The Young and the RA

Prednisone. That little miracle drug. Most people with RA have been put on prednisone at some point during their life. When I was experiencing the symptoms of RA (before they knew what I actually had), I was put on prednisone. I remember hobbling out of the pharmacy and popping that first little white pill into my mouth, and it was like magic! I practically skipped the entire way home! I hadn’t been able to move like that for months! And that was only within a few minutes of taking the drug! Wow! I should just stay on this forever! I learned, while on prednisone, that if I took the drug around 7 a.m., even before I was officially out of bed, I would wake up without any morning stiffness. How fabulous!

Prednisone is a drug that is used:

“to treat the symptoms of low corticosteroid levels (lack of certain substances that are usually produced by the body and are needed for normal body functioning) […] Prednisone is in a class of medications called corticosteroids. It works to treat patients with low levels of corticosteroids by replacing steroids that are normally produced naturally by the body. It works to treat other conditions by reducing swelling and redness and by changing the way the immune system works” (MedlinePlus).

Because of the way the drug works, I was told it was best to take in the morning, but consult your doctor about when you should take it. When you take it can be almost as important as the dose in relieving the pain caused by RA. 

When I first started taking prednisone, I felt amazing! It was as if that tiny little white pill solved all my problems! Unfortunately, I soon experienced the nasty side effects of this so-called miracle drug. I started breaking out in acne like I was back in middle school. My face became extremely round (they call it moon face). I had irregular periods, tiredness and gained weight. According to MedlinePlus, prednisone has the following side effects if take for any extended period of time:

• “headache
• dizziness
• difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
• inappropriate happiness
• extreme changes in mood
• changes in personality
• bulging eyes
• acne
• thin, fragile skin
• red or purple blotches or lines under the skin
• slowed healing of cuts and bruises
• increased hair growth
• changes in the way fat is spread around the body
• extreme tiredness
• weak muscles
• irregular or absent menstrual periods
• decreased sexual desire
• heartburn
• increased sweating”

Turns out, prednisone is not the miracle I was looking for. I cannot even begin to describe to you how ugly and horrible I felt when these side effect kicked in. See if you can see the difference. The acne isn’t as obvious in the pictures; I really just look red, but trust me, it’s there.

It was a terrible experience. I look back at pictures from that time, and I wonder how my boyfriend could ever have been attracted to me (I met a wonderful guy right about the same time I started taking prednisone. He was such a support while my doctors figured out what drugs to get me on. I feel so lucky to have some so amazing and understanding in my life.) Once I got officially diagnosed with RA, I was started on a number of drugs before being put on what I am on today (Humira, Imuran, methotrexate). It did however take me quite a long time to get off prednisone completely. For a while, every time the doctors tried to take me off, I would have a flare-up. I was on prednisone for close to nine months before I could get off it, and I had been on methotrexate for over eight of those months and Enbrel for about half of them. Yeah. Longest prednisone taper ever.

Now, I do still have a bottle of prednisone tucked away in my bedside table for those horrible days when I wake up with terrible joint pain (my rheumotoligist prescribed it for when I have bad days, but I have to say I only will take a 5 mg pill about once or twice a month now, and that makes me feel great!). I definitely recommend getting a prescription for the occasional flair up if you don’t already have one!

In fact, a new study just came out that found modified-release prednisone is even better than the standard, immediate-release version at reducing morning stiffness in people with RA. The study was done by German researchers at Charite University Medicine Berlin:

“After 12 weeks of treatment, patients taking the modified-release version experienced an average of 44 minutes less morning stiffness per day than at the start of the study. That was 29.2 minutes less than those who took the standard version, the team noted” (washingtonpost.com).

Just remember, prednisone is NOT A VIABLE LONG TERM TREATMENT OPTION!!!! The side effects are so not worth it!

Until next time,

S.P.

*Some of the side effects of prednisone can be serious, if you are currently on the drug and experience any of the above side effects, consult your doctor immediately!!!!!!!!!