Prednisone

[stopmeister72]

Just wondering if any of you have had to or are taking prednisone and if has caused you any problems?
I have been off and on prednisone (low dose) for about 2 years for some inflamatory cells in the right eye. Also have had 4 injections in the eye (not fun). They have caused a bunch of floaters and has changed the gel a little inside. I still have 20/20 in the eye but there is some blurriness.
Gained about 25 pounds over the past couple of years and have the moon face. Also crave sour all the time, could also be because of acid reflux medicine. Got off of teh prednisone seveal months ago, and now back on because allergies are so bad can't stop coughing and wheezing. Taking a high dose now, 60 mg for 2 days then tapering down to 10mg over 11 days. Since the 1st pill this morning, can already tell a difference. Just hope I don't have to stay on it the rest of my life.

 

[joeblow]

Very powerful medicine for treating asthma and severe allergies. Quite the wonder drug. It is really terrible for your bones however and is hard on the stomach. Also really stimulates the appetite and your body doesn't cope well if use is discontinued suddenly. That's why they wean you off it instead of cold turkey.

60 mg is a fairly high dose and I don't believe you can stay on it long term due to the above side effects. You wouldn't have any bones left. I would work on trying to figure out what causes the allergies so you can eliminate exposure and get better that way.

 

[DADoES]

I took it for a couple/few weeks after the hearing loss incident last summer. I didn't notice any adverse reactions, but neither did it bring my hearing back.

 

[jeffg]

John, do you notice any difference in your allergies when you're away from your home for extended periods, e.g. while on vacation for a week or longer?

Does anyone in your house smoke?

If your doctor is more intent on treating symptoms rather than finding out what's causing them, FIND ANOTHER DOCTOR. I can't stress that enough. Lazy doctors nearly killed my brother.

 

[foraloysius]

If you have an allergy and don't know what causes it it would be good to consult an allergologist. Causes of allergies can be found at home, at work, in pollution, in nature etc. etc. etc. It's important to know what you are allergic to so you can avoid the cause(s). I have asthma and have several allergies, from dustmites to funghi (sp?) in compost. Through this knowledge I can take measurements to prevent exposing to the allergenes as much as possible.

Prednisone is indeed a very strong medicine. I get a prednisone cure now and then when my asthma gets too bad. The side effects of prednisone can be pretty strong. Most of the time I feel rather sick after a few days and that is only with a dosage of 30mg for ten days. It works very well and the effect lasts longer than you take the pills.

There are people who take prednisone for a longer period because of their illness. The most known side effect in such cases are a swollen face.

I hope it works out for you and you don't have to take the prednisone too often.

Take care,

Louis

 

[fltcoils]

Alternative med

I cleared up my response to irritants (not allergies/histamine based on scratch tests).

I added iodine drips to water twice a day, and started taking selenium and magnesium as well. Sounds silly, and boy do you get a headache as the bromine is purged those 1st days.

But, my sinuses went flat, unpuffy, for the 1st time since early teens, and I've not had to take any decongestants or antihistimines this springs allergy season

I also use a neti pot to rinse out the nasal area, e.g. after mowing the yard or when it feels yucky.

(note: lugol's solution contains water, iodine and potassium iodide. this is the general means of attaining supplementation. Organic compounds containing iodine make great antiseptics, don't touch them they're poisen.)

yes! relief and deliverance from the scourge via simple nutrition.

 

[oldhouseman]

I lost

the top of my left lung and the bottom of my right lung a few years ago due to sarcoidal lung disease. I have been taking prednisone off and on for almost 5 years now.

Terrible side effects. I went from 160 to 210 real fast. I am now on a very strict diet -mostly vegetarian. My weight is back down to 170. The worst part -besides the weight -was not being able to sleep and hot flashes.

My breathing has greatly improved. I have two inhalers that I have to use twice a day. Advair is the main medication right now. I hate the prednisone and hope I can stay off it a good while now. My lunbg disease appears to be going into remission which may last for years (I hope). It's nothing to play around with. Before surgery I could not walk up a flight of stairs. I work out about 4 days a week now and am in better shape that I was 10 years ago.

