Prednisone Side Effects

Is it just me? I read these....where is the clipboard....again? I guess?

@thatguy, I'm guessing that you are not alone with the clipboard...here's some information that explains it.

-- https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/c/clipboar.htm

Hello! Just diagnosed with PMR, put on prednisone. Please tell me your experiences with weight gain, irritability and sleep disturbances. Thx!

Good Morning, I am also a newbie to this diagnosis (5/8/23). I started on 20 mg of prednisone on 5/13. My pain and joint stiffness decreased but did not go away so dr. upped dosage to 30 mg on 5/20 with instructions to reduce to 25 mg. on 5/27. I take it in the AM with food and a bit of milk. So far no awful side effects but pain is gone. A couple of things. Just had bloodwork done again last week. Still some inflammation markers and my blood glucose level is high. I know that can be a side effect of prednisone. Actually I am losing weight which I don't want to do. I have also been pretty strict about a non inflammatory diet (basically a Mediterranean diet with no salt and sugar, no processed food or simple carbs. and little or no alcohol). My reading about prednisone is that it affects people in different ways. My sleep is a bit wonky but I am 76 so probably to be expected. My dr.recommended sleep aide if it really became an issue. As I mentioned, I take prednisone in morning to possibility mitigate sleep disturbances. I also take calcium, vit D3 and K2 to help with bone loss. I do have osteopenia and don't want it to progress to osteoporosis. Haven’t noticed an increase in irritability (don’t want to ask my husband that question!) but I did have a couple of “Pity Parties” with myself early on and decided that wasn’t helping. Exercise and walking outside is a great stress/depression reliever. Good Luck, have patience and ask questions. Liz Ward

Thanks Liz, from everything I read it’s a long process and doesn’t ever go away completely. But, it’s wonderful to have support from fellow travellers! Pity parties are me right now, but I also pull up my big girl panties and am appreciative of the other facets of my life.

I started on 20 mg of prednisone in late November and got virtually instant relief from crippling pain in my legs, hips, and shoulders. I’m currently at 8 mg.
I have moon face, weight redistribution (not weight gain but fatty deposits around my lower belly), some minor irritability, some fatigue, some blah days when I don’t feel like doing much of anything, some sad days, hand tremors.

I can’t seem to walk very much, and I was a walker and. Golfer until March. I’m on prednisone too, but I feel so restricted because I can’t get any exercise.

Hi. I too am a walker and golfer. When I began prednisone at 20mg. I wasn't getting the relief from pain and stiffness Dr. thought I should be experiencing. She upped me to 30mg. for a week (I just tapered to 25mg.). The 30mg worked like a charm and walking was pain free (no more shuffling). Maybe you could talk with your Dr. to see if a bit more prednisone would help. Needless to say I’m not overjoyed about using this medication, but my hope is to get inflammation under control and continue to taper. My diet is also very important in this treatment plan to help combat side effects of prednisone, as well as to help reduce inflammation. After reading so many PMR stories I am continually reminded that each person responds differently to this condition so there isn’t a one size fits all approach. Keep at it and have patience. I hope you can get back to golf and walking asap. Liz Ward (diagnosed 5/8/2023)

Actually, and happily, it does resolve in most cases, after 1-5 years. It’s a self-limited auto-immune condition. People who get better typically don’t stay on sites like this for obvious reasons, so it makes it seem like no one gets better.

it appeared suddenly in my life last July. 10 mg of prednisone got me almost back to normal within a day or 2. I have tried to taper several times, one time getting down to 2.5, but stress in one former another caused a flareup of symptoms. I have had none of the side effects that you have mentioned. I lost weight because I went on the keto diet to try to fight the inflammation. I am actually thinner than I want to be.

Thanks for weighing in. I too have been loosing weight which I definitely don’t need to be doing. I am concerned that it may have to do with my elevated blood glucose levels so I am meeting with my Rheumatologist tomorrow to try to figure this out. I know that prednisone can cause this elevation in glucose which can translate into (prednisone)diabetes. I sure don’t want to have to start taking insulin to control this. I am beginning to taper so maybe that will help. Like you I am watching what I eat to help fight the inflammation so maybe that is also contributing to weight loss. So much to think about.