Medrol symptoms and conditions

Hello everyone, I just started taking Prednisone today for severe Sciatica. I have read all your stories and now im so weary of taking another pill. Some of the side effects that y'all have experienced are awful. I think i would go crazy if i got all of that. I am on the Medrol Dose Pack and i started 2 pills before breakfast and now i have some stomach pains. Its sad that you have to take this for pain and inflammation and then end up with all other kinds of problems. Thanks for sharing your stories. I think im gonna stop taking it all together. Stacey

I was given solu-medrol for an allergic reaction to something unknown. I was given benadryl just prior because of my itching hives.
Immediately after the RN injected the solu-medrol into my IV I started choking, I couldn't catch my breath, I felt as if I had a rush of adrenaline but at the same time it felt like my heart was fluttering. My blood pressure and my heart rate jumped up considerably. I was unable to speak and had a hard time swallowing. My vision was effected and I had light sensitivity, everything suddenly seemed very bright. My thought process was very distracted, I would try to speak and within a second forget what I wanted to say. I had to concentrate extremely hard just to get out a single word.
I also had slight numbness or loss of sensation in my hands.
I don't want to know what would have happened if I hadn't been given the benadryl first! I felt as if someone was inducing brain damage onto me and instantly turning me into a vegetable.

I have MS and FINALLY tried the Solu-Medrol. 3 days infusion and then once a month for the next 5 months. I have been on it for 3 months. The pain in my joints goes away almost completely, though it comes back sooner now than at first. It feels great not to hurt. The metallic taste and bloating is worth it. The first several years after being diagnosed, I would not take it. Now I can hardly wait for my next infusion. I also take Betaseron injections every other day.

I'm a physician. Usually Kenalog injections can be avoided and oral steroids used like prednisone. The local dimpling effect may occur if the injection is too shallow, actually there is a temporary "disolving" of the subcutaneous tissue, the muscle and joints are not damaged. It is usually viewed as a "cosmetic" adverse effect. The Kenalog injections was primarily designed for joint injection and the kenalog or similar depo form stays active in the joint for a few weeks. All steroid medications can cause irritability and this is usually temporary for a few days. Steroids can cause muscle weakness- this is usually associated with high doses for prolonged use like being on prednisone for 3 or 4 months. Steroids can have an adverse effect on menstruation, but this is usually associated with chronic use. The most serious problems with the steroids result in bone weakness(osteoporosis) and serious damage to joints like the back and hip. Steroids can also result in weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure and cataract formation. I don't think Kenalog is any different than other steroids such as Medrol or Prednisone in terms of the side effect profile. These are dangerous medications that can also be very helpful in saving lives and diminishing pain.

I was prescribed a 6 day pack of 4mg Methylprednisolone (Medrol) at the ER for an allergic reaction I was having to a gel that I used on my sking. The Medrol worked great at stopping the allergic reaction. My swelling, pain, and rash began to rapidly clear up. Unfortunately I began to have many side effects. On day 5 I was unable to get out of bed I was so tired and dizzy. I had a headache and mental confusion and unclear thinking. I called my primary care provider on a Sunday to ask if it is okay to stop taking the steroid. She said it was and that it was unlikely the medrol was causing my symptoms. She told me I had a virus. I told her the symptoms I was having were listed as side effects on the drug info sheet but she did not believe me. IA few days later I made an appointment to see a doctor, not the same one who took my phone call. This doctor said all of my symptoms were from the Medrol. She knew because of personal experience she saw in her mother who was also taking steroids. She told me medrol can cause a manic response or a depressive, the latter is what I was having. As part of my exam she wanted me to have blood work but said I should wait at least 2 weeks to allow the drug to get out of my system. It is now 19 days since my appointment and I am still having side effects: nausea, complete lack of appetite, dizzy, and tired all the time. I put a call in to my doctor today and am waiting to hear back. I am sorry that I took this medication, will never take again. How long will it take for this med to get completely out of my system so that I feel normal again?
A friend told me her mother had a manic episode on steroids. When I was younger I took steroids for a brief period and had much milder side effects.

