Steroids won't cure your condition, but they're very good at reducing inflammation and will ease symptoms such as swelling, pain and stiffness. Usually inflammation is the body's natural reaction to infection or bacteria.
Common short-term side effects include changes in appetite, mood, energy, and sleep. Long-term prednisone treatment can lead to weight gain, osteoporosis, and cataracts. Diarrhea isn't a side effect of prednisone. But other gastrointestinal symptoms are possible, like increased appetite and indigestion.
Some people are prescribed steroid medicines on an ongoing basis for the treatment of long-term conditions. Taking steroids long term is helpful to treat conditions associated with inflammation, but ongoing steroid use can cause side effects. Prednisone is the most commonly prescribed steroid.
A gradual reduction in prednisone dosage gives your adrenal glands time to resume their usual function. The amount of time it takes to taper off prednisone depends on the disease being treated, the dose and duration of use, and other medical considerations. A full recovery can take a week to several months.
Your symptoms may be a return of inflammation, not withdrawal. Tapering too quickly can cause a flare to happen. If your disease flares, you may need to go back to a higher steroid dose for a short time to get the inflammation under control.
Some complications associated with corticosteroid therapy are reversible (e.g., obesity, diabetes, hypertension), while others including avascular necrosis, osteoporotic fractures, and cataracts represent irreversible damage.
Common side effects
People who stop using prednisone after a long time may experience symptoms such as: muscle pain. joint pain. fatigue.
It takes approximately 16.5 to 22 hours for Prednisone to be out of your system. The elimination half life of prednisone is around 3 to 4 hours. This is the time it takes for your body to reduce the plasma levels by half.
Many people enjoy the benefits of prednisone and other corticosteroids which are powerful anti-inflammatory drugs that can reduce pain and discomfort related to allergic reactions, arthritis, autoimmune conditions and more. In some cases, they even elevate mood, creating a sense of euphoria and excessive energy.
If you take oral corticosteroids for a long time, your adrenal glands may produce less of their natural steroid hormones. To give your adrenal glands time to recover this function, your provider may reduce your dose gradually.
Depending on your condition, prescription medications like hydroxychloroquine or methotrexate can serve as alternatives to prednisone by reducing inflammation without the same steroid-related side effects.
This depends on your health problem or condition. You may only need a short course of prednisolone for up to 1 week. You may need to take it for longer, even for many years or the rest of your life.
Persistent use of steroids will often cause high blood pressure, diabetes and osteoporosis. The amount of prednisone and how long you take it are the most important factors in whether you'll develop these problems.
Prednisolone is a medicine used to treat a wide range of health problems including allergies, blood disorders, skin diseases, inflammation, infections and certain cancers and to prevent organ rejection after a transplant. It helps by reducing swelling (inflammation) and can also calm down your immune system.
Prednisone interacts with several medications, including warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). It also interacts with live vaccines. You can work with your pharmacist and prescriber to prevent and manage prednisone interactions.
Because prednisone suppresses the body's immune system, it can also increase the risk of infection. Therefore, some precautions need to be taken. Before taking prednisone, talk to your healthcare provider about the following: If you have a history of allergies to prednisone or other steroid drugs.
Prednisone is usually detectable in blood for up to 22 hours, in urine for 24 to 36 hours, and in saliva for 12 to 24 hours. In hair follicles, its metabolites remain for up to 90 days.
Using too much of this medicine or using it for a long time may increase your risk of having adrenal gland problems. Talk to your doctor right away if you have blurred vision, dizziness or fainting, a fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeat, increased thirst or urination, irritability, or unusual tiredness or weakness.
If you stop taking your corticosteroid, your face should eventually return to normal. However, it's extremely important that you do not stop them abruptly. If moon face is bothering you, talk to your healthcare provider.
Prednisone stops working soon after stopping the medication. If you have been taking prednisone regularly for longer than 2 weeks, do not stop it suddenly because you could develop adrenal insufficiency. Instead, you should discuss a tapering schedule with your rheumatology provider.
Stay hydrated: Drinking lots of water and fluids helps support your kidneys as they flush out prednisone. Exercise: Physical activity helps support your metabolism and blood circulation. This helps your body process and eliminate drugs efficiently.
Prednisone can increase ocular (eye) pressure, leading to blurred vision, vision loss or even blindness without prompt treatment.