A Says:
I am interested in hearing about any bad experiences with the prednisone. My husband has been taking it for 1 year. He started on 50mg and has been trying to taper all year but in the past his disease has flared up as the dose got lower and so it was increased again. This time he has been luck and got down to 10mg and then began losing his mind. In the last couple of weeks he has had panic attacks, mood swings, brain fades (moments of complete blankness where he is unable to talk/move or anything, inability to speak, dis inhibited behaviour and peculiar behaviour where he will simply repeats words over and over. His specialist says that it's the prednisone withdrawal and this will all improve as he tapers (he is down to 5mg now). He can't work or socialise which is so sad for our whole family for this time of year. Just wondering if anyone has had any experiences like this or knows of them?
1
Verwon Says:
[Moderator]
Monday, 12/21/2009 1:58:47 PM
Yes, unfortunately, what he is experiencing is very common effects for people who have been on this kind of steroid therapy, at high doses for a long period of time.
Their side effects and withdrawal effects can be hard even for people who have been on short-term therapy. That is why many doctors do not like to use them if they can be avoided and are not absolutlely necessary.
That said, his specialist is right, they will eventually taper off and ease up as his body adjusts to the lower dose and then stopping the medication entirely. It is, however, going to take time.
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