Hello all,
I'm in the same boat but near the end.... I was given Bactrim for a UTI. I woke up after 2 days with horrible aches in my joints and muscles. I was immediately taken off the Bactrim and put on Doxycycline. I was then put on Prednisone for the aches (which helped). I developed blisters and a rash after a few days. My aches went away after about two weeks but now I have itchy, sore and peeling feet, buttocks, mouth, and genitals. Stomach upset as well. I have been tested for everything (STDs, Lyme Disease, West Nile, etc, etc) and everything has come back negative. I was diagnosed with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome from the allergic reaction I had to the Bactrim. It has been 3 weeks since the first dose and I am finally starting to feel better (except for the insane itching). Good luck to everyone. Never again!

I've been getting Depo-Medrol injections in my back for years for degenerative disk disease, and many other things with my back. I recently moved to an area where they have given me 180 mg of DepoMedrol in my neck, thoracic and lumbar spine. I have gained 30 pounds. I am a tiny person and this weight gain is affecting the way I live my life. I've been trying and trying to loose it and it just won't come off. Can anyone help me?

My jaw dropped after reading all of these posts. I started on Yasmin 3 weeks ago. I've never really been on BC's before, so I thought that my headaches, numbness and fatigue were just because of school. I finally connected the dots and looked on the internet to see if it was the Yasmin or if i was just crazy. I am so thankful to have found this website. I wish it was in the paper or advertised. Doctors should not even be able to prescribe this drug.

I just finished my seventh day of Avelox today for rhinitis (sinus). The dry mouth and throat is very bad. I wake up about twice a night to drink water. My mouth and throat gets so dry. It even gets dry and sticky throughout the day. I am drinking so much water. I have noticed about an hour after I take it, I get dizzy and become very anxious. I even start thinking about all of my symptoms and begin to freak out. I have had about two panic attacks this week. I do not like the changes it has done to me. I have also been very emotional and sad. I think I have cried about three times this week. I am glad I am finished...no more depression! My sinus infection is better though.

Prescribed 500mg of Levaquin for sinus infection, along w Medrol Pak steroids. Although steroids can cause restlessness, they do NOT cause COMPLETE anxiety, nightmares insomnia and aphasia. I took only 4 pills, 1 each day, and it's like i boarded THE CRAZY TRAIN. Fluoroquinolones are apparently known for their intense and dangerous side effects, and if it is true that this is also an antidote for anthrax poisoning, it's probably something that should not be prescribed for sinus infections. SEVERE side effects, chest tightness, etc. No wonder they will not rx it for teenagers-I am a healthy 42 yr old woman and would NEVER take it AGAIN,.

I had been taking bactrim for a week when one morning i woke up feeling achy, tired, and light-headed. I noticed a slight rash forming on my arms but didn't think much of it bc i had been on the Bactrim for a week already. Then the symptoms got wayyyyy worse. I started to form lesion like sores on my vagina, and I immediately saw a doctor to get tested for STD's. The gyno examined the area, and she said it did not look like herpes but that she would test for it just in case. She put me on augmentin bc she said I definitely had some sort of infection down there. After taking 4 doses of augmentin almost all the lesions went away. The STD tests (blood, culture, and urine) all came up negative, as I expected they would. Has anyone else had genital reactions to bactrim???? Because as of right now the doctors are unsure what caused this outbreak/infection.

I had solu medrol 1gm/200 ml infused for 3 days for new MS. First day I became pale and "dead" looking. I had weakness and confusion. Day 2 I was irritable and weaker. Day 3, I was even weaker and began having shortness of breath. Day 4, I woke up feeling like I was drowning. I shuffled as I walked, had a total of 10 pound gain, I was weak and unable to eat. I began to not urinating and had extreme abdominal distention. I could not go to the bathroom. I had to sit or sleep upright. I spent a lot of time sleeping. Day 5 sudden 6 pounds more gain. Had a feeling of death. Heart rate was high..checked in the hospital..BP 90/50. I was so weak that a whisper is all I could do. I spent 3 days in the hospital. Today out of the hospital, I can only eat same amounts. solu medrol caused my system to stop functioning.