I have really bad asthma and allergies also. Learn what exactly you are allergic to and know the triggers. You may have to move to another area. My health greatly improved when I got out of Atlanta and left the smog behind.

Be proactive in dealing with this. It will gratly affect the quality of your life.

 

[classiccaprice]

my grandmother took it for a while for a muscle issue she was having.... She's built like a linebacker now though still weak with her muscles in her scooter. My grandmother hasn't been Grace Kelly thin in 30 years, but was never so stocky in her life. It's a little depressing for her, but her spirts are still up. It does have physical side effects unfortunately.

 

[retro-man]

I am on prednisone currently. Was taking 2-20mg tablets once a day in the morning with food. Down to 1-20mg once a day now for another week. They are trying to calm down the rash and itching that I have had for awhile. I brought the dogs to the vets again this week $$$. They are now being treated for mites and fleas, although none of them had them showing on them. They seem to be getting better. As they get better I am getting better. The 3 of them are on prednisone also. This is a very strong medicine. What it does is actually shut down your immune system so you are very very prone to other illnesses while you are on this drug. They recommend to stay away from large groups of people. Stay away from people with chicken pox, measles or shingles cause your gauranteed to catch it. It will also raise you white blood cell count. One of the precautions I noticed reading was while on this medication no Iodine Salt is to be used. I have not had the weight gain from this or the round face. I have tried not to increase the food I have been eating. I have been weighing myself every day to keep it (weight gain) in check. Not good to be on this stuff for too long. Can't wait to be off this.
Jon

 

[tomturbomatic]

RETRO: If fleas and mites are a problem, placing dried eucalyptus branches along the baseboards in your house will get rid of the pests and keep them away. That might make you and your dogs feel better without medication. One branch per wall is all you need. I hope your eye problem is resolved.

 

[stopmeister72]

Joeblow - i understand about the bones- the rheumatologist said I had osteopenia (i'm 35) so was on fosamax but it was making the refux worse so stopped that but taking extra calium everyday. Pretty sure I am allergic to my cats - but can't get rid of them. have 3 hepa filters running 24/7. Jeffg -this is the first time my doc had prescribed the prednisone, the retina specialist was the other doc that I had been given prednisone by. I had a chest x-ray and he said it looked perfect. I think it is pretty much pollen that I am allergic to - also found out that I am allergic to sulfa. Was on the last pill of an antibiotic and broke out into a rash. So I stay away from wine and have to watch some alchols becuase they will make my uvula swell up sometimes.
When I do yard work now, I have a respirator that i wear that I got a homedept. It is surprising how much the filters catch. It is one of those heavy duty kind that make you look like you are in the arm or work for the CDC. foraloysius - i've never been tested for allergies, probably something worth doing. fltcoils - can you give a litle more info on your solution? Are you drinking the water with iodine or is it a nose sinus flush? What significance does bromine have on the equation? How did you find out about this? oldhouseman - I'm glad to hear you are in much better shape now, I hope you stay in remission. classiccaprice - i can understnad about the muscles - i am usually a fast walker but have to stop myself and slow down because my legs get sore pretty easy. I don't seem to have as much musscle mass as I used to. They have gone kind of flabby. retro-man- have you ever tried Revolution on your animals? I love it. Treats flea ticks and all sorts of other things and is also a heartworm preventative. It is quite expensive at the vet but you can order online from a place in Canada and don't have to have have a prescription from a vet. See link.

http://www.vetshoponline.com/revolution-C85.aspx

 

[retro-man]

Stopmeister72. Yes actually the vet put all 3 on Revolution and it seems to be making a differnce. Besides the Prednisone they are also on anti-botics cause of all the scratching and chewing that they did to themselves. They are a mess but on the mend. The vet thinks there is something dead in the woods behind the house and just getting near to it is enough for them to pick up the mites. So now they go out in the sideyard and I do "pickup" duty. I am going to continue on the Revolution for ever. I don't want to go through this again.
Jon

 

[joeblow]

I'm really sorry to hear that you've developed osteopenia at such a young age. Most certainly a side effect of the prednisone. I hope that the doctor explained this risk to you before prescribing it as you are now at a high risk of developing osteoporosis later in life.

