Prednisone and psych problems!!

FYI

I am posting this because I became very aware of the problems that steroids can cause people with or without psychological symptoms.

I recently came down with a sinus infection and a bad spider bite. I went to the emerge center to get something to heal my sinus headaches and have the doc look at my spider bite. She prescribed prednisone 20 mg 2 times a day for 5 days and an antibiotic. I didn't think much of it and went home and started taking the meds.

The same day, I took the regular doses of prednisone and the next day. On the second day I got severely depressed and had very dark gloomy thoughts. I already have MDD. I slept poorly that night and again woke up severely depressed. By the afternoon, I was forced to call my pdoc's office and rate my depression an 8. It was Friday and although the medical assistant called me back, my pdoc did not. So I was rather dismayed and even contemplated going to the psych unit.

I decided to look up med interactions on the internet and found out that prednisone and the like can cause major psychological symptoms in some people with or without any psychiatric history.

1) about 40% of people have depression symptoms that can be severe and another percentage of people can get steroid induced psycho neurogenic manias.

2) prednisone should always be tapered down because it affects the adrenal glands and they produce cortisol.

3) Your doctor should alert you to taper this med and about the side effects that may occur.

That doc did not alert me of the potential side effects and she also did not order a tapered dose.

Beware of steroid side effects. I wish I had known before I took this med for a combo sinus infection and bug bite.

DX:

MDD
GAD
ADHD

MEDS:
mirtazapine
clonazepam
adderall

Hope this helps someone.

That seems like overkill for a spider bite. Unless it was totally swollen up real big. Hydrocortisone topical on the bite should work. Prednisone won't do anything for a sinus infection.

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Yea...

I have been pushed pred on numerous occasions and always said no. It was meant to treat lupus, but I'd rather deal with those symptoms than med side effects.

I am very unbalanced in myself and just because of my current med I have some kind of balance normally, but still I can just crash bad still. I try to talk to the rheumys and explain that taking that med I would be playing with fire. They treat me as if I don't want to get better and tagged me as a malingerer. I have asked for other treatment options but they say I have to try pred FIRST.

My friend had to take it for a life threatening condition, she used to be calm and not easily stressed. 10 years after she tapered the med out she is still a different person. She doesn't try to run people over with her car anymore and she can sleep. She was very very aggro on the med. What the med did for her in the long run was it made her mentally unstable with a lot of mood swings and she cannot handle life stress at all anymore.

If it can do that to someone stable, what can't it do to me???

I know my choice probably will cause me to die prematurely, but I'd rather live a shorter, but saner life.

Prednisone tends to make me crazy hyper active- manic maybe?

But I'm usually only on it short term and manic is better than struggling for breath.

Yes, BeteNoire, I agree, gotta love that asthma -- even better when mixed with bronchitis :-) I don't think Prednisone is anyone's choice drug but sometimes it is quite necessary. Most of the problems come to those who have to take it for long periods of time, adrenal suppression, for example, does not start until Prednisone is taken for longer than 7 days (that's why one is only given it for 5). 20 is quite a low dose, I cannot imagine the need to taper that.

I can't agree more!

Yea, I hear ya. Do the inhaled steroids work better for you?

I'm taking prednisone for an as yet undiagnosed illness and I'm experiencing no conflicts with my head meds, or other side effects.

I hope you don't have any side effects as not all do and I also hope you feel better!

Best wishes

The normal daily corticosteroid inhaler? They work fine- most of the time- but spring tends to hit me with a vengeance. Pollen is apparently a major allergy for me and that's when I tend to find the need for prednisone.

The combination of hay fever and asthma isn't pretty lol

I refuse pred at all costs ..the few times I really needed them It will toss me right into an ugly angry mania with in 24 hours .

I refuse to take steroids of any kind. The doctors are pushing steroids for everything from infections, to back pain. Once again, there's no regard for the side effects steroids can cause.

I think I'd cave if I really needed them for breathing. But that's it.

A series of bronchitis and pneumonia last winter had me on prednisone for 7 -10 days out of each month. (Asthma too) I ended up inpatient because of the Pred. According to my Pdoc. He now insists that I refuse prednisone and go hospital route instead. My asthma/allergies are worst in fall and winter so we shall see how that works.

This is day 7 after my 5 day stint of prednisone and I still feel very depressed and even lethargic. All I want to do is sleep. This is not normal for me. Not sure if it is just the ugly side of clinical depression or continuing side effects of the prednisone. Never again will I take oral prednisone unless I am dying from something and in the hospital. I wonder since I had this reaction how long it takes for the steroid to be out of one's system?

MDD
GAD
ADHD

I couldn't walk without prednisone. No problems here.

It is a potent anti inflammatory for those who need it for sure. I am glad it has helped you. I just didn't see the side effects hitting me so badly. It was just a bit of a curve ball for me. I hope it continues to help you.

Take care.