Prednisone and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Kat...
• January 17, 2016

For Fibromyalgia "Put on Solumedrol IV and then take home prednisone, 60 mg, weaned down to 20 now. Reason for taking was not my fibro, but acute respiratory failure with hypoxia, sepsis, bilateral pneumonia, exacerbation of COPD, abnormal CT lungs. This is the WORST medication. I am even more depressed, anxious, hyped up, insomnia worse, no appetite, anxiety attacks, nightmare with terrors, upset stomach, indigestion worse than normal achalasia and GERD, post-op myotomy, Nissen fundo. I feel like dying! I still have some pain, even if all pain from severe DDD, fibro, CMPS, could not tolerate this med. Feel like I am dying. Any suggestions on how to cope? My future will hold many rounds of med with repeated pneumonias, COPD."

• Kat...
• January 17, 2016

For Fibromyalgia "Put on Solumedrol IV and then take home prednisone, 60 mg, weaned down to 20 now. Reason for taking was not my fibro, but acute respiratory failure with hypoxia, sepsis, bilateral pneumonia, exacerbation of COPD, abnormal CT lungs. This is the WORST medication. I am even more depressed, anxious, hyped up, insomnia worse, no appetite, anxiety attacks, nightmare with terrors, upset stomach, indigestion worse than normal achalasia and GERD, post-op myotomy, Nissen fundo. I feel like dying! I still have some pain, even if all pain from severe DDD, fibro, CMPS, could not tolerate this med. Feel like I am dying. Any suggestions on how to cope? My future will hold many rounds of med with repeated pneumonias, COPD."

• GiM...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 5, 2016

For Sarcoidosis "Taking prednisone for 6 weeks, starting 60 mg daily. After the first week, it significantly reduced chest pain. In week 5, the dosage was already at 40 mg, started feeling anxiety, tremors, increased blood pressure and heartbeat 114-125, blurry vision, diarrhea, low potassium, decreased thyroid function, increased glucose, and muscle weakness in legs. The doctor reduced the dosage to 20 mg and prescribed a potassium supplement. Potassium came back to normal within a week. Now still on 20 mg prednisone. So far, my inflammation in mediastinal lymph nodes did NOT shrink and still having chest pain. Working on the right dosage and length of treatment."

• Edi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 17, 2020

For Allergic Reactions "I took prednisone before, and it was very helpful for asthma, and it was great. Now, though, I took 20 mgs, and I'm EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE. My face hurts and stings. My ears feel like they're full of cotton or something. My anxiety is very bad. Struggling to just lay down and wait it out. My face burns but isn't red."

• eni...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 10, 2019

For Inflammatory Conditions "I was diagnosed with collagenous colitis, a.k.a. microscopic colitis (2019), after a colonoscopy with biopsies. There has to be a better treatment for this! I took budesonide for 1 week, and I could not stand myself! Then I was taking Pepto-Bismol caplets without success! There are high levels of aspirin in that product! I stopped that product after taking it for at least 1 month! Now, I am taking prednisone! There has to be a better treatment! My personality has changed to the extent that I don't recognize myself! I am so angry all the time! My anxiety level is too much to bear! HELP!"

• Anonymous
• June 15, 2019

For Inflammatory Conditions "I was put on 90 mg of prednisone for two months because my blood count was low. The first month, it made me overweight, overeating, sleepy, and tired all the time. The other month, I started to have different side effects. I started to have dizziness, anxiety, didn't want to sleep, loss of appetite, confused, memory loss, and seizures. I never had anxiety or seizures in my life. I also lost a lot of weight. I was 195 lb, and I went down to 145 lb. When I was having those side effects, what made me so scared was the anxieties and seizures. This happened to me 5 years ago, and I'm still having anxieties and seizures. Now I'm being put on different medications for my anxieties and seizures. This has changed my lifestyle so much."

