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Posted 9/27/2017 9:00 AM (GMT -8)
Predisone is making me crazy. It has never been this bad before. It's making me an emotional basket case, especially when it comes to anger. I am yelling at friends and family over the most stupid things. The anger just erupts and I feel like I can't control it, it's in my nervous system. I mentioned it to my doctor and his solution was more medication, like ativan or an anti-depressant, which I obviously don't want. The answer to drug side effects is not more drugs!!

Has anyone dealt with this before? I feel like such a total a-hole right now. I've taken prednisone before but it has never had these side effects. I have apologized to everyone and informed the ones I love that I'm dealing with side effects of drugs, so that they at least understand it's not their fault... but it's still not nice!

What can I do? Any strategies?
Posted 9/27/2017 9:24 AM (GMT -8)
What are all the meds you're on for UC?
How long on it and how long till you are off?

Seems you covered your bases regarding friends.

I have no experience with pred and know I wouldn't handle it well mentally.

Are you sleeping OK? If that's a no, maybe something to help you there.

q
Posted 9/27/2017 9:42 AM (GMT -8)
I understand exactly what you are going through. Same thing happens to me when on Prednisone.

The best thing I learned to do when something upsets me is to bite my tongue and walk away. Just get alone for about 5 minutes and I am able to settle down and realize how insignificant the thing was I got upset over.
It's hard to do at first, but the more I did it the easier it got.

The most frustrating thing is knowing I am acting completely different than I normally would. I am a totally different person whom I have almost no control over. But I did find ways to control the Predisone form of myself.

It's also helpful to explain to those closest to you what you are going through and ask them to extend you extra grace.
They should understand you don't normally act that way, and they should do their best to write it off as a reaction to the Prednisone.
Posted 9/27/2017 11:18 AM (GMT -8)
Every dance with the devil with prednisone is different regarding side effects.

The best you can do is try and catch yourself as it begins to happen, bite your lip and walk away to cool down. I was somewhat successful but not 100 percent.

Roadrage was bad on pred for me. I've never flipped off, cut off, used my horn and tailgated so much before lol.
Posted 9/27/2017 11:20 AM (GMT -8)
Anti-anxiety meds can help with pred anger and also might help with gut microbed and thus UC symptoms. Likewise, if you are not getting good sleep, a trial of some sleep med could help the anger problem.

Especially a low dose could be worth considering. Sometime the way drug side effects are managed is with other meds.

good luck
Posted 9/27/2017 11:29 AM (GMT -8)
avoidance is the best thing i can do when taking pred ---- just stay far away from anything and everyone till the sh!tstorm is over -

and ya, be as healthy and rested as you can be - if you don't already, limit caffeine -
Posted 9/27/2017 12:05 PM (GMT -8)
If you believe the solution for med side effects is not more meds then you should practice better self control. Simple as that. You can't blame a drug for your anger outbursts, sure pred can make you get angrier easier but pred isn't making you talk or open your mouth. If you get angry, don't say anything.

Meditation can also help with self control, yoga, working out/sports etc. you can fuel anger into that.
Posted 9/27/2017 1:38 PM (GMT -8)
I was on pred for years and years. It never made me lash out at people. I think when people who are really angry inside it can bring that out.
Posted 9/27/2017 2:09 PM (GMT -8)
Pred amplifies existing emotions, anxieties, and tendencies. Pred does not create them. So minor pet-peaves or annoyances can suddenly become major showdowns. Depression can multiply, etc.

So I'd ponder what bothers you.
Posted 9/27/2017 2:30 PM (GMT -8)
I am in the same boat.

At the moment I flare up at the slightest provocation and I am hoping it will start to get better when I come off the Prednisone.

I have had to cancel my Spanish class for today as at the last class in front of all seven students I yelled at the teacher....nothing personal..... I was only asking why there are so many past tenses in Spanish but it came out real nasty lol!!!....anyway, I have been on Pred for just over a year and Saturday is when I come off it permanently. I am not an angry person at all, I'm normally a very upbeat happy soul, and I am most of the time, and so it is definitely the drug...remember folk's, everyone reacts differently, and just because you were good on it doesn't mean that everyone else will be.

The only advice I can give you is to avoid people really...I know that is hard if you have to work. And if you 'go off on one' then you have to make sure everyone knows how sorry you are.

Another thing I did learn was to avoid commenting on HW if I was feeling particularly bad as you have to remember people are posting because they feel ill and saying anything that sounds rude isn't really fair.

