So much to share about prednisone. It’s common knowledge that prednisone gives you energy and increases your appetite. It is not as well known that it also can stimulate hair growth. So why isn’t it marketed and used as a treatment for that? Easy. It’s poison that destroys your body with longterm use. Prednisone also bloats the face and, even though Crohn’s patients typically lose weight, if they are on a high dose of steroids but can’t exercise, they get fat. It’s just a lousy situation overall.
At this point, I’d like to reiterate that I am not a doctor, but here’s some information about prednisone that I’ve learned from experience:
Why is prednisone used to treat Crohn’s Disease?
As mentioned in my previous comics about prednisone, prednisone is an anti-inflammatory steroid. During a flare, it is commonly used to help stop inflammation and boost other drugs so they can get a foothold.
How long will I need to be on prednisone?
It depends on how quickly you start to recover. In my experience, at least 4-6 weeks is typical. You usually never want to go beyond 3 months. The longest I’ve had to be on it was 8 months and that was hell. Be aware that you cannot just stop prednisone. Instead, you’ll need to taper down, usually by 5mg per week. So, 40mg to 35mg and so on.
What are the side effects of prednisone?
Short term: Uncomfortable amounts of energy, restlessness, decreased attention span, insomnia, aggression, increased appetite, weight gain, bloated face, nausea, bloating, acne, dry skin, hair growth, easy bruising, and an increased amount of time required to heal from bruises and wounds.
Long term: Thinned/brittle bones.
Any tips for dealing with these side effects?
For brittle bones, my doctors have always recommended calcium supplements. For insomnia, I’ve usually taken either melatonin or ambien. Regarding uncomfortable amounts of energy, restlessness, and weight gain, if I’m healthy enough, exercise will take the edge off. I once had a flare where I’d do 200 pushups and situps, and 100 pullups a day. However, if you are too sick to exercise, you’re going to gain weight. There’s also nothing that can be done about the bloated face (sometimes called moon face), acne, short attention span, or the rest. In my experience, it is best to let the people around me (family, friends, bosses, and sometimes co-workers) know what’s going on to try to get some leeway for my unpredictability.