• Ang...
• September 1, 2017

For Asthma "I took this medication last year while going through a bad bout of asthma. I was prescribed 30 mg a day (with tapering, so about a week total). After the third day, the anxiety and crushing depression I was feeling with the medication caused me to go back to the doctor, and she told me to come off it immediately. I was not told to taper off, which I now know is a bad idea. I spent a good 10 days suffering withdrawal effects and had dark thoughts. It took me 9 months to start feeling like myself again. I had debilitating joint pain, so much so that I was tested for lupus, RA, and other joint/connective tissue disorders. I was also very depressed. I had taken prednisone before, with bad reactions, this was the worst yet. Never again."

• Kri...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 10, 2020

For Sinusitis "Update: side effects of prednisone were weight gain (temporarily), anxiety, insomnia, difficulty concentrating. These issues began to clear days after the end of treatment. My initial post was 10/10 on December 30th. The latter side effects are difficult and interrupt daily life the most, depending on your daily routine and work responsibilities. Exercise was extremely easy, and my lungs felt great, so I was able to run and continue weightlifting during the entire treatment. See December 30th for full treatment dosage. From 10/10 to 7/10, good for short-term use (x"

• Cry...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 17, 2017

For Ulcerative Colitis "Brought my severe pancolitis into remission. Had to have 40 mg through the vein, then moved on to tablets to wean off. Prednisone saved my life but also has the worst side effects I have ever experienced. Use with caution and only in dire circumstances. Side effects for me included a massive moon face (this facial swelling goes down after you start reducing the dose), face and body acne, severe and shocking anxiety and depression, paranoia and psychosis, joint pain, hot flushes, trouble sleeping, and tons of nervous energy. It is worse the higher the dose. Wean off slowly. Withdrawal symptoms are just as bad, if not worse."

• caz...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 20, 2017

For Inflammatory Bowel Disease "Did stop my intestinal gurgling almost immediately, but many side effects. First was extreme hunger, which I could deal with since I work out regularly. About 5 weeks in, I started to notice bad mood swings. Anger mostly, which is totally unlike me. Then, as I was tapering down from 40 mg to 15 mg, the extreme anxiety started. So bad I couldn't leave the house for days. Really scary. Doctor was very concerned, stating it does happen and to try and relax, but there's basically nothing he could do about it because you must allow the adrenal glands to 'start up again' as you taper down to nothing. Very dangerous to stop suddenly. Down to 2.5 mg now and starting to feel like myself again, but will never ever take this again. Nasty stuff..."

• Sha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 3, 2019

For Cluster Headaches "I've been dealing with cluster headaches for about 20 years. My doctor now prescribes 60 mg of prednisone for 5 days, then I taper to 40 mg, 20 mg. This past month I've had a terrible cycle of headaches, but the prednisone keeps them at bay. Unfortunately, I have felt them trickling back in once I taper to 40 mg. The doctor has had me go back up to 60 mg two more times. Hopefully, the cycle will be over soon, as prednisone can make me feel jittery. For me, prednisone is the only thing that has worked for the clusters."

• mjm...
• May 24, 2015

For Ulcerative Colitis "I was hospitalized three times last year for ulcerative colitis and severe anemia. I had tried Asacol, sulfasalazine, and nothing worked. I was afraid to try the prednisone, and when I finally did, it helped immediately. I could kick myself for waiting so long and almost dying from blood loss before I got it. The side effects that I had were insomnia, feeling wired and roid ragey, and after 7 months on it, I gained around 50 lbs. It gives you the mad munchies. It's not a long-term fix because of the long-term health risks: diabetes, vision loss, hump neck, weight gain, and it also suppresses your immune system. Remicade worked for me while I was on prednisone, but once I tapered off, I had the most terrible joint pain, arthralgia, and edema."