You also REALLY need to get allergy testing done. They can tell you exactly what things in your environment are causing the reactions. It's quick and painless. Both the pollens/grasses and cats are common triggers.

I can understand that the attachment to the cats can be very strong but you also have to really consider your health. The HEPA filters are really not going to solve the problem nor is the prednisone. If your doctor has prescribed such a high dose of prednisone knowing you have osteopenia, the allergy symptoms are very serious.

However, if you really can't bear to part with the cats, at least speak to an allergist about getting some allergy shots against them and move the litter box as far away as possible from where you sleep. Keep your bedroom door closed and don't allow them to be in there at anytime. Wash bed sheets once a week.

Mold is also a common allergen. Make sure window sills, basements, showers and other such areas are kept clean. Use a solution of that old fashioned Lysol concentrate or bleach to kill mold.

Advair is a combination of a long lasting bronchiodialator and steroid which would really help with the wheezing and coughing. Maybe talk to your doctor about this. Only thing is it is really expensive.

Good luck!

 

[sudsmaster]

You could try moving to San Francisco or other coastal city with constant on-shore winds, and live/work as close to the ocean as possible. The City is supposed to have relatively low levels of allergens in the air, as a result, but of course there are still all those pine trees in GG Park. It's the one thing I miss most about the western part of the City - the fresh air.

Interesting stuff about iodine supplementation and "bromine purge". Does this mean that bromine is a cause of allergies? One of the red flag food additive for me is the brominated vegetable oil that is added to various citrus soda drinks to make them look cloudy. It's a very unnatural substance, and being an oil it tends to accumulate in one's body, like DDT, in the fat tissues. So I avoid it, but this is the first I've heard it mentioned as a possible cause of allergies.

 

[fltcoils]

Sinus relief, via diet

I have been bothered by sinus stuffiness since 12 yrs old or so.

This spring I followed one part of the Japanese diet (they get 12 to 30 ms / day of iodine via eating kelp) by taking drops of iodine in 2 oz of water. I also learned and added selenium and magnesium to my diet.

With that I had 1 to 3 days of amazingly clear thinking and a feeling of well being. This was quickly followed by the most god awful fatigue, oily face, swollen draining sinuses, metal tasting mouth and horrid bad frontal headaches.

That's meant to make you pause and consider. lookup Bromism. That's what was causing the symptoms, not the iodine. someting I'd never purposely eaten, something already in my tissues comeing out into the bloodstream and producing this reaction. (Do the deduction and you'll see why I got very very upset)

The iodine was just the purge agent, it kicked the bromine accumulated in my soft tissues out. And that dumped bromine couldn't be expelled by the body (kidneys and bowel) fast enough. But...by reading online forums like curezone I was able to adjust, and get all the bromine out. Result, flat sinuses, easier thinking, moving and no more irritable swelling of sinuses with dust, pollen and other things.

That and keeping a maintainance level of iodine with supporting selenium, and finally magnesium has had an amazing effect.

 

[fltcoils]

Not just Bromine, but available iodine, selenium, magnesium

My post above might have given the impression that bromine was the big evil. but I must say I believe it is just a factor. I mentioned it because I was/am really really ticked they eliminated iodine from bread back in 1980 (you got your RDA in 1 slice back then) and substituted bromine of all things. To paraphrase Dr. Abraham ...If you wanted to create a nation of fat depressed allergic dullards there would be no better way than to cholorinate and florinate the water, bromate the bread and eliminate iodine from all foods....

Iodine, selenium, magnesium and Vitamen D made a big difference for me, after decades sinus problems.

I must add that magnesium instead of calcium has a big following, but I can't say I have personal experience with it worth discussing. Dr. Abraham and others have found that hormone and calcium supplements raised bone density .7%, but using magnesium raised it 11%. so...go figure. They say that calcium alone won't help bones, and too much calcium just ends up in tissues creating promblems. There really is some stuf in NIH articles about this.

Magnesium in cardiovascular and other disorders - PubMed

Magnesium deficiency may contribute to pathological processes. Clinicians should consider using magnesium supplementation to prevent deficiency in patients at risk and to treat deficiency when it occurs.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov