Three weeks ago I was put on Prednisone (40mg/day for 5 days, no taper) and I’ve experienced significant muscle loss right after. It’s very frustrating because I have been doing weight training at least five nights per week for the past couple of years and I feel like all of the progress I was making is gone. I’ve lost 10lbs and I feel so weak that I can barely walk for more than a few minutes, all of my tendons feel weak. I’m trying to eat more protein and do as much exercise as I can, which isn’t much, and I even decided to try physical therapy. Has anyone else experienced anything like this and did you recover or is this permanent? I am having a lot of other hellish symptoms from this steroid at the moment, but this is the worst.
Hi Tay That is a high dose, did you have a severe infection? and could it be that the infection is still lingering?. Suprised you didn't have to taper off. I was put on 20mgs for 10 days with a taper off and now only have a maintenance dose of 2 1/2mgs daily, I am not on any other medication. On 18h out of 24 oxygen.
Hope you get back to your norm soon.
It is very unusual to experience such a drastic effect so quickly and with such a short course but when I had steroid-associated muscle wasting once I stopped that particular steroid and switched to another and started walking the muscles all returned to normal. I've been on pred for 10 years and the end isn't in sight but I do fine - but then, I'm not as gym-orientated as you. Don't try to start at the same level pre-pred - start lower and work up slowly.. But I think such extreme weight loss and effects need reporting to your doctor. Some people do lose weight on pred but that is also unusual.
Thanks. I was put on it for a sinus infection, which wasn't even that severe.
It's so weird because it feels like my whole body (eyes, hair, skin, muscle, stomach, heart, brain) has been affected by the prednisone. My hormones were messed up before even taking it, so maybe I was really sensitive to it? I've tried talking to my doctor about it, but she keeps saying prednisone wouldn't give me side effects after 5 days. It just doesn't make sense because I was completely fine before taking it, other than a sinus infection.
Are you saying you still have the side effects three weeks after stopping pred? It does seem strange having only taken them for five days. I would definitely talk to your doctor about your weight loss. 10lbs in such a short time. Any weight loss like that should be checked/
Yeah, it's so weird. I completely lost my appetite immediately after taking the first dose and it didn't come back until after the five days. I was still forcing myself to eat though, so it wasn't like I was starving myself. I saw my doctor and she didn't seem concerned at all and blamed it on anxiety, saying no way the steroid could have caused it. I've had anxiety for years, but it's never caused me to lose 10lbs in less than a week and a half.
I come across doctors like that they just shrug, the most recent one said that I was delicate and susceptible. I think they make it up because they don't know the answer.
Exactly. It is so frustrating.
You delicate and susceptible? Whatever ...
I and one of my daughters totally go off food on pred - it is quite unusual. Have you stopped losing weight now?
Have you access to another doctor? One who treats the patient in front of them, not their preconceptions...
Under 7-10 days you don't need to taper even at a dose like that.
For goodness sake - it can cause some side effects in 5 hours never mind 5 days. But it is unusual to be that dramatic.
Have you access to another doctor?
I think have stopped losing weight and I've been eating a lot more for the past week, but I'm still stuck at 115lbs (I weighed 125 before the pred). I saw another doctor about a week ago and he refused to even do anything because he saw that my primary doctor had down a history of anxiety in my records and blamed it on that. I just feel very hopeless because there is something going on with my body since taking the Prednisone, but all of these doctors just treat me like I'm crazy. The only thing my doctor has done is refer me to therapy/counseling, which honestly couldn't hurt I guess, but I don't even know what I would talk about because I didn't really have any issues in my life (aside from severe pms) before taking the prednisone lol.
Oh to be a good con man!
Lord - and they wonder why patients are anxious!
It'll be fine - just keep eating good food and build the exercise gently
I don't want to be an annoying over poster, but I just feel so awful right now and this is the only place where I feel heard. I am so desperate for someone I can relate to with all of this and for advice for what I should do about it. Here is an obnoxiously long list of the symptoms I've been having since taking prednisone: Muscle wasting- my shoulder and pelvic regions were affected the worst Muscle weakness- especially in my neck, arms and jaw Hair thinning, dried out Oily/shinny skin Eyelashes fragile Increased stress/ panic attacks out of nowhere- My previous history with anxiety is social anxiety disorder and panic attacks in high school (I graduated 4 years ago) Tension headaches High blood pressure- I've always had low blood pressure before Dizziness/Depersonalization Facial swelling Memory and concentration issues Joint cracking/popping Extreme fatigue Abnominal/back pain It's just so bizarre that such a small dose would have caused all of this when I was mostly fine before. I'm trying to be patient and hope that it will start to improve, but I feel like it's getting worse. My jobs revolves around dancing and teaching dance, so not being able to move very well is putting all of that on hold. I don't want to be too dramatic about it because I know there are people that have been on prednisone for years and have it way worse than me. Also, thank you to everyone who has replied to me, I appreciate you so much.
I took Prednisone from Tuesday October 8, 2019 to Monday October 14, 2019. I was taking 20 mg per day. After my prescribed duration, I experienced withdrawal symptoms such as fatigue, irregular heartbeat feeling (pounding and rapid), trouble sleeping, dry mouth and eyes, indigestion feeling, gastritis (gnawling feeling), rage (rushing to cook food and eat), increased appetite, hyperness, mood swings, severe anxiety and depression. It is currently December, I am still experiencing symptoms such as dry mouth, puffy eyes, indigestion feeling but have slow bowel movements, gastritis, rapid heartbeat, trouble sleeping, depression and anxiety. I recently started experiencing upper abdominal discomfort feeling in chest and back. Hopefully, this is just gas. If I had a do over, I regret taking this medication. This drug disrupts my excitement of life in many ways. I pray that others and I feel better soon. I researched online that Predisone withdrawal can last from several weeks to 12 months. This period depends on how long you was taking the drug and the dosage. Prayer helps me.
There is no way that you should just stop dead after taking prednisone, should ALWAYS be tapered off.
I have been on it for two years and have to take increased doses if I have an exacerbation but I always taper down again to as low as I can get away with. Recently I have had to go up from 2 1/2mgs, to 5mgs to 10mgs daily because of my advancing conditions, for me personally this drug has been the only thing that has enabled me to function, I absolutely hate taking drugs so would not take it if not absolutely necessary. I have no side effects what so ever other than wanting to eat a scabby dog !!!!!
Hi Ray, I'm having the same problem. I was on detracolitin (presidone)for 3 days and I was having similar problems to you. It was very scary. I was advised by a different doctor to stop them and told some people should just not take steroids.I'm off it over a month and I'm still not feeling great. I'm feeling really weak and I have pressure in my eyes,ears and burning scalp and headaches. Some of the symptoms have subsided but I never felt like this before. I don't take any other medication so these withdrawal symptoms are new to me.