Prednisone has side effects such as weight gain, increased appetite, higher blood pressure and risk of developing osteoporosis and steroid-induced diabetes. Eating a nutritious diet that is low in sodium (salt) and rich in calcium and vitamin D may help reduce some of these side effects.
Use strategies (such as meditation) to cope with and reduce stress. Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or skim milk and cheeses. Be active — shoot for exercise most days of the week.
Prednisone has a tendency to raise the level of glucose, or sugar, in the blood, which can cause increased body fat or diabetes in some people. It is important to avoid "simple" carbohydrates and concentrated sweets, such as cakes, pies, cookies, jams, honey, chips, breads, candy and other highly processed foods.
Although prednisone is an important drug that's effective for several conditions, it's important to know what to eat when you're taking it. Your doctor may ask you to follow a low-salt, high-potassium, or high-calcium diet. They may also recommend taking calcium, vitamin D, or potassium supplements.
The best thing you can do to minimize side effects from taking prednisone is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. That means eating smart, exercising regularly and getting plenty of sleep. While taking prednisone, you should avoid smoking and drinking alcohol, and add supplements to your diet.
A 5-day course of prednisone can cause short-term side effects, including changes in mood, appetite, sleep, and energy. The severity of the side effects depends on the dose of prednisone. Low doses are less likely to cause adverse effects than high doses of prednisone.
Risks of Prednisone
More serious side effects, such as an increased risk of infections, psychological effects, weakening of bones, and bone fractures are associated with longer-term use.
Eat a well-balanced diet including 2 rich sources of potassium daily, such as orange juice, apricots, banana, cantaloupe, baked potatoes and tomatoes. Do not take potassium supplements unless prescribed by your physician.
Corticosteroids may increase the body's loss of magnesium. Some doctors recommend that people taking corticosteroids for more than two weeks supplement with 300–400 mg of magnesium per day.
Fluid retention can cause weight gain but as steroids are reduced, fluids will usually reduce as well, along with some of the weight gain. Drinking plenty of water and exercising can help with fluid retention.
Steroids may increase your risk of developing ulcers or gastrointestinal bleeding, especially if you take these medications along with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen or aspirin. If at all possible, don't combine steroids with NSAIDs.
This depends on your health problem or condition. You may only need a short course of prednisolone for up to 1 week. You may need to take it for longer, even for many years or the rest of your life.
Getting plenty of rest is also essential. This can be difficult because prednisone can interfere with sleep. One way to cope is to improve your sleep hygiene. This includes avoiding food and electronics before bedtime and sleeping in a cool, dark room.
A gradual reduction in prednisone dosage gives your adrenal glands time to resume their usual function. The amount of time it takes to taper off prednisone depends on the disease being treated, the dose and duration of use, and other medical considerations. A full recovery can take a week to several months.
Prednisone has many side effects. You're more likely to experience these side effects with higher doses and longer courses of treatment. Common short-term side effects include changes in appetite, mood, energy, and sleep. Long-term prednisone treatment can lead to weight gain, osteoporosis, and cataracts.
When a person stops taking prednisone, the body cannot immediately produce enough cortisol to make up for the missing drug. It may take several days or weeks before the body's cortisol production levels return to normal.
Because corticosteroids rely on their immunosuppressant properties for healing, it's counterproductive to drink a tea made from an immunostimulant herb, such as Echinacea. Herbal teas that can make Prednisone less effective include cat's claw, astragalus and licorice root.
Depending on your overall health and medical condition, it may be advisable to avoid using lactobacillus acidophilus until your immune system has recovered from the effects of predniSONE. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.
Therefore, for most people on this medication, a high protein diet is beneficial. As well, these protein losses may be compounded by the additional loss of protein during active Crohn's or ulcerative colitis. Sources of high protein include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and cheese.
The higher the dose and the longer the duration of treatment, the more likely you are to put on weight. You can control fluid retention by eating a diet low in sodium and eating more foods that contain potassium such as bananas, apricots, and dates.
You may need to start insulin temporarily to lower your blood sugar. If you're already on insulin, you may need to increase your current insulin doses. When a bigger dose of steroids is started, long-acting insulin doses are usually increased by 10 to 20%.
Water is essential; a target of two litres of water should be aimed for per day, more if the body sweats a lot during exercise.
Talk to your doctor right away if you have more than one of these symptoms while you are using this medicine: blurred vision, dizziness or fainting, a fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeat, increased thirst or urination, irritability, or unusual tiredness or weakness.
Increased risk of infections, especially with common bacterial, viral and fungal microorganisms. Bone fractures and thinning bones, called osteoporosis. Fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea and muscle weakness. Thin skin, bruising and slower wound healing.
There is no set limit on how long you can safely take prednisone. It depends on the dose of prednisone and the condition being treated. It may be prescribed short term or long term. The dosage will be adjusted or stopped based on your response or lack of response to the medication.