Budesonide and Tiredness: What Users Say

• Jag...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 6, 2018

For Autoimmune Hepatitis "Changed to budesonide from prednisolone as I couldn't tolerate the side effects of the pred. I've been taking 3 mg of budesonide for autoimmune hepatitis for the past 5 weeks. I'm feeling very tired to the point of exhaustion, nauseous, bruising easily, moon face, and various other mild aches and pains and feeling very low-spirited. Some days worse than others. Hoping to come off this drug soon, but worried about feeling worse through the reduction phase."

• Jag...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 6, 2018

For Autoimmune Hepatitis "Changed to budesonide from prednisolone as I couldn't tolerate the side effects of the pred. I've been taking 3 mg of budesonide for autoimmune hepatitis for the past 5 weeks. I'm feeling very tired to the point of exhaustion, nauseous, bruising easily, moon face, and various other mild aches and pains and feeling very low-spirited. Some days worse than others. Hoping to come off this drug soon, but worried about feeling worse through the reduction phase."

• phe...
• March 1, 2010

Budesonide for Eosinophilic Esophagitis "Entocort has been good to me and my eosinophilic esophagitis problem. It's not as effective as prednisone, but way easier to handle. I could usually last 3 to 4 weeks off of prednisone. I can only go about a week without Entocort. My side effects have been occasional dizziness, occasional indigestion/heartburn, and sometimes just feeling tired. After several years of prednisone, this is still much better and easier to handle. I take one 3 mg pill (3 times a day) and break it apart and pour it into my mouth and try to let the individual bits of medicine stay in my throat as long as I can. I've been doing well with this and I am happy with the results."

• Tum...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 16, 2021

For Inflammatory Bowel Disease "Taken this 3 times over the course of 3 years, as well as Entocort and Prednisolone, each one for several months. I found this does work for the first week or two, but then gets less effective, and my symptoms come back with a vengeance after that time. Also noticed that on all 3, my levels continued to rise in stool tests, despite colonoscopy showing nothing visual, so I would say it can work but not in all cases. Side effects of the first two drugs were a weakened immune system, tiredness, and headaches in the later cycles."

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 12, 2025

For Crohn's Disease, Active "It has helped my Crohn's symptoms tremendously, especially my abdominal pain and nausea. Later, my diarrhea was much improved, going from all (5-8) loose stools per day to 2-4 solid or semi-solid stools a day. For the first week, I was extremely tired with this medication, sleeping 12+ hours for a few days. That improved quickly, and I was able to manage after that with increased caffeine intake. If I had known about this, I would have started my course on a Thursday or Friday morning to be ready for the next week. It also cleared a small spot of what was believed to be psoriasis on my wrist. That cleared up after about 3 weeks, and I saw a dermatologist for it at week 4. Based on a photo and the Crohn's, it was assumed to be psoriasis. I'm taking budesonide 3 mg delayed-release capsules, 3 capsules each morning. My original course was 28 days. I started to decline quickly after stopping, so I am back on it. My GI, rheumatologist, and dermatologist are probably putting me on Humira."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 28, 2025

For Asthma "When I first started taking it, it worked great. The longer I took it, I noticed it was immediately making me sleepy/tired. Also started having some hot flashes (sweats) and build up of mucus in the throat. I looked up the side effects online and read that these are some of them. I am going to stop using it."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 7, 2025

For Ulcerative Colitis "I had UC since I was a child. Now I'm in my 60s, and no flares for many, many years. I was able to get off Uceris and did a taper with budesonide, which has made me sick: nausea, extremely tired, body aches, stomach problems."