• Pli...
• September 2, 2020

For Allergic Reactions "Was put on 60 mg prednisone for 4 days due to an allergic reaction to penicillin. Day one was okay, day two insomnia, increased anxiety, and hot flashes. Day three mental mood changes including depressed mood, a crying spell, and more severe anxiety to the point I thought I was going crazy, my heart rate was elevated as well. Stopped the medication, and over the course of 2 days, I’m slowly feeling better, perhaps a lower dose would have been better."

• Pli...
• September 2, 2020

For Allergic Reactions "Was put on 60 mg prednisone for 4 days due to an allergic reaction to penicillin. Day one was okay, day two insomnia, increased anxiety, and hot flashes. Day three mental mood changes including depressed mood, a crying spell, and more severe anxiety to the point I thought I was going crazy, my heart rate was elevated as well. Stopped the medication, and over the course of 2 days, I’m slowly feeling better, perhaps a lower dose would have been better."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 29, 2017

For Sinusitis "Doctor gave this as an antibiotic for a sinus infection, 20 mg once a day for 10 days. First couple of days of taking it, started having severe dissociation and racing thoughts, anxiety went up to an all-time high. (I've been diagnosed with bipolar disorder/anxiety since I was 6.) Started to develop depression so bad that I couldn't think or even go to work, suffered from intense panic attacks, all the while not realizing what was causing me all these problems. I thought I was going mentally insane until on the 6th day of taking this hell drug, I then googled searched the side effects and realized what had been causing my horrible mental breakdown. Immediately stopped taking it, and after two days (and two charcoal detoxes), I feel somewhat normal."

• Rom...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 24, 2024

For Skin Rash "I developed an acute full-body rash after using an Old Spice body wash. The rash spread fast and got worse over the next few days when I tried to treat it at home. Got a prescription for methylprednisone for a week, which had no effect. My dermatologist suggested a two-week course of prednisone. I was TERRIFIED after reading all the side effects and waited another week before developing enough courage to try it. Once I took the first dose, I could see the dermatitis start to go down, and it improved with each day I took the medicine. It was the only thing that worked and a lifesaver. The dosage I was on was 60, 60, 60, 40, 40, 40, 20, 20, 20, 10, 10, 10, 5, 5. I think all the side effects I had initially were caused by my own anxiety of taking the meds (i.e., insomnia, nervousness)."

• Car...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 8, 2020

For Allergic Reactions "I was given prednisone 50 mg for 5 days due to a contact allergic reaction all over my body. After 2 hours, the itch subsided greatly, and the rash slowly disappeared. I did become very anxious, then tired. After sleeping for two hours, insomnia kicked in, and I was up for 4 hours. After the initial problems, it seems to be working great. Remember to take it at the same time every day. I was one hour late, and the rash came right back."

• b a...
• December 2, 2015

For Inflammatory Bowel Disease "I experienced trembling, nervousness, weight gain, facial flushing, mood swings, puffy face and neck, leg and foot cramps, and loss of sleep. I was on this drug for 5 months. My stool improved somewhat on the high dose (40 mg), but when my dose was slowly decreased, my diarrhea and stomach pain increased. Now that I am completely off prednisone, I am back to square one. This product was not effective for me."

• ved...
• February 3, 2021

For Bursitis "I took a 6-day course of Prednisone last week due to severe bursitis in my hip. I've taken it fine in the past, no problem. This time was awful. Two years ago, I had the tail of my pancreas and my spleen removed. My immunity is low, and the stump of my pancreas leaks. I took the prednisone anyway. Within a day, it caused my heart rate and BP to go up and my blood to stop clotting. I couldn't stop crying and became suicidal. I developed a yeast infection, cold sores, and a mild case of shingles (a sign of impending sepsis). Then came the diarrhea - while I was sleeping. It set off the most serious pancreatic attack I've ever had after 14 years! Pure acid! (Acid caused me to have a splenic artery aneurysm last year.) I had to sleep on my right side because I was terrified the acid would eat through my spinal column if I slept on my back. If you have immune issues or pancreatic issues, you might want to steer clear. Awful stuff."

