Prednisone causing anxiety?

I took a 6 day cycle of 20mg of prednisone for 7 days because my Dr. thought I had bronchitis. While I was on the medicine, I would have anxiety. And now that I am off of the medicine, it has gotten worse. I've never had anxiety and I am a very healthy 24 year old male. Will it take a while to get out of my system because I've never taken it before?

[allmymarbles]

Prednisone can harm the adrenal glands causing adrenal fatigue and high cortisol. It is the high cortisol that causes anxiety and panic attacks.

[mammo]

I think your anxiety and you being on Prednisone was just a coincidence.  I feel you should contact your doctor regarding how you are feeling and go from there. Anxiety is not a side effect of the medication and for it to be worse after stopping it....leads me to believe that it's not the medication.  He may want to run some blood work to determine if there is something else causing you to feel anxious.  Anxiety can hit us right out of the blue regardless of how healthy we are.  I hope this helps and please talk to your doctor.

[allmymarbles]

Prednisone and adrenal fatigue did not occur coincidentally in my case. Ask my doctors. In England they take the connection very seriously. Not like here where we have to keep the drug houses happy.

[limomel98]

Mammo, please with all due respect, you are giving fasle information. Prednisone does in fact cause anxiety, that is one if the side affect!! OMG, I cant believe you actually posted that.  Prednisone can also cause severe mood swings, mania and depression. The higher the dose the worse off some can be. However not ALL people experience side effects from this drug. But yes indeed this med can cause anxiety, agitation, heart racing, insomina, weakness and the list goes on....Just research this drug and you will see. And if does have lasting effects on SOME people. Even after taking it a lot of people on this same site have experienced on going side effects that get better with time. I am going to post my personal story below. If anybody has any questions for me or want to share their story with me, please feel free to message me, I always check my inbox

[limomel98]

This is the worse drug for me ever!!! Alot of people on this site under prednisone has said the same. I was given this for vertigo, because the PA thought i had fluid in my ears. Each pill was 5mg, the first day I started with 6 pills, THATS 30mg!! Then weened down. By day three I was sick as a dog. Anxiety out the butt! Irritability, night sweats, weak, tired and could not sleep. Everytime I would try to fall asleep, I would feel these weird brain zapps in my head, and at the same time my body would heat up really hot, sweaty and heart racing fast. I woke up each time exhausted, confused and scared. I woke up at least 6 times in one night! Then enough was enough, I went to the ER and they ran all test. My bp was high...but everything else normal. It took a month to get over these side effects. That was September 10, 2011, now im doing much better. Almost back to my old self. Prednisone really frazzled my nerves and IS NOT FOR EVERYONE!!  If you have any type of anxiety, mental issues or are just sensitive to steriods, USE THIS DRUG WITH CAUTION PLEASE!!