HELP!!!! Pred is scaring me BAD!

[Irene3]

Ok, so I'm new to this... Found this forum last night, and it's wonderful to read about so many others, that may understand what's going on with my health.

Have had Crohns for 7ish yrs, couple surgeries, temporary illeostpmy, 70cm resection, and had about a month in total remmission, otherwise on going symptoms. Usually a high dose of Pred dosnt stress my body too much, but in the last 6 months or so, I'm guessing my body has had enough.

Usually a few mood swings, snapping at those closest, is as bad as it would get( yes back pain, moon face, blah blah especially on cort steroids in hosp), but nothing major. Tend to reflect on purpose and such on the Pred, especially when it throws my sleep patterns out the window.
THIS time...and even having weaned the last lot only a couple months back, I just Havnt been MYSELF. To a point it's seriously beginning to freak me out. PLEASE tell me some of you have experienced similar, because it helps so much to read I'm not going insane, and it's this horrid 'medicine'.

Yes, stress has been an issue too, and I know they say it's the worst for crohns n Pred, but I'm talking physical highs and lows like never before. I'm having my blood sugar tested, as Iv always been borderline high sugar on steroids, but it's at a point, where the other night it went so high, I wanted mum to take me to hosp(not for crohns for a change), and have gone in a couple times recently experiencing the strangest headaches, anything from dizzy and out of it, to classic steroid anger. I'll have a day where I feel better, then weaned today, no energy for hours after taking it, then that steroid hitter comes on, my head sore, feel like .... Different is the best way I can put it.

The worst bit....besides settling the pain in the gut, I think it does nothing much for my crohns, as my bowel movements have only ever slowed once for short remmission, then back to obstructions etc.

Ps...craving smokes like mad( chimney mad), and feel so not like my self some days.

ANYONE???? Please.....

 

[Jennifer]

Well, first of all, welcome to the forum!

Second, I dunno where to begin, that post was all over the place but in a good way.

After a quick google search (cause this isn't my area of knowingness, ya, made that up), it said that Prednisone and medications like it do tend to raise the blood sugar of those who are already diabetic. Are you in fact a diabetic? Are you sure? Upon further reading it says that it raises the blood sugar in general which would push you over the edge if you're almost a diabetic. Isn't there something else you can take? What other meds have you tried? Here's info on Entocort (another steroid same results will be found for Prednisone) and blood sugar: http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4923257_entocort-affect-blood-sugar-level.html

As for the crazies and mood swings etc. ya, high doses and long term use really messes with your mind. I tried to kill myself actually and had to be placed in a mental institution for a short stay. That doesn't mean everyone will go completely mad or that I was completely mad. I was 17 at the time and couldn't handle the boo hoos of the moon face, stretchmarks and made up all sorts of crazy stories in my head about how no one cared about me. So not true since they locked me away for my own good. This is getting off topic. I tend to ramble sometimes.

I quit smoking recently and am in remission but if I were put on Prednisone again, I'd want a smoke too. So basically, ya, its the medicine. Hopefully your doctor can help find a better treatment option rather than going on and off steroids so often. Doesn't just mess with the body, it messes with your mind for sure.

Feel free to introduce yourself in the Your Story section of the forum.

 

[Irene3]

Thank you so much. I'm having such an emotional day I just needed so badly to hear it's not just something really wrong with me, but the prednisone. Iv only ever had borderline diabetes before, hence having it re tested, just because Iv never had such highs and lows, even always having had low blood pressure. My thinking Iv doubted more in the past few months, then ever in my life, so it's a relief (sorry) to hear you did the same with those closest, because one of my major issues was doing the same with someone close, then thinking I'm insane, then thinking for hours over things trying to work simple comments out like it's some puzzle I have to understand. Then I'm told I need a phyc, have good days, then like today, no real trigger, no overthinking, just physically so not normal, that it scares me.

Tried different treatments but they Havnt worked, would like to quit smoking much more so now, and try the diet path again, after much more research, but it's now a wean down from 50pred yet again, to deal with first.

I'm 29, so before I kinda tried this that diet, meds, and steroids settled the inflammation so I didn't mind it so much. This past year, it sent my candida out of control, and after experiencing HORRID die off symptoms, being med free for 2 months or so, my inflammation markers shot up to over 130 (below 5 is norm as you'd know) and i took it really hard, emotionally, to think I had to do the Cortisone path yet again. So since that, with depression in tow, I think this last wean, and now back to 50, my body isn't coping.

Thank you so much again, and 13 years remission, WOW... Congratulations

 

[janjan58]

prednisone

If possible, get off the stuff...but have to slowly be weened off. I was so hyped up on 60 mg a day I could not sleep, think straight, became angry and then could not remember what I was doing and completely felt like I was losing my mind. I remember standing in the middle of my kitchen feeling totally lost and then crying uncontrollably. It also gave me more diarrhea not less. Ended up in major flare and in the hospital in diapers after starting on the crap. The doctor that put me on it told me I was "high strung" which she didn't evn know me and I am a very even kieled person. Talk about adding insult to injury!

 

[Jennifer]

Thank you so much again, and 13 years remission, WOW... Congratulations

Thank you! It was a resection that kick started the remission and so far things haven't changed much. I'm 29 too. I took 50mg of Pred for something a few months back and had to stop after 3 days cause it was really screwing up my blood pressure (made it go too low) and I'm already on meds for my heart that lower my BP. Chances are Pred will never be in the cards again for me. Can't they try Entocort with you instead? Even though it will still affect your blood sugar you at least wont have as many side effects like moon face and the crazies (know what I mean?).

I did the whole med free thing once too and things got pretty bad and a few years later I had my resection. I'll never do that again.