You may feel worse on prednisone due to various common side effects, which can affect your mood, sleep, physical appearance, and metabolism. These side effects vary depending on the dosage and duration of treatment.
You may notice mood changes and mental health problems while taking prednisolone. Talk to your doctor or contact 111 if you have any mood changes including: feeling depressed. feeling high, or moods that go up and down.
Steroid drugs, such as prednisone, work by lowering the activity of the immune system. 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.
Patients are at increased risk for many types of infections, from minor fungal infections in the mouth (“thrush”, caused by Candida) to life–threatening infections such as Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. The higher the steroid dose and the longer the duration of therapy, the greater the risk of infection.
Prednisolone (Orapred ODT, Pediapred) is a corticosteroid medication with many possible side effects. The likelihood of side effects can depend on your dosage and treatment duration. Certain prednisolone side effects, such as headaches, trouble sleeping, and appetite changes can happen even with short-term use.
Know about 'moon face' The so-called moon face — when your face appears round and puffy — is perhaps one of prednisone's most famous side effects. It can happen because steroids can cause your body to redistribute fat — around your face and also around your midsection.
Prednisone usually achieves its effect within 1–2 hours. The delayed release tablets take about 6 hours after taking the dose. Prednisone stops working soon after stopping the medication.
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.
Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)
NSAIDs are your first-line defense when looking for prednisone alternatives. These medications work by blocking certain enzymes that cause pain and swelling. Common OTC NSAIDs include: Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) – Great for general inflammation and pain.
Not having any symptom improvement after taking prednisone may mean that your treatment plan needs improving or that you have steroid-resistant asthma. If you are still wheezing after taking prednisone, or have other asthma symptoms, contact a doctor immediately for advice.
Prednisone is part of a class of drugs called immunosuppressants. It suppresses the body's immune response and reduces inflammation in your lungs. Because inflammation is the precursor to fibrosis (scarring), we hope prednisone will prevent the formation of lung fibrosis and allow the inflamed lung to return to normal.
Experts recommend taking a mild and safe over-the-counter sleep aid such as melatonin or chamomile if prednisone is causing sleep disruption or sleep deprivation. Many patients find that this helps to reset their sleep patterns and relieves insomnia. It is also a good idea to practice good sleep hygiene.
7 ways to cope with prednisone-induced anxiety
There is one treatment – a steroid – which causes actual joint pain in some people, he says. “Prednisone can cause a condition called avascular necrosis, which is a disruption in blood supply, typically to a hip or shoulder joint,” Dr. Witmer notes. “This can lead to cartilage loss and rapid arthritis of the joint.”
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. Contact your doctor if you experience prednisone withdrawal symptoms as you are tapering off the drug.
New findings presented at the 2025 American Thoracic Society (ATS) International Conference suggest that methotrexate may be considered an effective alternative treatment to prednisone for pulmonary sarcoidosis.
Healthy eating tips to help reduce inflammation
Dexamethasone is approximately six times more potent than prednisone. Systemic dexamethasone is indicated for replacement therapy in adrenal insufficiency and to treat variety of severe autoimmune, inflammatory and allergic disorders.
Prednisone looks like a stress hormone (cortisol) to the brain. Because of this, prednisone can act directly on the brain to stimulate appetite. Prednisone can also sometimes cause nausea and indigestion. These symptoms often resolve with eating, prompting people to eat more than usual.
This is a temporary state of adrenal insufficiency, or low steroid hormone levels. Some people are more prone to this issue than others. During this time, you may feel tired, achy, and have stomach pain. You may also develop low blood pressure or low blood sugar levels.
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.
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. Tapering helps prevent withdrawal and stop your inflammation from coming back.
It releases the drug around 4 hours after taking it. You'll know prednisone is working when you start noticing relief from your inflammation symptoms. If you take it to treat an allergic reaction, you may notice relief from symptoms like itching.
Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: