Prednisone oral steroids mood swings

[najs89]

Hi,
I was prescribed prednisone (oral steroid) 5 days ago. 40mg per day for 7 days and then 5mg per day for another week. I've had some odd side effects like palpitations but they've seemed to subsided. But my mental health has been awful. I've been feeling really low and my mood swings are probably concerning? All it takes is for my husband to make a sound and I'm literally wanting to tear the walls down. I feel really angry all day and I just can't stop crying at anything and everything. I think i'm more paranoid too. I'm trying to isolate myself as I must be a nightmare to live with right now. I've struggled with my mental health a lot in the past but never felt nor acted this way before. I'm not wanting to contact my doctors nor come off the medication as I can see it clearly working. I'm telling myself it's only a couple of more days of the high dose. Based off googling I've seen it can effect your moods but nothing indicating to this extent. My doctor is also very aware of my mental health history but did not mention it potentially being a side effect. I'm just wondering if anyone has experienced similar with prednisone before as i'm questioning if there's something underlying?

TIA ❤️

I had this! High dose too. It went once my dose dropped. Never felt anger like it!

I’ve also had this and is a known side effect that many steroids can impact mental health.

However, why are you on it? It can be prescribed after ITU stays for instance so it may be the reason you are on that’s impacting you as well.

As it’s usually only prescribed in the short term I would ask when it’s due to be stopped and explain the side effects of it

My son used to have to have it at a fairly high dose when he was a toddler every now and then. He was the most placid child you could meet but the prednisone made him really bad tempered and naughty.
Steroids are known for causing rage.

Yes - just remembered it’s known as Droid Rage and is a real thing.

Please do go back to the GP OP.

Yes. Hang in there. You'll get back to normal once the course is up - 2 more days, you can do it!
I'd say to speak to the Gp about changing the medication but assuming there's a valid reason why they chose this one for you I think it's probably a case of seeing out the two more days.
Are you working at the moment? Any chance you can spend most of the time tucked away not having to interact?

Roid rage is definitely a thing!! Should pass when you reduce the dose (although it’s usual
to taper down slowly rather than 40mg to 5mg). Also increased appetite and poor sleep (take it in the morning).

Hi, I'm on these and have the exact same side effects as you. Its supposed to get better as time goes on and they get you down to 5mg. They almost broke up my relationship - I was convinced my dp was plotting my death so he could have my assets - wtf. Absolutely bizarre.

Yes normal. They are also called 'the devil's tic tacs'. This is why! I had them for 8 weeks on a tapering dose once for IBD. Refused them since.

Roid rage is caused by anabolic steroids.
Prednisone increases your cortisol levels. It can make you feel stressed anxious and unable to concentrate also causes insomnia. It can enable you to get amazing amounts of physical work done because you just can’t stand still. So yes I’m sure it can make you angry.

I wouldn’t say that’s a high dose tbh, I have taken 500mg a day during a bad relapse of my MS. It just make me very sleepless, my home has never been so clean and tidy!

40/60mg is considered to be a high dose.
500mg is a bloody massive dose.
You have just done a crocodile Dundee moment….the bit where the Mugger says I’ve got a knife and Dundee pulls out his huge knife and says that not a knife this is a “knife”.
you win hands down no contest.
how ever do you function do you get used to it.
sorry to hear you have MS.

@Beautyfadesdumbisforever 😂 yes the prescription was queried immediately by the pharmacy, ushered into a room, asked why I had been given it etc, in case there was a mistake. It is the usual dosage in an acute inflammatory attack. Never has so much energy 😂 MS is shit, but it is what it is, and I have learned to cope with whatever it throws at me, it has changed my life but not me.