I hope you can manage to control yourself...when do you come off it?
Posted 9/27/2017 3:29 PM (GMT -8)
Oh yes, I am the queen of prednisone outbursts. Not only would i be irritable, volatile, and unable to tolerate people, I also had barely any self-control to stop myself from saying something. I once blew up at someone who was illegally parked in my driveway. He shouldn't have been there, but I was over-the-top crazy. It's nice to think more drugs would help, but I personally, am doubtful. I think turds suggestion is a good one, a bit of avoidance can help. Jay's too, biting the tongue when possible could help, but ultimately, it's difficult because while on the pred, everything is so annoying, and it's difficult to hold back since you're all riled up that unnatural energy. Maybe MMJ could make you feel less irritable.
Posted 9/28/2017 5:15 AM (GMT -8)
What state are you in (or city with decriminalized laws)? You could benefit from medical marijuana to calm you down. It also helps regulate the gut and could give you physical and mental benefits. Of course if you are drug tested at work this is a no-go.
Posted 9/28/2017 12:52 PM (GMT -8)
I get you with the Anger and lack of sleep caused by Preds. Just started a low dose of Preds one week ago today plus the Cort enemas I was already using. Things are calming down a little now both physically and emotionally but it can be really tough.

Mostly I try to limit my exposure to annoying, needy, demanding, and negative people and stressful situations as much as possible for now.

I stopped my Preds 15 months ago because of the issues I was having with anger, anxiety, sleep depravation etc etc etc while on them. I was over the top at the time and just couldn't deal with the Preds and other peoples feelings. Well its been 15 months and my UC got a lot worse and now my only option is Adding Preds to my list of meds while I wait to see if my insurance will cover Entyivo or I can have surgery.

So my advice to you is hang on and do what you have to do to take care of You for now. Its called "Self Care" and it's ok to put yourself first instead of others for once. You and your health is what really matters now.

Hang in there.
Posted 9/29/2017 6:07 AM (GMT -8)
Connor
Sorry bout that. I always think "well at least I know THAT now" when something doesn't help or makes me worse. Pot does calm my gut and mind and helps me sleep which is a BIG benefit, unfortunately it's illegal here and I rarely get any. I have no legal mood alter-ers because as much as I like wine I must concede it's not that great for my gut.

Have you tried the gut specific steroid yet? It causes the least symptoms because it does not spread throughout your body (non-systemic). I'm trying to remember the RX name, I took it 9 years ago and felt like Superwoman (with no anger issues or other negative symptoms etc) but sadly it did not help my UC and did not continue taking it.

The name!= Entocort also known as Budesonide. Have you tried it yet? I have left-sided UC.
Posted 10/1/2017 6:17 PM (GMT -8)
I have some irritability on prednisone as well and I disagree with the people who said it's just because you're an angry person lol. Personally, my irritability reminds me of my teenage years when my hormones were raging.

I find caffeine makes it worse and exercising helps a ton! First time I was on prednisone I got really into running and yoga. It was the only way I could sleep at night and kept me on an even keel. I'm not sure what condition you're in and what kind of exercise your capable of at this time, but getting your heart rate up for 30-60 mins a day would be helpful I'm sure.
Posted 10/1/2017 7:25 PM (GMT -8)
Hi Connor 77,
I was recently officially diagnosed with UC. The GI Dr. is really pushing prednisone. My first experience with the heavy duty drug Lialda has been a disaster. I explained to the GI Dr that it makes me psychotic and that I was afraid of what I might do, especially since the recently retired husband is already annoying. Interestingly, last night I was reading from a pharmaceutical site that 18% of prednisone users become psychotic. I really don't think it is a mind over matter issue in how you are reacting. These drugs to treat UC are so heavy duty . Ativan doesn't even compare to what you have put in your body with the prednisone--- it is so light and wears off quickly.
Maybe using it for the course of the prednisone is something you might consider, since the options we have are not good.
Posted 10/2/2017 3:55 AM (GMT -8)
"My first experience with the heavy duty drug Lialda has been a disaster."

in all the time i've been around here, never heard Lialda described that way - just curious how you arrived at that opinion ?

and don't recall anyone becoming psychotic from using it - interesting -
Posted 10/2/2017 5:57 AM (GMT -8)
Lialda is a 90 percent topical, mild, anti-inflammatory medication. It's well tolerated by most patients with fewer than 5 percent being unable to take it due to side effects or allergic reactions. It's anything but a "heavy duty drug"...

What's the source to your 15% become psychotic on prednisone? Got a link? I'm highly skeptical of that.
Posted 10/4/2017 12:25 AM (GMT -8)
Hi, I used to get really angry while I was on pred. It was a horrible time. It cost me my marriage.

I told my GI that I can no longer be on pred. My best bet was to get off of it. Biting your tongue etc. is good advise and all but it just doesn't work for me. I tried valerian root and that helped somewhat but limited.

Little side note: Don't forget to take your calcium while on pred.
Posted 10/5/2017 2:56 PM (GMT -8)
When I had cdiff (pre-diagnosis for UC) and the doc put me on 60 mgs of pred and Flagyl, after about four days, I turned into Frankenstein. I was angry and yelled at my mother (we were visiting her sister in Arizona at the time) and then I couldn't stop crying. I went out to lunch with a friend and cried through the entire lunch. It had never happened before, but I had never been on such a high dose of pred before.

Pred is fabulous and horrible -- like most drugs, IMHO.

Good luck, Connor.

Post Edited (MitzMN) : 10/5/2017 5:00:55 PM (GMT-6)

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