prednisone anxiety

[tinapastina]

last tuesday my dr prescribed me prednisone for what he thought was mono( turned out to be tonsilitis) and the prednisone was not needed. after 3 days of 20mg i thought i was going to die. panic attacks, shakes, sweating and unable to focus i called the dr who had the PA call me back amnd say taper to 10 mg then 5 mg. After fri night taking the 10mg i went into hysterics. i couldnt talk, i couldnt move and i could not focus on my son who is 2. i called the dr once again and another dr called to say that i can stop because i wasnt on it lomg enough to cause damage to my adrenal glands.  he said that this stuff can cause steroid psychosis.  i have been tking .5mg of lorazapam with the panic attacks. im good during the day aside from a little nausea, but at night, i wake with a start like im being zapped by a cattleprod. i opem my eyes and try to calm down,. but once i shut my eyes and try to rest i get that zapped feeling again.
has anyome gone thru this? ive read that it can take 2 weeks for the rpednisone to fully leavce your system

[TimQuick]

i have had the same reaction to the prednisone.  it made me very anxious for about a week...maybe drink alota water to help flush it out...don't mix medicines with it!!!

[tinapastina]

thank you! for a while i thought i was going nuts!!!!! apparently this prednisone makes people go thru crazy stuff

[limomel98]

The exact thing happen to me, even down to the sleep issue! Ive been looking for answers since september this year and I found some, but this here does not get any better! I was given prednisone 5mg per tablet,. Take 6 pills the first day (which is 30mg!!!) then taper off. I was taking it because the PA thought my vertigo was from fluid being in my ears. Anyway, by day 3??!!! Septem 10, 2011, I was SICK AS A DAMN DOG!!! Weak, hot flashes (and im 31) my nerves were on the edge, i was emotional wreck!! The 3rd night I went to sleep and was awaken several times during the night with that brain zapping feeling. Everytime I close my eyes and doze off, my body heated up, night sweats, brain zapps, my body felt weak all over! This would only happen while trying to sleep. I had my man take me to the ER. They couldnt find anything and when I mentioned the Prednisone, they played dumb! ( which they always do when it come to pointing the fingers at meds) while awake during the day, i felt weak, and anxiety out the butt! Not to mention I was dizzy from the vertigo. OMG!! I will never take this meds as long as live, if I can help it. 3months later and my nerves are still a little frazzled. It really messed with my anxiety. The more I read about prednisone, the more bad stories I hear about these side effects. It is not the med for everybody. USE WITH CAUTION!

[OrchidNC]

I was given Prednisone at Urgent Care and i've been gaving a nightmare of s time for a week now. It all started from a simple children's 12 hour alegra. Pollen count was high so I grabbed one with my breakfast bar in car on way to do errands. Mouth got super dry fast and I didnt have water, stopped to get some and felt heart   rate increasing, started feeling tingling in head so pulled into Urgent Care to get checked BP 167/100 and heart rate 120 very high for me. (iJust had physical all no's were excellent and BP 120/70's )
PA treated as allergic reaction and gave a Steroid injection and one histamine block as well. There for several hours. (Drank six or so bottles h2o while there ) Shaky when i left, went home to bed and husband picked up prescriptions. I began taking right away as they were clear the "protocol" was to avoid a rebound affect and said it was necessary . I take 10 mg prednisone 4x day for four days, then 3x day for three days, then 2x day for two days then 1x and with that 50 mg of Hydroxycine (an antihistamine?!?) every 6 hours for ten days. Felt terrible taking, shaky, anxious, revved up, tight chest, called doctor Monday morning and she said to stop all meds. That i had only been in them for @ three days and I should be safe to stop the entire course of treatment because she doubts I had an "allergic reaction" at all, just had a reaction. That was over a week ago and I have been so sick! with bp that takes off, tightness in chest, nausea, shakes and tremmors, anxiety, inability to drive or sleep. Things have tapered off over the past two days and symptoms arent extreme but and last two nights I've had to take .5 mg of Klonopin an anxiety med to calm system down. I seem to get nauseous and shaky and anxious after eating ( which I can barely do but make myself eat a few bites of of protein and healthy carbs like a diabetic because I thought maybe this was affecting my blood sugar levels) and at bed time. I don't know if the Prednisone has been a lone culprit in this or the added med did me in, but I NEVER have felt this ill and I don't get sick, anciety, or normally take any meds so I have concern over this anxiety piece and whether I will regret taking the Klonopin or not? I m concerned about what's going on with my system and have been back to the doctor twice and hospitol once...
No one seems to have answers or can advise me. Just told to deal with it till it stops? When that will be no one can say. Meds should be nearly out of system by now do why the lingering symptoms?
Anyone have similair experience and can you give me a clue if the anxiety goes away on its own or does it require meds? Any experience with Klonopin and is that safe?
Thanks,
AnxiousNC

