My swallowing gets worse when my BP is low... I am not sure if that is due to all my other health issues but have you noted any correllation with your swallowing and other issues? I have to take steps to raise my BP in order to get out of the choking fits.

I third (or fourth?) the pred caution... long acting steroids can cause weakness on their own so while the docs think they help the immune system, take it from someone who had Cushing's and is destroyed by steroids, they are nothing to mess around with... after all, those with Cushing's have a repressed immune system and get sick all the time with everything and anything.