Follow up to my post earlier today...

I took the my son to the doctor this morning and he was somewhat dismissive of the recent reports on Singulair...says he's had a lot of kids on the drug and never heard a peep about side effects until last week when the report on suicidal tendencies showed up. He did advise that when these kinds of behavior changes happen after a new drug is started he would recommend that we stop taking the drug no matter what it was, but I still felt uncomfortable with his response to us.

I felt like he was accusing me of making it up or only coming up with it because of recent news and message board posts. In fact, I made the appointment BEFORE I saw the posts. I was worried about his behavior BEFORE I saw the posts. It's just that seeing the stories from everyone else basically confirmed my suspicions that it might be the drug causing the problems.

I feel like I definitely wasted OVER AN HOUR waiting for a doctor to spend five minutes making me feel small.

Last night was the last time my son will take the drug, and I don't care what the doctors think of me.

Hello, my name is Rob and I have been on Remicade for the past 5 years. I had a reaction to my first Infusion, shortness of breath and feeling flushed. They then added Benadryl to all future infusions and everything has been fine until this last infusion in April of 2008. Halfway into the infusion my face became flushed, the person adminisitering the Remicade said it was hives, this was accompanied by tightness in the chest and headache. They stopped the infusion, gave me some Benadryl added to the IV, that did not work, they then added Solu-Medrol 125MG into the IV and it seemed to reduce the effects of my reaction. The infusion was completed and I went home. Upon arriving home I looked quite pale until that night. My face became red, almost as if I spent too much time in the sun and I have had a headache followed by chest pains. This condition has continued into the next day but it does not feel severe enough to go to Emergency. Should I be concerned or will this pass? Is it possible that I have been on it so long that I am now building up a tolerance to it?

i had this shot last June. i would never do it again. i had insomnia and night sweats for a month. i was up every hour on the hour wiping my self dry i was dripping wet from head to toe.. i had to wear my husbands running clothes for the sweat. the sweat was making me cold with my pj's. had to sleep w/ towels.every morning i would be so depressed from not sleeping i couldn't function at work. had severe anxiety( had to go on Xanax) had hair thinning, I lost 6 lbs went down to 100lbs and I'm 5 ft. become severely anemic the doctor wanted to do a blood transfusion. i could not stop bleeding for months clots galore. this is just a short version of the problems. the drug finally stopped working after 9 months.doctor wants to give me depo medrol. i don't think so!

my bf had an asthma attack and was given a iv injection of solumedrol at the emergency. when we got home he slept for 3 hours then got up in a bad mood. my daughters boyfriend started some arguing with him and my boyfriend was violent. we have lived together for 4 years and NEVER has he even raised his voice. he was irrational and very, very loud. this drug made him very angry and hyper. he said he felt like his adrenalin was through the roof. after work he came home and was calmer but his eyes were bothering him. (all day they bothered him) i will not let him take this injection again. this guy could drink a bottle of tequila and not be loud or violent. he is a very calm man. the hospital said he would have no side effects to really speak of. it took all i had to try to calm him. he also had 5 doses of albuterol inhalation and 3 doses of ipratroprium brom inhaled. could be combo of all, i don't know. but never again solu-medrol

Hey all. I am sorry for those of you who have to take this all the time, I hope you all are doing well.

Here is my experience: I like prednisone! I have taken it three different times, to reduce allergy symptoms. I had hives SOOOO bad and my face was swollen A LOT, so I got an 80mg shot and then went on a 6 day medrol dose pack. I wasnt on it very long but I did notice that I have an increased heart rate. Its normally about 62 (due to working out and being fit) but I am currently hovering around 85 most of the time, and its been 4 days since I stopped the medrol. That means no working out for me b/c my chest starts hurting. I will wait about another week to see if it lessens up.