[Cloak291]

Can someone please tell me how long it took for the side effects to go away? It has almost been 7 weeks for me. I am better but on 0.375 of Klonopin... Please help! I did not have any anxiety or panic symptoms before this. Thanks!

[limomel98]

I am doing much better!  I went to a neurologist March 30 and finally a doctor who confirmed that prednisone causes all these symptoms! Prednisone itself doesnt stay in your system long. But the side effects and temporary damage can last for weeks to a few months. But should go away. As for the Klopinin, I would only use it if I only needed it! They gave me xanax and vallium and still have them. Those meds are very addictive. And if taken too much, once you try to stop, you may get horrible withdrawl side effects. So becareful! i know its hard, but hang in there. I though for sure i was either going crazy or dying. Went to the ER over 10 times and all those incompitenet idiots ever do was blow me off! Some doctors will write a script for anything, just to get you out their face. And others will discharge you with a minor cold just to get you out and not have to deal with the real serious issue at hand.

[Cloak291]

Wow. Thank you so much for replying... So it took you six months to get better? From sept 10 th 2011 ? When did the anxiety stop? Thank you so much for your help!

I am still having the flushes and brain zaps every time I go to sleep. When did that stop? does your face feel warm and then sometimes cold?

Believe me, I can't wait to get off the Klonopin. I am taking 0.25 mg at night to sleep. Can't sleep without it as I have anxiety...

[Mandypleis]

When did the anxiety stop? I had predisone, never had anxiety before and had my last dose (day 3 couldn't take anymore), it is now August 14th and am still having anxiety issues,ended up on klonopin for it. Please help whendoes this go away?

[limomel98]

Sure, no problem!!!! I was just like you! Searching the web for answers, because these lazy *** docs wont do a thing! No more morals, in it for the money. By Mid December 2011, the anxiety had subsided tremendously!!!!! I may have one mild episode once or twice a month, if that. Only if something aggravates me really bad. the panic attacks went completely away in late Oct early Nov 2011. I had them sooooooo bad, I could not even function or go anywhere! I was super scared all the time and thought I was dying. The sleep thing, I was was scared to go to sleep, because I thought I would never wake up and die! The sleep thing, with the brain zaps and hot flushes started day three of prednosone, and completely went away early Dec 2011. Mind you, in sept and oct I had a lot of sleep episodes. As nov and dec came, it was maybe once or twice a month and very mild. Yes my face did feel warm, then a chill. Even my arms and upper body. I could be standing in a store and it would happen. Thats anxiety. I did a lot of research on this drug and found out that this drug is NOT suppose to be given to people with Mania or ANY type of Mental health disorders. Prednisone can cause steriod psychosis is people with diagnosed or UNdiagnosed mental health issues. I was already a nervous person, with mild Anxiety, so this drug made it worse! They are suppose to ask if you have ANY mental health issues before prescribing. This stupid Nurse practioner didnt ask me, and didnt see in my file that the doctor had given me Celexa for mild anxiety a month earlier. WOW! I know you will feel better soon. I purposely stay connected to this site, even though im better, i want to help others! Remember doctors will brush off and deny, but if you keep finding people like me and others who took prednisone and having the same exact symptoms, then it proves they are lying and somethings is very wrong with that drug. All of us are NOT crazy, we dont even have a reason to make it up, go figure!

[Cloak291]

God bless you !!!! I have added you as a friend.
WHEN i get better I will do the same. Hopefully these posts will help people in the future. I want to get better and start a blog about my and our experiences. My anxiety is getting better (been 7 weeks for me) Last dose of Prednisone on Feb 12th.

So you didn't think you have some sort of hormone issue (Thyroid/Adrenal or Glucose) that the Prednisone caused? You think the flushes were due to anxiety? Yes. I could be in a store and start to feel really warm.. its awful.

Yes. I was a nervous person before but never had constant anxiety or panic attacks. I have not had a panic attack since March 13th now...

My biggest problem is that when I fall asleep, I am constantly awakened by brain zaps and my body over heating... I dont know what to do and get so scared.

[bigitalian]

I just started taking klonopin myself and feel horrible. what sort of side effects do you have?

[limomel98]

No I dont have any hormone problem, adreanal or thyroid or glucose. I had all kind of blood work and it came back normal. Prednisone may exacerbates ANY mental health issue. Thats why we feel worse after taking it. I was very weak too. The sleep issue was my main issue too. I went to the ER several times to see what was wrong. They gave me CT scans and all, NOTHING! The doctors had no answer and looked at me stupid. But the neurologist i saw last week said that sleep thing was directly related to the prednisone. She said some people react that way. I found a lot of people who had the exact same sleep issue. It by far is the most scariest thing I ever experienced..... i feel your pain

[Cloak291]

Hello - I switched from Ativan to Klonopin 2 weeks ago. My brain fog/cloudiness went away as Klonopin is longer lasting. I feel heaviness at the back of my head and a little disorientation sometimes if I look around (although that may be from the Prednisone). What symptoms are you having?

[limomel98]

Everytime I would try to dose off, I would be awakened by brain zaps, like my head was being electricuted sort of. At the same time, my body would heat up from the waist up, my arms would be numb and I would be over all tired. No matter how hard I tried to fight it, i couldnt get sleep and was too scared to take any sleep aides, thought I wouldnt wake up, LOL! So I would just say, bump this and stay awake until I couldnt keep my eyes open. Then I would be sooooooooo tired and just fall out on the bed sleep. Then and only then would I get sleep without those issues. I lost weeks of sleep and was miserable.

[limomel98]

My worse sleep episode was 3 days after I began prednisone. I was getting zapped and heated up all night long on Sept 10. Like 6 in that night!!! I was drenched in sweat, heart racing and short of breathe and then I finally got up and went to the ER. My bp was up and I told them what had happened. One nurse whispered to me and said prednisone will do it everytime to her. But the doctor had no answer and said "NO, its not the Prednisone, beacuse the dose is too low"...... what a bunch of crap! After that, first night...it became less and less and was never as intense as the first night.

[bigitalian]

I have been little dizzy, disoriented, just out of it every time I take it. Plus my heart has been pounding a week into taking it and having trouble sleeping now in the second week. Having mild chest pains, hard to breathe if I take too much. I also very vivid dreams when I first started taking it, nothing bad just realistic.I started out with .5 in morn .5 in afternoon and .5 at bedtime. It was ok at first then i started feeling like crap on it. I am pretty young 29 and healthy. I am very sensative to medication. When it comes to rare side effects you can count on me to get um. thanks for the feedback.

[Cloak291]

I would lower your dose. That is a very high dose of Klonopin and ou will get addicted. I take only 0.25 at night and 0.125 in the day. Deal with your anxiety with chammomile tea etc. I am not a doctor.

[OrchidNC]

I understand how difficult it can be to figure all this out.
I just want my body to feel like it did before I was given Prednizone
three weeks ago. It's been a real nightmare. I too struggle with the idea of
using more medications to resolve the side affects of the anxiety because
I don't want to become dependent on them, trading one health error for another. I find the Klonopin at.25 mg makes me feel keyed up and internally
shaky on a different sort of way for the first 6-8 hours and ad it wears down I feel better for another 8 hours. My MD told me to spread it out and take it as needed (I was going nearly twenty hours) because it lingers in body. Thought would lessen bodies adfictiveness to it if it was taken at digfetent timed. But  the Psychiatrist I've made an apt with believes it's is slower acting and not good to try to chase anxiety down if it rears up. That it would be better for treatment to keep steady amount of smallest dose needed for benefit take at equal intervals. I'm trying to figure that out. .25 is too much at once but .125 although less jittery is only good about 8-10 hours. I took a dose of .125 in the am at 7:00 and did well on that till about 7:00 but by midnight I needed another .125? I thing initially the meds were still lingering in my body so I think the idea of .25 at night with .125 12 hrs later is a good suggestion. Everyone's body is different so listen to your body. I looked up Klonopin and found that it peaks anywhere from 4-8 hours in body can last residually

[OrchidNC]

Oops...sometimes I really dislike my smart phone, sent accidentally before I could check it and finish ... Oh well.... I was going to say it can last in the body 12-30  hours depending on your chemistry and amount taken. Some residual amounts can be detected even 50 hours later. I found it works in the area of the brain in complex ways to enhance the amount of GABA that is present to inhibit stress receptors. Although it sounds like it might balance neuro system it doesn't :( it is used to target symptoms of stress sounds like to me. My doctor did conveye these amounts are low and should be able to step down from them when time comes to. Immediate goal is to stop stress in the body that was triggered. So that is my up-date and hope it helps you. One last thing. I would advise you to see a doctor that understands the neurological system and medicines affect on it and how it affects the body. General practitioners aren't educated enough in these matters. The brain is very complex don't mess with it without really trusting the doctor knows what their talking about and why their prescribing and what is the goal. Best of luck to you. Keep us posted.

[OrchidNC]

Oops...sometimes I really dislike my smart phone, sent accidentally before I could check it and finish ... Oh well.... I was going to say it can last in the body 12-30  hours depending on your chemistry and amount taken. Some residual amounts can be detected even 50 hours later. I found it works in the area of the brain in complex ways to enhance the amount of GABA that is present to inhibit stress receptors. Although it sounds like it might balance neuro system it doesn't :( it is used to target symptoms of stress sounds like to me. My doctor did conveye these amounts are low and should be able to step down from them when time comes to. Immediate goal is to stop stress in the body that was triggered. So that is my up-date and hope it helps you. One last thing. I would advise you to see a doctor that understands the neurological system and medicines affect on it and how it affects the body. General practitioners aren't educated enough in these matters. The brain is very complex don't mess with it without really trusting the doctor knows what their talking about and why their prescribing and what is the goal. Best of luck to you. Keep us posted.

[nursegirl6572]

Klonopin is a long acting benzo, whereas Ativan and Xanax are short acting benzos.  Klonopin is better suited on a more long term basis, to maintain a patient, to prevent anxiety and panic.  The shorter acting benzos are more appropriate when dosed "as needed", like in the event of a panic attack.  It works quicker, and also leaves the system quicker.  In ost cases, Ativan and Xanax should only be used for short term courses, usually 3-4 months.  Klonopin can be used long term, if indicated.

Klonopin is more appropriate when dosed regularly, usually twice daily, as it needs time to build up in the plasma, to achieve effectiveness.  Psychiatrists are the best docs to manage these kinds of meds.

[amanda257]

I've taken prednisone for 9 days. 4 (10mg) tabs by mouth for four days 3 tabs by mouth for 3 days. I have felt very sick over the weekend. Severe dizziness, pains in my legs and back accompanied by excessive sweating. I walk around and feel that I am going to fall over. Called the doctors and they said I cant stop the pill that I have to ween off. So i took 2 tabs yesterday and 1 tab today but i still feel severe dizziness. How long will the side affects last? Please help!!

[Paxiled]

Because corticosteroids affect cortisol levels, obviously, they bother a lot of people.  How long depends on the individual, unfortunately.  A person already suffering from anxiety will potentially have worse problems than someone who isn't, because it feeds into your already existing pathology.  They also kill off part of our protective probiotics, so that just makes it worse.  Just relax and know this is what sometimes happens with these drugs and only use them if absolutely necessary.

[zanny55]

Hi, does skin atrophy from oral steroid last very long on your skin? I have skin atrophy now from consuming oral steroids(prednisone) for a month.

[beck_75]

i have ben on prednisone 4 ab week now & my face, lips & nose r itching so bad, can i take klonopin 2 help it, its realy driving me crazy