Personality by Prednisone

[elephant]

I can't remember who started the, " Body by Prednisone?" I was thinking when I'm on high doses of Prednisone my personality changes. I become moody, say things that I normally would not say, vacuuming the couch, crying and laughing at the same time. I'm so glad I'm on 7mg Prednisone. If I go up again on the prednisone, I plan on duct tape for my mouth.:D

[Sangye]

Doug made the famous "Body by Prednisone" t-shirts (which he sells as a fundraiser for Wegs research).

Emotions on pred. It's awful. The brain chemical imbalances caused by pred improve as you decrease and stop the pred. But for many people the lingering imbalance requires antidepressants or mood stabilizers. This might be temporary or permanent. People with pre-existing imbalances that didn't require medication might find they need it once they begin pred.

Of everything we take (including chemo), pred is the most deeply damaging and destabilizing to the body.

[Jack]

Of everything we take (including chemo), pred is the most deeply damaging and destabilizing to the body.
If it wasn't so effective, I'm sure it would be banned.

[Sangye]

Definitely. From a medical point of view the damage is quite serious. From a holistic point of view, the damage is devastating.

[Doug]

p.s. Duane and Lisa Coffeelover suggested the "Body By Prednisone" t-shirts, one of which is covering my Prednisone-induced body as I type!

The statement by Jack on the destabilizing effect on the body is an understatement, eh?! I'm just glad that the Dynamic Duo of Cytoxan and Prednisone were available to us when most of us were diagnosed. Better yet that milder poisons have been found to get us into remission after the first two wipe us out in so many ways!

[Sangye]

Here's to the future days when NO ONE has to endure pred anymore.

[elephant]

I went to the eye doc today and it looks like I have Glaucoma, secondary to the prednisone!!!:( The numbers have been creeping up, despite the decrease in prednisone. So he wants me back in May, to check the numbers again. He mentioned laser surgery if the numbers go up again. I told the doc that my prednisone is being tapered. So we are hoping it goes down!! Anyone else going thru this?:eek:

[Sangye]

I'm glad you caught that in time. As far as I know, pred-induced glaucoma decreases and disappears as you taper the pred. Be very careful to taper slowly, though.

Do you have to treat it meanwhile? What do they do?

[Doug]

Yeah! There will be calls from all sorts of people enduring all sorts of diseases to name the person or team that come(s) up with the workable, milder alternative as international heros of medicine!:D:D:D:D I had a bit of an increase in eye pressure under Prednisone, but, apparently, it never stayed that way because recent (and earlier!) tests indicated acceptable if slightly elevated eye pressure early on, and stable eye pressure later. There seems to be no end to the delirious fun under Prednisone, though, does there? My main effect was elevated blood pressure and restlessness. (Oh- and tons of weight gain!)

[elephant]

I have been on a roller coaster of prednisone starting July 2008. Prednisone dose was 50mg then it went down to 10mg Dec 2008. Then in Feb 2009, prednisone 40 mg. March 2009, prednisone 60 mg. Then slowly decreased ...Sept 2009, prednisone 10 mg. Now its at 7 mg... so why aren't those glaucoma indicator numbers going down???

[Sangye]

I'm just guessing, Elephant, but even though you've tapered a few times, you've still been at high doses for a good deal of the time since July 2008. What does your rheumy say?

[elephant]

She (Rheumy) doesn't know yet. Just found out today that my eye pressure levels are glaucoma. I will tell her Monday. The eye doc is hoping it goes down within 6 months. He told me not to worry because glaucoma is a slow progressive disease. So I won't go blind in 6 months. He promised me you will not go blind, I will not let you go blind. Very nice doc. My eye's must of been the size of a Big Mac, for him to keep reassuring me. At this point no meds or eye drops yet:eek:. thank you for your support.:)

[Doug]

Me too, elephant. Blindness is such a limiting disability. My father was blind from macular degeneration, and it took away most of the things he enjoyed most or felt most important: reading, doing the financial business of the family, playing tennis, walking for exercise early in the morning, driving a car. I hope you have good news the next time you see your doctor!:)