Any side effects of 5mg Prednisone daily for years on end?

[DialysisGoneFOREVER]

I would think as long as you're physically active and eat fairly healthy you would not have any significant side effects of long term 5mg daily prednisone usage?You guys agree? What have you experienced?

[hatedialysis2]

Everyone is different and will have different reactions to the same medication same dosage.  Below are prednisone side effects listed on http://www.drugs.com/sfx/prednisone-side-effects.html

__More common
Aggression
agitation
anxiety
blurred vision
decrease in the amount of urine
dizziness
fast, slow, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse
headache
irritability
mental depression
mood changes
nervousness
noisy, rattling breathing
numbness or tingling in the arms or legs
pounding in the ears
shortness of breath
swelling of the fingers, hands, feet, or lower legs
trouble thinking, speaking, or walking
troubled breathing at rest
weight gain
Incidence not known
Abdominal or stomach cramping or burning (severe)
abdominal or stomach pain
backache
bloody, black, or tarry stools
cough or hoarseness
darkening of skin
decrease in height
decreased vision
diarrhea
dry mouth
eye pain
eye tearing
facial hair growth in females
fainting
fever or chills
flushed, dry skin
fractures
fruit-like breath odor
full or round face, neck, or trunk
heartburn or indigestion (severe and continuous)
increased hunger
increased thirst
increased urination
loss of appetite
loss of sexual desire or ability
lower back or side pain
menstrual irregularities
muscle pain or tenderness
muscle wasting or weakness
nausea
pain in back, ribs, arms, or legs
painful or difficult urination
skin rash
sleeplessness
sweating
trouble healing
trouble sleeping
unexplained weight loss
unusual tiredness or weakness
vision changes
vomiting
vomiting of material that looks like coffee grounds

[Simon Dog]

You missed avascular necrosis

[Deanne]

Osteoporosis is missing from the list. It includes fractures and a reduction in height, but these are probably caused by osteoporosis.
My eye doctor said it can cause cataracts and eye pressure problems. Maybe this is what they're trying to say by "blurred vision."

[cassandra]

And you missed striea (stretch marks) and those are from head to toe

[MooseMom]

But which of these side effects are most likely occur due to LONG TERM use?  That's what I'd like to know.  I experienced some of the most common side effects for the first 6-12 months, but now almost 4 years out, not so much.

[cassandra]

I really think it depends very much on the person. So I started with 120 mg eod when I was 17 (previous century I sure hope that doesn't happen any more) and slowly less after transplant to stay on 25 mg for about 5 years, going down to 7,5 for about 10 years, than to 2.5 after I lost dad's kidney, and after a total of 26 years I stopped. The side effects I experienced until I'd stopped for about a year were aggression, mood swings, full or round piggy face and trunk, agitation, sleeplessness, weight gain, mussle wasting. I did take Diazepam to ease the aggression, and anxiety and stuff. I still take it but less.
The high doses caused stomach bleeds and tearing of both retinas too.

[nursey66]

But which of these side effects are most likely occur due to LONG TERM use?  That's what I'd like to know.  I experienced some of the most common side effects for the first 6-12 months, but now almost 4 years out, not so much.

.     My husbands Neph kept him on 5 mg prednisone after his tx failed , he said the body produces a little of it all the time and when you use it long term, that production stops , so by staying on the 5 mg, it just puts back what other people normally have.  He has been on prednisone for 14 years, no problem with it, and even lost over 100 pounds while on it .

[cassandra]

.     My husbands Neph kept him on 5 mg prednisone after his tx failed , he said the body produces a little of it all the time and when you use it long term, that production stops , so by staying on the 5 mg, it just puts back what other people normally have.  He has been on prednisone for 14 years, no problem with it, and even lost over 100 pounds while on it .
[/quote]

yup doc told me that too, but another doc didn't so I just weaned off very slowly. From 5mg a day to 1 day 2.5 next 5 again etc. Next year only 2.5's and your cortisol production is probably back to normal.

[hatedialysis2]

On 5mg given for surgery pain, I thought I was going to loose my mind.  I could not sleep day or night and my edema got significantly worse..  All of this happened within 3 days of taking it.   I can't imagine what prednisone would have done to me had I stayed on any longer.   I'm a big believer in lifestyle, food as medicine and God healing herbs.  It has kept my head above water with my many years battling CKD.  The anti inflammory formula I used was much more effective for the surgery pain, no side effects, had whole body benefits.   

[DialysisGoneFOREVER]

That's great nursey! I bet he stays fit and takes care of himself.

IHD2, almost all of those symptoms are from higher does of prednisone. I asked my local pharmacist with decades of experience and she said most people shoildn't suffer ANY ill effects from long term prednisone usage of only 5mg daily. Of course staying active and leading a healthy lifestyle is important.

[Rerun]

When you come off of the long long term prednisone do it very very slowly.  I mean like .05 a month down to zero and you may need to be on some the rest of your life.

My transplant was 17 years with 10 mg of prednisone everyday.  I am still on 2mg a day because my body needs it.  It has been 10 years since my transplant but when I try to get off the 2mg a day I feel bad.

Something about my adrenal glands were replaced for sooo long that they never came back full force.

[gothiclovemonkey]

it has apparently caused me cataracts... and i wasnt even on it very long.

[DialysisGoneFOREVER]

I asked an experienced pharmacist and she said 5mg a day for life shouldn't cause any significant problems as long as you're otherwise healthy.

[cassandra]

I agree with the experienced pharmacist that when you're fairly healthy, don't have bone, eye or kidney or stomach or intestinal or skin or mental problems, that 5mg Pred for life should not cause any significant problems.

   
     

[coravh]

Another really common side effect (especially in combo with prograf) is diabetes. You don't have to be on much pred for more than a couple of years to get steroid induced type 2. My Mom's been on between 3 and 6 mg for polymyalgia for about 6 or 7 years and has it. Everyone is different though.

[DialysisGoneFOREVER]

Another really common side effect (especially in combo with prograf) is diabetes. You don't have to be on much pred for more than a couple of years to get steroid induced type 2. My Mom's been on between 3 and 6 mg for polymyalgia for about 6 or 7 years and has it. Everyone is different though.

The key is being active and eating properly. At least that helps. At least the exercise part more than anything to keep blood sugar low.