• Kay...
• May 19, 2017

For Asthma "First of all, if you don't need to take this drug, please do yourself a favor and don't start the dose. I wish I had read reviews before starting the dose, as I look back, antibiotics should have been sufficient for my symptoms - I only had acute bronchitis. The problem came when I completed my dose, and the withdrawal symptoms kicked in. I started shaking, couldn't see clearly, my heart started beating fast, very anxious, couldn't sleep, felt like I was literally losing it! Almost ended up in the ER, but following other reviews, I decided to find ways to relax and not think about what was happening: yoga, meditation, playing sleep music, and that's how I managed it. My advice for you: stay away from this drug, and if you're trying to get off it, do your best to relax."

• hel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 3, 2021

For Allergic Reactions "I was only prescribed this for four days, and it worked great to clear up my allergic reaction (had a bad rash and swelling from sulfa drugs), but nobody warned me the side effects would be that terrible. The thigh and leg pain was so bad, and I would get full body chills often. I started to get random light back pain too, and I realized it was because the prednisone had lowered my potassium drastically. Eating yogurt and bananas helped during the day, but I would wake up in the morning with full body pains. My anxiety was also noticeably bad. I do have diagnosed GAD, but my anxiety was twice as bad on this drug, my mind would not stop racing all day. I have no clue if it's just because I'm a small 100-pound woman (I often assume my weight factors in), but apparently these side effects are rare. Otherwise, it worked great and probably will for a majority of people."

• Pet...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 8, 2023

For Sinusitis "I am currently experiencing a terrible bout of sinusitis and am unable to breathe through my nose, which causes me a great deal of anxiety as I am not a mouth breather. I was unable to get any meaningful sleep. My doctor put me on an 8-day plan of prednisone with a dosage of 4-10 mg for 2 days, followed by 3-10 mg for 2 days. I am on day 4 of the treatment, and my breathing has improved greatly. The side effects can be tough for a few days, including anxiety, depression, and lack of sleep. I have not slept in 30 hours and took 2 lorazepam to calm my anxiety, which seems to be working. I am hoping to have a decent night's sleep. If I ever have to take this treatment again, I will because I cannot tolerate the symptoms of not being able to breathe."

• Raq...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 2, 2021

For Inflammatory Conditions "I got vaccinated back in March 2021, but I got COVID-19 in August. I recovered after 2 weeks, and 4 weeks after my initial COVID-19 positive test, it became hard to breathe, and my blood pressure was so high! I never had any health issues before, but this was so scary I went to the ER twice. Both times they told me everything looked normal and my oxygen was at 99-100%. They did X-rays on my lungs, and there was a bit of inflammation, so they gave me 50 mg of prednisone for 5 days. I immediately started retaining water, I was dizzy, jittery, and lightheaded. I became very thirsty and was peeing so much. I am now 3 days off of prednisone, and although getting better from the side effects, I still feel dizzy, thirsty, and hot. I truly will never take something like this again. My doctor said I would have mood swings and be hungry, but nothing else. I had to research all I was feeling to make sense of what was happening to me and why my face was so swollen suddenly."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 27, 2015

"This is the most effective drug, but also the most physically and mentally deteriorating drug. I experienced acne, moon face, hair loss, depression, anxiety, increased appetite, but no weight gain. I recommend this but think of the side effects before you take it."

• Ash...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 28, 2021

For Asthma "I use prednisone twice a year. Spring and winter. I get a cold, and then I end up with a chest infection. My combined inhaler, Fostair, helps briefly, but the short burst steroid treatment usually works. I usually take 40 mg for 5 days, see if it makes a difference. If not, I then take a second dosage, another 40 mg for 5 days, which usually does the trick. I do get side effects like jittery, insomnia if taken in the evening, and I get a bit wired, where I talk a lot and cannot sit still. Moon face with lots of water retention, and the last time I ended up with a UTI, but that's because I went into a paddling pool on my last day of taking back-to-back steroid treatment."