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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be shitting myself about taking Prednisolone (steroids)?

83 replies

inigomontoyahwillcox · 08/05/2021 03:40

Due to start on 40mg/day tomorrow (for 7 days) after being diagnosed with an inner ear condition.

I am a complete wuss at the best of times with taking new medication after having some awful side effects when trying to start to take some antidepressants a few years back (started to feel suicidal) and am really freaking out about the side effects of these after doing some reading.

Has anyone got any words of advice for me? I'm absolutely desperate to get some relief from this horrid condition, but I don't want to end up a manic/out of my mind insomniac who can't stop screaming at her family!

OP posts:
alexdgr8 · 08/05/2021 03:45

i wouldn't anticipate side-effects which for the vast majority of patients do not occur.
if you have been prescribed this medication, your doctor must think that you will benefit from it.
at least give it a chance.
someone i know has to take them long term, and has to up the dose for outbreaks of possible GCA.
do you know what condition exactly you have been prescribed them for.
all the best. hope you will soon feel better.

SympathyFatigue · 08/05/2021 03:46

Short course should be fine.
Make sure they have you tapering off it.
Don't worry about 7 days but long term use can lead to issues.

Pretenditsaplan · 08/05/2021 03:46

Honestly this is one of the few medcations that has few noticBle side effects for me... other then making me fat but i have to have it on average 6 times a year or more so thats not your normal dosage

Original poster
inigomontoyahwillcox · 08/05/2021 03:49

They're for endolymphatic hydrops (similar to Ménière disease).

OP posts:
Ozgirl75 · 08/05/2021 03:50

I’ve taken a short course before and I did feel rather short tempered but it wasn’t out of control and I didn’t put on weight. My dad has to take them now and then when he gets a cold (as he has bad asthma) but he loves it as he says he has boundless energy and goes 1000 miles a minute!

Original poster
inigomontoyahwillcox · 08/05/2021 03:51

Yes, the short tempered-ness is a little worrying considering DD is having a grand old time pushing our buttons at present (12 going on 18)!

OP posts:
Original poster
inigomontoyahwillcox · 08/05/2021 03:54

I could do with some boundless energy - only been getting around 3 hours sleep per night recently due to this shitty condition. Was hoping for more tonight as started taking betahistine last night too which makes me pretty drowsy, but it's 4am and here I am 🙄

OP posts:
drspouse · 08/05/2021 03:55

Make sure you take them in the morning with food and you'll be fine.

SavingsQuestions · 08/05/2021 03:56

Omg when I was on these I got So Much Done. Despite the chest infection I sorted so much of the house.

I have chronic fatigue usually and made me wish I could bottle it!

Original poster
inigomontoyahwillcox · 08/05/2021 04:01

The house could do with a really good clean - wondering what else I could get done now. Am thinking of maybe putting post it note reminders around the house for DD and DD saying "she's not really that angry at you, it's just the steroids", and maybe writing a list of jobs that need doing that I've been neglecting for ages!

OP posts:
Original poster
inigomontoyahwillcox · 08/05/2021 04:15

Has anyone had thoughts of suicide/self harm on them? That's my biggest fear - remembering back to the nasty experience I had with side effects from another drug, and also considering how down I've been feeling lately (due to the condition, as well as another nasty one I've recently developed).

OP posts:
Nat6999 · 08/05/2021 04:17

My exh used to be given 1000mg a day iv for 3 days when he had a MS attack, he ate like he had never been fed before, salt & vinegar pringles, tomato sandwiches with a thick layer of salt & fish & chip with loads of vinegar. He couldn't sit still, the first time I was 8 months pregnant with ds, he didn't sleep for four nights, he spent all the time setting up the nursery, unpacking everything we had bought, putting everything in drawers. When he had finished the steroids it was like the come down on drugs, he was bad tempered, moody, depressed & horrible, he slept for nearly 24 hours.

Original poster
inigomontoyahwillcox · 08/05/2021 04:34

I'm also supposed to start a low sodium diet, so that doesn't bode well!

OP posts:
Pinkpaisley · 08/05/2021 04:45

I have to do it surprisingly often because of allergies. 7 days and 40mg really isn’t so bad.

Sometimes it’s unpleasant. Sometimes you feel like you have superpowers. It’s unpredictable from treatment to treatment and even from day to day. They are worth taking though. And seriously, the superpower days are awesome. Just hope for some of those.

k1233 · 08/05/2021 04:45

Can't say I've ever had a reaction to it and I take semi regularly on doctor direction.

AnExcellentWalker · 08/05/2021 05:03

I’ve got fairly bad asthma & whenever I get a cold I seem to get a chest infection & my lung function plummets. I’ve had loads of courses of prednisolone, the only side effect I ever have is mild insomnia… it may be psychological for me as I have insomnia anyway!

echt · 08/05/2021 05:41

You're on a short course with a big dose so your immediate effects will be the hyper energy. It would be nice if this were productive, but I found it wasn't, just shedloads of speedy feelings, but an inability to act on them. They happen late in the day.

I've been on this medication for nearly two years. Insomnia is a pisser.

Prednisolone does not make you put on weight, but it does make you hungry, especially late in the day. This was spelled out for me very clearly by my doctor: if you put on weight it's down to your eating.

romdowa · 08/05/2021 06:04

I've had to take these fairly regularly for an immune system disorder and never had an issue bar from insomnia and a flare because I wasn't weaned off them by the Dr. Just take them very early with food . I hope your condition responds to them 😊

DaveMinion · 08/05/2021 06:06

Also asthmatic so well versed with prenisolone. Honestly the worst thing is actually taking them. 8 tiny pills that taste disgusting if they get Lost and don’t go down lol.

Never had extreme hunger, boundless energy or irritability on them.

Good luck.

ParisNext · 08/05/2021 06:10

I just logged in specifically to reply to your thread-really don’t worry. I had these for Bells Palsy and would take them for “fun”! I felt calm, focused and energetic. I was never tired and never hungry! I was healthier, lost weight and did lots of jobs!!!

Londonnight · 08/05/2021 06:39

My son has had to take these quite a bit since he was 8 [ now 20] due to having crohns. He is usually on a 6/8 week course. Apart from increasing his appetite massively he has not had any other side effects.

A short course should be fine. As another poster said, take them all first thing in the morning.

MegaBeach · 08/05/2021 06:39

I had a similar experience to what @Nat6999 described, and it was unpleasant but only lasted a week. I took sedatives too, as I have an anxiety disorder so that helped a bit. I didn’t ‘gain weight’ exactly but by the end of the course I had retained water so had a bit of a puffy face which thankfully went away as soon as I finished :)

Foofbrush · 08/05/2021 07:45

I had a 7 day course for an asthma cough that wouldn't go (months). The cough went within about 3 days and I felt a lot better, but barely slept for the whole time - although I do suffer insomnia fairly often anyway.

PiggyPlumPie · 08/05/2021 07:48

Ahh the steroid energy! Goes with the massive appetite, honestly I didn't stop thinking about what to eat next.

The downside for me was lack of sleep.

NotJustAnyOldDog · 08/05/2021 07:51

I was the same as you until I took them. Now I love them! I took them first thing and they made me feel a bit like I’d had a couple of alcoholic drinks. A kind of warm, merry happy feeling. I’d convinced myself I was going to instantly throw myself off the nearest motorway bridge. I was almost sad to see them run out after 7 days and can completely see why they are addictive when taking bigger doses for longer!