To harvesterbornagain: I would say give it a week or so. If you have to go on this again DEFINETELY ask for a tapered pack. When I was on it I took 4 mg pills the whole time like this: 7 on day one, 6 on day two, 5 on day three... I tapered off so my body had time to adjust. I think that may be your problem. Dont take no for an answer next time! Demand a tapered dose!

Even more information regarding subcutaneous atrophy and the class of drugs which Kenalog fall in to:

"Subcutaneous atrophy developed in a 36-year-old woman at the site of a triamcinolone acetonide (Kenalog) injection for subdeltoid bursitis. Occurrence of local atrophy after corticosteroid injection is relatively frequent yet unappreciated. It is more common in young women and girls who are given preparations with a lesser degree of water solubility. Although the condition is often reversible, instances of long-term disfigurement are well documented. This complication of a useful treatment method can be avoided by following a set of precautions for local injection of corticosteroids."

The above excerpt from a 1986 article in the U.S National Library of Medicine. There is also an article as far back as 1967 in the British Medical Journal (10/14/1967) that puts forward the same theory (though it is argued about in the editorial of the Journal).

Anyone who has experienced this problem should print this out and show it to their doctors. Presumably and hopefully your doctor is aware of medical journals and respects the DATA!

I was given Avelox after sinus surgery in August. I called the doctor told them I felt awful sick and nauseated. He switched me to another antibiotic. Here I am in December still not better been on at least two other antibiotics since the bought in August. I started Augmentin 3 weeks ago and had horrible itching after about a week being on it. Went back to my Doctor who out put me back on Avelox. Took the first dose at about 9 am within 30 minutes my throat was itchy and I was breaking out in hives and went into a panic attack. Took Benadryl as well as was prescribed Xanax for anxiety attacks still going on. I don't know if it is the fear of my throat closing but my pharmacy now has warnings for me for Penicillins as well as Avelox related drugs. Never had drug reactions before ever now . Went back to ENT put me on Medro pak which after seeing an allergist recommended. He also wanted me on Biaxin but I am not taking it at this point. There are allergy tests for drugs I would recommend and anyone experiencing any side effects to be checked after reactions to Avelox after reading this board I realize I was having an allergic reaction the first time in August and never should have been on it again.

I Have ms I just found out. They thought I had a brain tumor and the admitted me to the hospital and started treating me immediately with Prendisone.It has just been horrible do you hear me horrible!! after I weened off of them the moon face became horrible. I have knee pain and they swell. my legs and feet and stomach. I have swelling in my back that looks like a buffalo hump. It is horrible.please help me. I feel so unattractive I just cant help it. I am very grateful that it has helped me. I was numb on my entire right side that is another reason why they put me on it. I am glad that is gone, but I almost think I would rather deal with the numbness than I would all of this. It is really scary because nobody said anything to me about how it was going to effect me. Actually the nurses said that there were no side effects to worry about. well let me tell you it has been one roller coaster; i was pumped full of the Prednisone through an IV for thirteen days straight in the hospital,, then was sent home and was given the pill form. all together I have been on the Prednisone for 26 days straight. I will just be so grateful when all of this subsides.All I want for Christmas is to get this swelling off of me and get rid of the moon face and the joint pain. is that tooooo much to ask my goodness. I am so glad that I found this site. it has really been most helpful. I hope everyone out there has better luck with this than I have. it sounds like allot of people have problems. thanks

For optic neuritis, and arm and shoulder pain: I had a combo of 3 days of Solu-Medrol infusion (steroid via IV) and then went on the following regimen of Prednisone: 5 days 60 mg; 3 days 40 mg; 2 days 20 mg.
Side effects have been terrible with the WORSE CASE OF FACIAL ACNE I have ever had. I'm 28 - I have my 10th high school reunion, weddings, and more -- and it may sound vain, but if you saw this acne (hundreds of tiny pimples all over my cheeks; sides; chin; and upper neck) you'd feel my pain. Also, got shoulder, arm, back, and chest acne -- which I can take b/c I can find ways to cover that up. But face! It's terrible. I'm using Pro-Activ and see minimal improvement. The #2 problem has been SEVERE heartburn during the tapering off phase. I have never felt that much pain and it only went away after I completely went off the drug - I treated this with ginger drink (a hot tea sold in international food stores) and Pepcid AC. Also, due to my original symptoms I can do virtually no exercise when I used to exercise 6 days/week. I'm really worried about weight gain which I already see in my arms and face. My appetite has been through the roof. Irritability was the worst but I forewarned my family. My original symptoms have greatly improved, but I'd honestly rather fight through that original pain than endure the craziness that is prednisone.

I have been on pred for 6 days after takin solu medrol dose pack for 6 days for an allergic reaction. The med helped the rash and itch immediatly but as soon as i taper down the rash is back full force. I dont know what to do I cant take the steroids anymore, I am a rotten crabby person on these, i have heart palpitations and sever muscle spasms, it has to be from the steroids. If anyone knows how i can feel better please let me know. I also urinate constantly and only sleep in broke up cycles with wacky dreams..........

Hello all,
I have been on the Medrol dosing pack that is a six day taper. I am on day three and I am a maniac. I have insomnia, total body aches, headache and feel bloated. Does anyone know something I can take to help me sleep that is over the counter? I tried Tylenol PM and Benedryl as that is what the pharmicist suggested. I have tried melatonin in the past without seeing any benefit of the herbal drug. Please help:(

Yeah ... great I'll take the Rx pain killers over depot medrol. People wonder why Paula Abdul acts so punchy... she's totally strung out on weekly depot medrol shots DUH! Well good for her if the people around her can stand it. Wait till the Ms Hyde side shows up. Side -effect ? anxiety; easy agitation & anger; hyper activity.

Where to begin. I swear I could be the poster child for the reasons why NOT to take prednisone or medrol.

I am 27 years old use to take prednisone. I stopped resonding to pred, roughly 4 years prior to my new pediatric doc at that time. The did a "steriod connectic" test where they can figure out if your body repsonses to prednisone. They give you a certain dose and take blood through an IV every 30 mins for up to 18 hours , well I wasn't there for 18 hours. It left my system after 2, I think.. Up to this point in time, I have had a Spinal Fusion in 92, due to Infantile Scoliosis, but the Pred didn't HELP AT ALL. I had secondary to my disease. I had SEVERE Osteoprosis, my 15 year old body looked like an 80 year old woman. The docs swore they had switched x-rays.lol

So I went from Pred to Metholypredislone( Medrol) stronger than Pred. They started to treat me around 15 with bone suppliments, like Miacalcin, Fosamax, etc. now I get the IV drug every 3 months call Pamidronate .. I am finally stable with my osteoprosis after being on this for 4 years..I guess the usual dose is only for two years..

I had a toxic reaction from the medrol/pred, I woke up with a nerophathy & miopathy( loss of nerve and muscle stegnth.) I could barley MOVE.. I had to rebuild the stength and re-work my nerves and muscles. I have osteo-arthritis, compress fractures in my back. I bruse like someone beat me. I get the worst headaches. I was tested for migranes, but it was the pressure in my vessules in my head, were so bad from the pred/medrol. Oh yeah, I have the the hypher activity when on it like ADHD & ADD. I act like a diabetic when on them too. My sugars "yo-yo", the jump , then get really low.

That's all I can think of, it's hard though because steriods have saved my life, yet I swear sometimes the side effects aren't worth it. I can say I have been off those things for almost 3 years.. So things are going good. :-) Feel free to email me with any questions.

Kelli