Prednisone for Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia User Reviews

• Anonymous
• February 14, 2010

"I have been taking prednisone for about 6 weeks - 40 mg per day. I think the side effects are directly related to the dosage. I read so much about this drug and the awful side effects before taking it and was scared to death to start. It actually hasn't been as bad as what I read. The biggest issue is sleepiness at night - definitely have trouble sleeping but have tons of energy. A little face swelling too, but not the 'moon face' I read about. And it's working for my autoimmune disorder."

• Pro...
• August 22, 2012

"Though the prednisone is working so far for the anemia, the side effects are bad. Extreme retention of fluids, high blood pressure, moon face, little sleep, and indigestion. Now taking more pills to combat the side effects of this medicine."

• Nil...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 18, 2019

"I have been taking prednisone for the past 13 years for autoimmune hemolytic anemia. The doctor has stopped me from doing blood transfusions since it doesn't help in maintaining my red blood cell levels. My hemoglobin would only go up to 7 or 8. Therefore, the doctor asked me to take prednisolone 5 mg once a day, and it does help to get my hemoglobin to 7 or 8, but it will not go down unless I don't take it, and I'm under high stress. I was not told by my doctor beforehand that if I stopped abruptly. It has side effects. I did stop, and it affected my one eye. And now I can only see with one eye due to the effects of prednisolone. It really frustrated me."

• Jeh...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 3, 2016

"Second time with AIH, first time about 7 years ago and it wasn't caught until my hemoglobin had bottomed out. In the hospital for about a week and on a drip for a few days, then 90 mg of prednisone for a month, then a year, had the moon face, weight gain, and insomnia until I got down to about 10 mg, reducing. Got to 5 mg, but it starts again, so moved up to 50 for 2 weeks and a few more months reducing. Finally stopped and stayed stopped until a few months ago. Back on 50 mg for a week, then it seemed to turn around, but dropped to 30 mg and it started up, so on 40 mg but still see evidence of RBC destruction, so will see what's happening in 2 days on a new testing. Side effects so far this time: insomnia, mood swings, short of breath, irritability, and mo."

• Anonymous
• February 8, 2020

"Started on prednisone 60 mg daily for autoimmune hemolytic anemia. My HGB was at 5 when I finally got checked. Over about 9 months, we tapered down to a 5 mg dose, and my HGB was still up to 11 from 5, and my LDH went from 1,700 to 170. Once I got to the 5 mg dose, I was feeling better and getting my energy back. A couple of weeks later, I got off the prednisone and started kickboxing and lost about 15 of the 20 lbs I gained, and my moon face was back to normal. I was doing well for about 6 weeks or so, then one day after a kickboxing class, I had a lot of SOB, so I asked the doctor to recheck, and sure enough, my HGB is back down from 11 to 8.8, and my LDH went from 170 to 488. So I’m back on prednisone 60 mg. I will recheck my labs in 1 week, and hopefully, the hemolysis has stopped, and we can start tapering down again. I just honestly hate being on prednisone, it makes me hot, I have night sweats, I’m very easily irritated, it gives me the shakes, I feel bloated and gross. On top of the weight gain and moon face."

• lac...
• March 29, 2009

"This medicine seems to be doing well. I am taking it to bring my blood count up instead of a blood transfusion."