly small doses with a few times where I went up anywhere between 10-20. Been trying to get off of it since Day 1, however my body freaks if I go below 3 mg. Right now, I am on 5. Yes, I have long term side effects, however if I hadn't been on the medication, especially at times with a higher dose, I would have had no life. I am 63 and grateful!

judyresnick | @judyresnick | May 2 12:29pm

My daughter is on steroids for most of her adult life because none of the other drugs are tolerated all the newer drugs have created terrible allergic reaction reactions and terrible infection infections so she’s back on steroids and the result is what you know. She has all implants for teeth now, and she had never had a cavity. She’s on bone medicine because she has osteoporosis. It’s also caused terrorist other
Unpleasant side effects. So far there is no choice no other drugs she can tolerate no other drug that given her such bad affection she ended up with sepsis in the hospital and they are and then the the ICU for septic shock all brought on by the new immuno suppressant drugs. She has no choice and you probably don’t either unless you can tolerate these other drugs 10 is not so bad they’ve had her up to 40 at a time because of the inflammation, none of these diseases are easy. They take patients and stamina and hope there is some hope on the way with this new treatment that seems to be putting lupus in remission so maybe it will work on others.