Help me....bad mood swings...prendisone related

Hi Heather

It's been just over 2 years since I last had pred but I know exactly how you feel! I went through a stage of sobbing at my desk at work for no reason! Once I explained it to my work mates, they were really cool and would give me a hug and then just keep talking to me normally. I used to also wake up feeling really down. Then at night I'd be all hyperactive and unable to sleep.

What amount of pred are you on now? You probably will just have to ride it out as it has to be tapered at the rate your Dr suggests. My advice is to ride it out but keep telling yourself that it is just the pred talking when you feel down or start crying. It isn't you, it's just the pred and all this will pass and you'll be ok. The other thing is to tell/warn those around you about the pred. My work friends adapted really quickly to the fact that I could start sobbing at my desk for no reason. They didn't take it personally and knew it was just the drugs and not an underlying issue. I also made sure my family and close friends were warned as I did some crying and got a bit snappish with them from time to time.

That helped me cope with it better. Morning depression? Common Pred side effect. Hyperactive? Pred - check. Crying? Pred - check. Eating everything in sight? Pred - check. I think that simply realising it is the pred and not you is half the battle.

Hopefully you'll taper off it soon and then you'll feel a lot better Best wishes.

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Left Sided UC
Maintenance Meds: Salofalk tablets (Asacol) 2 tablets 4 times daily (4gm total) plus 2 Salofalk foam enemas per week.
Flare Meds: Salofalk enemas and/or Colifoam
Oat bran 60grams daily, Metamuscil and multivitamins

Yeah your symptoms are pretty normal. My mom would always describe the mood swings to people using a true event. I would be at the top of the stairs laughing and by the time i got to the bottom i would be curled in a ball crying. It's horrible. I think it's even harder on those we love becuase I know i took my feelings out on them. It's really good your boyfriend knew what to expect with you on pred.

Ok some things you could try:

A sun lamp in the morning. When first on pred ten years ago I had a therapist suggest this. She said to lay in bed an extra ten minutes after waking with a sun lamp on. It worked! I felt better, especially when it's all grey out like it has been here. (i'm in chicago so there is lots of grey in the winter)

Try to remember to do little things for others. Not only is it uplifting for you it helps them know that even though you are a bit um...crazy? at the moment you still love them an appreciate them.

In the morning try to have something you love as a reward for getting up. I am a coffee freak. During the worst of my pred crazy i would put the coffeemaker next to my bed and set the timer for morning. I woke up to the smell of coffee next to me. It was fantastic! I loved getting up to that smell and it got me going.

Try not to be to hard on yourself. It's the pred! Not you!!!

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Kelly, 30

Left sided UC diagnosed 1/98 age 19, Pan colitis diagnosed 1/07
Currently on 4x3 Asacol, 5mg pred, 150mg Imuran
Prontonix once daily for acid reflux, zofran twice daily for nausea, darvocet for pain
antispasmodics didn't work.

Thank you for all of your support and comments. It is refreshing to know that there are other people out there experiencing exactly what I am going through.

I am actually only on 7 mg of prednisone and been tapering by 1 mg every three days. It really stinks! It seems the lower I go, the worse my moods are. I only started with 10 mg.

Thank you for all of your insights and making me feel better. I have to keep reminding myself: its the drug and NOT ME! :-D

Heather

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Colazal 750 mg 3x3 daily

6-MP 50 mg (2) daily

Miralax-when needed

Rowasa-when needed

Been diagnosed with UC for 5 years

LOL. Let me tell you. This past couple months when I went back on the stuff in enema form I would cry at the most ridiculous things on tv, or at a song on the radio. Some happy cries, some sad ones. I was watching united 93 yesterday, and broke down... I have seen it twice already and didn't break down that bad. It's rather embarassing, being a grown man. It feels better to let it go though I must say. It's definately the meds personality, not yours.

I told my wife just to bare with me until I got back off the stuff.

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Proctitis DX 1998
Lialda 1x day
Hydrocort Enema As Needed