Common short-term prednisone side effects include nausea, weight gain and headaches. More serious side effects include fetal toxicity, allergic reactions and high blood pressure. Prednisone side effects are more likely to occur with larger doses or long-term therapy.
Short-term treatment (7–14 days) with oral prednisone is used for many acute inflammatory and allergic conditions.
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.
Prednisone has a tendency to raise the level of glucose, or sugar, in the blood, which can cause increased body fat or diabetes in some people. It is important to avoid "simple" carbohydrates and concentrated sweets, such as cakes, pies, cookies, jams, honey, chips, breads, candy and other highly processed foods.
The risk of prednisone withdrawal is so high that some healthcare providers will pre-plan a tapering schedule if high doses are used for more than three days. 1 In most cases, however, tapering is only needed if you take prednisone by mouth for more than three weeks. There are no set rules for tapering off prednisone.
The good news is that if you're taking this medication for a short time — say, less than 5 days — you'll likely have few, if any, side effects, says Soliman. There's no limit on how long you can take prednisone.
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.
Prednisone affects areas of the brain that manage the regulation of different neurotransmitters, including serotonin and dopamine — the “feel-good” hormones. Feeling happy is a great side effect some people feel with prednisone.
Many people only need a short course of prednisone (1 to 2 weeks) to treat their condition. And this is good because most side effects of prednisone are “dose dependent.” This means the risk of side effects increases with higher doses and longer courses of steroids.
In general: Low dose: less than 7.5 mg per day. Moderate dose: between 7.5 mg and 40 mg per day. High dose: 40 mg to 60 mg per day.
Some side effects, such as stomach upset or mood changes, can happen straight away. Others, such as getting a rounder face, happen after weeks or months.
Steroids do not tend to cause significant side effects if they're taken for a short time or at a low dose. But sometimes they can cause unpleasant side effects, such as an increased appetite, mood changes and difficulty sleeping (insomnia). This is most common with steroid tablets.
Fluid retention is one of prednisone's most famous side effects. “'Moon face' is common, which is swelling in the face that can occur after you've been on steroids for a long time,” Dr. Ford notes. “You can also get swelling in the legs and midsection.”
Low dose prednisolone does have side effects, but so do non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and slow acting drugs, and the symptomatic effect is so large and the disease modifying effect so unique, that prednisolone should be used, at least intermittently.
How long will it take to work? Prednisone generally works very quickly — usually within one to four days — if the prescribed dose is adequate to reduce your particular level of inflammation. Some people notice the effects of prednisone hours after taking the first dose.
Prednisone can cause certain side effects (also called adverse effects), some of which are more common than others. These side effects may be temporary, lasting a few days to weeks. However, if the side effects last longer than that, bother you, or become severe, be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Even if you have side effects from the medication, don't stop cold turkey or cut back the dose on your own if you've been on it more than a few weeks. You could go into steroid withdrawal, which can have severe symptoms. It's safer to taper off prednisone. Your doctor will gradually lower your dose.
Even if you have side effects from the medication, don't stop cold turkey or cut back the dose on your own if you've been on it more than a few weeks. You could go into steroid withdrawal, which can have severe symptoms. It's safer to taper off prednisone. Your doctor will gradually lower your dose.
There is no “safe” dose of prednisone. Prednisone over time increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and infection.
There's no official definition. But over 30 days is generally considered long-term steroid use. Most often, oral corticosteroids are prescribed for roughly 1 to 2 weeks — and only for very severe symptoms. But for certain chronic health conditions, corticosteroids may be necessary for months or even years.
When a person stops taking prednisone or other steroids abruptly, they may notice symptoms similar to adrenal insufficiency. These include lethargy, low appetite, weight loss, and a general feeling of being unwell. Prednisone is a corticosteroid that doctors prescribe to treat swelling and inflammation.
Based on a half-life time of 2 to 3 hours, it would take 14 to 21 hours for prednisone to leave the body. This is an average and may be different depending on a person's age, weight and general health.