Prednisone & prednsolone have activity in the kidney leading to the conservation of salt. This creates the classical side effects of prednisone/prednisolone use: excessive thirst and
Sometimes a person will think that fluid retention is akin to weight gain. Fluid retention can cause weight gain but as steroids are reduced, fluids will usually reduce as well, along with some of the weight gain. Drinking plenty of water and exercising can help with fluid retention.
Steroids can cause a temporary increase in blood sugar levels. Look out for increased thirst and wanting to go to the toilet more often than usual.
Sometimes, taking steroids can raise your blood sugar. This is called steroid-induced diabetes. Symptoms of steroid-induced diabetes include: Dry mouth.
The most serious prednisone side effects usually include allergic reactions, infections, gastrointestinal issues and elevated blood sugar. These may occur when people take larger doses or take the medication for long-term treatment.
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. This helps keep blood sugar low. Limit saturated fat and cholesterol. Choose lean meats, poultry and fish.
Compromised immune system
Turns out, prednisone's greatest asset is also its greatest weakness. The very action that makes prednisone so effective — its ability to mute the immune system and relieve symptoms — can also lead to an increased risk of illness and infection, since your body's defenses are low.
If you have to take prednisolone for more than a few weeks, it's likely that you'll put on weight. Prednisolone can make you hungrier and also can make you retain more water in your body.
Experts think this side effect is related to mimicking high levels of cortisol in the body. High cortisol levels cause a bigger appetite, altered processing of sugar and fats in the body, and body fat buildup. And corticosteroids can cause fluid buildup, which may also result in weight gain.
Water is essential; a target of two litres of water should be aimed for per day, more if the body sweats a lot during exercise.
Excess thirst is an abnormal urge to drink fluids at all times. It's a reaction to fluid loss in your body. Dry mouth (xerostomia) and the urge to pee often (frequent urination) may go along with it. Drinking adequate amounts of water is very important because your body needs to stay hydrated to function properly.
After the initial dose of steroids, you may experience swollen ankles as well as a general swollen and bloated feeling throughout your body. Since steroids cause your body to retain more water, it's also common to experience urinary frequency, says Kaplan.
The immune system is your body's defense system. Steroids work by slowing your body's response to disease or injury. Prednisone can help lower certain immune-related symptoms, including inflammation and swelling.
Our preliminary data show that prednisone may have a potent diuretic effect in patients with severe CHF and diuretic resistance, and that it can improve renal function at the same time.
Sodium and Fluids
Although you can add some salt to your dishes, avoid adding too much when you're taking prednisone. This also means reducing your intake of foods that contain high amounts of salt, such as canned foods, pickles, potato chips, crackers, and bacon.
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.
Lean protein can also help promote weigh loss for patients on prednisone. Following a diet where approximately 34% of the calories come protein resulted in people feeling less hungry and promoted weight loss when compared to people on a high-carbohydrate diet.
“If corticosteroids are to blame, gradually tapering off them can help with weight loss and facial swelling,” Dr. Guo said. “You'll take less and less until your body adjusts, and you might be able to safely stop the steroid. You need to have normal adrenal gland function before you stop long-term steroids.”
Steroids are effective and lifesaving medicines. However, they also can cause side effects. These include thin skin, dry mouth, abnormal menstrual cycles, and weakened bones. They can increase your blood sugar level or blood pressure.
You could expect a dose of prednisone to stay in your system for 16.5 to 22 hours. 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. It usually takes around 5.5 half lives for a drug to be completely eliminated from your system.
How long to take it for. 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 decreases inflammation via suppression of the migration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and reversing increased capillary permeability. It also suppresses the immune system by reducing the activity and the volume of the immune system.
Prednisone generally works very quickly — usually within one to four days — if the prescribed dose is adequate to reduce your particular level of inflammation.